2021: Multi-Emmy-winning director and author Mary Lou Belli sits down with author and Emmy-honored casting director Bonnie Gillespie to chat about discernment in #CreatingTheHollywoodWeWant, avoiding resentment, and how to be ready for mentorship.
2021: Here’s the chat from our live session!
2020: Multiple-Emmy-winning director, prolific author, and showbiz mentor Mary Lou Belli jams with author and Emmy-honored casting director Bonnie Gillespie about learning from every audition, how to conquer nerves, and the recipe for making it in Hollywood (and in life).
What are your key takeaways from Mary Lou’s interviews from the SMFA Summit? Share below in the comments! 🙂
Mary Lou Belli, a two-time Emmy award winner, has been directing television for more than 20 years. She has done groundbreaking work on webseries and her award-winning short, America, just won The Hague Fest. Through her teaching, she supports many vibrant diversity programs including the DGA, ABC/Disney, CBS, Sony, HBO Access, AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, and Warner Bros. Directing Workshop mentoring the next generation of directors. She is the co-author of four books: The NEW Sitcom Career Book, Acting for Young Actors, PERFORM: Acting for the Screen, and Directors Tell the Story which she co-wrote with fellow DGA member Bethany Rooney. She taught directing at USC for 10 years.
IMDb .:|:. Twitter .:|:. Instagram .:|:. YouTube .:|:. Facebook .:|:. website
This was freakin AMAZING! Thank you, Bonnie and Mary Lou!
This time is all about “becoming discriminating about what’s important.”
“I’m not done yet.” – OMG this totally resonates with the Aries in me! 😉
“Be in the room as much as you possibly can” because you learn in the room.
“Always send in multiple takes.” – totally agree with this
“Has anyone talked you out of their take because of the 2nd take?” Really good questions, Bonnie 🙂
Sometimes the callback can really make it or break it. “The stakes are higher but the opportunity is closer. My remedy for nerves is… vulnerability is intoxicating… but if you haven’t taken the time to become that other character who isn’t you then you’ve lost the job.”
Find ways to ground yourself as the character. BRILLIANT.
“Throwing up before you go on is not a sustainable business model!”
It’s funny how she mentioned having a song or meditation to help you breathe and get into the character. For Steel Magnolias, our director suggested we make a playlist for our characters and that helped SO MUCH. It immediately hooked me into Truvy, especially since the radio was always playing in her salon.
HYPH LIFE – putting things in a box until you can come back to them: “grokking it.” I also like how she recognizes past skills as well as skills she wants to cultivate. Also recognizing the chemistry that has to occur between all creatives – producer, director, actors, casting, etc. “When you think something is going to come together and then you need something else (i.e. – make the pilot commitment).”
Seeing the waves: “People who say ‘sitcoms are over’ and then they come back.”
Looking at the trends for what’s coming: “Sheltering in places as a group, filming in one location with a smaller cast… but it better look good!” Makes me think of Tyler Perry setting up cast and crew in quarantine in Atlanta.
“Necessity is the mother of invention. Most of the time when I was asked to find a workaround, the workaround was better. If you only see the roadblocks and not the detours, you’re doomed. There are no roadblocks, only detours. Also making mistakes is the best way you learn.”
I really want to look into the book: Acting for the Screen, which she referenced. “Figure out where you are in that career and add to it. If you are defeated, then you’re gone.”
Joy, craft, network, and repeat.
“Your reputation is your brand.”
And here’s to the tiny but mighty dynamite women under 5 feet tall! That’s me too! 🙂 BOOM, baby!
Great questions, Bonnie 🙂 Thank you!
🙂 I love doing these interviews for you, Laura. You always pull out all the best stuff!
Enter me for The Sitcom Career Book. Thanks!
Brilliant. I remember the first time she came to speak to a class I was in. She amazed and charmed me then and still.
Blown away! “Look up the serenity prayer if you don’t know it.” “Give, give give to get.” “Your reputation is your brand. Live by it.” This is so all so good. Thank you!
Mary Lou mentioned Mel Orpen… Mel and I worked together a few years ago and quickly became friends, and it has been PURE BLISS to watch this creative powerhouse grow and take off.
xoxoxoxo
How cool!
So loved listening to the replay of this.
Isn’t Mary Lou the best?!?