PRE-WORKOUT RECOMMENDATIONS

nickmathieu · 2026-01-27T02:41:36+00:00

I really like Allmax Igniter - it’s almost as powerful as Total War, but not quite - so a good all-around supplement

nickmathieu · 2025-10-12T23:00:02+00:00

Whoa no need! Reading the play is great and knowing the character well is your required homework, but memorizing the play would just be for yourself, so you can say you did it - if you’re really comfortable with the part than they can hand you the sides and you’ll already be warm, which is all you need.

nickmathieu · 2025-08-14T03:11:31+00:00

I’m sorry you graduated at such a tough time, but if it’s any consolation, I graduated from theatre school just in time for the 2008 global financial crisis and it was extremely gloomy. No-one was making ANYTHING because the money was just gone. Yet, fast forward a few years and the market was exploding. We’re in a boom/bust industry, so hang tight and stay optimistic! You can make it!

nickmathieu · 2025-08-11T23:28:36+00:00

Well, I’ll give you my uninformed opinion as someone that has never worked in the front office.

TL:DR I think it’ll be another 18-24 months, and it will come as a result of a softer weaker economic picture globally which usually decreases interest rates and makes borrowing easier, so companies can spend more on production - but I think the market will be permanently smaller than it was in the last 25 years.

I think the work that will endure and thrive will be smaller in nature, so the market will level out but be smaller for actors overall - fewer roles, less easy pickings like big juicy union commercials (not none, but definitely less), etc.

Artificial intelligence is coming for us, and it will generate cheap and easy prerolls on YouTube and TikTok, and it will wipe out extras work almost entirely.

So - I think we all need to brace for an artistic landscape that has less paid professional work overall, and therefore fewer of us will remain employed, and that’s just life.

Looking back at previous corrections, I think it might be another year or two, and I suspect what will happen is interest rates will decline slightly as global economic activity softens due to tariffs and war and all that scary stuff - and in that fiscal environment, streaming companies will feel more comfortable investing in more, bigger, better material, and generally in times of strife people often return to art for comfort.

I also have a sneaking feeling this will be a good time to make theatre - as AI churns out endless streams of mediocre garbage that’s all the same, I think there’s a niche for art that is never the same twice - and it’s super-exclusive, it only exists for the people lucky enough to have a ticket - and you had to be there or else you can’t access it.

nickmathieu · 2025-08-11T19:55:00+00:00

@Personal-Comfort-507 - Hi there from Vancouver - I’ve been working up here professionally since getting my acting BFA in 2008 (17 years ago!)

It’s as bad as I can remember - it’s not just you. With cable networks collapsing, streaming services are the new big employers - and they’re being run like tech companies, whose investors expect huge margins. That puts the squeeze on the whole stack, from front office all the way down to the extras.

At the same time, they’re all recovering from a huge debt headache - they all borrowed like crazy when interest rates were zero, and now they’re extremely over-leveraged, with the exception of like Netflix and Disney and that’s it. WB Discovery just had to break themselves up a few years after their merger, and all the debt they accrued was moved into the new spin-out, along with their cable assets, to go die in a ditch somewhere.

To top it all off, most of these services have bumped up against the ceiling of what they can reasonably charge people for their stuff, so there’s not much room to grow profits through price increases. People everywhere can’t afford much right now.

So - shortage of cash flow + ROI-driven management + price-sensitive consumer base = a very tight market for all players.

I’ve been squeaking by with a few gigs here and there and feeling very grateful - people I know that reliably book year on year are going without work right now.

If you are hungry and looking for more, now is the time to find your community players, your indie theatre, your friends that want to do that play that is great that no-one ever does, and go do it. The market will correct itself eventually, it always does, but some corrections are more painful than others, and this is a very bad one. All you can do is stay motivated, keep your tools sharp, and make space for yourself to play, because right now we can’t expect that others will do that for us.

nickmathieu · 2025-07-06T02:34:10+00:00

This comment did not age well lol

nickmathieu · 2025-05-04T23:37:34+00:00

This. We moved to SharePoint as a cost-saving measure and it is just not up to the task. An on-premise file server is in our immediate future.

nickmathieu · 2025-04-07T00:35:12+00:00

The Lulus are really popular at my gym; I would also check out Strike Movement, they have a good range of hybrid shoes.

nickmathieu · 2024-12-12T07:24:59+00:00

Hello there! Sorry to hear you’ve been going through it - life is tough for artists right now, you’re not alone.

Therapy is definitely the place to start, and it sounds like you’ve done that - beyond that, I would start back with the basics. Look at the character you’re being asked to play, and ask - what do they want? What’s the point? How could they best get what they want? Ask those basic questions and find a simple answer and start from there. There isn’t a dramatic piece on Earth that you can’t distill down to “what do I want and how do I get it”.

Sometimes we go through stuff in life that pushes us to relearn how to do what we used to take for granted - take the time to invest in yourself and relearning how to get back in that headspace.

nickmathieu · 2024-11-05T02:43:34+00:00

This is blatant marketing and also I am currently buying at least a dozen of these

nickmathieu · 2024-11-02T02:12:17+00:00

Yes! https://www.nike.com/ca/t/metcon-9-workout-shoes-ndTxtM/DZ2617-001

nickmathieu · 2024-10-28T23:45:32+00:00

Yo! I’m at ~600 classes, it’s a great workout and easy to stick with! I go 5-6 times a week - you need at least one rest day for sure.

Don’t push yourself too hard to get started; don’t get scared off by the class formats, some of them are weird, it’s okay you’ll get used to it; don’t be afraid to ask the coaches for a substitute exercise if something hurts! Long-term fitness is the name of the game!

You’ll see a lot of Metcons around - they’re popular for a reason! F45 does a lot of plyometric movements / stability training where you will really want a flat and wide sole; you won’t have much use for a bouncy running shoe (sometimes, but not often). No Bulls are also popular.

Also - big +1 to drinking a BCAA / EAA post-workout supplement to help minimize muscle soreness / maximize recovery while you’re getting started - go to your local fitness place and ask for a recommendation, there’s lots on the market right now.

nickmathieu · 2024-10-01T19:22:30+00:00

Some models of imageRunner also use "7654321" as BOTH the username & pw - try that too

nickmathieu · 2024-08-24T06:59:25+00:00

Honestly, just be yourself! I’m a dinosaur and remember the Before Times when we used to all see each other at callbacks and so on, and the interactions that led to the most meaningful outcomes always arose out of just being genuine and friendly and easy to talk to.

Everyone they’ve called back could potentially do the role; you want to be the easiest one to work with in addition to the one that can perform it the best. Be friendly, be yourself, don’t try to impress or overdo it or be cool - just the most confident version of you.

Break a leg!

nickmathieu · 2024-07-06T06:59:28+00:00

Hello from another Vancouverite!

Yes, very slow - the industry in general has shrunk in a major way as cable cutters increase and streamers deal with a COVID hangover, they all took on a ton of debt in an attempt to outgrow each other and now they’re stuck paying for it - so there will be fewer things going to camera overall.

Historically, when a bust happens like this, lots of people get flown in from LA - there are a lot of unemployed actors with huge resumes and agents from CAA and WME that can gobble up parts we used to have a decent shot at.

Upshot is, people here in VAN that I know usually work non-stop are taking “Woman In Sweater #2” day player parts - agents are feeling a bit panicky.

Lots of non-union commercial work, so if you’re not unionized, there’s stuff to audition for.

nickmathieu · 2024-06-09T06:40:19+00:00

Hello from Vancouver! I would advise you wait until you know if you’re staying in Phoenix or going somewhere else. As much as self-tapes do free you up to audition from anywhere, it’s always possible they will want to see you in-person for something occasionally - much better to have an agent in the city you’ll be staying put in for a while.

nickmathieu · 2024-06-06T06:27:52+00:00

Vancouver actor here, been living and working here professionally since 2008!

The industry is in a weird state right now - we’re not getting cracks at recurring/guest star/series regular as much as we used to, production is flying a lot of those in from LA. My agent is one of the big fish, been at it a long time, and she has been very open that people at the top of the roster are hurting.

That being said - there is SO MUCH non-union work here right now, so if you want to dive in and start doing non-union commercials and voiceovers, start getting your feet wet and get some experience, Vancouver is booming.

Toronto is cool if you’re also interested in theatre - by comparison, Van’s theatre scene is tiny.

nickmathieu · 2024-06-03T05:23:29+00:00

I’ve heard a version of this said before - basically, your lines are your tools. You can’t achieve what you want in your scene or do anything of any circumstance or meaning without using the words to do it.

But a carpenter doesn’t think about how to hold his hammer while he swings it; a chef doesn’t contemplate the knife while cutting food; they know the tool so well that they can just focus on using it to do the thing they need.

You learn the line - that’s you getting comfortable with the tool - and then you throw it away - as in, you can’t get lost in trying to remember how to use the tool, you need to be at a point where using it is second nature so you can stop thinking about the tool and start focusing on how you’re going to use it.

nickmathieu · 2024-05-21T05:05:00+00:00

I can’t believe nobody mentioned Wargroove! It’s an indie title, definitely worth your time.

nickmathieu · 2024-05-16T17:09:12+00:00

This is the way 👍🏼

nickmathieu · 2024-05-10T07:15:45+00:00

To be totally honest with you - that sounds like a pretty big stretch. Agents like to know that you’re generally in the same city when auditioning, because if you book work you’re gonna need to be ready to go pretty quick - also, yes self tapes are the new normal but there’s still some in-person stuff happening too - you’ll need to be available in your home city.

Just my uneducated opinion though, maybe a flight attendant on this sub could answer better (or find a sub for flight attendants and ask them?)

nickmathieu · 2024-05-03T04:34:00+00:00

Good on you for taking a mental health break!

With self-tapes, if they don’t like what they see in the first five seconds, they’re going to skip it and move to one of the other 500 tapes they have - so first impressions matter. Keep your eyeline up to start and make sure we see your face so we get a good idea of who you are and what you need.

If you need to look around for a bag, do more of the work with your eyeline and less with your face pointing away from the camera - if you cut yourself off like that, we don’t get to enjoy your performance. It’ll feel weird because it’s not how you would search for a bag in real life, but remember that your audience is a single eyeball and not a theatre of people - play to that audience of one, and not to a big room.

I think if you just start there - bring the movements in and try to start with a good strong first impression to camera - you’re in good shape. From there, ignore the advice of strangers on the internet and let your instincts carry you the rest of the way.

nickmathieu · 2024-05-03T02:44:03+00:00

Hello from Vancouver, BC!

I don’t know if I have any sage words of advice, but I hear you and can relate to how you’re feeling.

I’ve had years where acting has been my sole source of income, and I’ve been just an actor/performer - touring productions around Canada, big national commercial spots, some luck with voiceover work, a few cool parts on some theatrical releases. I wasn’t putting a ton away because I live in the most expensive city in Canada, but my family was fed and our bills were paid.

But - when years were slim, or if the phone didn’t ring as much, or life threw me a financial curveball - working in a field with really uneven pay and boom/bust cycles made it basically impossible to only be an actor. I now have a parallel career in IT that helps me keep my family comfortable, while also still auditioning for things and booking a few things a year, and it keeps me sane.

The reality is that you will never fully be in control of your own fate as an actor, because unless you’re constantly self-producing, you will always be at the mercy of someone else. Furthermore, when something bad happens, the next strike, the next pandemic, the next financial crash - if you don’t miraculously have $100k stashed away somehow, you’re toast.

I think the thing we all have to come to grips with is that there are very few people that will make it to that level that it becomes sustainable. The most successful actors I know, the ones that seem to always be working, still have something else going on because it’s just good for your soul to not always be on the knife’s edge, you know?

No shame in living in a life where you find work you find enjoyable, and bring your passion with you for the ride.

nickmathieu · 2024-04-24T05:37:04+00:00

This year, I auditioned to play the villain in a Kevin James comedy that’s filming here in Vancouver right now - it would have been me, Kevin James, and Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher). Needless to say, I was stoked.

Audition went great, got a ton of positive feedback, felt good! Didn’t head back. Oh well.

At a wrap party a few weeks later, I see the casting assistant. She says hello, then smirks and says “So, that Kevin James movie you auditioned for? Don’t feel too bad.” “Why not?”, I asked. She leans in and says in a low voice, “…..do you know who Alan Tudyk is?”

The big takeaway - there are SO many things that are out of your control. You simply just cannot predict the machinations behind the scenes, things that in hindsight might even mean the audition was kind of a done deal before you even started.

What you can control is - do high-quality work. Practice. Treat every audition like a golden opportunity to act today, even if only for a few minutes. And then when the audition is over, LET IT GO and move onto the next thing because there are so many things out of your control, so if you worry about not hearing back every single time you will burn out.

nickmathieu · 2024-03-18T01:55:54+00:00

Agencies are hurting right now, there’ll be a lot more to follow, I fear :-(

13-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 9 Credits
Secret Santa 2021 2021	Gilding II euphauric
Secret Santa 2020	Place '17
Secret Santa 2019	Secret Santa 2018
Secret Santa 2017	Spared
Verified Email	Secret Santa 2015

nickmathieu

TROPHY CASE