WEBVTT - The Spirited Actor - Benny Boom (07/21/2020) 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.360 Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.480 Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:10.640 TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:14.239 a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:19.480 Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez. 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:24.520 I auditioned every rapper from Biggie Smalls to Tupac, and 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:28.280 I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:32.600 transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:37.440 Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:41.159 Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:45.120 also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.800 I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director, 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:51.360 I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an 0:00:51.400 --> 0:00:53.880 acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.160 that room. Now I know, I know actors want to 0:00:57.200 --> 0:01:00.279 get the job. I get that, but being remembered by 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:05.720 casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:09.200 meditation of the day. The world is round, and the 0:01:09.240 --> 0:01:13.120 place which seems like the end may also be the beginning. 0:01:14.080 --> 0:01:20.240 Ivy Baker priests. I wake up every morning thanking God 0:01:20.319 --> 0:01:24.559 for another day to set the record straight. I feel 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:28.639 that I have another chance to live and make things better. 0:01:29.680 --> 0:01:34.080 Sometimes we spend too much energy feeling negative instead of 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:39.280 enjoying the fact that we are alive. Everyone has their 0:01:39.360 --> 0:01:42.840 own cross to bear, but it's how you carry it 0:01:42.920 --> 0:01:46.560 that counts in the end. We should be grateful for 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:53.640 life and just live it. Today I remember how valuable 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:59.080 my life is and appreciate love it. Welcome to the 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:04.960 Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I am moved 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:09.920 today because you guys need to get ready for a 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:15.359 riveting interview with one of my dear friends in this industry, 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:21.560 award winning director extraordinary, Benny Boom Douglas. Put your hands together. 0:02:23.200 --> 0:02:28.040 Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Benny. 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:32.160 I mean, timing is impeccable because I know that people 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:36.120 are kind of home. But yeah, but I feel very 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:38.600 honored to have this interview with you. 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:42.080 Oh man, I feel honored that you asked. You know. 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:46.480 I think there's there's people that you meet in the 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:51.120 in this industry along your journey and that you never 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:53.919 forget or somebody has given you some advice or helped 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:56.520 you or pointed you in the right direction. And I 0:02:56.560 --> 0:02:58.160 just want to thank you for doing that for me. 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:03.800 Oh twenty six years ago. Yeah, you know when I 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:08.600 first moved to Brooklyn from Philadelphia and you were just 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:10.480 telling me, look, you just got to go get it, 0:03:10.560 --> 0:03:13.520 you know, if you know, just don't wait for nobody 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:15.360 to do this, you got to show up here and 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:17.520 do it. Was just all these things that I was 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.240 just you know, intimidated by the big city and about 0:03:21.400 --> 0:03:25.160 the industry and all these things, and you just, you know, 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:27.040 you just wiped all that stuff away from me and 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:30.560 just sort of helped me, you know, try to find 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:32.840 and figure out what I wanted to do. 0:03:32.880 --> 0:03:36.040 And I just want to think, Wow, you're welcome for that. 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:42.200 I remember you coming here and this is crazy because 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:45.120 I wasn't supposed to be there that day. 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:48.440 But Moses, Moses, Yeah, Moses, who. 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:52.560 I just spoke to two weeks ago. Crazy, I will 0:03:52.600 --> 0:03:56.680 tell him. Moses was doing this ESPN commercial and he 0:03:56.800 --> 0:03:59.640 was like, Tracy, come in and just be my script supervisor. 0:03:59.640 --> 0:04:01.280 I'll pay you. And I was like, I. 0:04:01.200 --> 0:04:04.640 Don't know if Phil Simms, who was the quarterback of 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:05.600 the Giants at the time. 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:11.600 It was, and I was like, I didn't know ESPN, 0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:13.520 so I didn't know who these people were because he 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.920 was throwing the dames and he was like, i'll pay you, Tracy. 0:04:17.000 --> 0:04:19.560 I'm like, I'm a casside director. I don't know what 0:04:19.600 --> 0:04:23.080 a script supervisor does. And he was like, just be organized, 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:26.560 just keep everything organized for me, right. So I was like, 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:30.560 I don't want to go play script supervisor. But then 0:04:30.600 --> 0:04:32.400 I was like, I want to help my boy. So 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:35.400 I was like, okay, Moses, do it. But if I 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:39.159 said no, I would have never because that's the day we. 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:41.640 Met, yes, right on that set. And I don't remember 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:45.400 how I got there. I think Daphne was the producer 0:04:45.480 --> 0:04:51.400 maybe yeah, and Daphne was Daphne was at the time. 0:04:51.960 --> 0:04:54.760 She was grabbing people up from spikes because I was 0:04:54.800 --> 0:05:01.240 I was interning over its on forty eight Boppers and 0:05:01.320 --> 0:05:06.520 so of Death. Yeah, that's right, and she was plucking 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:10.159 people to come work from the pipe set. And that's 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:12.000 why that's how I think I got there. I think 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:12.760 Daphne was a. 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:16.240 Producer that And this is how you know it's God 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:19.360 and it's confirmed because Moses is like, I don't know 0:05:19.360 --> 0:05:21.719 if you remember this, but Moses like, all right, Casey, 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:24.120 you know, I'm going back to Brooklyn. I give you're ride. 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:26.240 He was like, Benny, you want to ride? And you 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:29.920 were like, yeah, we go back to Brooklyn ladies and gentlemen. 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:33.520 He drops me off the corner and turns the corner 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:34.520 and drops you off. 0:05:34.920 --> 0:05:37.000 Right off, right around the corner. 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:42.400 It was when I would come out of my garden apartment. 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:44.880 Decal the door was right there. 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:45.400 Yeah. 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:48.559 It was crazy. That was crazy. That was crazy. 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:51.560 That was so dumb. I was like, okay, I'm supposed 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:51.800 to be. 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:54.880 His friend because it was so crazy. And then you 0:05:54.960 --> 0:05:56.080 I remember you got me. 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:02.839 You did some background casting on New York Undercover. 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:05.279 Yes, and you. 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:06.960 Said, and I was like, I don't know if I'm 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:08.800 gonna do this, Like, but this is one of those things. 0:06:08.800 --> 0:06:11.880 You were like, look, you just gotta, you know, just 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:14.760 you got to understand what this industry is about. And 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:19.440 now going there and that that day, Yeah, and I 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:21.520 did back. I can't remember what scene it was. It 0:06:21.560 --> 0:06:22.800 was one of those club scenes when they. 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:26.360 Do the yeah oh Natalie's yeah yeah yeah, yeah, yeah 0:06:26.440 --> 0:06:30.880 yeah yeah yeah. But you know what, Benny, The thing 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:33.800 that I loved about that time was that you know, 0:06:33.960 --> 0:06:36.760 I was coming from the school of Lionel Martin, you know, 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:40.120 in terms of music videos, right, and so line was 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:46.360 before Hype and all hunters. Right. We were doing three 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:50.880 music videos per week and the budgets were extraordinary. 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:52.360 Yeah, they were bige. 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:57.440 Yeah, Hype Williams was art director, X was working Grip. 0:06:57.960 --> 0:07:02.120 You know. So I came from school where it was 0:07:02.160 --> 0:07:06.599 by any means necessary, and there were there weren't in 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:10.520 terms of coming up as a casting director, there weren't 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:14.520 a lot of people of color. And so when you 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:17.680 I felt like when you were in a position and 0:07:18.080 --> 0:07:20.120 you had an opportunity, you just grab your people and 0:07:20.120 --> 0:07:22.600 say come on, E're gonna come me, you know, because 0:07:22.640 --> 0:07:28.560 you know you never know where that can lead you. Yeah, 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:32.320 and you definitely like from the time I met you, 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:34.160 I was like, oh, he's about to take over the world. 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:35.080 You had play. 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:44.600 I was like temple, remember, yeah, Dy. 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:48.160 You were focused. It was there was nothing in your 0:07:48.360 --> 0:07:54.480 DNA or surrounding to that said failure here, it's not happening. 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:54.960 Right. 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:57.840 It's crazy to hear that from somebody because I always 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:01.880 think about those days, like how did ians and working 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:05.600 sometimes and you know, a down period and then finally 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:10.240 meeting Hype and then sort of being in that world 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:12.760 with him and working with him every single day and 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:14.920 being a part of Big Dog, and that sort of 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.960 bringing me into the next phase of what my career 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.040 would do. It's very it's you know, when I think back, 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:24.200 it's scary. I was, but like you said, at the time, 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:26.640 I was like, man, I can't. That was always like 0:08:26.680 --> 0:08:27.960 I can't go back to Philly. 0:08:28.000 --> 0:08:30.960 That's yeah, No, that wasn't an option. That was like 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:34.880 definitely when I heard Will Smith say Plan B is 0:08:34.960 --> 0:08:37.640 Plan A, I was like, oh, yeah, that's what the 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:38.440 that's their. 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:43.080 Root Same High school to Overbrook High School. It's funny. 0:08:43.400 --> 0:08:44.000 How did I know? 0:08:44.280 --> 0:08:45.520 Yeah, yeah, same high school. 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:50.440 It's crazy, you I swear it was. And you know 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.959 what was refreshing about it was that it was also 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:55.880 at a time where Spike had gotten a lot of 0:08:55.880 --> 0:09:00.600 people into the unions and so we there was some 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:06.000 groundwork that was being made in terms not just you know, 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:11.440 being in these positions to direct and create, but starting 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:14.600 your own production companies, Like you really have visions. So 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:17.680 let's tell our audience, because I mean, we could start 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:23.000 with the top musical rappers in the industry that you 0:09:23.080 --> 0:09:28.040 have done their video. How did you did you get you? 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:30.480 I was just gonna say, how did you get into 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:31.280 the video world? 0:09:31.480 --> 0:09:32.720 Well, into the video world. 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:35.960 The thing was I was in, as you know, I 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:38.800 was in like the PA world of the movies, mostly movies, 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:43.120 not really TV shows, right, but the movies. And I 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:47.280 sort of found myself. It's very interesting. I found myself 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:51.400 in a cycle with you know, back in those days, 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:52.640 you got friendly. 0:09:52.360 --> 0:09:55.559 With the ads. Any ads would go from. 0:09:55.360 --> 0:09:57.160 One movie to the next and they would bring their 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:00.240 pas along, and I found myself in this. This is 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.360 very funny and looking at what's happening now, I was 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:04.800 the only black PA. 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:07.559 On a lot of sets, not on Spike sets, on 0:10:07.600 --> 0:10:08.520 these other sets. 0:10:08.559 --> 0:10:12.760 So this one ad group would bring me on to 0:10:12.800 --> 0:10:15.240 different movies, and I found myself on Woody Allen's movie 0:10:15.720 --> 0:10:17.560 a couple of years in a row, and I was 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:22.520 the only black PA on Woody Allen movies. 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.920 And at the time, I didn't really think about it anyway. 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:29.520 I just thought, bitch, and like, oh, I got an opportunity, right, 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:32.240 And then I just got so burned out by that 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.480 because you know, I was at Temple and I studied 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:38.480 filmmaking and directing, and it was so far away from 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:41.560 what I wanted to do. And then I got the 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:45.439 opportunity to PA on a commercial for one hundred collect 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:48.319 when Chris Rock was doing all those commercials okay, and 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:52.120 they produced that commercial Kate Kate Sutherland produced it out 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:55.600 of Big Dog Films, and we went to the office 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:58.240 and I was just like, I was blown away because 0:10:58.240 --> 0:11:00.320 at this time, Hype was height. 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:02.280 It was ninety six. 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:06.520 Or seven, and I mean it was Hype William's world 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:09.400 and you know, prepping three and four videos at once, 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:12.880 and you know, you had DMXS coming in before he 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:15.120 was big, and it was just it was just like, 0:11:15.480 --> 0:11:17.760 this is where I want to be. And so I 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:20.520 basically stated my claim in that in that place and 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:21.160 was like. 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:23.800 You know. I came back after we shot the commercial. 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:26.120 We were rapping and I said, hey, guys, do you 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:31.400 need somebody for PA for something? And it was R 0:11:31.520 --> 0:11:35.600 Kelly's Gotham City Remix. I think it was the studio 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:38.480 And that was the first job I did with Hype 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:41.920 as a PA, and I don't know if something just 0:11:42.000 --> 0:11:47.120 clicked and with Big Mike Big Mike Ellish playing and 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:49.960 from there I just was part of the camp and 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:52.240 I got my chance, my first chance to direct a 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:55.200 few years later for Channel Live, which was I was 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:57.679 also an artist, rapping and stuff like that, so I 0:11:57.760 --> 0:11:59.280 was traveling. 0:11:58.800 --> 0:11:59.560 With Channel Live. 0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:02.839 I was on their albums and directed the first music 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:05.679 video for the third album, A wild Out two K 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:07.000 and that's where it all started. 0:12:07.640 --> 0:12:12.680 Wow, So because that's where it started with me too 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:18.400 music videos with uh Lionel Martin, Ralph McDaniels, and then 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:22.760 I was like, love this world because it's like a 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:28.800 mini feature. But I needed to audition actors. I needed that, 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:34.760 you know a lot of times, and I love having 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:40.680 directors on the podcast because actors don't get a chance 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:46.400 to have conversation with you unless they're they're very fortunate 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:52.520 to have a rehearsal prior, so usually after the callback 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:56.720 or producer session, however far it goes next time you 0:12:56.760 --> 0:13:01.800 see them television on right right, So a lot of 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:06.200 times they don't you as a director, do you give 0:13:06.280 --> 0:13:10.160 feedback to or adjustments to your actors. A lot of 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:16.040 times when actors are day players, they feel as though 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:18.920 they don't get a lot of feedback from the director. 0:13:19.000 --> 0:13:23.319 The director you know, cut and they're like any adjustments. 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:25.880 It's like, oh, no, it was good, but they do 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:31.280 want they want that. Yeah, even if it's no, you 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:34.280 did a great job, do same thing right right. 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:38.959 Deal with actors, Well, it's interesting, I found myself at 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:43.959 the beginning because to me, feature film, feature films and 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:47.800 television are different in terms of the expectation of the actor. 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:51.920 And usually with feature films, we've had that preparation time, 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:55.920 we've had that rehearsal time. Hopefully we've had that private 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:58.360 time to really talk about the script and break it down. 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:02.520 With television, I go in there and if it's a cast, 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:04.439 let's say, for example, n C I. S L A 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:08.800 is a perfect example, because that show has a cast, 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:13.040 it's a already there and always always has guest actors 0:14:13.080 --> 0:14:15.320 because they're either the bad guy or what the story 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:19.200 is about or something like that. And so there's a 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:23.000 piece of it where I'm just a cog in the 0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:27.560 wheel for time, which is very interesting. So the actors 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:32.560 always come prepared, you know, our main actors always come prepared. 0:14:33.400 --> 0:14:36.080 So we stand here, stand here, stand here, let's get 0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:36.880 the information out. 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:38.240 Let's get the information out. 0:14:38.640 --> 0:14:41.320 But then when you have the guest actor, they're they're 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:44.360 more intimidated a lot of times than the main actors. 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:47.040 I mean for that show in particular, since Ell is 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:49.040 on that show. A lot of time, people will come 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:51.440 there and they just like, oh, this is hell cool Jay, 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:54.640 you know they and I've seen it, like I've seen people. 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:57.120 You know, we have a we usually we have a 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.440 big table read. Everybody's cool with that. But the first 0:15:00.520 --> 0:15:02.680 day on set and they have to act with him 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:06.880 in the scene like before, I can see like they're 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:09.920 just like, man, this is LL, you know, and it's 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:15.080 and it hits them. And so for me, it's interesting 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.600 because I know how because I'm friends with l LL got. 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:21.680 Me that job on that show. Yeah, yeah, he got 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:25.280 me that job on that show. Friendship. Our friendship was lasted, 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:26.720 you know, almost twenty years now. 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.920 He was the one that made the call that you know, 0:15:30.200 --> 0:15:32.560 got the interviews for me to come there and help 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:36.520 me put my reel together directing Presented. So you know, 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:40.080 he really championed me to get that job. And so 0:15:40.560 --> 0:15:46.560 when I'm there, not only do I rely on the 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:48.840 main actors for you. 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:51.160 Know, I try to break down those walls. 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:53.000 That happened because they don't get a lot of time 0:15:53.160 --> 0:15:55.800 they really don't. When I'm when I'm when I'm in 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:58.920 the auditions, it's myself, it's the producer and the writer 0:15:59.000 --> 0:16:04.760 of the episode. And sometimes people, you know, they see 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:07.400 one thing and they'll dismiss him right away, and I'm like, 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:09.280 hold on, wait, wait, let me just let me just 0:16:09.720 --> 0:16:11.840 let's hear one more, you know, let's get one more. 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:14.720 And if I think somebody is right for it or 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:17.800 feels right, you know, I try to position. 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:20.400 I learned. It's very interesting. 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:23.040 I learned, like when you're a guest because as a director, 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:25.920 you're a guest as well. Even though the seven episodes, 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:29.640 I'm still a guest director, right, But I learned how 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:33.080 to win the argument without fighting, If that makes sense. 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:34.440 It makes a lot of sense. 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:38.800 Know which know which battles to fight for, you know, 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:41.840 know which battles to fight for. The difference is like 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:45.800 a show I did, All I Do, All American, which. 0:16:46.480 --> 0:16:47.440 That's my favorite show. 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:51.080 William My Road Dog, Oh get out of here. 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:56.280 I've known Tim since eighty four. Wow, Yeah, that's what 0:16:56.320 --> 0:16:56.440 I do. 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:59.440 Yeah, it's such a great show. 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:03.400 And Kim Williams is the casting director on that show. 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:08.760 And the people, so it's like that first season, everyone's 0:17:08.800 --> 0:17:13.399 getting to know each other, and I really enjoyed doing 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:17.920 that with the actors learning the actors helping them learn 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:21.040 who they are, because each episode is a different journey 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:25.199 for this and on this show Black Lightning is the 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:27.840 same way. I was there first season and been there 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:34.840 every season. Williams come on, Oh that's great and funny enough, 0:17:34.840 --> 0:17:36.199 and the Fisa grew up on my block. I mean 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:38.240 she was a kid when I was grown, but she 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:40.480 literally grew up on my street, which is so we 0:17:40.560 --> 0:17:41.400 found that out later. 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:43.720 It is so funny Philly. 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:47.480 But it's like to work with those actors, and I 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:53.280 come on just as interested in helping develop the character 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:56.800 as they are, because one of them wanted to just 0:17:56.840 --> 0:17:58.720 do regular work, you. 0:17:58.640 --> 0:18:01.600 Know, I want to just spring it in. And I 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:03.000 love that, you know. I love that. 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:05.840 I love to be asked questions as a director. I 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:09.040 love when they're looking for acknowledgment for me that right, 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:10.640 does that feel right? How did that? 0:18:10.760 --> 0:18:10.960 You know? 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:12.800 And I go, hey, that was right, or you know what, 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:15.600 that was good? Let's try try this, you know. 0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:16.560 Yeah. 0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:19.399 So it's different when you on television. You know, the 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:24.480 writer is king. So most of the that I've seen. 0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:29.719 Most of the discrepancies come from the writing, especially by 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:32.080 the time you get to like second year, third year 0:18:32.119 --> 0:18:35.240 of a show. The characters are like, you know, I 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:37.440 don't feel like this anymore. Why would I say this now? 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:41.280 This first season, with this this, And so as a 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:44.800 director you try to bridge that gap, figure out a 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:50.200 way to get to get what you need, give the 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:54.359 actor the space to create, but also deliver. 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.760 What the writers looking for. It's a very interesting dance 0:18:57.840 --> 0:18:58.040 to do. 0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:02.920 And this is specifically for tell Vision now. 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:05.680 When I'm working with my actors, whether it's in a 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:08.520 class or one on one, I'm really big on preparation 0:19:08.640 --> 0:19:10.879 because I think it's important. When I was working with 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:15.200 Buster and Eve on their shows to have conversation right 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:19.080 with the director. So rest in peace, and I know 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:20.960 you work with John Singleton as well. 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:22.760 Yeah, yeah, definitely. 0:19:23.800 --> 0:19:28.359 When we were on Chaff, we went to Rashim's apartment 0:19:28.880 --> 0:19:31.440 and so, so let's go into the apartment and see 0:19:31.440 --> 0:19:34.280 how you live. I know it's a set decorator, I 0:19:34.320 --> 0:19:38.399 know it's props, but someone believed this is how you 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:41.159 would live, So let's go in. So when we went in, 0:19:41.280 --> 0:19:43.480 there were like some jazz albums and he was like, 0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:45.600 I wouldn't listen to jazz, I would listen to reggae. 0:19:45.760 --> 0:19:48.320 So we were able to get those albums taken out 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:54.600 and reggae replaced. Such an organic day because Renee from Johnny. 0:19:55.000 --> 0:19:59.760 She also came, I'm so done. That's one of my 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:00.520 oh dogs. 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:02.720 I can't we graduated against you went to temple. 0:20:03.000 --> 0:20:06.439 Yep, yeah, I love Renee. She had called me and 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:09.359 she was like, I want to come visit. I was like, 0:20:09.440 --> 0:20:12.600 come on down. John is like we need a girlfriend 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:16.760 for bus and I said, hey, is coming, and John 0:20:16.880 --> 0:20:19.760 was like, I love Renee. Let's do it. So when 0:20:19.760 --> 0:20:22.639 we got in the trailer, I was like, Renee, say 0:20:22.720 --> 0:20:26.560 something if buster because she had no lines, so I 0:20:25.960 --> 0:20:28.800 was if he asked you a question, you got a respause. 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:36.199 So I was prepping her with her character based on 0:20:36.480 --> 0:20:38.960 the wardrobe they gave her hat. She had locks. It 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:43.040 was beautiful and just really building, because I think the 0:20:43.080 --> 0:20:44.960 best thing an actor can do is to have a 0:20:45.000 --> 0:20:49.480 conversation with you and you say, like, you know, you 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:52.560 know the actor comes on set and they're wearing skinny jeans, 0:20:53.000 --> 0:20:54.960 you know, and you would say, I don't think you're 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:56.879 I don't like the skinny jeans and the and the 0:20:56.920 --> 0:20:59.520 actor is like, well, my my character will we're scared 0:21:00.000 --> 0:21:01.959 means because blah blah blah blah blah blah blah to 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.560 the point where you like, you know what, you should. 0:21:04.359 --> 0:21:07.440 Wear those kits right right right right right own it. 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:08.400 You own it. 0:21:09.359 --> 0:21:12.560 So that's a I mean, that is so refreshing to 0:21:13.600 --> 0:21:15.639 work with a director like you. I'm speaking for all 0:21:15.720 --> 0:21:17.840 the actors because I know the conversation that I have 0:21:18.000 --> 0:21:21.800 with with them. What type of preparation can they what 0:21:21.920 --> 0:21:26.160 can they do in those few moments in the callback 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:30.400 or if they're in the audition process with you, We're 0:21:30.560 --> 0:21:33.000 we're moving out of the live but let's say this 0:21:33.160 --> 0:21:36.440 was a live audition. What is it that immediately? Because 0:21:36.480 --> 0:21:40.040 I love when you said a casting director or producer 0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:43.600 may dismiss that actor, but you see something. What is 0:21:43.640 --> 0:21:44.960 that something that you see? 0:21:45.440 --> 0:21:48.080 Well, I think I think it's always don't be prepared 0:21:48.119 --> 0:21:51.639 with one note of the scene. And I'm sure you 0:21:51.720 --> 0:21:55.160 probably tell you know, because yeah, you see it one 0:21:55.200 --> 0:21:59.919 way and have in your mind are there ways? Because 0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:04.440 be prepared for just because it's written on the paper dramatically, 0:22:04.520 --> 0:22:07.359 the director or producer may say you know what you 0:22:07.359 --> 0:22:09.080 need to live at with some humor, and you have 0:22:09.160 --> 0:22:12.760 not even thought about it. 0:22:11.640 --> 0:22:13.000 In a human humorously. 0:22:13.080 --> 0:22:16.120 You know, you're like, oh man, and then you're fumbling 0:22:16.160 --> 0:22:17.800 and then you can get the lines and all that 0:22:17.840 --> 0:22:20.280 and the other thing I would say, And I know 0:22:20.320 --> 0:22:23.440