Bryan Smiley is President & Chief Content Officer of Hartbeat, the global multi-platform media company founded by Kevin Hart.

Named to Variety’s 2022 “New Leaders” and Hollywood Reporter’s 2018 ”Next Gen” and “Rising Executives 35 under 35” lists, Smiley oversees Hartbeat production, financing, and development, including the company’s 70+ projects in development and more than 20 projects released in 2022 across top tier partners including Netflix, Peacock, SiriusXM, Netflix, Audible and more.

In 2021, Smiley negotiated a first look deal with Netflix to produce feature films for the streamer, a strategic move that would allow Hartbeat to continue creating content during a global pandemic. Smiley was also instrumental in getting Fatherhood released on Netflix, which was watched by more than 91 million accounts globally, making it one of the most successful original dramatic movies on Netflix. Since then, Smiley oversaw and produced Me Time and True Story, which went to #1 on the Netflix charts, and produced the upcoming 2024 film Lift.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Working as an assistant story editor out of college and how networking helped him get to New Regency

• How his early assistant roles taught him about the business and how he identified where the company needed help and resources

• His work as Vice President of Creative Development & Production at Columbia Pictures, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company

• How the range of his individual companies that he co-founded (list them) help him in his role today

• Why he’s never had a fear of failure and the reality of starting a business

• How he transitioned to development with an executive position at a studio

• Some of his favorite deals at SONY with Steph Curry a multi-picture deal with Issa Rae

• A breakdown of the divisions at Hartbeat and his rise to President and CCO

• Their hands-on, full-service approach to projects including their show “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart & Kenan Thompson” on Peacock

• His 4 picture guarantee and first look deal with Netflix and his thoughts on the importance of a first look deal in the current marketplace

• How they decide what project to take on and develop?

• Some pivotal moments and decisions that impacted his career

Guest:

⁠Linkedin⁠ ⁠Hartbeat website⁠ ⁠IMDb⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ecoming...⁠ VP at Disney Television Animation of Current Series & Diversity Jay Francis⁠

ROB DECINA - In December of 2018, Rob Decina was named VP, Casting in NY for CBS Studios. He has contributed to the casting of many shows across several broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, including: Your Honor, The Comey Rule (SHOWTIME), Nancy Drew & The Dynasty (CW), Diary of a Future President (Disney+), Guilty Party & The Game (Paramount+) and Swagger ( Apple TV+).

At CBS, he developed two programs: a Casting Fellowship, designed to encourage diversity and inclusion in the profession of casting, and an Educational Outreach Program, where he speaks to colleges and conservatories about auditioning. Previous episodic television casting credits include, Insatiable for Netflix, Shades of Blue for NBC, as well as pilots for the CW Network. His book, The Art of Auditioning: Techniques for Television had its second edition published in April of 2022.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Directing and casting internships and first full time job was a casting assistant at Warner Bros

• How a forgotten resume at Disney led to a job at Warner Bros

• His personal favorite story of working The West Wing

• Differences between working for a network and working freelance with your own casting office and why networks focus on pilots and hire out for the rest of the season

• The projects he had turned down at Rob Decina casting

• Casting a soap opera like Guiding Light for a decade and how different it was in comparison to other projects

• Role of VP of Casting at CBS Entertainment (combination of studio and network) and how it works there

• Tips for dealing with nerves ahead of the in-person audition or callback

• Accepting an associate position later in his career

• His book: The Art of Auditioning: Techniques for Television

Guest:

IMDb LinkedIn

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out ⁠Becoming... award-winning Casting Director Bernie Telsey ("The Color Purple," "The Idea of You," "Hamilton," "SMASH," "Wicked," "The Gilded Age"

With 15 wins and 76 nominations, Bernard Telsey is one of the premier Casting Directors in the industry. Casting our favorite films, television shows, and Broadway shows, Telsey Casting is well known for excellence in casting. From the original production of RENT to NBC's This Is Us to Only Murders in the Building to Wicked (both the upcoming movie and the show), their office is constantly busy.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His first job as a casting assistant and building his rolodex of actors

• Casting RENT as an off-Broadway musical and why it was a difficult year long process

• Putting an ad in the Village Voice for a rock musician for RENT

• That ideally, he would like to be part of the early development process of a project

• Giving Casting their credit and how that has evolved

• How is the office doing post-pandemic

• What he sees in actors who shine with 4 lines or for a lead role, like in the case of Annaleigh Ashford

• How actors can get on their radar and what projects Telsey is working on now

Guest:

Website Wikipedia MCC Website

Instagram for MCC Theater

Instagram for The Telsey Office

IMDb

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out Becoming... Casting Director Susanne Scheel ("Past Lives," "The Wife")

LIVE on the Red Carpet of the World Premiere of the film "All That We Love."

Starring:

MARGARET CHO (Cast)

JESSE TYLER FERGUSON (Cast)

KENNETH CHOI (Cast) (Halloweentown, Captain America, Ironside, American Crime Story, The Wolf of Wall Street

ALICE LEE (Cast)

ATSUKO OKATSUKA (Cast)

DEVON BOSTICK (Cast) (Pppenheimer, Saw 4 and 5, Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies)

YEN TAN (Writer, Director)

Missi Pyle (Just my Luck, Soul Place, A Cinderella Story (with Lucy Hale), Dodgeball, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

Logline: Upon the loss of her beloved dog, Emma Gwon faces an empty nest and renewed feelings for her estranged ex-husband, as she navigates the joy and sorrow of starting anew.

Host: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more like this, try ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NYWIFT Muse Awards RED CARPET: Kyra Sedgwick, Alex Borstein, Tantoo Cardinal & more⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Image: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Devon Bostick, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Atsuko Okatsuka, Yen Tan, Alice Lee and Kenneth Choi attend the "All That We Love" premiere during the 2024 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theater on June 08, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

LIVE on the Red Carpet of the World Premiere of the film "Sacramento."

Starring: Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, Michael Angarano, and Maya Erskine

Written by: Michael Angarano and Chris Smith

Interviews including Michael Angarano, Chris Smith, AJ Mendez, and Iman Karram

Logline: Ricky, an energetic and free-spirited young man convinces Glenn, his long-time friend who's settled into domestic life, to go on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

Host: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more like this, try ⁠⁠NYWIFT Muse Awards RED CARPET: Kyra Sedgwick, Alex Borstein, Tantoo Cardinal & more

⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

B-roll Videos: Edited byGetty Video @ Getty Images

"Sacramento" Premiere - 2024 Tribeca Festival (EPK Clips HD)

Video Available on Spotify.

This year, I achieved one of my goals of covering a Film Festival for my podcast.

I interviewed big actors, incredible filmmakers, Tribeca programmers, and enjoyed myself immensely.

In this special 4th Anniversary episode of Mentors on the Mic, I share:

• What made me feel more confident and relaxed at this Film Festival in comparison to others

• How I booked red carpets and big interviews with Lisa Edelstein, Margaret Cho, Gina Torres, Mark Duplass, Katie Aselton, Tim Blake Nelson, and more

• How I just missed interviewing Michael Cera and Jesse Tyler Ferguson

• My tips for anyone planning to attend a Film Festival

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out TRIBECA: Lisa Edelstein and Gina Torres discuss "THE EVERYTHING POT"

Video edited by Gideon Friedman

Susanne Scheel is a New York-based casting director with a Bachelor of Science in Film and Television from Boston University. Susanne has won three Casting Society of America Artios Awards for Excellence in Casting and has been nominated for nine more. Susanne has had the honor of collaborating with several visionary creatives including Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Frances McDormand, Barry Levinson, George Clooney, Kasi Lemmons, Ryan Murphy, Jim Mickle, Cherien Dabis, John Lee Hancock, Peter Chelsom, Celine Song, Dean Craig, Bjorn Runge, Xavier Manrique, Danya Taymor, Patrick Wilson, and Whitney White. She has worked for and with some of the industry’s top casting directors including spending the last ten years and counting working with Ellen Chenoweth.

As a casting director, Susanne’s debut feature film “The Wife”, starred Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, Annie Starke, Max Irons, Harry Lloyd, and Elizabeth McGovern. More recently, Susanne co-cast Celine Song’s “Past Lives” with Ellen Chenoweth. “Past Lives” premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival and also screened at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Her first casting internships in Boston and her first assistant role in LA

• Vivid memory of working with the Coen brothers and asking her “What do you think?”

• Going to LA for periods of time for a project and what coast she prefers

• Why there are more female CDs then male CDs

• Casting the Oscar-nominated film Past Lives and the challenges COVID and the time difference to Korea posed

• How many actors get called in for an average day player role

• Tips for actors for auditions

Guest: IMDb

LinkedIn

SAG-AFTRA Foundation panel - Casting Directors for Oscar Best Picture Nominees Barbie, American Fiction, & Past Lives

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Becoming... Emmy winning Casting Director Julie Schubert "Luke Cage," "Manifest," "House of Cards," "The Departed," "The Devil Wears Prada"

I had the opportunity to go LIVE on the RED CARPET at Tribeca for three movies. The first was interview the Duplass family for their film "Oh, Christmas Tree."

This 11 minute short film was shot in their cabin in upstate NY. It truly was a family affair, written by Mark Duplass to star in with his daughter Ora Duplass, and directed by Katie Aselton, Mark's wife and Ora's mom.

I asked them a couple of questions about shooting this short film and working together. It was Ora's first time in a film, so I asked her about her preparation for this role and whether it felt performative to ask with her Dad.

I also asked about advice for filmmakers. I truly found this particular short very inspiring. They shot this as a family, with only one extra person to record sound.

I was able to tie in a fun question at the end!

Synopsis: It’s been a bit of a year for 16 year-old Claire and her father Ben. All they really want to do is put it behind them. But Christmas is here and their silly holiday traditions are staring them dead in the face, practically taunting these two to give them a try after all they’ve been through. This short film by the Duplass family is as much an examination of mental health as it is an attempt to explore the emotional minefield of ever-shifting family dynamics.

Mark Duplass - Mark is a filmmaker, actor, writer and musician. His credits include Bombshell, Safety Not Guaranteed, Tammy, The Mindy Project, and Charlie "Chip" Black on The Morning Show. Wikipedia IMDb

Katie Aselton - Katie is an actress, director and filmmaker. Her acting credits include Bombshell, The Morning Show, Old Dads, Veep, Book Club, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Host: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more like this, try ⁠TRIBECA: Lisa Edelstein and Gina Torres discuss "THE EVERYTHING POT"⁠

⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠