Episode 29 - Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä (in Finnish)

Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä

Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä! This episode is in Finnish.

This is a wonderful and deep talk about being an acting teacher, coordinating love scenes, and saving wild animals!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/hbkQwmFDFqI

I have known Marjo-Riikka for over 15 years, and she has helped me a lot in making Los Angeles my home. Even though Marjo-Riikka still lives in LA, she spends more time in Finland now, since she's also teaching at the University of the Arts Helsinki, at Theatre Academy.

Marjo-Riikka has various passions, and one of them is animals. We go into detail how she saves baby opossums and helps birds. I don't personally know anyone who is such an animal lover like Marjo-Riikka, and in our conversation she tells how strong connection she has with animals.

Marjo-Riikka also tells in detail how she uses Michael Chekhov Technique in her teaching. She won't reveal how to get into Theatre Academy of Finland, but at least she talks a bit about the school auditions.

Marjo-Riikka’s links:

https://chekhovstudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/chekhovstudiointernational/ https://www.facebook.com/Acting.Classes.L.A/ https://www.youtube.com/c/ChekhovActingStudio/videos

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 28 - Wilhelmiina Lappi (in Finnish)

Wilhelmiina Lappi

Wilhelmiina Lappi! This episode is in Finnish.

Wilhelmiina is a 24-year-old Finnish actor who is currently studying at New York Film Academy in LA. This is a very interesting talk with Wilhelmiina who is in the beginning of her career!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/rV7k5NxZSdU

Wilhelmiina and I met at L.A. Finnish Center briefly, and I didn’t even know that she was in town. I was very happy that we are getting more Finnish actors to LA, since there are really not that many of us here. I asked Wilhelmiina to be on the podcast, and her insights are truly unique. She grew up on a farm in Finland, so it has been quite a leap for her to move to LA. During our conversation she shares the whole process how she got herself to LA to study acting.

This is a wonderful and very relatable conversation for anyone who wants to make changes in their life to pursue their dreams. Wilhelmiina also tells in great detail how the audition and visa processes were for studying in the States.

Wilhelmiina’s links:

https://www.instagram.com/wilhelmiinal/

https://www.facebook.com/wilhelmiina.lappi

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 27 - Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

A wonderful and very educational talk with filmmaker and actor Kelton Jones. His producing partner and wife Suzan Jones also stops by at the end.

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/R0zn8UCm3BY

I met Kelton for the first time when we were working on a commercial together a couple of years ago. I remembered him being very kind and wise man, and I enjoyed spending the day with him. Since then we have reconnected via phone few times, but we haven’t met since. I knew Kelton is an experienced indie filmmaker (among other things), and I wanted him to be on my podcast.

This is a wonderful, educational, and very inspirational talk to anyone who is making, or is dreaming of making movies. The advice that Kelton gives is invaluable. And what surprised me the most is the motivational boost he gives on the podcast. And with motivational I mean how he encourages all of us indie artists to make sure that we are getting paid for our work. He also shares how he talks with film investors as he fundraises for his films.

He also tells about his upcoming book for which he has interviewed Sean S. Cunningham, the director of the original Friday the 13th.

An excellent and inspirational talk!

Instagram links:

https://www.instagram.com/keltonjonesofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/suzanjonesphoto/

Of the Devil film trailer:

https://youtu.be/8jfW2ncDoYs

Of the Devil film IMDb:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15338648/

Kelton’s previous film Dry Blood:

https://epic-pictures.com/film/dry-blood

The Devil Down the Street full movie:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07NRR24TF/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 26 - Scott Blugrind

Scott Blugrind

Scott Blugrind!

An exciting talk with a very unique and awesome Electric Guitar Comedian Scott Blugrind!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes

https://youtu.be/z7G8i8MGrCI

I saw Scott for the first time when he was the warm-up comic on the reunion of Friends, and there he gave me his guitar pick. Our paths crossed again when he came to L.A. Finnish Center to see Ismo Leikola's stand-up gig which I hosted.

Scott is originally from LA, and he has seen lots! We talk about the days when he was hanging out on the Sunset Strip, and how he had his own dream of becoming a rockstar. All this led him to become the warm-up DJ for Friends, where he worked for years. Scott has been a warm-up comic for hundreds of live TV tapings, and worked on several shows with Matt LeBlanc.

Now Scott is touring as an Electric Guitar Comic, and he also plays two songs at the end of the episode. Scott performs often at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, so go see him there or anywhere near you!

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/scottblugrind/ https://scottblugrind.com/

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 24 - Sara Kay Godot

Sara Kay Godot

Sara Kay Godot!

This my third video podcast, and this can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/cZKcrY901gQ

I have known Sara for over 20 years! We went to the same theatre school in Miami, New World School of the Arts. When I started as a freshman she was already a sophomore. We watched all of each other’s college plays, and saw each other every day at school. At one point I was also her roommate for a couple of months. Later we lost touch for few years. But since we both are now in LA, we have been able to reconnect, and we both have performed on each other’s stand-up shows.

After college Sara went to Chicago for several years where she did quite a variety of live theatre, but now she’s in LA. She owns a psychology practice with her husband, produces stand-up shows, acts, auditions and also writes. She lives a full life and is fully back in action after taking a break from acting some years ago.

A wonderful and warm talk!

Sara’s comedy website:

sarakaygodotcomedy.com

Sara’s Instagrams:

instagram.com/sarakaydoesstandup/

instagram.com/think_tank_comedy/

instagram.com/godotswaitingroom/

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 23 - Kristen Lundberg

Kristen Lundberg

Kristen Lundberg!

This my second video podcast, and this can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/FBir17Ho-hM

A wonderful and honest talk with Kristen. I visited her place, and we talked in her yard. Kristen has made some big life changes, and this became a very interesting and wide-ranging talk in which Kristen tells about her life in Ohio, and how she worked as a toy sculptor, and later transitioned into an ice sculptor in LA.

I was prepared to talk about stand-up comedy and playing violin (which she does), but lately Kristen has been having doubts about her future as a stand-up, and she talks very openly about this. She has changed her path in life, and wants to concentrate on other things, like dramatic acting and ensemble work.

This is a wonderful discussion on how life can change its course, and how you need to embrace the change when it comes.

Kristen’s website with all sorts of awesome stuff:

kristensfunnyhair.com

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 22 - Nina Sallinen (in Finnish)

Nina Sallinen

Nina! This episode is in Finnish.

This my first video podcast, and this can also be found on YouTube channel With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/fzyDYHwOHKs

Nina is a good friend of mine, and I have known her for years. She lives in L.A, and has lived here for a long time. She’s an actress, and she does quite a lot of theatre. Much more than many of her (and my) colleagues in Los Angeles. We talk a lot about theatre, and also about her one person show Poor Poor Lear.

We have a very inspiring talk about her life, how she got her start in theatre in Finland, and then went to Finnish Theatre Academy, and how she ended up in Los Angeles. Nina has created a nice life for herself and for her family here in California.

We recorded this at Nina’s yard, so you will hear some crickets in the background.

Nina and me have also performed live-streamed improvised shows for Finlandia Foundation here in the US, and you are able to watch them on the following links:

Live-Streamed Comedy Improv Special in English

https://youtu.be/tzimw9X88Tc

Live-Streamed Improvised Play #1 (in Finnish with English subtitles)

https://youtu.be/QJlTyXg_9mg

Live-Streamed Improvised Play #2 (in Finnish with English subtitles)

https://youtu.be/HYOeVglNB_0

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 21 - Ashley Scott Meyers

Ashley Scott Meyers

Ashley Scott Meyers is a filmmaker and a podcaster, and I have been listening to his SellingYourScreenplay.com podcast for a few years now, and I have enjoyed it a lot. Having Ashley as a guest on my podcast is a great opportunity for me to ask him all the questions that I have thought of when I have been listening to his podcast.
This is a wonderful talk about the realities of being a filmmaker in LA.
Ashley tells openly how he is making it happen, and he also gives excellent advice to anyone who is thinking about filmmaking or moving to LA. An inspirational talk.

This is wonderful! Enjoy!

Ashley’s SellingYourScreenplay.com website
sellingyourscreenplay.com/