Big Break Pod

Join actor, writer, and entrepreneur Thomas M Copeland as he interviews award-winning producers, actors, directors, casting agents, filmmakers and agents on how you can parlay your creative passions into a business, a career, and beyond. Learn the “business” of Show Business - the good, the bad, and the downright ugly - to help reshape what you think you about how to become (and sustain) as a professional actor, creator, and influencer. Season 1 drops in full on September 1st, 2024!

Ep. 12 - BONUS EPISODE: Let's Talk About Safety on Set with Producer Kris Eber 02/11/2025

Ep. 01 - Welcome to Big Break Pod with Thomas M Copeland 12/03/2024

Ep. 02 - The ABCs: Always Be Creating with Muppets Actor Bill Barretta 12/03/2024

Ep. 02 - The ABCs: Always Be Creating with Muppets Actor Bill Barretta Kicking off our first season with a WHIZ BANG is Bill Barretta, Emmy-award winning actor, puppeteer, and ineffable and effectual creator! Thomas and Bill talk about what to expect from professional conservatory theatre training, as Thomas enters The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City with the Fall 2024 cohort, Bill's alma mater; how to create lively characters from our instincts and observations of the world around us; and why The Muppets continue to hold staying power in American culture and entertainment. If nothing else, you don't want to miss Bill's impression of Sanford Meisner, the story of how he created Pepe the King Prawn, and so many other little quips and whips throughout this hilarious roller-coaster ride through Bill's beautiful, untamable brain. If you love creativity, you'll absolutely love Bill and Thomas' exchanges throughout this episode! For more "Bill" in your life, subscribe to his podcast, The Baretta Brothers, available on all major platforms, and find even more content at About Bill: Bill Barretta is an Emmy-award actor and long-time Muppets puppeteer. He began performing with The Jim Henson Company in 1991, landing the lead character of Earl Sinclair on the ABC hit television series Dinosaurs and would soon become one of the leading Core Muppet performers. His characters include Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama, Big Mean Carl and Bobo the Bear, to name a few. In addition, Barretta is honored to carry on several of Jim Henson's iconic and beloved creations: Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef and Dr. Teeth. Over the last thirty years Barretta has also directed, executive produced, written and coordinated for many Muppet projects to name a few; Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets Tonight, Muppets From Space, The Muppets 2011 feature, The Muppets 2015 ABC series, the 2021 Disney+ Halloween special Muppets Haunted Mansion and countless appearances, talk shows, commercials, social media content and live shows including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut, Subway, Lipton, Toyota, PAM, Adidas, Geico, MuppetFest’s Muppet Show Live, The Muppets Take the Hollywood Bowl, The Muppets Take the O2. Most recently for Disney+, Bill served as a Co-creator, Writer, Director, Muppet Performer and Executive Producer of The Muppets Mayhem.…Oh, and he’s a nice Italian boy. /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/34255500

Ep. 03 - How to Write, Direct, and Produce Your Own Film with Michael Ruiz-Unger 12/03/2024

Ep. 03 - How to Write, Direct, and Produce Your Own Film with Michael Ruiz-Unger Take a journey with Thomas and Miami-based independent filmmaker Michael Ruiz-Unger as they discuss in detail what it takes to write, direct, and produce your own short film! Michael would know a thing or two about it. Michael wrote, and Thomas performed in, "Save the Flea" a short film that first premiered at the Miami Film Festival in 2023, taking the Audience Award in the short film category. The film has since gone on to make the festival rounds across the U.S. Thomas and Michael discuss how to conceptualize and nurture an idea for a film, the (sometimes grueling) writing process, financing your project, casting, shooting, editing, and making festival debuts - not to mention what you do with your film after the festival rounds go cold. Don't miss this unique opportunity to peer into the minds of a filmmaker who wrote a character that an actor he hired brought to life on the big screen. Michael can be found on IG (@skywalkerhand) and on his website at https://michaelruizunger.com. You can stream Save The Flea on the PBS website here: About Michael: Michael Ruiz-Unger is a Cuban-American filmmaker who grew up around Miami's underground punk scene, filming short films and music videos. In college, he interned at Oscilloscope Laboratories which solidified his love of filmmaking, specifically directing and editing. In 2016, he ventured into the world of comic book writing. His graphic novel Dark Beach, a sci-fi noir thriller, was published by Simon and Schuster and is now optioned at Fabula. In 2022, he was given funding by Oolite Arts and The Miami Film Festival to create his short film Save The Flea, which took place inside of an active flea market. The short went on to win the audience award at the Miami Film Festival as well as selections into Fantasia Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival and comic-con international Independent film festival (San Diego Comic Con). /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/34255620

Ep. 04 - 10 Things I Hate About Directing with Gil Junger 12/03/2024

Ep. 04 - 10 Things I Hate About Directing with Gil Junger We all remember the iconic film that defined the early 2000s rom-com genre: the popular jock can’t date the girl next door until her offbeat sister finds her own date, leading him to hire a rugged bad boy to charm her. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, it was also Heath Ledger’s major film debut. You know it as 10 Things I Hate About You, but for director Gil Junger, It's just one of the many impactful projects he has led over his forty-year Hollywood career. In today's episode, Gil joins Thomas to discuss what he looks for in an extraordinary audition, his advice on how actors should approach cold reads, and the craft of filmmaking from a director’s perspective. But that's only part of the conversation. The heart of this interview is a deep, hour-long dive into the unexpected and often unexplored corners of the creative psyche. Gil opens up about the extreme highs and lows of his career, sharing why—despite our best efforts to manage it—anxiety, doubt, and insecurity are experiences all humans (and especially actors) grapple with. Should we continue to combat these feelings or embrace them? This thought-provoking discussion exemplifies Gil’s out-of-the-box thinking and his unique approach to creativity. And of course, they also touch on Heath Ledger’s first American audition with Gil—a story that’s unforgettable on its own. Don’t miss this one! To learn more about Gil’s actor workshops, visit . About Gil: Director, writer, and producer Gil Junger is a creative powerhouse, perhaps best known for his debut film 10 Things I Hate About You, which became a defining moment for a generation. He received Emmy and DGA award nominations for directing Ellen DeGeneres’s groundbreaking “coming out” episode on ELLEN. Drawing on his vast experience, Gil founded the Breakthru Company to revolutionize the industry’s approach to nurturing talent, helping actors overcome self-limiting beliefs and trust their authentic voices, building a direct, unfiltered connection to their creative gifts. /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/34255710

Ep. 05 - How to Capture an Agent's Attention with TDA Founder Bianka Krausch 12/03/2024

Ep. 06 - Becoming the Organic Actor with Lori S. Wyman, C.S.A. 12/03/2024

Ep. 07 - How To Become a Professional In Your Craft 12/03/2024

Ep. 08 - Actors - Get Ready to Fail (and Rebound!) with tech founder Ben Gabler 12/03/2024

Ep. 09 - How the Great Directors Work with Kris Eber 12/03/2024

Ep. 10 - Baby Actors: Let's Learn to Swim with Wendy Alane Wright 12/03/2024

Ep. 10 - Baby Actors: Let's Learn to Swim with Wendy Alane Wright If you're an aspiring actor, or just recently bitten by the bug to perform, or if you have simply only given some thought to acting - think again and run away from the terrible idea as fast as you can. No! Just kidding! But you should listen to this episode. You're what Thomas and Wendy Alane Wright refer to as a "baby actor", and we love you for it - or, at least, Wendy really does. Wendy Alane Wright is an acting coach, talent manager, and performer herself with the world's largest online acting community called Talent Managers for Actors (TMFA) on Facebook with over 100,000 members strong, and there's nothing in this world she loves more than to work with, guide, and coach baby actors as you get exposed to this industry and this career choice. In this episode, Thomas talks to Wendy about where her love for baby actors originates from, and the most important tidbits of information you should know when thinking about taking acting classes, or getting on set for the very first time. And while you're listening, head on over to Amazon to pick up one of many books Wendy has written on acting - including her favorite, Secrets of a Hollywood Talent Manager (https://a.co/d/9AA7VEF). If you dream of being an actor, you simply CANNOT miss this episode! About Wendy: Wendy Alane Wright is the founder of The Hollywood Winners Circle Academy, the #1 online business training for actors worldwide, and the Facebook group Talent Managers For Actors, which boasts 64,000 members. She has authored seven books in the Secrets of a Hollywood Talent Manager series and hosts the YouTube channel Secrets of a Hollywood Talent Manager, with 88,000 subscribers and 4 million views. Wendy teaches the business of acting at institutions nationwide, including Cleveland State University, Stage 32, Backstage.com, and many more. A recording artist, music producer, and actor, Wendy has a 360-degree perspective of the entertainment industry, making her a leading expert in helping new actors break into show business. As a Hollywood Talent Manager and president of WAW Entertainment, her clients have appeared in hit TV shows like Modern Family, Blackish, and American Horror Story and booked major commercials for brands like Shutterfly, Visa, and Mercedes. Wendy has also assisted high-profile managers and agents with careers of stars like Michael Jackson, Neil Patrick Harris, and Barbra Streisand. Regularly featured in podcasts, magazines, and talk shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Wendy is passionate about empowering actors to succeed. /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/34256200

Ep. 11 - A Chat with Hollywood Casting Living Legend John Frank Levey 12/03/2024

Ep. 11 - A Chat with Hollywood Casting Living Legend John Frank Levey Congratulations - you've just found one of the most insightful interviews ever conducted between an actor and an accomplished casting director. In this episode, Thomas speaks with John Frank Levey, the legendary 4-time Emmy Award winning casting director behind some of television's biggest hits including E.R., The West Wing, Shameless, and many, many other productions! Thomas spends much of the episode talking to Frank not of his experiences as a casting director on those shows (you can read all about that in his fantastic book, Right for the Role), but rather, what a casting director looks for in a captivating audition from an invigorating, new actor. The pair talk about how actors he's cast breakthrough roles, like Jeremey Allen Wright evolving from his character in Shameless over the years into Carmy on The Bear, and why John's frank vulnerability in this book serves as such a sterling example of how we as actors can operate with vulnerability in our auditions and truly captivate our auditors (brownie points to those who caught that pun.) If there's one episode in this season that you absolutely cannot afford to miss, it's this one. About John: For nearly four decades, John has been instrumental in casting some of the most revolutionary — and beloved — television shows of all time, including China Beach, ER, The West Wing, Third Watch, Southland, Animal Kingdom, and Shameless. A recipient of the Casting Society of America’s prestigious Hoyt Bowers Award for Lifetime Achievement and four Primetime Emmy Awards, Levey hasn’t just witnessed some of the world’s greatest acting talents make it in Hollywood; in many cases, he’s had a major hand in it. With a deep love of the craft of acting from childhood, legendary casting director and author John Frank Levey has an uncanny knack for knowing who’s right for the role. And, thanks to incredible professional opportunities and collaborations, he discovered the role he was destined to play in television history — and life. So he put it in a book. Order from John's website to receive a signed copy of his book, Right for the Role, by visiting . /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/34256245

Big Break Pod Trailer 08/11/2024

Big Break Pod Trailer Welcome to Season 1 of The Big Break Podcast. Hi, I'm Thomas M. Copeland. I'm an actor, entrepreneur, and writer. And I'm the creator and host of The Big Break podcast. Our episodes will take you behind the scenes and deep into the professional world of acting, filmmaking, writing, shooting, and directing film, TV, plays, short stories, and other creative passions. We'll talk about the industry's dirtiest words, the business of show business, including how to turn your creative passions and interest into a career, how to court interest and investment from stakeholders, and build a team around your vision that could lead to your next big break. We'll meet with artists who have made careers in show business and discover what was crucial for their success in an industry that's known for being fickle, unpredictable, and a maze of complexity to master in order to find any monocum of sustained success. We'll also explore what it means to be successful in your own creative endeavors, and why that's a fluid mark that's difficult to define much less hit. We'll speak to award -winning producers, writers, creators, and actors about how to operate and present as a professional on and off the set. We'll talk about success and failure. We'll talk about what a cast and director wants to see in you. We'll talk about how to avoid the many scams and waste that the industry spawns. And we'll talk about how creative projects go from being an idea, to a rough plan, to a tangible execution and release. But this show isn't just for actors. We branch out through the season to talk to other professionals, artists, and entrepreneurs about how they're parlaying their creative endeavors into paychecks, careers and beyond. If you're serious about acting, storytelling and creative careers, then join me as we discover the big break that's awaiting for you and me in the episodes ahead. The full season drops September 1st, 2024. In the meantime, I want to hear from you. What do you hope to learn by listening to this show? What are the burning questions you wish you could ask a fellow artist or actor, filmmaker, writer, producer, or casting director? Hit me up at Big BreakPod on Instagram or email Big Breakpot at gmail .com. We want to share your ideas and we want this to be a collaborative effort so that we can find our next Big Break together. Until then, have a creative and productive week. /episode/index/show/b46cc84d-1823-483a-8aa5-f948ea1907e5/id/32532442

Big Break Pod

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