This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Mikayla Petrilla: We don't work in the entertainment industry. We work in the customer service industry. What we do is not, in my opinion, all about us. And I think that's a very common misconception of people in the entertainment industry. That's what keeps us sort of going with our clients, because we're all doing this together. This is Tea Time. I'm Mikayla. And you're listening on the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:29] Mikayla Petrilla: Welcome back, everyone. I am so excited to bring you today's guest, Matt Redman, president and senior agent at DGRW. And this conversation is truly one I wish I had heard years ago. Because when actors talk about agents, we usually talk about the same things. How to get one, how to impress one, how to keep one, while through thinking, why they haven't answered our email yet, and what is actually happening on the other side of the breakdown. And don't worry, we absolutely get into that. We talk self-tapes, reels, slate shots, submissions, commissions, contracts, communication, and all the actor questions we all want answered, but don't always know how to ask. But what I loved most about this conversation, and what I was really hoping to get out of this conversation, is that we got to know the human behind the agent.

Matt is charming, kind, relatable, a Sagittarius, and a fierce advocate for his clients. He is the kind of agent and honestly the kind of person you would hope to have in your corner. I think he is a wonderful human being. And what I admire so much about his story is that he forged his own path from assistant to agent to owner of DGRW at the height of the pandemic, becoming a real leader in this industry by staying curious, collaborative, and deeply committed to the artists he represents. In this episode, we talk about what it means to build a career from the other side of the table, what it was like to take ownership of an agency during the height of the pandemic, and how leadership, trust, mental health, and communication all factor into the work of advocating for artists.

One of my favorite things Matt says in this conversation is that we may think we work in entertainment, but really we work in customer service. And I agree, and I have not stopped thinking about that. So whether you have an agent, want an agent, are confused by your agent, or simply want to understand the person on the other side of the email, this episode is for you. So pour yourself something warm or cold. It is June, and let's get into it.

[2:32] Mikayla Petrilla: Well, hi, and welcome to Tea Time with Mikayla. I am Mikayla, and here is the tea, even though this is water, don't tell. I am so excited to sit down with Matt Redman, the president and senior agent at DGRW. Hey Matt.

[2:48] Matt Redmond: Hi, thank you so much for having me.

[2:50] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh my gosh, thanks for being here. What a thrill. It's gonna be a great time. I think when we think about agents, the questions that are always asked are pertaining to actors, right? Like, how do I get signed? What are the things I need to do to leverage myself to get booked? But I feel like we do not actually know what a day in your life is like, what is it like to be a business owner, and how does this all fit into the industry? Because you are the intermediary between so many different facets, and also I feel like you do have all the teeth because you're the one seeing the breakdowns first, you're the one collaborating with creatives. There is so much work that I feel goes into this job just as an agent, not even a business owner. So there are two facets to that, and I want to learn all about it. So, okay, tell me what has your day looked like so far.

[3:38] Matt Redmond: Today, um, that's a great question. Uh today uh we have a lot of things that are in the sort of basic framework of our day. And then from there, there's a lot of different things that can get, you know, sort of thrown at us. But ultimately, our day does have the sort of same framework that, you know, we get to work, we uh address all of our emails that are sitting there from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. before the only times we're kind of not working, which isn't always even the case. Um, but you know, I mean honestly, it sounds so silly, but I keep breakdowns express open on my computer. I think it's been open for eight years straight. Okay, you know, I just like spend all day refreshing that uh website looking for when the breakdowns come out.

[4:23] Mikayla Petrilla: And how do you feel about the color going from red to purple?

[4:27] Matt Redmond: That is it's still red on our end. Are you kidding?

[4:30] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[4:30] Matt Redmond: I feel slightly I'm actually only just now learning that the actor's access end has changed to purple.

[4:35] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh my gosh.

[4:36] Matt Redmond: Currently it's red on our end still, but I don't I don't know if that means it's it's to change. I don't know. I think I might not um mind spicing it up.

[4:44] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, okay. The red is, you know, the interface of breakdowns is pretty outdated.

[4:50] Matt Redmond: Um that's certainly the T is breakdowns.

[4:54] Mikayla Petrilla: Seriously.

[4:54] Matt Redmond: Yeah. But yeah, we really do spend our day uh refreshing that and submitting our people on it. You know, the way my office works, there's seven of us, five agents and two coordinators, and we break up our work by the casting offices. So I'm keeping an eye out on my breakdowns, going through them. Some casting offices we share with each other. So if it's one that I share, you know, uh sometimes I'm putting ideas down first, then one of my other agents is looking at it, or vice versa. Um, and then as the owner, I am looking at every breakdown that gets submitted, even if it's not my cover, so I can, you know, jump in and say, like, hey, I think we should try so and so here, or actually let's not submit so and so here, you know, because they don't tend to work well with this director or that role is always just ever so slightly out of their range or whatever that is. You know, we have a very full team coverage on our breakdowns and everyone can look at my breakdowns too. You know, we're always it's a very collaborative environment.

[5:43] Mikayla Petrilla: That's incredible.

[5:44] Matt Redmond: Yeah and then from there ideally auditions are coming in whether they're being emailed to us or sent through breakdowns in C mail and we're facilitating them, getting them out to our clients, confirming and asking questions to casting, asking them questions and getting those things all set and hopefully at some point of the day offers are coming in or callbacks. And another aspect that's obviously changed in the last almost six years is we are watching a lot of tapes. We watch our clients' tapes uh all of them whether it's just one of us watching or multiple of us watching everyone's tapes has at least one agent's eye on it if not multiple.

[6:10] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay so question about that and breakdown services. When I submit a self tape if I was going through my agent it would just submit to casting directly but if I'm going through my manager it'll say this has been sent to your representative and then he can review it and have me retape it or he'll send it to casting. Is that the same for you?

[6:37] Matt Redmond: Yeah that's a great question. That's every rep has their own protocol for us. We don't forward things through actors access. We have them we have an appointment generator that is connected to breakdowns. A lot of offices use it it's called in entertainment.

[6:50] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh yeah yeah.

[6:50] Matt Redmond: And I think there's other versions of it too like talent pro or something I might have made that one up but it sounds believable. There's other versions of it. So we connect our breakdowns to that, and we generate our auditions through that and send them out through there. So that way they're also all filed. And then our clients send us their tapes directly. So into some downloadable format, like a we transfer, Google drive Dropbox, et cetera. So then we're reviewing them and then we're uploading them to casting. That's my and then we keep every tape on file on our Vimeo page. We have like

[7:20] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, Vimeo.

[7:20] Matt Redmond: Yeah, we have like a I don't even want to know how much I pay for storage on Vimeo because there's like probably 10,000 things on there right now.

[7:35] Mikayla Petrilla: I know we're currently like whittling it out.

[7:38] Matt Redmond: Um but we keep it on file because you know you never know when uh a previous tape is gonna be helpful. A lot of casting directors will reach out to us asking for ideas for workshops and readings when they're not doing auditions, so they're like, hey, uh a cast director reached out to me today and said, What do you have on so and so? I said, Are you looking for anything specific? And he said, No, I just need some great singing and acting footage. So we had a vocal reel and file that we actually built just from self-tape clips and um her TV reel and uh self tape I just really liked of hers, and I was like, here you go.

[8:07] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, that's amazing.

[8:08] Matt Redmond: But we just keep it all in file so it's there and ready to go. And yeah, that it's like things like that is like are what pops up during the day. It's people reaching out for this for that. You know, I I have a lot of things I'm negotiating right now, so I have my to-do list of what needs to be countered, and so I've like sent some counters out today, and our framework is pretty standard, and then depending on what happens with those steps is what the rest of the day looks like. And there's also, you know, uh I could be looking through my client's headshot session. I could be looking through building their reel. Like I put together some of my clients' TV and film reels and putting those together. So there's like random various things that we're doing throughout the day.

[8:44] Mikayla Petrilla: I hear you. Okay, that's incredible. I was gonna ask towards the end of this, but now is actually a good time. Actor questions for you. Vocal reel. Do we use live performance footage or self-tape footage? What's your preference? Do you have one?

[8:59] Matt Redmond: No preference. As long as it can, as long as it's one, it's good. And two, as long as it's just like very clearly seen and heard, like the quality is good. That's what's important. And relatively updated.

[9:12] Mikayla Petrilla: Fair. Okay. And what about slate shots? Do we need them?

[9:16] Matt Redmond: That's a good question. Long, long story short, I'm on the this board of agents and we host casting actor panels a couple times a year, and it gets asked, and every cast director kind of has a different opinion. Yeah. I think, and this is just my opinion and my understanding from the casting directors I work with, I don't think they mean anything for theater submissions, to be honest. And that's probably general, and there might be one theater casting actor that's like, no, no, no. But in for the most part, I've heard mixed things overall, but unanimously from theater casting directors, I know, I don't think they matter too much. And for film and TV, I think I've never been asked for a slate shot on a client. I've never been told why doesn't your client have a slate shot.

[9:56] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[9:57] Matt Redmond: I do think there are some casting directors who the way they filter their submissions, if you have a slate shot, it does kind of bump your submission up. But again, I don't know what that what that specific filter is. I don't know why they choose whatever filter that is, but I have heard that if a cast director uses a certain filter that I will put someone with a slate shot above. I think it I would assume it has to do with just a media uh filter in general, but I don't know that for sure.

[10:21] Mikayla Petrilla: Copy. Okay, this is great. So much of this is subjective, so there might not be one clear answer. And as you said, so many people have different opinions, but just from what you see and experience with your clients, it's good to know. I think oh, okay, how do you feel? Now, this is more of a TV film question about actors that are creating and producing their own footage. The two versions of that one, there are so many creatives at creating our own content online, social media, et cetera. How do you feel about that? That you know how you can get scenes written and produced and filmed that look like a real cinematic thing? Do we like that?

[10:59] Matt Redmond: Um that's a very good question. I uh I I don't want to, you know, disrespect anyone or anything who's spending their money, who's making their money, but uh my view is that a reel is a reflection of your resume. And if you're specifically speaking of TV and film, and if you don't have any TV and film credits on your resume, no one is expecting a big old reel. Right. You know, so if you are going to have something that's self-produced, I think it shouldn't be very long, to be honest. I think if you have no TV and film credits on your resume and you send off a reel and I'm doing air quotes here, yeah, that's eight minutes long, people are gonna be like, I don't know what this is. On the flip side, if you have an extensive resume of TV and film credits and no real, people are gonna think, Why aren't you getting your shit together?

[11:46] Mikayla Petrilla: Like I can say that right?

[11:48] Matt Redmond: Yes, you can.

[11:48] Mikayla Petrilla: We're saying it.

[11:49] Matt Redmond: Okay, great. Exactly. Um yeah, I think people are gonna be like, why why aren't you having your shit together and building a reel, you know? So I think if it's a minute and a half clip that just shows something you're really good at, I think uh the least, in my opinion, if you're gonna have a self-produced clip or a recorded scene or something like that, this might sound a little antithetical, but I actually think the least um sort of specific and um pigeonholed it can be the better. I think if you are just starting out on your TV and film journey, you you probably are pretty open to a wide variety of jobs and roles that are on camera, and I think something that really shows that you can sort of be a basic grounded human who knows how to communicate well.

Like I don't think some zany crazy comedy scene is gonna really benefit you, or some like really deep, dramatic, sad, you know, whatever. Um that's just my opinion, though. There again, there's probably a time and a place for those things, but if you are just throwing together a 60 to 90 second scene, something that just feels honest and human is gonna be the most effective, I think.

[12:58] Mikayla Petrilla: Agreed. That makes me happy to hear.

[12:59] Matt Redmond: Yay.

[13:00] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, well, back to you. All right, I know a little bit about your background just because I'm a hag and I researched it. And also you produced F 54 Below, right? As did I, as I feel like a lot of people are doing that now, but back in like the pre-COVID days, right? So that was a special little slice of life and time.

[13:18] Matt Redmond: It was.

[13:18] Mikayla Petrilla: So, how did we find our way into being an agent? Do we like it? How is our journey?

[13:25] Matt Redmond: Um, no, I love it. I it's I always joke and like you would it's not the job you do if you don't love it. It requires a lot of time and energy, and and I really love it. I wouldn't want to do anything else. Um, but I definitely sort of I always say I sort of guess and tested my way into agenting. I went to school for acting, which I always kind of knew I wasn't gonna do, but you know, I graduated 10 years ago, which means I started the college uh audition process 14 years ago.

[13:49] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh wow, yeah.

[13:50] Matt Redmond: And oh okay, millennials, yeah, yeah.

[13:53] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[13:54] Matt Redmond: Um and back then there, which is crazy to say the phrase back then, that's mortifying. Back then, back in my truly, you could basically be a performance major or like some sort of tech or stage management or general studies major. There wasn't a lot of other options or avenues. Right, like arts admin wasn't a thing then at all.

[14:12] Mikayla Petrilla: Not at all.

[14:29] Matt Redmond: And I did a directing minor, which was really cool. And I ended up taking a contracts class that they had as well through the dance school that looked at all the union agreements.

[14:37] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh wow, that's cool.

[14:38] Matt Redmond: Um yeah, it was really cool. And then the summer before my senior year of college, I lived here in New York and interned at 54 Below.

[14:44] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[14:45] Matt Redmond: And um from there, the producer or the owners of 54 Below got me a job as a PA on Penn and Teller doing their Broadway run.

[14:51] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, great.

[14:52] Matt Redmond: Yeah, and then after I graduated, I worked at the Muni in St. Louis, that's where I'm from.

[14:54] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, that what a stunning.

[14:57] Matt Redmond: Was that the proximity that you had grown up going to the I grew up going to the Muni, which was 11,000 seats, and the Fox Theater of St. Louis, which is 5,000. And then I saw my first Broadway show at Circle and Square.

[15:07] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh my gosh.

[15:08] Matt Redmond: And I was like, this is Broadway.

[15:09] Mikayla Petrilla: What was it?

[15:10] Matt Redmond: This is quite small. Um, spelling bee. Um, but then I also saw Legally Blonde and Hairspray on that trip. So I was like, okay, these theaters feel more like Broadway. But yeah, so I grew up at the Muni and I assist and directed a few shows there after I graduated before moving here and working at Manhattan Theater Club and Lynn Meadows office. Um but I always had this agent thing kind of in the back of my brain. My school would bring agents to do master classes. I loved hearing about my actor friends and their agent relationships. So I was like, I think I need to figure out a way to do this. And I basically asked a couple agents to coffee to see if they would like tell me about their jobs, and I just started applying to every assistant job ever on Playbill.com.

[15:51] Mikayla Petrilla: I yes.

[15:52] Matt Redmond: I mean, and then I would see like ECCs and EPAs on there, and I would send them to my friends. I'm like, oh, this looks really good for you. Like, you should do this. And they're like, You should be an agent. I was like, that's what I'm trying to do. That's why I'm on this Playbill job page. But yeah, so I had a few interviews, and I started at DGRW nine years ago in July.

[16:10] Mikayla Petrilla: Wow.

[16:10] Matt Redmond: Yeah, I started as an assistant to Jim Wilhelm, who was the W of DGRW. And I was his assistant for about a year before moving into an agent position. And then things were all great for a couple years, and then the pandemic hit, and he was basically like, you know what? I think this was April of 2020. He was like, I think that this thing is gonna last for a year or two. And I would probably, if the world was normal, I would probably want to retire in a year or two. So let's just do this now while things are quiet, and I'll transition everything to you, and you can take it over and figure out how to run this place so that by the time the business is back, you'll be set and you'll be good to go.

[16:46] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh my goodness.

[16:47] Matt Redmond: So I took over officially in July of 2020. And it's been nearly six years since I'm joining it.

[16:53] Mikayla Petrilla: Incredible. Okay, so how do you feel being the owner of a business? How has that changed the trajectory of your job? Are there other aspects that people probably have no idea?

[17:04] Matt Redmond: Yeah, it's uh it's pretty wild, it is pretty wild. I feel like you know, I'm still learning stuff every day six years later. I mean, this morning, I I got this thing, and this is such a boring point of conversation.

[17:18] Mikayla Petrilla: But no, but tell me anything.

[17:20] Matt Redmond: Every um talent agencies have to be licensed with the uh department of consumer affairs and worker protections in New York because they view us as employment agencies, right? Which is not wrong, but it's not right. Yeah, and it's every two years we have to go through this strenuous renew application situation, and like I never had to do that, so I took over, and it feels like they changed the process every year, and this is the first time it was online. So I was like, oh, this is perfect. It's so easy. You used to have to like set up appointments downtown, bring all this paperwork.

[17:51] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh no, that's like Owen J.

[17:52] Matt Redmond: Yeah, like the DMV. It was crazy. I did this like a month ago, and I was like, done. Easy. I got something in the mail yesterday that was like, your form's incomplete. And I was like, what? No. And so I got on this morning and completed it, even though I know that I submitted these documents correctly the first time, sent a screenshot to the email, and I was like, Can you confirm I'm all good? He writes me back an hour later and is like, no, I still need these documents. And I'm like, this is what I uploaded. I go back to my dashboard and they're not there.

[18:17] Mikayla Petrilla: No.

[18:18] Matt Redmond: So I'm like, what is going on? But that was a very long-winded, kind of dumb story to say, like, stuff like that is popping up. I have to do with this, or like I have to deal with, you know, the bank. I have to do which just sounds so silly and crazy. But you know, I am definitely ruined for life because I will never have a boss again. Like I never, I never want to have a boss again.

[18:38] Mikayla Petrilla: Uh I understand that.

[18:40] Matt Redmond: With respect to those with bosses, I I it's just so it's it's so nice to be able to do do what I want, work with the people I want, and it's really humbling too, because I think while I own the company and I'm in charge, we really do have a team environment. And I it's been very humbling. I think I've always been a relatively like controlling person, and I like things done the way I want to do it.

[19:03] Mikayla Petrilla: What's your sign?

[19:04] Matt Redmond: I'm a Sagittarius.

[19:05] Mikayla Petrilla: Son, correct.

[19:07] Matt Redmond: Everyone literally when everyone hears that, they're like, got it.

[19:10] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah.

[19:10] Matt Redmond: Um, but I think especially in the last couple of years, I've really tried to sort of relinquish that. And especially you owning a business, like trying to make sure everyone feels like their voices are heard and like that it is collaborative. And just because I am in charge doesn't mean I have the best idea. I might have like the most seasoned ideas or the most experienced ideas from a pure factual standpoint, just because I've been doing it longer or the same as some of the people in my office, to be fair, but I certainly don't think I always have the best idea. So working with a team of collaborative people has been really really special and has made being a business owner easier. Because like today, this morning I was like on our Slack channel, I was like, hey, I could use some backup here.

I have to deal with the DCWP. And like that was like no problem. I didn't have to worry about getting certain things done while trying to get this done because I have this team of people that I trust and they allow me to be able to spend time doing that stuff, even if I don't really want to be doing that stuff.

[20:03] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah, but that's the great thing about being able to build your own business and build the team that you want to work with. Because so much of this is community-based, and I feel like this might be kind of a non-second order, but not really. I think it ties back together, where from an actor vantage, right? They do not teach you the business side of that in school, unless if you go to a school that they teach you that, congratulations, and please tell me more. But I did not know you could expense things off of your taxes. I did not, I expense my therapist off my taxes. I I will say that. Absolutely. Because yeah, but there's so many different things that it's like, okay, I can manage my business better having this information, and we are not always going to know it. So we have to forge our own path and figure things out.

[20:46] Matt Redmond: Definitely. So I am gonna do all of the research I can, but then finding yourself where you are today and knowing that you have a team of people who are all coming in with different skills or different experiences that can help and support you and lift you, but you are still at the top taking care of business is incredible. Now, did you feel like you were ready in 2020? Were you like, was this on the table for a hot second? Did you feel it coming? Or what is sort of, you know, I would say about a year before the pandemic, Jim would, you know, we would be doing things at work, or I would ask certain questions, and he would you know make funny passive comments like when you own the place, you'll understand.

Like, you know, just little things like that that really obviously didn't mean much. And then I would say, even before the pandemic, a few months before, he just started like showing me how to do certain things, like having me handle certain things, which was great, but I certainly wasn't prepared for the pandemic. But the actual technical story of how it happened is he there was another agent there at the time who had been there a few years longer than I have, and she was lovely, she was the best, but she knew she didn't want to do this like super long term. Um, and he called us both. He was a very straight shooter, he was very like kind of old school New York. And he called us and he was like, All right, guys, I think this is gonna last longer than I thought, or than ever than everyone thinks.

And so I don't want to wait. So we have three options. I can close it and you can get new jobs. You two can take this over together, or one of you can take it over, and I know what this is gonna be. So Matt, call me when you're ready to talk. And I was like, uh and um Anna was her name, she was the best. She was freaking out, and I was like, let's not talk for a week. Like, let's just like not talk about this unless we have to talk business. We probably don't because it's April of 2020 and nothing's happening. But I was like, unless we have to talk business, let's not talk for a week. And then she called me a week later and was crying and was like, I just I don't think I can do this. I think I would also probably be leaving the city in two years.

And I was like, Anna, if you had called me and said, Let's do this, I would be like, What are you talking about? You don't want to do this. Um, so I called Jim right after that and was just like, Let's do it. You know, I kind of never had a moment of hesitation, but I think also because my offer was like find a job or have a company. It's like, well, I guess. Yeah, I guess I'll I I'll take that, no question. I don't really want to ever have to apply for a job again. So this sounds great.

[23:11] Mikayla Petrilla: For real. Okay, so kind of back to going to New York City for the first time. Now that you are living your version of the dream, do you have any surreal moments that little Matt would be like, oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm doing this? Like you're working with people or working on productions, or even just living in New York. Like, I don't know, I used to watch Gossip Girl all the time.

[23:29] Matt Redmond: Right.

[23:33] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, XOXO. Yeah. And um example of mine, even though this is not about me. I please, yes, it is. Do you remember the sleep no more episodes?

[23:41] Matt Redmond: Of course.

[23:42] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, I watched that and I was like, this is the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. I want to go do this, and then cut to several years later, I was in sleep no more. And I was performing with the people I realized were in that episode. And I was like, you must be shitting me that this is my life, because you not necessarily romanticize, but it's surreal when you have those moments then where you're like, I read this, I watched this, and now I'm living this.

[24:07] Matt Redmond: Yeah.

[24:08] Mikayla Petrilla: So what is yours?

[24:09] Matt Redmond: That's such a good question. I feel like I have so many, which is so cheesy. But no, that's so good. I think like because I took over DJRW, there was already a roster of people there, and we've added a lot to our roster since I took over to you because the team is built. But even just joining a company and knowing that I watched some of these clients on TV when I was younger or watch their bootlegs was pretty, pretty amazing. And I think just like, you know, going to uh seeing shows on Broadway in particular and seeing clients and knowing that I had a sometimes big but oftentimes small hand in putting them there, I think those are the moments for me. Just like watching, you know, this week actually I got to see one of my clients join just in time on Broadway.

[24:53] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh yeah.

[24:54] Matt Redmond: Yeah, yeah, Carrie in Circle in the Square, which is where I saw my first broader show.

[24:59] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, so full circle.

[25:00] Matt Redmond: Yeah, watching her like join, which was like her absolute dream show and role, and was a crazy, crazy process to get there, and like just seeing all of that pay off and like literally sitting in circle in the square and watching that, and like sitting next to the lead producer of Justin Time. I was just like, oh my gosh, this feels surreal that I get to do this.

[25:18] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, that is fully full circle. That's incredible.

[25:22] Matt Redmond: Oh my goodness, yay. Now, do you find that building relationships with your clients over time? This is interesting because there is this trickle-down effect where celebrities are taking Broadway shows and Broadway actors are taking regional gigs, and then there are developing actors with maybe no Broadway credits. Now all the tours are non-union, not all, but many. So how do you foster the relationship building with your clients over time? How do you handle maybe the oversaturation of the market and advocating for your team?

[25:53] Matt Redmond: Yeah, absolutely. You know, I think one of the biggest things that anyone can do, but particularly how we do that is just really focusing on controlling the things we can control, which I think obviously sounds simple, but it's I think easier said than done. You know, there's so much in this business that's out of everyone's control. Out of everyone's control. It's just it's wild. And so, but the things that are in our control are communication, yep, trust, being prepared, doing doing our homework, doing, you know, staying staying aware, staying involved, but then also understanding that you know I used to say this a lot, and now I don't know if I abide by it anymore. You know, this whole it's not that deep, we're not curing cancer, it's just theater.

Like I subscribe to that for a long time, and I still do subscribe to that to an extent. But at the end of the day, it is our job, it is what we love, it is what we want to do. And it may not be physically healing lives, but but it is our it's what we chose to do, it's what we love. And I always say, like, we we don't work in the entertainment industry, we we work in the customer service industry. Yes, because you know, we work all hours of the day, some of us during the day, some at night, some both, to create content, whether that's live theater or TV and film or audio things or whatever it is, so that other people can have something to watch or do or listen to when they're not working. It's like we are no different than a restaurant owner and a team at a restaurant.

We are creating things for people to, yes, to be entertained, but ultimately to be served. And so it's a grueling, grueling job. And and there is all those elements you're talking about. There is oversaturation, there is the triple-down effect of the current uh climate of the entertainment industry. But I think focusing, you know, for me, it's coming back to like what we do is not, in my opinion, all about us. And I think that's a very common misconception of people in the entertainment industry. And I think that's what drives me to be able to still do this, even when it's really hard, is that I do encourage my team because we can take things so personally, like a rough negotiation. Um, if a client's not happy or whatever it might be, we can take that so personally, and and the good stuff.

Like I tell my team the good stuff and the bad stuff is not all about us because it's easy to want to make the good stuff about you and the bad and the bad stuff sometimes. But I always just try to remind everyone it is not about us, it is about uh one our clients, but two the the people that are here to buy tickets and watch things and be served and be entertained. And I think that mentality is what's drives me through the harder times, like the things you're speaking of with oversaturation and and the Hollywoodification of Broadway, which it's not new, it's just amplified right now.

[28:44] Matt Redmond: Um, that's what keeps us sort of going with our clients because we're all doing this together.

[28:50] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah, that's so true.

[28:51] Matt Redmond: And that's good that you say that because I always try to remind myself like you are in service to the industry, is what I always ground myself with. So I'm glad to hear you say that because it is so community-based, we wouldn't do it if we weren't offering something. But at the same time, you do have to have some sort of ego or confidence to be that vulnerable to put yourself forward. So balancing like, I want what I do to have meaning in the way that I participate, but also knowing that what you are doing is serving others and giving meaning to others, allowing them to feel things that maybe they won't let themselves feel, and that is so special. So even though you might not get that many opportunities to do it over your life, and so much of it is the in-between moments, the punchline of that, what you get to offer a server be part of is just so valuable. And that's what we always come back to.

[29:41] Mikayla Petrilla: I mean, even with COVID, like we were all. I mean, what else did we have to do but go online and stream like Tiger King?

[29:49] Matt Redmond: But I exactly. We are looking to be entertained. We are looking to, I mean, consumer culture is a whole other conversation, but at the end of the day, we always are going to go back to the arts. Every civilization, every time there was like a dark ages, it always came right back with the arts and entertainment.

[30:07] Mikayla Petrilla: Totally. Okay, so fun question. What are your favorite shows or music or things that bring you joy?

[30:13] Matt Redmond: That's a good question. Well, currently I'm watching Paradise on Hulu.

[30:17] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[30:18] Matt Redmond: Which I'm feel very behind on because it's so good. I think it's one of the best shows I've seen in quite a while. Big fan, one of the best pilot episodes in particular. Um, I'm pretty locked in on that. I really like your friends and neighbors on Apple right now. Really enjoying that. I am watching The Pit. I binge season one, and then I started watching season two live as it was going. And after three episodes, I was like, I need to hold so I can wait till they're all out and binge it. I think this is a show that's like I need to watch three or four at a time. Like the one a week was not working for me. So I'm very excited to pick that back up when I'm done with Paradise.

[30:49] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah.

[30:50] Matt Redmond: Shows, well, I should say music first because that's quicker. I listen to like the same playlist of like 200 songs, and I add more to it every time I find something I like. I'm a big Jojo fan. I've always been a Jojo fan.

[31:01] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[31:02] Matt Redmond: I like Ari, of course. It's all bops. I really like Olivia Dean. I like to say I was on the Olivia Dean train before everyone else was, but that's only because my friend has been on the Olivia Dean train for like since she started, and she was begging me to listen to Olivia Dean, and I was like, uh I don't need more of my playlist. I'm full. You know, and finally she was like, just do it. And I was like, oh my gosh. So Olivia Dean's all over my playlist. Lawrence. Yes. Um, yeah, on Broadway right now, I really love I really love Justin Time. I think it's great. And I thought that before this week. I've always and between The Pit and Gracie. There you go. What a show for me, honestly. I can't. Um, I really like Justin Time. I think it's a really smart way to do a story like that.

[31:47] Matt Redmond: Um, I'm actually quite behind this season of shows. I normally see everything, if not almost everything. Um, and I'm so behind. I'm seeing a lot in the next few weeks.

[31:56] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, but you have a whole job. So it's okay. You can be behind.

[32:00] Matt Redmond: That's true. I mean, the Jollicle Ball is fantastic. Yeah, it's absolutely brilliant. Not a single thing I would change. It's so smart. I'm such a fan. It is such a way to reimagine it. And it has never made more sense to me, Cats, than now.

[32:14] Mikayla Petrilla: Totally. I mean, it makes perfect sense. It's really stunning. My partner and his family are going this weekend. I was like, I have to teach you how to clack a fan, or else you're not gonna get through.

[32:24] Matt Redmond: I was not. I was at the opening night, so it was like, you know, that energy of the audience was like opening night crazy, you know, and like I was like, they don't need my fan right now, they have everyone else's. I'm just gonna hold it.

[32:35] Mikayla Petrilla: Just hold the fan.

[32:38] Matt Redmond: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I don't know. I'm so behind. I really need to. I have got a lot scheduled these next couple weeks. I don't normally let it wait this long, but I've been really excited to see more of the season. I've been seeing The Lost Boys this weekend, super curious about that.

[32:51] Mikayla Petrilla: That's incredible.

[32:52] Matt Redmond: Yeah, I'm really excited. I think we're gonna maybe go see Fallen Angels this weekend too.

[32:55] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, I just saw Rocky. I'm not a Rocky whore like you know, Stan. I'm not like super familiar with it in the way a lot of people are, but I really enjoyed it. I think it's really good. I think it's really smart. I think Sam Pickleton is really living up to the reputation he's quickly created for himself. I'm such a fan of everything he does.

[33:14] Matt Redmond: Yes, yeah, this is all great. And you have to see Jojo in Chess then.

[33:18] Mikayla Petrilla: Well, yes, I'm guessing. I have to see Jojo in Chess. We must. Loved her in Moulin Rouge.

[33:23] Matt Redmond: I'll be back for Chess. Did you listen to her memoir or read it?

[33:26] Mikayla Petrilla: I did, yes. I'm I was brought to tears. I mean, by so much, but just the fact that she found the joy of performing again through the Broadway community. I was like, oh, I know.

[33:36] Matt Redmond: It's yeah, I then she was amazing in Moulin Rouge. And of course, I had heard all the rumors that she was doing it, and then it was officially announced, and all my friends were tagging me in there, you know, whatever. And I was just like, oh my gosh, this is so cool. You know, like the person I love the most musically is like gonna be in our community, and everyone in the show and involved was like she's just so lovely and she just loves being a part of this, which is so cool to see because that's not always the case when celebrities end up in a Broadway show. And I'm glad she liked it enough to come back.

[34:02] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, me too. Okay, I have more logistic questions. I have to pull up my laptop for that. Um, these are this is rapid fire, and you can answer it or not answer it, and it is all good.

[34:14] Matt Redmond: Okay.

[34:15] Mikayla Petrilla: What we already answered. How do you actually spend most of your day like time wise?

[34:19] Matt Redmond: And that is correspondence and breakdowns, right?

[34:23] Mikayla Petrilla: Totally.

[34:23] Matt Redmond: What parts of your work bring the biggest return on your time and energy?

[34:27] Matt Redmond: Probably also breakdowns, or that's interesting. Well, you it you would I you would hope. Um, I think like breakdowns, but more specifically like um the you know, the term we use is pushing, like when we reach out to casting directors and you know, want them to see people, whatever that looks like. Sometimes it's a formal email, sometimes it's if it's a casting term close with it's the text. Yeah, so that's definitely a part of it.

[34:52] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[34:53] Matt Redmond: What are financial elements of the business that people don't realize about your job?

[34:57] Matt Redmond: That's kind of like a loaded question.

[34:59] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, no, no, no.

[35:00] Matt Redmond: Well, no, I'll I'll be candid, you know. A lot of agents and agencies are 100% commissioned based. Um, that's not how our structure is. Our structure is like everyone is salaried. Um, yeah, which is great. But there are a lot of people who are commissioned based, and I do think for better or for worse, and I really do mean that, uh like that can really affect how an agent works. You know, it can, you know, it makes them it could make them really like hungry and eager, but it could also have them working from a scarcity mentality of they need to make money too, so they might not be as concerned with what the job you're doing is so much as that you're doing a job, and that's a generalization, but because I don't work that way, so I don't have that experience.

[35:45] Mikayla Petrilla: Um, I think a lot of people think we get free tickets to everything. That's not always the case.

[35:48] Matt Redmond: That's too. So it does at least sometimes that's certainly a cost. Yeah, I guess that's like the basics.

[35:55] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[35:56] Matt Redmond: Yeah.

[35:56] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, then follow-up question. If you're making two part question, do you make 10% off of everything that your higher great question or just what you book?

[36:05] Matt Redmond: Uh so per the union agreements that we operate under, which the agreements we operate under are a hundred percent standard. It's uh every agent should be operating under essentially the same agreement. For theater, it's if the job pays five seventy-five, this is the number that I'm not a hundred percent sure if I'm saying right, but I think it's five hundred and seventy-five a week or less. Commission is five percent for the whole job.

[36:28] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[36:28] Matt Redmond: If it's more than that, it's five percent for rehearsals, ten percent per for performances. Okay. Unless under the rare, um the rare circumstance where if you are making overscale for rehearsals, then it can it is theoretically ten percent for rehearsals and performances, which is to be frank, not really common. It's almost unheard of on Broadway to make overscale in rehearsal. I don't think I've ever seen it. Um, but it can happen at regional theaters, particularly if you're playing a principal or some certain off Broadway agreements. Um, but technically, per the agreement, everything is that your client books is uh commissionable.

[37:05] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[37:05] Matt Redmond: Um, the only things I don't commission are concerts and things like that, or if a client is doing sometimes a client's like, hey, my friend asked me to go to the bumfuck playhouse for three weeks and and you know, do this show, you know. I I'm not gonna commission that. You know what I mean? Like but you know, uh there are I have no shame in admitting, like I'm sure there are jobs historically that a client may be booked because they like went to the ECC and they got called back from that, but that is still something that we would carry out with them and negotiate and and commission. And then oh, SAG jobs are 10%.

[37:41] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[37:41] Matt Redmond: And that's important because you're also negotiating the contract. It's not just like they self-book, there are so many elements of like comps for friends and family, transportation.

[37:50] Mikayla Petrilla: Exactly.

[37:51] Matt Redmond: And there are a lot of cases where especially ensemble jobs on Broadway and tour or certain regional jobs aren't very negotiable. So I can't lie, that is a tricky position to be in to like feel like I'm commissioning something that I couldn't improve, but it's a slippery slope if I was to say like, hey, I'm not gonna commission this one, it didn't improve at all. I can't set that precedent, you know. I can't set that expectation, even if that job might feel a little strange or weird.

[38:16] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[38:17] Matt Redmond: This is fascinating. It's interesting. There are so many nuances to how to help your team that we as actors just do not know.

[38:25] Mikayla Petrilla: And it varies. I feel like so many actors are we're just trying to book work, but we don't know how to help our teams and what that looks like.

[38:34] Matt Redmond: Uh, do you find that multi-hyphenate creatives are helpful in making revenue for you or the creator digital era of performing?

[38:44] Matt Redmond: Maybe blunt and say for me personally, no, but for a couple reasons.

[38:49] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah.

[38:50] Matt Redmond: One, because anyone I have that does that stuff, it's probably taken off to a level that's above me, and they have other reps for that.

[38:59] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, I see.

[38:59] Matt Redmond: You know what I mean? Like I rep like Kara DePetro, who's really well known for her content, and like she now has an agency that focuses on that content for her.

[39:08] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[39:08] Matt Redmond: We represent Jillian Gottlieb, who's taken off in the skincare world. I feel like it can't, yeah. I can't open my phone without seeing some sort of skincare ad for her.

[39:15] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[39:16] Matt Redmond: And like she has a full other team for that. So the people that get to that level, that just surpasses us, you know what I mean? In that front. We still rep them as performers.

[39:25] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[39:25] Matt Redmond: Um, and then on the I hate to say it, but on the flip side of that, if it's something you're doing, but it's not huge. That's why I say it's not necessarily maybe the most helpful to me. It's certainly not hurtful at all.

[39:38] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah.

[39:39] Matt Redmond: At all. But I don't know. Like, there's not that much I can do with it, big or small, just because ultimately, I guess I shouldn't have even broken it down by big or small. Ultimately, either it's just really it's not my purview or like what I do. But you know, I I can't lie, and she won't care that I said this. Like, we definitely got Julian Gottlieb and auditioned for a certain TV show because they were looking for uh influencers for this particular part. So, like that's when it's useful to me, I guess. But again, you know, she's really like sort of taken off so that she was considered a notable influencer.

[40:07] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[40:13] Matt Redmond: And she's created a specific brand for herself that's rooted in comedy, which is also great. Like her videos crack me up. I can't think they're like ridiculous. And I can't believe I'm gonna compliment her. She'll never listen to this. Um, she's one of the best self-tapers around. She is it truly like I she should stop selling content, she should start selling her self-tapes. Because she is truly just one of the best tapers around. She is so fucking funny. You can I hope I can say that too.

[40:41] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh, yeah, yeah.

[40:41] Matt Redmond: Um, we got our first bleep of the day. Honestly, you don't know me very well, but that's very surprising that it took that long to get a bleep.

[40:50] Mikayla Petrilla: That's okay.

[40:51] Matt Redmond: But yeah, no, she should sell her self-tapes, not skincare anymore. I'm crying. Julian, if you listen to, I'll probably tell you to listen to this now. We'll tag you. Um, you should start selling your self-tapes because they're brilliant.

[41:02] Mikayla Petrilla: So, what makes a good self-tape? Like, obviously, it's just because she's funny and there's dark quality nuance that you just can't teach.

[41:08] Matt Redmond: Yeah, but what else?

[41:10] Matt Redmond: Yeah, she just does such a good job, and plenty of people do. I'm using Julie's name as an example because I know she can handle the public attention. Um, she does a really good job, and so many people do a really good job at creating, really creating an environment. And sometimes that's literal and sometimes it's figurative. I know that if I get a self-tape from her and I open the Dropbox, there's gonna be three takes, and in the like, you know, the stills of them, like they're all gonna look different. One's probably gonna have a big old prop in it, one's gonna have a completely different outfit. Like, the more options you can provide that also that still feel correct and right, not options for the sake of options, but you know, different takes, especially in TV and film, are so helpful because who knows what they're looking for half the time. Right?

[41:53] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[41:53] Matt Redmond: They don't even know. They don't even know the amount of times that I bet someone didn't book a job, but the person who booked it was directed in the way of their tape. I'm sure that's common.

[42:01] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, you know, they use tapes to figure out what they're looking for, and then they have someone else probably do it. Or then the rest of the breakdown will change if they cast one person. And it's like, oh, I want the opposite character to then be older or younger, and you just don't know what that is. But exactly. We got an audition today for a client of ours who was for a series regular role on a pilot that we would not have submitted him for because he's I think 28 or nine. The breakdown said 40s to 50s.

[42:28] Matt Redmond: Wow.

[42:28] Mikayla Petrilla: The breakdown was released two weeks ago, and we got the audition today, which clearly means after seeing a bunch of 40 to 50 year olds, they decided they wanted to go younger.

[42:37] Matt Redmond: Nice.

[42:54] Matt Redmond: I always tell people, you know, if you like the sides and feel like you can do your thing, do not worry about the age on a breakdown. Just, you know, because also if your materials are up to date, they're seeing what you look like, you know. They pulled you from your picture. They know what you know, they know what they're getting. So long as you're comfortable with the material and feel like you can put your spin on it, let them decide you're too old or young for it later.

[43:15] Mikayla Petrilla: Right. Do you feel like you know all of your clients very well based on the amount of clients you have?

[43:20] Matt Redmond: Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think there are some clients that want a more personal relationship and some that want a more business relationship and everything in between. But so there are certainly clients I know better than others personally, but I think ultimately the things that all those relationships have in common are communication and trust. That's how we build any relationship. And so there's certainly clients that I know personally better than others, but I would say from a talent and business perspective, I know everyone.

[43:45] Mikayla Petrilla: I love that. How much of the industry do you think is relationship building?

[43:49] Matt Redmond: A lot of it. I think a lot of it. I would uh they're so important. I mean it's so important, but you also have to build them naturally, you know. So like I the schmooze networking, etc. element. I went to an event with a client yesterday that was very it could have been very schmoozy. There was a lot of random people in there. I mean, I ended up knowing two people there, but I went in thinking I might only know my client, and we ended up chatting with the two people we knew pretty much the whole time, and that was great. You know, it didn't feel like we had to walk around and work the room and meet everyone in schmooze. I think the days of that are like look, there's still an element of that in this business. But I think of course, but organic.

[44:30] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah, I think more natural relationship building is becoming a thing, which is great.

[44:35] Matt Redmond: Which thank goodness. Yeah, especially, I mean, in the whole COVID strike era, being on your phone and away from people. There are so many people that I'm like, I know of you, but I don't know if we've actually met, and I want like a 3D composite of who you are and the energy you bring.

[44:51] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, well let's give one question for the actors. Case study the last person you signed. Why and what was that like? What made you take a chance?

[45:04] Matt Redmond: So that's such a good question. I've never been asked something like that. Well, so any uh I'll be a little bit more general at first. You know, any time we're taking a meeting with an actor, it's because we have some general interest in their talent, if not a major interest, ideally. We don't really do a lot of favors. We're not like, oh, we'll just meet so and so just 'cause, you know, yeah anyone we're meeting is because we think they're very talented. We just use that meeting to you know figure out if we vibe with each other, figure out if we make sense for each other. I think every meeting we treat like in the most appropriate way possible, like a first date, because it's two entities who have some sort of mutual interest. They're coming together to decide if we can work together and if we want to commit to a business relationship.

[45:46] Mikayla Petrilla: I think the last person we signed was from a college showcase because we're in that time of year. Oh my goodness. Um and it was for school that I got to go out to because I go out to some of the schools throughout the year and work with students. Um and I didn't wait till this person showcased. I really loved their work and reached out to them after and was like, we'd love to have a meeting, but if you want to meet now and wait to make any decisions after showcase, like go for it. I mean, we met and they wanted to sign with us.

[46:10] Matt Redmond: Um dreamy.

[46:12] Mikayla Petrilla: Yeah, and that's really sweet because it's like I just loved their talent purely. It's not like I saw them and was like, oh, this resume is amazing. Like we also just recently signed someone with like a huge and stacked resume and that has some sort of name recognition to them. And so the fact that we're doing that, but also signing people from out of their showcases, it's great.

[46:29] Matt Redmond: That makes me so happy. And that's why I was drawn to your agency too, and wanting to talk to you as running this whole institution, but also the value in building community and relationship building. Not that other agencies don't do that because they all do, but I like that you have time and space to foster these relationships with everyone, and that is so meaningful.

[46:48] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, so what can actors do to make your job easier? Like your clients.

[46:51] Matt Redmond: Making sure you're staying on your communication. Like, I don't like having to chase down emails and responses, etc. Following instructions, if there's a specific slate, like we need the site to have that information if they're asking for it sent in a certain format, or if they're only wanting certain sides, etc. Just following the instructions and then and also, and this is much easier said than done, but like people who know how to release things um selfishly, it's the best. In my mind, it's like if we haven't heard in X amount of days, like we know it's not going our way because it's a job already started, or especially with TV and film. So what are you getting out of asking about it? It's like if you're looking for positive feedback from casting, you're probably not gonna get it just because they don't have time to like to give feedback to everyone who didn't book the job.

[47:43] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, I saw uh a tweet or a thread or whatever we're calling it now where someone was like, Oh, I really wish that if I didn't get a call back, they would tell me why. And I was like, I in a perfect world, I wish that too. But they do not have they barely have the time to talk to the people that are gonna give them a commission off of this, let alone the folks that are continuing to refine their work. We'll always give feedback to tapes. Like if we think somebody needs to be retaped, we will have it retaped. I we love our clients and I think they're all good. So typically, you know, we're happy to send stuff off, and we don't know why it did or didn't go. And sometimes they you actually did get sent to producers or you did get pinned and they just won't even tell us.

[48:21] Matt Redmond: Yeah, because they don't have the time.

[48:23] Mikayla Petrilla: Exactly. It is speed speed speed.

[48:25] Matt Redmond: Yeah. How do you nourish your spirit? That's kind of a a weird way to say it. But like what physical or emotional or psychological things do you do to help you through this job? Because as you said, so much of it is just working on it, being fully present and then releasing it, much easier said than done. So how do you take care of yourself?

[48:44] Matt Redmond: I do, you know, I travel a lot for work because I like to go see our clients and shows and be supportive in that way. But I like to also like if I'm going to LA for three days to see shows or see any sort of premiere, like I might add a day in San Diego and like you know, still probably working, but at least working from a beach, you know what I mean? Like, you know, changing things like that up is so important, and also just other any other ways to sort of step out of the business for two seconds. If that means going to a baseball game, going to not one of the usual hotspots in midtown and going to another neighborhood for dinner is something as simple as that. I've become quite a bit of a reader in the last couple years.

[49:23] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[49:24] Matt Redmond: I did not used to be a reader before that. It was like pulling teeth to get me to read a book, and now I've read a badrillion books in the last two years. Because it was my friend and I's New Year's resolution. We're like, let's read more. And not even gonna lie, we both crushed it.

[49:36] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes, we did.

[49:37] Matt Redmond: And um, so that's really what's been feeding a lot of my time is reading and audiobooks.

[49:41] Mikayla Petrilla: That's very apagitarious, though. You're gonna set a goal and be like, okay.

[49:44] Matt Redmond: Yeah, no, I actually can't even lie, like I crushed it.

[49:47] Mikayla Petrilla: What's your favorite genre to read?

[49:49] Matt Redmond: I really do like like psychological thrillers and and sort of murder mystery-esque things, but I'm also super into there's this um this author, her name is uh she had a one of the critics like this so dumb because I can't even remember the name of it, but sort of coined her as genre, and it was I remember reading that phrase and thinking like, oh, that's it. Is like suburban something and like basically like you know, drama in the neighborhood. Yes, like that's like that stuff, like a lot of the freedom McFadden stuff, that type of stuff. I do get pretty locked into that.

[50:21] Mikayla Petrilla: I'm so locked in on all of that.

[50:23] Matt Redmond: Yeah, I love it. This is great.

[50:25] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay, so last question. What are your hopes for the industry? What is your wish? What's your Christmas wish? Where do you see it going? What would make you so happy?

[50:37] Matt Redmond: Oh my god, how much time do we have?

[50:40] Mikayla Petrilla: I much time as you wanted.

[50:43] Matt Redmond: I mean, I think that I would um to be to be perfectly blunt, my hopes for the industry are a stronger union, but in the same breath, an energized and educated union body. Um in a perfect world, to be the most blind in a perfect world, parts of my job are obsolete because there's a lot of stuff that I have to do for people, and not just actors, other people, that is incredibly Googleable and incredibly researchable. I know a lot of people don't also don't make that easy because there's a lot of gatekeeping in our business.

[51:20] Mikayla Petrilla: Yes.

[51:21] Matt Redmond: Um, you know, like as uh uh as agents, you know, we are franchised with the unions, um, but we don't have direct access to union contracts. We have to request it.

[51:33] Mikayla Petrilla: Oh wow.

[51:33] Matt Redmond: But that you know, our equity members have a portal where they can look at all the contracts. Um, you know, we do have access to that portal because my partner is an actor and Kat in my office, her partner is an actor, so we just go on their portal. Or we have to email the union to ask for them, which you know it's not it's not like they're keeping them from us, but they're not providing easy access either. I've been working really hard with the board that I'm on and also under other individuals to really try to strengthen the relationship between agents and equity because we are franchised and it's a very strenuous relationship, and I think they view disagreement as opposition, and that's a really tough thing to work with because there are plenty of things I disagree with equity on, but it doesn't mean I think they're the enemy, and it doesn't mean I think that they're stupid or that what they're doing is always wrong.

But I think you need a healthy balance of support and disagreement in order to make things better. I've been in a very strenuous relationship in the last year, and I am now working with ATA, which is sort of the LA version of the board of agents. They're two totally separate entities.

[52:45] Mikayla Petrilla: Okay.

[52:46] Matt Redmond: And strengthening the relationship with equity because ATA has a very strong relationship with SAG.

[52:50] Mikayla Petrilla: Right.

[52:51] Matt Redmond: And not with equity. I hope for a stronger, reliable union that also has members that feel informed, feel like they can be involved and feel like their their union leaders are accessible to them. To sum all that up, I think it is a privilege that I get to say that's what I hope for for the business is that that gets better.

[53:14] Mikayla Petrilla: I think that is so well said.

[53:15] Matt Redmond: And so true because as the industry evolves and changes, there are rules that just aren't going to fit anymore.

[53:26] Mikayla Petrilla: Which is great. There's there's plenty of non-union jobs that will pay your bills.

[53:30] Matt Redmond: But of course, the higher profile jobs are union.

[53:34] Mikayla Petrilla: And I think we in some ways take that for granted and don't remember the importance of a union.

[53:41] Matt Redmond: Yes.

[53:42] Mikayla Petrilla: Because it's just so it's so vital. Like it sounds it almost sounds not only a little privileged, but also a little silly that I have to say my big hope for the industry is a stronger union and a stronger union relationship. But it's true. I mean, I I only work on union projects and for for my work, but also the work of so many of my colleagues, like I I have a feeling our jobs would be made easier with um a stronger connection to the union and a stronger union. The same way part of my whole point is I think their jobs would be made easier with a stronger relationship to us because we are in service of our clients. We're not just in service for 10%, we are in service for our clients as artists, and I think sometimes um they conflate the two.

[54:25] Mikayla Petrilla: Agreed.

[54:26] Matt Redmond: I can't believe I'm still reeling over the fact that there's the extra step you have to go through to get the accessibility for the contracts. And that that is tea. That is something that I would never have known if we didn't have this conversation. But to have the accessibility for you to have the functions to do your job is so important.

[54:45] Mikayla Petrilla: So at least that. But okay. Great note to end on.

[54:50] Matt Redmond: Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for coming on.

[54:53] Mikayla Petrilla: Thank you for having me. I really appreciate that.

[54:54] Matt Redmond: I appreciate you.

[54:55] Mikayla Petrilla: And thank you for having such a thoughtful conversation. The whole point of this podcast is to bring is to not gatekeep because we want to have people understand whether you are a theater lover or whether you're in the industry, just what is going on, how things are shifting, and how the leaders in our community are helping us figure it out. So thank you so much for having us.

[55:16] Matt Redmond: Having us, you're I'm having you. Thanks for coming on.

[55:20] Mikayla Petrilla: Thank you. All right, see you guys next week. I don't know how to end a podcast.

[55:28] Matt Redmond: That was Matt Redmond, and I am so grateful to him for such a thoughtful, honest, and generous conversation. I loved getting to hear not only about what agents actually do, but about the human being behind the emails, breakdowns and the business of building careers. I think it is so important that we understand what is happening in our industry. And Matt has such a thumb on the pulse and is such an advocate for his clients and for everyone in this industry. So thank you, Matt, for coming on. You are an incredible human being, and I genuinely enjoyed you so much.

[56:02] Mikayla Petrilla: And thank all of you. Thank you for listening to Tea Time with Mikayla. If you love this episode, please follow, rate, review, download, send it to your favorite actor group chat, all the things I'm supposed to tell you to do. Jokes aside, it actually is so helpful in the early days of a podcast. So thank you everyone who is engaging with this content. I appreciate you.

[56:24] Matt Redmond: And next week, let us be glad.

[56:26] Mikayla Petrilla: Let us be grateful. Sorry, I like I had to. Um, let us be glad. And you know what? Let us be grateful for our next guest. It's Broadway's current Glenda, Emma Flynn. We chat about what it's like to make your Broadway debut in a principal role. Her role models and influences, becoming the girl in the bubble, fostering dogs, and also more dogs. We talk a lot about dogs, and I do not regret a single second of it. Every second was incredible. So the kettle is on. I will see you next time. And maybe, just maybe, Emma will teach you how to toss toss. Until next time, see you then.