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Gab gets called to set in the middle of our Nashville membership retreat, and we talk through what it really looks like to hold a business, a booking, and auditions all at once. We're recording from the car on the drive home from Nashville, where we just wrapped our in-person membership retreat. The week before, Gab was taken off the shooting schedule, so we headed out believing she was free. Then Monday night, deep into catered Italian food with our members, she got a call time for 10:18 the next morning. We also get into booking out for in-person only while staying available by tape, and why you can't give 100% to two things that both need all of you. Meanwhile, the retreat kept going, and so did the auditions. Oh and we close with a series regular role we both auditioned for three weeks apart, and why you should double down on who you are when casting doesn't know what they want yet. LinksThe Membership: https://themembership.co/ https://the-membership.kit.com/waitlist2026Sam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapters00:00 Recording from the road after our Nashville retreat01:30 Running the business, auditioning, and Gab's big booking02:50 Booking out for in-person but staying available by tape04:00 Off the schedule, then back on it06:50 The 9 PM call time and the 6 AM flight09:40 Two big feelings at once and not our best day on set13:00 Letting it go and moving forward14:00 Member auditions and Sam's live Zoom from the Airbnb19:55 Letting our members see us figure it out21:50 Auditioning while on a show and doubling down on you for series regs24:40 Tired takes, simple choices, and the TM waitlist

what happens when your career starts moving but your brain hasn't caught up yet? sam walks through a rough stretch that stacked a big series regular audition and the general uncertainty that comes with bigger opportunities landing without the "data" to back them up. we talk through the difference between skipping your feelings and actually moving through them, why finding your baseline matters more than forcing positivity, and how differently we each process hard emotions. then we shift into what it's actually been like for gab to be booked on a show for seven out of eight episodes, including the real costs (financial, emotional, and logistical) of prepping for a character before filming even starts, and why the chaos of production schedules can mess with your head even when things are going well. linksthe membership: https://themembership.co/sam's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/gab's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ chapters00:00 - intro and this episode's theme: new levels, new devils00:02 - sam's breakdown week: the series regular audition and feeling like you skipped a step00:13 - sam's process for actually moving through hard emotions00:16 - gab's different emotional wiring and the idea of finding your baseline00:24 - gab's guest star booking: prep costs and the corey gamestop story00:27 - unpredictable shooting schedules and the social side of being on set00:29 - finding relief and joy in the middle of the chaos00:30 - playing the game you're in, plus tm wait list info

Gab is officially booked and busy, and this episode kicks off with it! We reflect on what it felt like to sit in that uncertainty before the news came through. We also discuss why it is so hard for Sam to celebrate her own wins the way she celebrates everyone else's. Gab pushes back on the instinct to shrink big moments and makes the case for taking up space, even when it feels uncomfortable or undeserved. Links:TM — https://themembership.co/Sam IG — https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab IG — https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapters:00:00 Intro and celebrating Gab's booking02:00 Podcast moving to an every other week format04:00 Supporting each other through busy seasons09:00 Sam's short film premiere and red carpet13:00 Why celebrating yourself is so hard19:00 The real financial cost of making a short film23:00 Sam's history of self promotion, from camp bracelets to audition business cards31:00 Comparing their two red carpet experiences33:00 Wrap up and what's next

stevon lewis, a licensed therapist who specializes in imposter syndrome is HERE! he works with a lot of high achieving people, including actors, who feel like frauds no matter how much success they rack up. we get into: why hitting a new level in your career resets the clock instead of curing the imposter feelingshow to build confidence off data instead of feelingsgab's flip side of imposter syndrome, being told to shrink herself so she doesn't come off as cocky. how actors can tell the difference between nerves and a real lack of confidence in a room. Links: Southern California Counseling Center www.sccc-la.org Therapy for Black Girls https://therapyforblackgirls.com/ Timecodes:01:00 — how stevon found his way into imposter syndrome work04:00 — why success doesn't cure imposter syndrome, it resets the clock07:00 — imposter syndrome disguised as motivation and hustle09:00 — where to start when you've had success but still feel stuck12:00 — SCCC and finding a therapist wherever you live17:00 — gab's flip side, being told to shrink so she's not seen as cocky23:00 — building confidence with zero credits yet, plus the shaq free throw analogy28:00 — stevon's own story, wonderland ave and choosing to be himself37:00 — taking up space while still reading the room, plus wrap up

gab is on network test for a series (yes there's a nudity rider, yes there's a lawyer, yes we break down a lot of it, and YES spoiler alert she booked RIGHT after we finished this pod) sam just spent four days on avail hold for two commercials shooting in two different states at the same time. so let's talk about the in between. what do you actually do with your body and your brain when you don't know if you booked. Links: TM https://themembership.co/ Sam IG https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/ Gab IG https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Timecodes: 00:00 — cold open, gab doesn't subscribe to her own podcast 04:00 — why sam can't live share the way gab does 05:00 — gab's elevator pitch, callback to network test to lawyer to nudity rider 12:00 — sam's story, two commercials on hold in two different states 17:00 — "booking the room" 22:00 — protecting your peace vs letting yourself feel it 26:00 — how to strengthen the waiting muscle, sam's booking song and gab's workouts 29:00 — why a co-star hold deserves the same respect as a series hold 32:00 — nudity riders, intimacy riders, and wikifeet 35:00 — wrap up

back from our little podcast break (which, tbh we recorded right before we left, so nothing actually changed). this week we're catching up: from rewatching old audition tapes to see who booked the roles we didn't, noticing how often "open ethnicity" breakdowns still end up going to white actresses, the pitt's wild filming schedule, the ick we sometimes feel around actors overselling their credits in their bios, and whether that reaction says more about us than about them. links:themembership.co@samvalentine@gabriellebyndloss chapters:01:00 – what's actually filming right now (rj decker, will trent, the pit, criminal minds)04:00 – rewatching old audition tapes and who booked instead06:00 – open ethnicity breakdowns and the industry backslide since 202014:00 – the pitt's unusual filming schedule and self-submitting for emmys16:00 – the dunkin' commercial that got away19:00 – how the podcast became a trust-building tool for their brand22:00 – why talking about acting off the clock feels different in LA vs elsewhere29:00 – bosch, legacy roles, and feeling defined by your biggest credit32:00 – picking up cues, feedback for future episodes36:00 – the instagram bio debate: overselling credits vs owning your wins44:00 – the dm pet peeve: asking for a full career plan for a five day trip

Why we're stepping away from the podcast for the month of July, and why we think you should be looking at your own schedule for what can come off your plate right now. Gab just took a full week off and we break down what that actually looked like (from nighttime resets to finally catching up on sleep debt) and what happens when you let yourself really disengage instead of half-assing a break...if you feel called out, hello! We also get into the industry side of stepping away: why booking out doesn't mean you're not dedicated to your career, + why agents actually respect it. Links:TM join The Headshot Class Sam IG Gab IG Chapters:00:00 Welcome back, and why we're taking July off from the podcast01:00 The industry slowdown and why this time of year hits different02:00 What you can let go of in these last few weeks before August04:00 What Gab's week off actually looked like06:00 Building a nighttime wind down routine09:00 Why disengaging has to be structured (and why that's okay)10:00 The steamboat mentality and why one person can't carry everything11:00 Booking out without the guilt13:00 Old school rep mentality vs how the industry actually works now14:00 Headshot Class wrap up and what's next with summer school inside the membership15:00 Sneak peek at what's coming: acting on camera skills, callbacks, and more

We are literally in the car on the way to set. Sam booked her first commercial in three years, and Gab is along for the ride. Sharing exactly how this booking came together, why being a local hire in Atlanta actually makes financial and logistical sense for Sam specifically, what it takes to pull that off without it being a disaster, how wardobe fittings work, what to pack when you're doing an overnight booking, commercial conflicts, and the single best reminder about self tapes. Links The MembershipSam on InstagramGab on Instagram Chapter Markers [00:00:00] We're in the car on the way to set[00:01:00] How the booking happened and why Atlanta works for Gab[00:04:00] Canceling the trip, booking the flight, making it work[00:06:00] The logistics of staying with a friend for a booking[00:10:00] What happens at a fitting and how the client looks at you[00:11:30] TV vs. commercial fittings, what is different and why[00:15:00] The client watching self tapes on mute at the fitting[00:16:00] Commercial conflicts, Hyundai, Ford, and why you have to track this yourself[00:20:00] What to pack for an overnight booking[00:23:00] Casa Amor, the plan for tonight, and what comes next

one of our members just hit a massive milestone:first co-star, first rep, SAG-E status, woo hoo! but instead of feeling on top of the world, she's feeling the weight of how much further there is to go. we've all been there. you work so hard for the thing, and when you finally get it, you look up and realize it's just the beginning. we wanna chat about this specific flavor of overwhelm and why it doesn't mean something is wrong with you/your career.we also get into sam's BI news: she got randomly selected for the SAG Motion Picture Nominating Committee (yes this is clearly v important to her) which means she'll be screening movies before they're widely released and helping narrow down award nominations. which brings us to how FYC events actually work, who pays for them, and whythe awards are kind of purchased LinksJoin The MembershipSam on InstagramGab on Instagram Chapters00:00 Sam got selected for the SAG Motion Picture Nominating Committee06:00 How FYC events work and who actually pays for them08:00 "Everything is eyes. Everything is dollars."13:00 One of our members booked her first co-star and she's overwhelmed17:00 Sam didn't picture herself working through adulthood — and why that matters22:00 Is this the mountain I want to climb?24:00 Where you bring your career questions matters as much as the questions themselves28:00 What shifted between then and now?31:00 The two different kinds of self-awareness (and how they both trip you up)40:00 Coffee meetings, bartering, and knowing your worth45:00 Why Sam secretly wants to be someone's assistant46:00 Headshot class is coming and Sam wants it as a birthday gift

Get in on the LIVE class! EDIT: it is now JULY 7th! *Everything you need to know before your next headshot session, and how to build your headshot plan from the data you already have!*We are recording this one from Sam's living room with Gab fresh off a week of working in person together and yes we are talking headshots AGAIN. This is not about telling you to just "get good headshots." This is about the prep work that makes the session itself easy, so you can show up, sleep the night before, and let the other creatives do their thing. And if you want to go deeper on all of this, the Headshot Class is July 7th at 5pm PT / 8pm ET. You'll get a printable guide you can bring to your photographer, your hair and makeup team, and your reps. If you can't make it live, you still get the recording and the guide. **Links**Join the Headshot ClassJoin The MembershipSam on InstagramGab on InstagramChapters00:00 - recording from sam's living room + what this episode is about01:49 - what the headshot class covers and what it'll help you walk away with02:00 - the pre-homework: why most of us skipped this for years03:44 - starting with your past auditions to find the through lines05:57 - identifying which headshots are currently working06:33 - how to ask your reps in a way they can actually answer08:13 - building your headshot budget (the full cost breakdown)11:49 - deciding how many looks you actually need13:32 - how to choose the right photographer for the vibe you're going for14:16 - if you're brand new and have no data yet: where to start16:00 - using tv shows filming in your market + looking at co-stars18:02 - finding actual headshots on actors access vs. imdb19:10 - if you have no idea what your essence is: how to figure it out21:05 - what the headshot class goes deeper on + how to get the guide22:30 - wrap it up!

Join the LIVE Headshot Class! We're sharing exactly how we're approaching our upcoming headshot sessions, including why we booked two different photographers, how we used our audition histories to figure out what we actually need, and why we're finally remaking The Headshot Class. We break down the process of pulling your character types from real audition data, why you shouldn't be getting headshots for roles you've never been called in for, and what to do when you're earlier in your career and don't have much data yet. We also get into some real talk about Gab's Cape Fear premiere, the nerves that come with seeing yourself on screen, and what it means to finally not be celebrating a career milestone alone. Links: Follow us on Instagram:@samvalentine: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/@gabriellebyndloss: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Join The Membership: https://themembership.co/ Chapters: 00:00 Gab's coming to LA (and it's already a lot)02:00 Why we booked two photographers instead of one05:00 Sam's new commercial rep and what they're actually asking for10:00 We're remaking The Headshot Class, and here's why11:30 How to use your audition log to plan your headshots13:00 Gab doesn't keep an audition log, and here's how she approached it anyway15:00 Stop getting headshots for roles you've never auditioned for17:30 What to do when you're starting out and have no data yet19:30 It's okay to get the wrong headshots first22:00 Gab's five character types from her audition history24:00 Sam's character types (including the one she really wants to play)27:00 Commercial vs. theatrical: why they need completely different shots32:00 Gab's premiere nerves and what she's actually nervous about34:30 Why it matters to not do this career alone

Gab shared a post this week about the "thanks but no thanks" emails that come with the job, and the internet had...feelings. Which brings us into difference between processing your feelings and wallowing in them, why having a big resume doesn't make rejection sting less, and how the pressure to perform positivity (online and as actors in general) quietly makes us smaller...and how much it comes down to being seen and accepted. Links The Membership: https://themembership.co/Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapters 00:00 - Behind the scenes chaos and missing episode 2802:30 - Gab's rejection post and the "just be grateful" comments07:00 - Sam on learning to have opinions online without people-pleasing09:00 - How rejection notes make us question our choices (and our looks)11:00 - Street cred, submission reports, and the legitimacy question13:30 - Who's actually lurking and what they're deciding about you15:30 - Having credits doesn't mean rejection hurts less18:00 - Forced positivity, auditions, and what we're told women shouldn't feel20:00 - Sam's rule: it's your house, don't let anyone leave trash on your lawn23:00 - How Sam and Gab are wired completely differently, and why it works26:00 - The CVS story you didn't know you needed to hear27:00 - Does any of this make us smaller as actors? Actually... no29:30 - Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme, and singularly focused characters31:00 - We don't live in singularities33:00 - 20,000 listeners and Gab still doesn't believe anyone's watching

Trigger Warning: we discuss eating disorders and sexual assault in this episode. Please only listen if this is a safe space for you. Two real booking stories, one booking and one not (yet), and what they reveal about the auditions we almost talked ourselves out of: this week, Gab is dialing in live from Nashville where she's on set for a commercial that put her through one of the most challenging callbacks of her career. Sam shares the not-booking story where being too young was somehow the problem. And we wide up chatting about how the audition process has a way of surfacing things that have nothing to do with acting and everything to do with who you've had to become to survive. We didn't plan to go this deep...but Sam didn't edit it out. Links Join The Membership: https://themembership.co/Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapter Markers [00:00:00] Gab is live from Nashville (on a commercial booking)[00:01:00] The audition that almost broke Gab before the booking[00:02:00] The nationwide callback, the timeline pressure, and the live TM watch party[00:04:00] 30 redirects on one line and what that actually means[00:05:00] When the feedback hits different because of your identity[00:07:00] Why Gab records every callback (and what she found when she watched it back)[00:08:00] The avail, the booking, and the full Nashville logistics saga[00:10:00] The reframe: auditions are not supposed to be fun[00:13:00] Sam's not-booking story: the casting director who said she was too young[00:15:00] The age range spiral and what it means to be stuck between brackets[00:18:00] The healthy stalk that actually helped[00:21:00] Sun exposure, Botox, and whether taking care of yourself changes your casting[00:24:00] The unbothered quality you can't fake and what it actually comes from[00:26:00] How essence can work for you and against you in the same room[00:27:00] Eating disorders, trauma, and this career's way of magnifying what we carry[00:33:00] Why actors might be doing the most important work without realizing it[00:35:00] Wrap-up and a reminder that this podcast is doing very well (Gab still doesn't believe it)

So you booked and want to know how to turn that momentum into something more.PR? Get a Deadline article? Rebrand? We're getting honest about what actually moves the needle versus what just burns money. We break down our own PR experiences and why media coverage hits differently depending on your credit level. And what else you can do with your wins. Links: The Membership: https://themembership.co/Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapters: [00:00:00] Welcome back + setting up the episode[00:01:00] The member question: how do I use momentum after a booking?[00:02:00] Sam's PR experience after her 2020 film[00:03:00] Gab's PR experience with Marvel and the discount she negotiated[00:04:00] Why Deadline articles matter for SEO, and when they're actually worth it[00:05:00] The real deal on Voyage LA and "pay to play" local press[00:06:00] When PR might actually make sense (and when it absolutely doesn't)[00:07:00] What your reps are already doing with your momentum that you can't see[00:08:00] Gab pushes back: co-stars that weren't really co-stars[00:09:00] Atlanta vs LA: what a co-star booking actually looks like in different markets[00:11:00] Gab paid for a Voyage article and never received it. A cautionary tale.[00:12:00] The internal momentum no one talks about[00:13:00] How Sam makes a big deal out of small wins, and why that matters[00:14:00] On auditions you didn't book and the stories we tell ourselves to stay in the game[00:15:00] Using near-misses as data points and pitching yourself for the right role[00:16:00] The audition Sam turned into a second opportunity (and booked)[00:17:00] Gab's been reading! "Don't Believe Everything You Think" and goal-setting from inspiration vs. scarcity[00:20:00] What it looks like when a member's mindset shifts in real time[00:23:00] Urgency, fear, and why pushing harder doesn't make this industry reward you faster[00:23:30] Outro + a teaser about Gab's week

Our in-house Coach Vas is back on the pod, and we brought him on at exactly the right moment: his Deadline article just dropped for his brand new booking on the Netflix limited series I Will Find You, and we could not wait to dig into every part of how it happened. From the audition process + live Zoom session and the day to day of being on the set, this episode is a real behind-the-scenes look at what booking actually looks like from someone who coaches and acts. Vas also walks us through his SELECT framework he developed to make sense of how any actor gets cast. SELECT stands for Skill, Experience, Luck, Essence, Connections, and Timing, and hearing him break it down against his own recent booking is one of the most practical things we have heard on this show.} Links Join The Membership (TM) Sam on Instagram Gab on Instagram Timestamps 00:00 Welcome back, Coach Vas! The Deadline article drop and the Netflix booking news03:00 The full audition timeline: reading for one role, getting called back for another05:00 Live Zoom vs. self-tape: why Vas prefers self-taping and what changed in this session07:00 The director who hated him: breaking down creative differences vs. personal conflict10:00 What it means to be "hated" on a job and why it can actually signal your value13:00 Being loved vs. liked: why authenticity creates polarizing reactions15:00 The Vas-style audition: safety takes, elevated takes, and the four Es (Energy, Emotion, Engagement, Environment)19:00 How Vas decides which takes to submit and in what order22:00 The live Zoom: reading for a different character and referencing The Fugitive25:00 Intra-script improvisation: what it is and why it worked in the room27:00 Gab's callback story: taking ownership of the room through a calculated risk29:00 Introducing SELECT: Skill, Experience, Luck, Essence, Connections, Timing34:00 How SELECT applied to Vas's actual booking36:00 Luck and essence for early-career actors: why you can book before you have everything38:00 Network position: first, second, and third position explained41:00 Wrapping up: how to keep working on your SELECT letters even when auditions are slow45:00 Did Vas pay a publicist to get in Deadline? The answer might surprise you