In this episode, I sit down with actor Michael Schaeffer to talk honestly about the modern actor’s reality: self-taping, pressure, rejection, creativity and mental resilience. This is a conversation about process — the parts no one teaches you — and how to stay grounded when the industry keeps shifting under your feet. Michael shares his evolving self-tape method (Line Learner, learning fast, “sliding into” takes), while I break down my own approach — cutting scenes, reshaping text to reveal essence, and using tools like teleprompters to free rather than freeze you. We dive into the mental health toll of the job, how to reclaim authority and agency in your tapes, and why building your own creative practice (like Michael’s 10-year poetry podcast, The Poetry Exchange) is essential to survival. 🎭 What You’ll Hear Why actors rarely talk about process openly How self-tapes became their own art form Fear, procrastination & the Friday 5 pm audition email Michael’s method: reducing friction, learning fast, Line Learner, using solo time well My approach: cutting scenes, bending text, personalising material, teleprompter freedom Reclaiming authority and playing on your terms Why perfection kills instinct — and how to avoid it Ghosting, rejection & separating self-worth from the outcome Self-taping as practice, not punishment Creativity and community as tools for survival 🔑 Key Takeaways Self-tapes are the norm — learn to own them, not resent them Your method only matters if it releases behaviour and aliveness You are allowed to adjust material to serve your essence Casting directors want something real, not perfect Editing should feel like play, not punishment Resilience is a skill: mindset, preparation, perspective A private creative practice helps support your mental health Community reduces isolation and pressure Self-taping can become meaningful artistic work ⏱️ Chapters (Approx.) 00:00 – Welcome 02:00

Hi all — Just a quick update about something useful that came out of yesterday. Michael Schaeffer and I finally managed to record the session we’d planned. It was originally meant to be a small group coaching workshop, but a few people understandably felt that being coached or performing in front of others was too exposing. No issue there — it’s helpful for me to know that for future planning. So instead, Michael and I turned it into a one-to-one conversation about self-taping, resilience, process, and the realities of the job. We covered a lot: how he approaches tapes, how he handles pressure, how he works with text, and how he maintains some kind of equilibrium in an unpredictable career. It wasn’t planned as a podcast episode, but it ended up being exactly the kind of clear, practical discussion that I think will be useful to many of you. I’ve uploaded the full recording to YouTube, behind a passworded link, exclusively for TRA members. Here it is: 🔗 Link: [YouTube link] 🔑 Message me for the Password. Watch it whenever suits.If anything in it sparks a question or something you want to explore in more detail in future sessions, let me know. Elliot I am The Resilient Artist, and so are you.