Today’s episode is pulled from one of the 10,000 NOs Insiders Community’s monthly VIP Industry Guest Zooms. Actor Pej Vahdat, whom I overlapped with on City on a Hill while he was simultaneously shooting The Old Man with Jeff Bridges as well as Dynasty, has some great stories. He tells us why he went by “Jason Vaughn” early on (it’s a hilarious story that involves him selling airplane parts and creating an agency with his friend just to get themselves auditions).  As with most of our guests who have, by now, found a foothold in this industry, hearing Pej’s warmth, humility and grit is refreshing and yet another reminder that we are not alone in our struggles to get to the point where we are being paid to work on great material with great collaborators in this game of professional make-believe.  10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way. It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more.  SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

Pej Vahdat: Do Whatever It Takes

Actor Matthew Del Negro (The Sopranos, The West Wing, Scandal) describes his career as being told &#34;No&#34; for a living. Here, he gets up close and personal with top-shelf folks from all walks of life about the 10,000 &#34;No&#34; s they&#39;ve had to endure and struggles they&#39;ve had to overcome on their journey to where they are today. Inspiring, raw, honest and funny, this podcast will help you see that the people you think have &#34;got it made&#34; put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Self-Improvement

"I was so beaten down by the system. I remember thinking I need to rethink this whole thing. I'm just gonna be honest, I'm just gonna be real, I have nothing to lose at this point.” - John Magaro  TODAY'S EPISODE OF 10,000 NOs Podcast is rife with takeaways for actors, from the craft of acting to the approach to auditions to the ups and downs of a long career, even for someone as well-respected as John Magaro. John was one of the leads of last year's Best Picture Academy Award nominee, Past Lives. For his performance, he was on the short list for Best Supporting Actor. He has also consistently worked with prestigious filmmakers like Adam McKay ( in The Big Short), Todd Haynes (in Carol), Kelly Reichardt (in First Cow) and David Chase (in Not Fade Away). John and I spend time breaking down his extremely honest approach to character, inspired by his work with famed acting coach Harold Guskin. And we discuss his role as a producer of Laroy, Texas as well as being the lead of our little indie that has made waves at festivals and with critics. Actors, you don't want to miss this one. 10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  Prefer to WATCH (versus listen)? SUBSCRIBE to 10,000 NOs YouTube Channel HERE The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way.  It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more. SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

John Magaro: Stop Acting, Just Be Honest

"I really just decided with this one that it was going to happen... if I had to shoot it on my iPhone that's what we were gonna do.” - Shane Atkinson   TODAY'S EPISODE OF 10,000 NOs Podcast is pulled from one of the 10,000 NOs Insiders Community’s monthly VIP Industry Guest Zooms, where we bring industry winners in to help our members navigate their acting careers. Perhaps the biggest inspiration and takeaway came from Shane's message to our members: don’t wait for someone else to come in and promise you the world in terms of budgets and big names… if you have a story you want to tell, find the producers that are most passionate about making the best version of it and make it now! Shane Atkinson received his M.F.A. in screenwriting and directing from Columbia University.  His short films have received more than 100 awards internationally. His writing credits include Poms starring Diane Keaton and his directorial debut LaRoy, Texas just came out in select theaters and VOD on April 12, 2024 after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023, sweeping the top awards (Grand Special Prize, Critics’ Award, Audience Award) at Deauville American Film Festival 2023 and garnering a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes after 33 reviews. 10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  Prefer to WATCH (versus listen)? SUBSCRIBE to 10,000 NOs YouTube Channel HERE The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way.  It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more. SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

Shane Atkinson (Writer/Director, LaRoy, Texas): Make That Movie Now!

In TODAY'S EPISODE OF 10,000 NOs Podcast , a solo riff, I talk about the social experiment known as The Metro Experiment, where world class violinist Joshua Bell was observed playing his $3.5 million dollar Stradivarius in disguise on a subway platform, wearing a hoody as commuters waited for their train. The results were astounding. And they shine a light on artists who have been devaluing themselves, or giving up, because gatekeepers (those who have the power to move said artists' careers forward) haven't recognized their talents... yet.  I talk about past guest Terry Winter's crazy journey to the top of Hollywood, as well as Taylor Sheridan's meteoric rise in Hollywood, pointing out that had they listened to the gatekeepers early on in their careers, we wouldn't have such films and shows as The Wolf of Wall Street, Wind River, Boardwalk Empire, Yellowstone, Tulsa King and many, many more. Don't Let the Gatekeepers Stop You! 10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  Prefer to WATCH (versus listen)? SUBSCRIBE to 10,000 NOs YouTube Channel HERE The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way.  It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more. SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

Stop Letting Gatekeepers Determine Your Value!

Kellie Roy has racked up over 100 casting credits over the past two decades in Hollywood, from tiny indies to huge blockbusters like the Aquaman franchise and massively successful Box Office champions like the Insidious installments, The Conjuring, Furious 7, XXX and many more.  When she sat down with the members of our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community, she shared helpful hints with our actors about the casting director's desire to help them win the job. Kellie helped yours truly win my part in the upcoming Laroy, Texas (in select theaters and streaming on demand April 12th). We discuss the different opportunities for actors when auditioning for blockbusters versus indies, how actors can collaborate with casting directors to give themselves the best shot at winning a role, and much more. 10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  Prefer to WATCH (versus listen)? SUBSCRIBE to 10,000 NOs YouTube Channel HERE The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way.  It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more. SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

Casting Director Kellie Roy: We Want to Help You (Actors)!

Terry Knickerbocker has coached elite actors like Daniel Craig, Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell. He's coached actors on performances that have won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards. That's how he became dubbed "New York's Top Acting Coach".  But in Today's Episode of 10,000 NOs Podcast, Terry returns (he was on the pod before the pandemic) to speak to the members of our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community and dispel the myth of the elite. He believes that the main distinction between our elite class of actors and the rest of the pack lies in their attention to the work and building a foundation of technique and approach. Many anecdotes of his collaboration with famous actors are dropped but the bottom line is that training is essential if we expect to create the confidence necessary to deliver consistent performances on par with the best of the best. 10,000 NOs podcast is now in it’s 2.0 phase: after a long pause from late 2021 to late 2023, it has returned in a more raw format: shorter episodes, like the Monday Morsels of yesteryear (they may be short, solo riffs by Matt on central themes of the pod, excerpts from Matt’s 10,000 NOs Insiders Community Zooms, or excerpts from Insiders VIP sessions with VIPs from the entertainment interview and beyond). Be on the look out as, every now and then, we will likely drop some old school, long-form, classic 10,000 NOs interviews as bonus episodes.  Prefer to WATCH (versus listen)? SUBSCRIBE to 10,000 NOs YouTube Channel HERE The intent of this podcast is to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We aim to educate & inspire you with stories and conversations with others who have traveled a path that may look enviable now, but it was not always that way.  It is not the critic who counts. If you’ve been knocked down... get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the arena. If you want to give back, share this with someone who could use it and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so more people find this show and benefit from these conversations. If you dig the show, CLICK HERE to learn how you can make this experience 3D by joining our 10,000 NOs Insiders Community: access to a members-only Facebook group, intimate, weekly Live video calls with Matt, including monthly drop-ins with some of his badass past-guests & VIP friends and more. SHOW LINKS: 10,000 NOs: THE BOOK SUBSCRIBE TO OUR (WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER FOLLOW MATT ON SOCIAL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A 10,000 NOs INSIDER

Pej Vahdat: Do Whatever It Takes

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