Real Stuff with Ming Lo

#7 - Dom Magwili, Veteran Actor, Writer, Director and Teacher

It's always great to talk to a veteran of the industry, there's nothing like the perspective of time and experience.  Dom has been around as long as I can remember.  He is well respected in the arts world, and especially in the Asian acting and theater community.  In our chat, we talk about his early beginnings writing at school, and discovering acting and theater in college.  We also discuss the life of the multi-hypenate artist in LA, as well as teaching at East West Players and acting advice for actors.  Of course, we delve into his latest book, the epic fantasy The Infernal Promise, currently available on Amazon.  Lastly, we touch on his recent foray into the world of audiobook narrating.  
To find out more about Dom:https://dmagwili.com/https://www.facebook.com/dmagwilihttps://www.amazon.com/Infernal-Promise-Legends-First-Hemisphere-ebook/dp/B09T78KHMJhttps://eastwestplayers.coursestorm.com/browse
0:00 Intro0:50 Started writing in 2nd grade2:23 Got involved in acting in college after years of debate and speech6:56 Received a scholarship for summer program at American Conservatory Theater, and ended up staying 2 1/2 years at ACT9:40 Move to Los Angeles, early days at East West Players11:00 Being a multi-hyphenate artist14:10 Teaching acting at East West Players 15:20 Advice for actors19:18 Dom’s latest book, an epic fantasy, The Infernal Promise25:50 Getting into audiobook narration29:57 How to find out more about Dom Magwili

#6 - Mason Greer, Multi-talented Actor, Director and Writer

Multi-talented, multi-hyphenate Mason Greer acts, writes and directs, and he moves ever so fluidly from one to the other.  I met Mason on a Netflix dubbing project,  Love To Hate You. He was not only a great director, but I could also see his acting chops, because knew how to talk to actors and help them deliver their best performance.  Find out how he journeyed from Iowa to Los Angeles and developed his multi-faceted career.  
Find out more about Mason athttps://www.thiccboyproductions.com/Newsletter also available on the site
 
0:00 Intro 0:51 Where are you from, where did you grow up?1:16 Wrote novels as a child, got into production in high school, and acting in college.4:04 College experience at University of Northern Iowa, more experimental program5:00 Move and transition to LA, worked on projects both in LA and Iowa before final move  10:35 Acting in LA, friends from film making world helped introduce him to acting opportunities as well13:52 Agents and representation - currently talking to different teams and finding the right fit17:54 What is your usual casting?19:46 Networking21:00 Current passion projects as a director22:21 Developing and pitching directing projects25:40 Experience as dubbing director28:03 How is dubbing different from other forms of directing30:04 What do you like to do for fun? 32:37 How to find out more about Mason Greer

#5 Jennifer Aquino - Audiobook Master, Actor, Producer, Director and Entrepreneur

I don't know how she does it, but Jen is an accomplished actor, voiceover artist, director, producer, entrepreneur, mother and wife.  She must have amazing organizational skills and boundless energy, and I want to know her secrets, lol.  
In this episode we talk about how Jen got into acting, and the challenges she faced as a woman and an Asian actor in the industry.  We also chat about forming her own production company and creating her own content.  In recent years, Jen has forged a very successful audio book career, and we dive into how to make the leap to audio books for actors, technical nuts and bolts of the business, and how to get work in the industry.  
Fun Fact: Jen is one of the doctors who killed McDreamy on the ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy." Jennifer has narrated titles with Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Audible Studios, Blackstone, Podium, Dreamscape Media, and Tantor. Jennifer also directs audiobooks, and is on the directing rosters for Hachette and Macmillan. She is honored to have recently won two Audiofile Earphones Award for narrating the memoir “My Life” by CAPE, and the horror book "A History of Fear" by Luke Dumas, both books produced by Simon & Schuster.
 
Jen is on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, TiktokInstagram, Twitter and Tiktok: Jennaquino25Email: Jennifer@jenniferaquino.com
 
0:00 Intro0:56 Where are you from, where did you grow up?1:48 How did you get into acting? 3:21 Husband and daughter - entire family involved in performing arts4:19 How did your daughter Sydney get become involved in acting?  6:10 What was acting like when you first got started?  What were some of the challenges?  What was Hollywood like for a female Asian actor?  9:14 Starting her own production company, creating your own content and being creative with audiobooks10:53 What do you wish you had known when you started?  11:47 What kind of projects did you like to produce?  And would you prefer traditional film productions, or social media?  16:01 Recent voice acting / audio book work17:48 Making the transition from acting to audio book work21:22 Technical issues - what kind of microphone, building a studio, recording, post processing? 26:04 Are most audio books SAG-AFTRA?  27:19 How do you find work in the audio book industry? 
 
Recommended Class / Coach:Elise Arsenault - The Great Audiobook Adventure
Jenn’s Equipment:Jenn’s  Microphone - AKG  C1000sInterface - SSL 2Pre-Amp - Triton Audio Fethead Phantom PreampBlanket booth with Producer’s Choice sound blanketsSoftware/DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)- Audacity

#4 Sea (Seangthea) Samai - Beauty and Fashion Model

You may have seen Sea Samai recently as the face of Lilly Lashes at your local Costco.  
 
Join us as we get to know the beautiful Sea (short for Seangthea) Samai, as we talk about growing up in Minnesota, moving to Los Angeles, getting started with modeling, and facing the modeling industry's challenges.  In particular, we discuss rejection, training, her view on the Model Experience and the Cocha Rocha Modeling Camp, and next steps in her career.  
 
You can find out more about Sea here:
Instagram: @seangtheaTiktok: @misssea  Youtube: @seasamai
 
Episode Time Log
0:00 Intro 0:40 Where are you from?  Where did you grow up? 2:32 Was it culture shock coming to LA?  How did you adjust? 4:47 Was it difficult to be part of different communities? 6:34 How did you get into modeling? 7:25 Getting into meetups, building a portfolio, submitting to agencies 9:19 How has modeling been so far?  Sea’s first big campaign with Lilly Lashes.  11:49 What kind of challenges did you face as a model?  Sea talks about rejection, how modeling is glamorized.   13:53 How do you get into modeling?  15:11 How to you train to be a model?  Do Fashion Weeks?  The Model Experience?  How was the Coca Rocha Modeling Camp?  19:12 How should models train?  How do you learn to model?21:31 What would you like to do going forward? 22:53 How many photos for your portfolio could you expect from a shoot? 23:56 Dipping the toes into acting25:24 What’s your beauty and diet routine like? 27:15 What do you do in your off time? 28:11 How do you learn to be more expressive in front of camera?30:31 Where can people find out more about you?
 

#3 Austin Matthews - Master of Many Voices

Austin and I met on a video game project this last fall.  I met him in the halls prior to my recording session, and when I heard a short clip of his voice in the recording booth I knew he was a talented man.  From Austin's bio:
"Austin Lee Matthews is a voice actor based in the Los Angeles area, best known for their work as Roche in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cid in Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy, Ash Carbide in the Legend of Heroes Trails of Cold Steel series, Xander Shakadera in Beyblade: Burst Turbo, Jun Kiwatari in Kakegurui, Ultron and Frank West in Screw Attack and Rooster Teeth’s Death Battle, Demon King Jester in Cyberdimension Neptunia; 4GO, and tons more. They love their job almost as much as they love making people smile. Thankfully their job makes a lot of people smile, so BONUS."

#2 Liana Branscome - The Oh-Soooo-Talented Concert Violinist and Model

Liana Branscome is the wonderfully talented concert violinist and model.  Find out what it takes to be a concert violinist.  How much is talent, how much is passion, and how much is just plain hard work?  And what makes a true artist?  What separates a great technician with skill from an artist with expression?  And how do you navigate a career as an artist - how do you become recognized, known, and employed?!  Find out the answers to these questions and more in this podcast. 

#1 Matt Crawford - Talented Drummer and Audio Engineer

Matt Crawford has been a drummer for 35 years, and an audio engineer since 2008. After working throughout the New York area, he recently moved to Los Angeles for better weather and a new chapter in his life.