Posted on January 1, 2014
by Risa
in Acting, Actors, Agents & Managers, Artistry, BGB Studio, Casting, Community, Film, Film History, Filmmaking, Spotlight On, Talent
The BGB Actors have simply blown me away. The Actors who’ve come through our doors during the past 14 months at The BGB Studio – Bramon Garcia Braun – have walked in hungry, dedicated, sometimes scared or angry, but always hopeful, passionate, and wonderfully vulnerable. In that, we’ve seen their hearts. We’ve come to know […]
Posted on January 1, 2014
by Risa
in Actors, Artistry, Casting, Culture, Directing, Film, Film History, Filmmaking, Life, Talent, Wellbeing
I love that these clips were posted together here – from our little romp, 200 cigarettes! I hope that your NYE was less disappointing than our 200 cigarettes characters on their last night of 1981, but equally satisfying the next morning… Happy 2014! NYE ADVICE FROM DAVE CHAPPELLE, PAUL RUDD, COURTNEY LOVE… 200 CIGARETTES HERE HARVEY […]
Posted on July 19, 2013
by Risa
in Acting, Actors, Agents & Managers, Casting, Filmmaking, Spotlight On, Talent, Theatre
Joe is an actor I’ve known for awhile and I’m so excited that I’ve recently gotten to know him even more intimately as the amazing talent he is. He’s been a part of The BGB Studio, the Studio I’ve started with Steve Braun. Joe’s the kind of actor we LOVE to work with. He’s always […]
Posted on April 2, 2013
by Risa
in Actors, Artistry, Casting, Community, Filmmaking, Master Class, Spotlight On, Talent, Televison, Uncategorized
LEAH COSTELLO: Leah came to my attention in a class I taught a few months ago with our studio – The BGB Studio – BramonGarciaBraun. Along with my teaching partner, Steve Braun, this was the first Audition Class of our Studio session, and Leah was a standout. Leah has both the soul to pull you […]
Posted on October 13, 2012
by Risa
in Actors, Artistry, Beauty, Culture, Healing, Life, Talent
Becoming Diamonds: An actor, Rick Foley, posted this on Facebook, and it resonates: “I’ve had many up & down times since moving to L.A. to pursue an acting career. Even though we can’t always see the light at the end of the frequent “tunnels” & even though sh** seems hopeless…. these “down times” have a purpose. […]
Posted on September 21, 2012
by Risa
in Artistry, Casting, Directing, Film, Filmmaking, Spotlight On, Talent, Theatre
A talented actor or other such artist who’s recently grabbed my attention: MAC FYFE is an actor who I had the pleasure of directing in Canada in The Con Artist, a feature film. He walked into the room to read for the role of Dean and he owned it (after a rather frustrating day of […]
Posted on August 29, 2012
by Risa
in Actors, Directing, Film, Film History, Filmmaking, Talent
Casting The Outsiders – watch this video – The movie was released in 1983 (made 1982, 30 years ago) What I love about Francis (Ford Coppola) is that he always did what was intuitive for him, rather than what was the norm. Casting The Outsiders his way (with the help of the great eye of Fred […]
Posted on August 18, 2012
by Risa
in Actors, Artistry, Beauty, Film, Film History, Filmmaking, Talent, Theatre, Uncategorized
Anna Magnani in The Fugitive Kind (written by Tennessee Williams, directed by Sidney Lumet) What is acting anyway? We think we have to show ourselves and that’s true, we do. But trusting that the “showing” can be simply revealing is the challenge. It’s a longer discussion but plainly said, to me, it’s a human being experiencing […]
Posted on July 15, 2012
by Risa
in Actors, Agents & Managers, Artistry, Casting, Film, Spotlight On, Talent, Televison
A talented actor or other such artist who’s recently grabbed my attention: Keon Mohajeri came to my attention this past spring when he came down to LA from Toronto as one of 4 actors selected as TIFF (Toronto Film Festival)’s Rising Stars of Canada. He was introduced to me via Larissa Giroux, who runs The CFC’s Actors […]
Posted on May 22, 2012
by Risa
in Actors, Artistry, Casting, Spotlight On, Talent
A talented actor or other such artist who’s recently grabbed my attention: Austin Highsmith came to my attention a year or so ago when I was casting the pilot for A Gifted Man (CBS). She was recommended by Zach Book who was an intern at the time and couldn’t stop raving about her. Her audition […]