Next Act with Jeff Ornstein
A designer exploring a new path in acting and Hollywood. Join Jeff Ornstein as he shares personal experiences, lessons learned, and conversations with others making big career shifts in the entertainment industry. Practical insights, honest stories, no fluff, just the journey of breaking into a new world.
Episodes
47 episodes
Jim Grimshaw - Professional Actor, Writer, Director & Retired U.S. Army Special Operations Officer
What does it take to leave behind a distinguished military career and pursue a lifelong dream of acting?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Jim Grimshaw, a professional actor, writer, director, and retire...
Estes Tarver - Actor, Director & Artistic Director, Moonlight Arts and Entertainment
What does it really take to build a lasting career in Hollywood when success can take decades?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Estes Tarver, an award-winning actor, director, writer, and producer with o...
Beverly Brock - President & Owner, The Brock Agency, Inc.
What does it really take to build a lasting career in acting, and what are talent agents looking for today?In this episode of Next Act, host Jeff Ornstein sits down with Beverly Brock, President and Owner of The Brock Agency, Inc., to ex...
Ash T – Actor, Writer & Executive Producer, Self-Employed
What happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted, only to realize you're not happy?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Ash T, a former physician and medical researcher who walked away from a...
Adnan Amir - Award-Winning Actor, Filmmaker & CEO, Colossal Films
What does it take to leave behind a traditional career and bet on yourself as a filmmaker?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Adnan Amir, an award-winning British actor, filmmaker, author, an...
Judi Beecher - Award-Winning Actress, Filmmaker & Producer, Beecher Productions
On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Judi Beecher, a multi-award-winning actress, filmmaker, producer, singer-songwriter, and author whose career has taken her from New York and Los Angeles to Paris ...
Jonathan Geffner - Writer, Executive Producer & Lead Actor, The Dummy Detective
What happens when you walk away from one creative path and unexpectedly discover the one that defines your career?On this episode of Next Act, Jeff Ornstein sits down with Jonathan Geffner, writer, executive producer, lead actor, and cr...
Eric Geynes - Actor, Performance Capture Artist & Certified Chubbuck Coach
What happens when the career you were trained for no longer feels like the life you want?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with British-French actor, performance capture artist, and certified Chubbuck coach ...
Mary Darcy - Executive Producer, Goodnight Gracie Productions
What does it take to build a creative career without limiting yourself to one lane?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with award-winning producer, writer, host, performer, and storyteller Mary Darcy to explore...
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Luke Tennie & Noam Shapiro — Actors, Filmmakers & Co-Founders, Dirty Coffee Pictures
What happens when the roles you’re given don’t fully satisfy the artist you want to become?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with actors, filmmakers, and Dirty Coffee Pictures co-founders Luke Tenni...
Walter L. Krochmal – Actor, Voice Artist & Founder, Bronx World Film
What happens when the career you imagined evolves into something much bigger?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff reconnects with longtime friend and fellow Brandeis alum Walter L. Krochmal, whose creative life has taken...
Michael Strickland – Film & Television Actor, Founder of The Winnipeg Actors Academy
What does it take to build a lasting career in an industry where rejection is part of the job?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Michael Strickland, a film and television actor, voice artist, act...
Andy Lipshultz – Voice Actor, Andy Says It Voiceovers
What does it take to leave a successful corporate career and build a completely different life around creativity?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with award-nominated voice actor Andy Lipshultz to exp...
Ena Rodriguez O'Rourke - Producer & Co-Founder, Celtic Clover
What if starting your next act later in life is actually an advantage?On this episode of Next Act, Jeff Ornstein sits down with producer, SAG-AFTRA actor, entrepreneur, and mindfulness coach Ena Rodriguez O'Rourke to explore a career bui...
Darwin Shaw - Actor, Producer, Screenwriter & Director, Kindred Films
What happens when you walk away from a career you spent years building to pursue something you can’t ignore?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with actor, producer, screenwriter and director Darwin Shaw to exp...
Stephen Butchko – Co-Founder, Ferryman Collective
What happens when years of creating, experimenting, and hearing “no” suddenly lead to the opportunity you’ve been waiting for?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Stephen Butchko, award-winnin...
Sam Humphrey - Actor, Producer & Motivational Speaker, The Little Guy Collective
What happens when achieving one of your biggest dreams still leaves you searching for who you really are?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Sam Humphrey, the actor best known for playing Tom Thum...
Steve Lichtenstein – Actor, Producer & Writer, Baby Boo Boo Productions
What if the dream you’ve been putting off isn’t behind you - it’s your next act?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Steve Lichtenstein, actor, writer, producer, and founder of Baby Boo Boo Product...
Mike Enright - SAG-AFTRA Actor, TV & Film Performer
What happens when you walk away from a successful 30-year corporate career and decide to chase a dream you never thought was possible?On this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Mike Enright, a SAG-A...
Ernest Chan - Animation Supervisor, DreamWorks Animation
In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with Emmy-nominated animation supervisor Ernest Chan to explore what more than two decades inside the animation industry have taught him about creativity, leadership, and s...
Christopher Gaunt - Actor, Producer, Director & Writer, Chazy Lake Productions
After 32 years at Procter & Gamble, Christopher Gaunt walked away from a successful corporate career to pursue an entirely different path: film and television.In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Chris shares what g...
Lauren Sowa - Actor, Filmmaker & Co-Founder, Form & Pressure Films
What happens when an actor decides that performing isn't enough and starts creating the stories she wants to see in the world?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with actor, filmmaker, and producer Lauren Sowa ...
Emmitt H. Thrower – Founder & CEO, Wabi Sabi Productions Inc.
What happens when life forces you to reinvent yourself?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with award-winning filmmaker, actor, former NYPD officer, and stroke survivor Emmitt H. Thrower to discus...
Stewart Lewis – Singer-Songwriter, Novelist & Filmmaker
What happens when one creative career evolves into another, and then another?In this episode of Next Act with Jeff Ornstein, Jeff sits down with acclaimed singer-songwriter, bestselling novelist, filmmaker, and creative writing pr...
Bert Rotundo – Actor, Producer & Voice Artist, The Traveling Lantern Company
Success in acting isn't about avoiding rejection - it's about showing up anyway.In this episode of Next Act, Jeff Ornstein sits down with actor, producer, and voice artist Bert Rotundo to explore the realities of building a...
