GO UNDER THE DOME with ACTOR KEVIN SIZEMORE | 038 - Actors Talk - Come Inside The Acting Business

KEVIN SIZEMORE - RETURN ENGAGEMENT

Connect with Kevin Sizemore on Facebook or on Vine, Twitter or Instagram with the handle @kevinsizemore

This is the second appearance on Actors Talk for actor, Kevin Sizemore. Kevin was my guest for Episode 25 in October of 2012. At that time, Kevin was promoting a new film called Red Line, which is currently enjoying international distribution.

Since Kevin has a recurring role in the new series UNDER THE DOME, a production of CBS, Amblin Television and DreamWorks Television, and has several other projects ready to drop, I thought it was time we got together for another chat.

Producing A Web Series

Kevin and I began this conversation talking about an interesting project he's doing with his acting class.

Kevin and his students are producing a web series that he and the students are writing. This web series will be used for multiple purposes. It gives his acting students a chance to take what they're learning out of the classroom and into a real working situation. It gives the actors potential demo reel material to present to agents and casters. And, because the series is being produced under a SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement, the actors who are not already union members, become eligible with their participation in the project.

RED LINE - CAN I GET A WITNESS PROTECTION?

After getting an update on the action-thriller, Red Line , called The Limit in Japan, Kevin brought me up to date on several additional projects: Can I Get A Witness Protection, a faith-based comedy written/directed by Robert G. Lee about a family forced into witness protection after the dad witnesses a murder.

SKYPE YOUR WAY TO THE SET

Kevin related how he came to get cast in NECESSARY ROUGHNESS in an episode directed by actor Rob Morrow (Numb3rs, Northern Exposure).

Lacking a way to get to a callback in L.A., Kevin was able to set a Skype casting session with Rob Morrow and ended up booking the job.

I got Kevin to elaborate on the experience of doing a callback for a guest star role via Skype. In the changing world of casting, we actors need to be prepared to utilize every tool available. This is a great real-world example of how familiarity with current technology allowed an actor to book a role he otherwise might well have lost.

SET DYNAMICS - TEAM WORK - ENJOYING YOUR TIME ON SET

Kevin and I discussed one of the aspects of being the guest actor on a show that relates to 'fitting in.' When you join a show that's already up and running, whether it's for one episode or multiple episodes, there is already a 'family dynamic' in place among the existing cast and crew. How does the new kid on the block 'fit in' in a way that allows him/her to do the job they're hired for in the most seamless fashion? This can be more of an issue earlier in the career journey, but can also be a continuing issue if the actor is shy or otherwise insecure.

In this part of our discussion, Kevin has some excellent advice on how to treat people on the set, starting with the crew!

It all comes down to treating all the people you work with, from extras, crew to series leads with mutual respect. It's all about team work.

THIRTEEN MILLION VIEWERS GO UNDER THE DOME

This interview was recorded last week prior to the premiere episode of UNDER THE DOME on CBS. Some of the questions reveal my unfamiliarity with the Steven King story upon which the series is based.

Ratings for the pilot episode were excellent with 13.1 million viewers and a 3.2 rating among the key 18-49 demographic. The series stars Dean Norris who is coming off another his series, Breaking Bad

Kevin Sizemore will be playing Chester's Mill police deputy Paul Randolph. Kevin has described his character as "I'm more of a react first and think later type of guy...which can get me into trouble from time to time."