BEHIND the SCENES with Michael Golab

Nancy Bishop CSA, is an award -winning casting director, who works internationally from offices in London and Prague. She is a founding member and former President of the Casting Society of America’s (CSA)  European branch. With over 100major feature film and television projects among her credits, Nancy has cast hundreds of actors throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Nancy has been retained as casting director by dozens of major screen producers and directors, including Sacha Baron Cohen on’ Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm’, for which she won a CSA Artios Award for best casting of a comedy. Other credits include working with Brad Bird, (Mission Impossible IV), Bong Joon Ho(Snowpiercer), and Matthew Weiner (The Romanoffs). She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for her casting work on Anne Frank: The Whole Story, ABC/Disney Studios. Nancy’s newest book ‘Auditioning for Film and Television: A Post #MeToo Guide’ is now available.We talk about the significance of finding your place within the industry, how to get rid of the ‘need to impress’ and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Gianna Kiehl (Twitter: @GiannaKiehl/ IG: @giannak401) is an American actor. She plays assassin Jules in Amazon’s ‘Hanna’. She directed and produced her first play ‘Persephone’ in 2021. We talk about how crucial it is to define what exactly ‘success’ means to you, the importance of finding balance without succumbing to the ‘average’, the significance of playfulness and so much more.***Content warning: this episode contains references to self-harm and drinking.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Ali Cook is an actor, comedian and magician. He has written and starred in the television series 'Now You See It' (BBC1), 'Penn And Teller: Fool Us' (ITV1), 'Dirty Tricks' (Channel 4) and 'Monkey Magic '(Five), both nominated for the British Comedy Awards & the Golden Rose of Montreux.We talk about the immense power of practise, how if you want to become better at something you have to become worse first, the significance of making the unconscious conscious and living an examined life, how understanding the non-linear nature of improvement can help you, the importance of cultivating hope and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Jonathan Harden (jonathanharden.com) is an actor, director and host of the immensely popular ‘The Honest Actor’s Podcast’.We talk about the importance of ‘creating’ as much as you can, how to make the fear of ‘public humiliation’ work in your favour, the significance of always doing the ‘work’ and being prepared, the crucial skill of creating your own opportunities, the joy of competing with yourself and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Shakyra Dowling (@shakyradowlingcasting) is a casting director specialising in independent British feature films and European coproductions alongside television and commercials- many of which have been internationally recognised and gone to be nominated for multiple awards including BAFTAs and BIFAs, and at festivals from Sundance to TIFF.We talk about the importance of completely immersing yourself in your chosen subject, the crucial skill of not being afraid of bringing yourself to the table, the significance of knowing the genre you’re auditioning for, tips on how to email a casting director, the importance of not limiting yourself and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Molly Wansell is a talent agent and manager at ‘42’ representing some of the industry’s leading actors and casting directors. ‘42’ is a fully integrated management and production company, producing film, television and content, representing actors, writers, directors, comedians, presenters, producers, casting directors and media book rights; with offices in London and Los Angeles. Molly also runs the very successful true crime podcast ‘Blood Ties’ with her father Geoffrey Wansell.We talk about the importance of emotional sensitivity, how hard work and perseverance are crucial to any success story, advice on how to approach an agent, the significance of a really good headshot, the importance of self-respect and confidence, the crucial skill of lateral thinking and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Gordon Cowell is currently Casting Associate for TV Casting Director Kate Rhodes James, where he has worked since 2016. For nearly five years prior to this, he was Casting Associate for Theatre Casting Director Jill Green. Casting credits include ‘A Discovery of Witches’, ‘Bodyguard’, ‘Soulmates’ and ‘Sherlock' to name but a few. We talk about the importance of playing to your strengths, the danger of playing it safe, the value of ‘self-love’, the significance of authenticity, the importance of leaving your ego at the door, how learning to see a situation from different perspectives can make you far more effective, tips on self-taping and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Luci Lenox (@luci_lenox) is an international casting director with casting offices in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. Her list of clients includes Netflix, Paramount, ABC, NBC, Disney and several independent producers in Spain. She has served on the board of CSA (Casting Society of America) Europe and also as head of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in Europe. We talk about common misconceptions of what casting directors do, the significance of ‘resetting your brain’, how your career is more defined by what you say ‘no’ to than what you say ‘yes’ to, the essential skill of treating yourself like your own best friend, the connection between good storytelling and resilience, the danger when stories aim for the lowest common denominator, the power of ‘not knowing’ and so much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Joe Hall is the founder of  Ghetto Film School – the award-winning nonprofit organisation works to foster talent within communities of colour, aiming to bring diversity to the notoriously white movie industry. We talk about the importance of community building, the significance of knowing ‘who you are’ and clarifying your motivation, the important skill of ‘learning how to learn’, the dangers of not having a clear mission/ vision statement, how you can’t help anyone as long as you’re judging them, the immense power of creative thinking/ storytelling, the difference between people who are good at their job and people who are just good at interviews, the significance of owning your mistakes, the crucial skill of listening, the power of solitude and so much more.With locations in New York City, Los Angeles and London, GFS is the most elite and inclusive film academy in the world, equipping students for top universities and careers in the creative industries through two tracks: an introductory education program for high school students and early-career support for alumni and young professionals. Guest instructors include J.J. Abrams, Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, Anette Bening, Baz Luhrmann, Halle Berry, Lucas Hedges, Spike Lee, Steve McQueen, Freida Pinto, Chris Tucker and Matthew Vaughn to name but a few.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show..and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Patsy Rodenburg OBE is recognised as one of the world’s leading voice teachers and coaches and also as a renowned authority on Shakespeare. We talk about  how storytelling has made us human, the immense power of saying ‘I don't know’, the importance of generosity, the significance of realising that you are more powerful than you think you are, the importance of working on yourself, how creating a ‘safe space’ boosts everyone’s creativity, the crucial moment of defining what ‘success’ means for you specifically, the important skill of absolutely loving the ‘journey’ and so much more.Patsy has worked regularly with the best-known actors of British theatre, including Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen and Daniel Day-Lewis, as well as many of the biggest stars of film and television including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, Hugh Jackman and Natalie Portman.She has worked with theatre companies all around the world; some of these include the National Theatre, the RSC, the Moscow Art Theatre, Complicite, Cheek by Jowl, and Comedie-Francaise. Patsy has authored several books on the subject of voice coaching, including ‘Speaking Shakespeare’, ‘The Right to Speak’, ‘The Need For Words’, ‘The Actor Speaks’, ‘The Second Circle’, ‘Power Presentation’ and ‘Presence’.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Luc Chaudhary runs one of the UK’s leading talent agencies ‘International Artists Management’ with offices in London, LA and Central Europe representing high profile actors, producers, writers and directors. We talk about the importance of trust, the significance of self-discipline, advice on how to approach an agent, the importance of having a strong ‘why’, how having other interests can relax you, the non-linear trajectory of the entertainment business, how understanding ‘supply and demand’ can help you and so much more.Luc earned a business studies degree at the University of Brighton, worked as a stockbroker in the City of London, then started producing films and set up ‘International Artists Management’.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

David Lan is a theatre producer, writer and director. We talk about the importance of striving to fulfill your potential whatever field you are in, why theatre has to be more than just good entertainment, the importance of welcoming difficulties, the dark side of social anthropology, how good stories can broaden your mind and thus improve your decision making and so much more.David was born in Cape Town and has lived in London since 1972. His plays have been produced by the National Theatre, the RSC, the Royal Court and the Almeida. He has published an anthropological study, ‘Guns and Rain: Guerrillas and Spirit Mediums in Zimbabwe’ (1985) and a memoir ‘As if by Chance: Journeys, Theatres, Lives (2020). He was writer-in-residence at the Royal Court 1995 to 1997 and artistic director of the Young Vic 2000 to 2018. In 2018 he received the Laurence Olivier Special Award, the Critics’ Circle Special Award and the RAI ‘Anthropology in the World’ award. He is theatre associate at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York where he produced Simon Stone’s version of Medea earlier this year.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Mike Alfreds is a theatre director, adapter, translator and teacher. He talks about the role of the subconscious, the essence of good storytelling, what it means to be really ‘alive’ in a performance, what we can learn from film/ theatre ‘stars’, the danger of overconfidence, the importance of always being 100% ‘ready’ to work , the significance of curiosity and playfulness, the power of looking at a scene/ situation through someone else’s eyes, the difference between ‘making’ things happen and ‘allowing’ things to happen and so much more.Mike founded and was artistic director of ‘Shared Experience’, directed for the Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He worked on over 200 productions all over the world. Mike is also known for his special method of instructing actors, inspired by the principles of Konstantin Stanislavski and Rudolf Laban, with emphasis on physical activities, spontaneity and interaction with others. He has written two books ‘Different Every Night’ which describes his approach to theatre and his rehearsal process when working on plays and ‘Then What Happens?’ which describes his techniques when working on adaptations and storytelling. His system of working and his thoughts on the making of theatre have been said  to be as crucial and illuminating as Stanislavsky’s and Peter Brook’s.Mark Rylance said about Mike: 'If I was allowed to train again to be an actor, but I was only allowed one teacher, it would have to be Mike Alfreds. To me he is a genius when it comes to acting and storytelling.' ***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Geoff Lindsey is a writer, director and pronunciation coach.He talks about the crucial skill of reality testing your work on a live audience, the significance of reframing ‘bad’ events, the importance of not being too precious about your work, the significance of adaptability in any creative profession, the correlation between hard work and luck and so much more.Geoff trained as a director at the Bournemouth Film School and he has an MA from UCL and an MA and PhD from University of California Los Angeles and worked as a lecturer in phonetics at University College in London. He directed Michael Palin in ‘How to Use your Coconuts’ in ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ and musician LangLang and actress Heather Graham in ‘The Flying Machine'. He also wrote episodes for ‘Eastenders’, ‘The Bill’ and created the screenplay and arranged the music for the Oscar shortlisted film ‘Magic Piano’. He was interviewed by Stephen Fry on the BBC radio series 'Fry's English Delight'. He also published his book 'English After RP' in 2019 about which famous phonetician and esperantist John C Wells said  “It is a book I wish I had written myself – but I don’t think I would have been able to make such a good job of it”. ***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Ryan Metcalfe shares how having worked as a magician improved his approach to business and life, how challenging and destroying your own ideas can help you succeed, the power of combining seemingly unrelated disciplines, the importance of good relationships, when it pays off to be cheeky, the significance of taking a broader perspective and so much more.Ryan started off as a magician, studied stage design at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and left early to found his company ‘Preevue’ at the age of 18. 'Preevue' specialises in creating bespoke VR and AR visualisations. They started out doing theatre set design projects that allowed producers and directors to see and walk around a set without it physically being built. The productions they have worked on include ‘Harry Potter and The Cursed Child’, ‘Come From Away’, ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’, and ‘Moulin Rouge’. Their clients include the Barbican, the Southwark Playhouse and Sonia Friedman Productions. 'Preevue' has worked on projects in cities around the globe, including Melbourne, Toronto, New York and LA. They have also since expanded into architecture, construction, and live event production.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)

Chris Hardman shares how he started his career completely self-taught and became a visual effects artist and feature film producer. He has worked as a Visual Effects Head of Department on Hollywood films like Jurassic World 2, James Bond Spectre, Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar, Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, Ant-man, Jason Bourne, Kingsman, Assassin’s Creed and Star Wars Episode VII. He also has his own production company ‘Hardman Pictures’ working closely with Matt Hookings at ‘Camelot Films’. Their latest feature is "The Obscure Life of the Grand Duke of Corsica’ with Timothy Spall and Peter Stormare.Chris talks about his three main takeaways for aspiring filmmakers, the mindset that enables him to persevere and overcome obstacles, the significance of finding your ‘tribe’ and collaboration, the importance of having more than one skill up your sleeve, the role of flexibility when things don’t go your way and much more.***If you find this podcast valuable, it would be amazing if you could leave a one-off donation which helps us with the maintenance costs of the podcast and also helps us continue making it better. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab***If you cannot donate you can leave us a short 5-second review on ‘Apple Podcasts’ and share the episode on social media; it really helps other listeners find the show...and make sure to subscribe to get the next episode.Thanks so much for your support!Instagram: instagram.com/michaeldgolabIMDB: imdb.me/michaelgolabTwitter: twitter.com/michaeldgolabFacebook: facebook.com/michaelgolabactorLinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-golabSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michaelgolab)