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Creativity isn’t tidy—it’s risky, chaotic, and full of surprises. It’s full of breakthroughs and breakdowns, moments of flow and moments of doubt. Join Mishu Hilmy for unfiltered conversations with artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fearless makers who thrive in the unknown, embrace imperfection, and create at the edge of possibility.
This is your front row seat to the self-doubt, unexpected wins, and messy emotional work of making something real. But craft isn’t just about feeling—it’s about problem-solving, process, and the devotion behind mastery.
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Mishu Hilmy (00:01.23)
Welcome to Mischief in Mastery where we embrace the ups, downs, and all around uncertainty of a creative life and that steady and sometimes not so steady journey toward expertise. Each episode we talk candidly with people I know, people I don't know, folks who produce, direct, write, act, do comedy, make art, make messes, and make meaning out of their lives. You will hear guests lay out how they work,
what they're thinking about, where they get stuck, and why they snap out of their comfort zones and into big, bold, risky moves. So, if you're hungry for honest insights, deep dives into process philosophies and practical tips, plus maybe a little mischief along the way, you're in the right place. For more, visit mischiefpod.com. Hello everyone, it's Mishu and welcome to Mischief and Mastery. Thank you for listening.
In today we are chatting with Ryan Satterfield who is a multi award-winning actor and the first in his family to pursue acting professionally. Before stepping onto stage and screen he was self-taught musician who released a full-length rock album while still in high school. Now based Chicago he has appeared in acclaimed TV series like Chicago Med and in award-winning films including Life Unexpected, Poser, and Clown Shoes while also continuing to grow as a screenwriter and avid reader.
So what do we chat about? Do we talk about how to stay grounded in the volatile industry? That is showbiz, how writing has changed the way he approaches acting and why chasing raw, honest moments on set matters more to him than chasing credits. We also talk about burnout, trusting your team, your creative team and the strange, delightful piece that can come from letting go of control.
you want learn more about Ryan, can check them out at Ryan Satterfield on Instagram and bluesky. I'll drop those in the show notes, but for now let's get onto the conversation. Here we go. Me and Ryan hope you enjoy.
Ryan Satterfeal (02:00.749)
I've been thinking about it for sure. mean, acting is still the number one for me right now. mean, obviously being on camera, on sets, on stage, just working with others to make the big project, to make the big thing, that's kind of where I'm at. ever since I've been dipping my toe in writing, there's also a side of me that thinks, you know, I could do this. And I've already written one feature length.
myself. Now I have another idea for another one that I've started to piece together and outline and figure out where am I going with this. So yeah, I'm exploring that a little bit more and there are other areas of entertainment that I got my eye on.
Did you find that writing has changed maybe your approach to acting or auditioning?
It's definitely opened my eyes up to look for more. So when I look at auditions or, or am I, for I'm looking at a script, I might try to think what brain am I looking with right now? Am I looking with my actor brain or am I looking with my writer brain? Because I'm going to notice different things, but they both equally informed the other.
And you mentioned sort of looking for the next project or the next big project. If you mind me asking, what does that mean to you?
Ryan Satterfeal (03:15.63)
think when I think of big, there are two different thoughts. know, there's big obviously in the, you know, who's behind it, but there's also the big in the sense of what impact does it have on you? When you read it, what does it do to you? Because if you think of big in that regard, then that's one where it's, it's almost more rare. It's almost more rare to have that and have the other, because there are big things that you can have come by your table or come by your desk.
but not all of them are so big in the sense that they move you in a way that give you pause. So I'm kind of on the look for both this year and I'm always looking to look for the latter, the one that just absolutely stops me dead in my tracks.
Yeah, I think those are definitely rare because you can find, I imagine, opportunities, whether through your agent or through your connections or just being scrappy and going on actor's access and whatnot to find those projects and might have different key elements and stronger attachments. But to find something that has a certain resonance with your artistic point of view, I think that's very infrequent because you've been around for a bit and I think you've gotten some solid Chicago credits and credits probably out of Illinois as well. So are you?
Are you mindful of like, have you become a little bit more selective or are you still like, you know what, this looks like one day thing and I know the person or I like the script, I'll put my name in that. When it comes to these projects, like do you find yourself creating either a boundary or a rule where it determines whether you choose to put your name in the hat, for example, like you've done, you know, some Chicago, you know, TV shows and now does that create a floor where you're like, okay, I'm going to avoid some of these, you know.
avant-garde theater experiences or student films or indie shorts. And I'm going to focus more on professional legit stuff. Like, yeah, I'm curious how that kind of progress might change your decision.
Ryan Satterfeal (05:11.084)
That's actually a good question because even though, you know, I have network credits, it's still like, if I'm online and I see something that really
Ryan Satterfeal (05:23.822)
Kind of has me look twice a little bit in a good way. Kind of gives me that pause. Maybe it doesn't like, know, totally stop, like stop me dead in my tracks, but if it's something to give me pause and to make me think there's something more here, then I might actually, I may actually reach out for that one because there's, there's something there.
When it comes to your day-to-day business versus creative, how do you balance your week or your month when it comes to, trying to find projects versus connecting with your agent and going, hey, what's good? Do you have dedicated time blocks to the business of got to find auditions, got to connect with folks?
trying to structure that more, but there's also this part of me where, know, as an actor, you have to, you have to trust your team because your, team, especially if you're worried about, you know, constantly texting or emailing your agents, like agents are busy, busy, busy, And so are managers, know, both are equally busy people. So you can't be constantly trying to set up meetings and talk shop all the time. So lately I think I'm more focused on being present as a human.
first, rather than constantly, you know, if you're constantly thinking about business or your, my brand or this or that, if you're like constantly just delve, like delving deep into those questions, you'll, you'll drive yourself mad. So you really will. And I know because I've been there, done it. You just go down that rabbit hole of like, almost like you're sitting at the desk, you know, looking at your, business proposal and you're trying to think of, know, what, what do I change her to make all this work?
You can't do that all the time. lately I've focused on showing up as a human being and I've gotten better at realizing when I see like breakdowns, if I'm just going about and seeing when something's that really pulls me or gets my attention and I think to myself, hey, maybe I could then sending in, sending myself in there, but not so in a sense that I drive myself mad. So it's going as the flow goes instead of just.
Ryan Satterfeal (07:40.61)
work yourself over for it.
Right. It's sort of like the blind grind or the of the ambitious grind of like, I'm just fueled by whatever is fueling me and I got to manufacture all these opportunities or potential for opportunities rather than it sounds like you're in a place right now where you've developed this perspective of being a human is more important than desperately messaging or emailing my team every week or every other week and trusting maybe a little bit more of the organic nature of
what your point of view is into and looking for those opportunities rather than like, yeah, just trying to cram it all in.
Yeah, it's because you know, there definitely needs to be a balance. Is there a time to reach out to your team and talk shop and talk strategy? Of course there is. I'm not going to sit here and advocate against doing that. I do think if you don't do that, you may be in the dark a bit if you don't have at least some sort of direction. But do I think you need to spend all of your time with the business hat on or all of your time with the creative hat? Not necessarily. I do think that they need to be
equally.
Mishu Hilmy (08:48.942)
Yeah, to a certain degree, like you have those strategic conversations. What might the next three, six, 12 months look like? You probably have to have that maybe a couple of times a year tops. So it's like the other things are just, do you, how do you find opportunities or connect with your team around the opportunities that they're sending your way and go, yeah, actually I, I'm down for this commercial or I'm down to, you know, fly out to Ohio for a weekend and do this, you know, industrial or short project, you know, and those will come as needed. So it seems like you have a pretty.
pretty grounded sense of like what's working for you and whether did you sort of evolve into that and like what might have prompted that evolution?
I think just being in the state of not only, not only the country, to mention, to mention, know, all the obvious, but also the state of the entertainment industry. I mean, we just got out of how many strikes, you know, five plus years of a shutdown. know, there's a lot of things affecting the entertainment industry to where, you know, you're almost, it's okay to give yourself.
pause been through a lot here. Things are not exactly the same as they were in 2018, 2019. Things are a little bit different now. Things are different. Yeah. How things cast economically. Things are different. And you know what and how talent is bookie. Things are not the same. So I've really tried to give myself permission to pause because it's, it's okay to realize that
things are not the same, don't have to burn yourself out, you don't have to go at a supersonic speed right now. Maybe at times in bursts, but not all the time.
Mishu Hilmy (10:32.458)
Right. Like, given how, you know, volatile and uncertain the industry is, is, I think always and will always be, what keeps you, you know, interested, what keeps you committed to the craft of, you know, creativity and, know, by way of acting or by way of writing, like what's, you know, what keeps, what keeps you here?
It's that reminds me of a question that I saw and I can't remember. It was in, it was in a book. I can't remember which book it was. It's going to drive me nuts. Can I actually remember what book it was? It said to remember the reason you started because that's the thing that's going to keep you going on the nights where you, you just want to throw in the towel. There's going be many of those nights. Well into your career, there'll be those nights when all of a sudden you think, I don't know what I'm doing. Everything's for naught and I should just.
I don't know, go work X, Y, Z jobs. For me, it was when I remember when I first started acting training and there was one of those little minuscule moments in a scene. And I just remember this feeling of understanding, this feeling of kind of like the walls coming down. Cause I think humanity for the most part does have walls up in general, not just in a defensive sense, but just in general, a lot of humanity does. And so in acting, that's really not, it's about taking those down.
once you're there with your raw humanity, and it's kind of just in the space, there's this peace in that. And I think that's the, that was the one thing that I think kept me going was I realized that acting was relearning what it means to be human. And what we do as actors, as screenwriters, as producers, directors, casting directors, and what we do is really indescribable. We make something that comes from an idea that
literally doesn't exist.
Mishu Hilmy (12:21.644)
Yeah, that's a great reminder, motivating principally. think about, know, when you're working on a longer project, the directing side or the producing side, like remember why you want to create this in the first place. You know, you're on month nine or month six or whatever, and you forget. So that's like a solid thing of well, what was this? You know, maybe it's a good idea to record a voice memo of excitement with yourself or the team. But also, I think about the process of.
Not a lot of things we do in the day to day or in life can tap into that flow-like experience or beyond just a flow-like experience, these sudden epiphanies, sort of satori of you're just there in this moment and walls break down, but maybe even potentially metaphysical or spiritual walls which create these moments of insight or deep connection with yourself. I think that's partly why I've always enjoyed either when I had performed or the writing process of getting just lost in it, but in...
in a sense of becoming one with a more serene sense of existence.
Yeah, it's what you mentioned. It's like if you've ever been, and this is a lot of actors listening probably can relate to this, but directors may too and everybody involved. But when you're in that state to where you come out of the shoot or the performance or whatever, what have you, and it's all said and done and then you just have this thought of what happened. You almost can't recollect it.
But all you know is that people are applauding is that whatever happened there was great. And it was really phenomenal because it was honest and it was raw. It was open. It's because all of that pre-planning we do in our heads just shut off went, nope. that's a real rare, that really rare minuscule thing.
Mishu Hilmy (14:07.63)
I remember reading, I believe it was flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Czech, I believe, psychologist or neuroscientist. And it speaks to that sort of experience of you don't like, you can barely remember it because when you're in those moments, that part of your brain that's like paying attention to capturing memory and sort of just like turns off because you're just literally as present as you can be that you get done with it. Like, whoa, it feels almost like a blackout. But even like when you were doing it, you felt it, you were there. But then when you get out of it, you don't remember.
the being of their, I think it's like a just incredible experience.
Yeah, it's, it's really something that is almost otherworldly. I can't think of really anything besides what we do that brings something similar. I can't think of, you know, of a day job or, something that I've had that's been anywhere close to that.
It's like a certain performance level. I imagine surgeons experience it. Athletes experience it. But, you know, when you add the level of maybe personal expression or artistry, there's also maybe a different component. But I think certain flow states can still evoke spiritual or even kind of mysterious experiences. Like, you know, I talked to long distance runners for those marathons that are like, oh, yeah, I felt like I was like levitating. Great. Yeah, I think that's that's interesting that it's a touchstone to like return to when things
when things get dark. Like, why? It's been a year and I've gotten two offers and that's it. To return to like the process experience of it. And then for current, like, do you find that when it comes to say auditions, like how do you like to prepare and how has your audition process changed over maybe the past?
Ryan Satterfeal (15:46.542)
Um, the, I was younger and in the past, I remember I was so, I was very technical. had planned, you know, like, where I'm gonna, where I'm going to do this and like where this is going to shift and my feelings are going to change to this thing. And just really like sharp. I really, I would have it marked on the page and everything and everything, which I still write on my sides, you know, if I have thoughts and ramblings when I'm preparation, of course I do, but.
Yeah.
Ryan Satterfeal (16:15.5)
I remember I was so, I guess the word I'm looking for is rigid. was very structure-wretched with how I would prepare my, my sides and everything. And now I've definitely loosened up a little more, trying to be a bit more organic than to be over-prep. Now it's, it's similar to me looking at the sides and asking myself just simple truth and honesty. And then seeing myself in that situation and just giving it absolute honesty, like what?
what would happen in this situation. Instead of trying to jump and shift here, shift there, shift there, shift there, because I know it's going to look good on, on frame and it's going to look, you know, good, look good for what they want. I've tried to just simply be there, know who I'm talking to, know why I'm there, know what I'm trying to do and know what's, what's around environment. Create the world and be there.
So I have like a structured scorecard of like when I get self tapes and auditions for when we're casting folks. And I haven't heard too many people speak directly to it, but I would define like for me how I clock that is like the continuity or the story of the moment, right? So you're not necessarily like in the past, very rigid, very technical, almost potentially even manufacturing beats or contriving beats and like injecting it. And I think all the prep work like you mentioned is important, like doing the prep work.
maybe, you I like to be action oriented. So if you're more action oriented, jotting down whichever actions might be the thing, but you trust that you've done the prep work. And the action doesn't always need to be for this line to destroy to annihilate, maybe for organically kind of floats to poke, then okay, let that be the moment in the audition. But yeah, it seems like you're the have that awareness of your being truthful in the moment and letting the organic story of that moment, whether it's two lines or
a minute and a half of you know, monologue or an exchange that ideally from beat to beat, they're informing each other rather than your intellectual artist self determined that this should be that at this moment because an hour ago when I was prepping, that's what I decided.
Ryan Satterfeal (18:22.35)
And the other thing too is that even in a self tape, camera loves to watch you think. Like it can tell when you have changed your opinion. It can tell when you've seen something you don't particularly agree with. Even if it was for a split second, it can see when something is hurting and it's no longer hurting. It can see the difference between you looking at your ex versus your current lover or your sister versus your grandmother. You can see all of those changes.
So sometimes I would find myself doing too much because I thought I wasn't doing... I'd move without even a thought as to why. And now it's just like, if I don't feel like moving, I'm not moving. Because the most important thing in this tape is not on camera. Because to me, to me in the scene, if I'm taping, the most important thing is not myself. It's on the opposite side of that camera.
What do you mean by that? The most important thing?
Mishu Hilmy (19:20.142)
Yeah, yeah. And that would be your scene partner or imagine scene partner if it's, you know, either a reader or a monologue, right? think that's a strong perspective. I think I've seen, maybe you've auditioned for a couple of projects, I want to say, but I I remember seeing a self-tape a year ago and I just think there's really strong performer and what stood out for you is like point of view. Like it's hard to develop a point of view. I think you, at least the role that one, you had one.
That's important thing.
Mishu Hilmy (19:46.366)
And I'm curious, like how do you approach injecting point of view or embodying point of view when it comes to say an audition?
with point of view, it's not only am I getting clued in by dialogue, I also look at the sides and the scripts. And, I look at some of the clues in the action line because especially from a writer or director, that'll tell me what's this person's, I guess what the kids would be saying now vibe. Is that the right term? that it? that it? Children listening? Is that it? Is it aura? Is that the word now that we're using? I look at the action line and
dialogue, everything in combined. Where are we? What's happening? What am I saying to kind of clue me in as to the person I'm talking to most, where the emphasis is here. Is there anything here that clues me in as to how I feel about it? And if there really is like nothing, which a lot of times there's going to be something that tells you how you feel, how you're, how you're feeling about this other person here you're talking to. But if there really is nothing there, well, that's a bit of a challenge.
then you kind of have to do a little bit more light work on that as an actor. But when it comes to point of view, a lot of times it's almost like, is the script telling me to do? Not like I'm presupposing it.
I'm curious, is there also the impulse? I think the flip side is that technicality or being too nice or faithful to what you think you should do as a good little auditioner actor. Like, OK, this says I am an angry librarian. And you read the text and go, you know what? I don't know if they're angry. The clues. My hot take or my take or my point of view on this text or what I'm feeling from this moment as an artist is like, I think they're lonely. And how do I, you know,
Mishu Hilmy (21:32.32)
let that inform my breath or my characterization or my actions. So how much leeway do you give yourself to like trusting the intuition beyond being like 100 % faithful to what you think the clues in the text provide?
I would say it depends on how much is given because that's the tough one to answer. Because a lot of times if I see the direction that a person is angry, know, there's many, there's many says something angrily. There's a lot of school of thought. A lot of people would say, don't focus on that. Just focus on what is on what is said. And there's some people who think often says angry. Yes. Ask yourself, well, why are they knowing what I know based upon these sides of the given.
of the scripts thus far that I've been able to read in my ink. And I think at least in an audition format, would give, in this scenario, I would give two takes. I would give one where I am showing the quote unquote angry side that is written out. However, I would have an inner justification because if a person is angry, I begin to ask the question, why are they upset? Is there anything in this scene that is
cluing me in and telling me why this person is upset. Like if it's like four lines in and we're in a coffee shop, my line of the barista is small coffee please. And that's four lines in, because I've been listening to other people in the line, what have you. And let's say four lines ago in that opening action line, it says that when I walked in, person walking out nudged me with their shoulder and like dripped coffee in my pants. So.
Now me, if I see that my actual mind says, well, someone just spilled coffee in my pants. I'm not exactly happy camping now because I think of everything that's happened. I've stood in line for five minutes with hot coffee on my jeans. I haven't gone to bathroom to like, you know, wipe it off with a napkin or what have you. So I have all of that. So now I can give a take where, yeah, I am a little salty. I'm a little, I'm a little peeve. How are you doing today? How am I doing today? Well, gee, let me tell you.
Mishu Hilmy (23:35.87)
I think also what adds to the sort of layer is like, I guess when it goes to also like deeper sense of point of view, you're building this world, you're building this context. And then it's the sort of where the freshness where you, Ryan, come out or your originality comes out is like how you attack that, how you action that, right? Like, salty, such great image. know, someone being indignant is going to be different than someone who's a little bit salty in the moment. And I think that's where the colors and the textures are the nuance of like your expertise or your performance can come out versus like the most
or archetypal or superficial. Angry? Okay, I gotta be loud and I gotta be mean. In terms of your practice, how, you again, I want to reveal the secrets or the mystery to your current toolkit, but how have you either actively or passively developed that ability to pay attention or have the nuance to kind of craft a kit of, you know, skills to, you know, embody or project out these actions or experiences?
It's one that I have to sit with. A lot of times I feel like when I'm reading a script, which I actually am reading one, so that's very, very funny to have in this conversation, but I'm really, I think I'm very good at picking up on some texts.
Yeah. Well, over your experience over the past few years, how have you developed the skill set or the tools to have that degree of nuance, have that degree of understanding to create actions or to create choices or to create impulses to make those decisions of like, yeah, this is salt. I'd rather go salty than, know, fisty or angry or whatever. how do you approach that, whether actively or passively? Are there things that you've noticed that you kind of clock or you
journal about or you, you know, practice or have, you know, trained to.
Ryan Satterfeal (25:23.502)
So when we get to the base, the base, I guess you call it the base of it, if going back to that scene idea, if I know that I'm upset because I have the coffee spill on my pants, if I look at that scene and I know, okay, I've been in line for like five to seven minutes, I've got coffee spill on my pants, my pants, I'm not happy, I have, well, the I'm not happy is kind of subjective thing, but I know all of the what has happened. I'm now able to ask the question, the forward question, if it were not even what,
would be logical thing to do, but like if it were me, because that's how your individuality shines through is that no one's going to do the same exact thing, same exact way as you. Right. Because every person has little, little nuances in this scenario. If I'm fed up that I've been, you know, all the facts in this imaginary scene, I'm gonna act totally different than you would. You and I would handle it totally differently. would, everything from saying something different to the barista, from holding a different pause.
pausing differently in the sentence. We, one of us may have shoved the guy at the door, who knows, but that's where you start to pick apart those little nuggets that make you different. Because if you do just and only just what's on the page, that writer and that director are going to see the same exact audition 90,000 times. It's in those little tiny white spots between the dialogue and then between the dialogue and the action line.
Yeah.
Ryan Satterfeal (26:50.222)
That's where those little parts of you or parts of me, I'd be able to pop in there. And there's more of it.
To me, that's like a well of trust and confidence, right? Because I think you're you're revealing something that's inherently, you know, you or the way you approach character or the moment, the character in the moment. And that's I think that takes a lot of practice or release or confidence to like be able to find the impulse or the well within and let that inform the moment or the character rather than going, I'm too afraid. What does
All the media I've seen, what does angry look like? What does this look like? All right, I'll just copy and paste that. I call those like seven out of tens or six out of tens where it's nice, it's polite, it's typal, it's archetypal, but there's no real point of view because there's no real revelation of like your take, your original take on this moment, this character. What if I were this character in this moment? What if I were this, experiencing this in this moment? And pulling from either what you've experienced or seen or embodied.
through life. Great. think, I think we talked a little bit about auditioning. in terms of more of the actual the funner stuff of like being on set on stage. What what is maybe I'm thinking transitions, what sort of your breakdown between stage work and camera work? And are you trying to move toward a direction? Or have you always been more of a direction of like, I prefer 80 % 90 % of what I do to be
know, on sets versus in a rehearsal room for a eight week run, et cetera.
Ryan Satterfeal (28:23.446)
do like both. mean, I originally went to school for theater and I kind of fell into TV film, but I would be open to both. My schedule right now kind of more works better for film TV, I would say. But I do like them for different reasons. You theater, go, you do it kind of chronologically start to finish, which is a big, big plus. When you start at the beginning, so does everyone else. You're in the same character position as the other characters and you get to progress together.
So there is that sort of building over time with the group and there's a good sense of camaraderie and theater because you you do have all those weeks of rehearsal and tech and late night tech and you have those runs and if you get extension and congrats, awesome. So there's a lot of real building of this little theater family and a very short amount of time with stage shows that really
It's kind of its own feeling within itself. And with movies, it's similar, especially when you're still in that, you know, when you're in the Indy sphere and maybe you know the whole cast, maybe you know the production team and you're kind of building things over as much time as you can to get it together. There's that similar feeling. But the difference is, is that it feels that TV film, it's, some people say that it is more technical, which I guess so, because you know, you have a camera in your face, you have a lot of mic.
clips to you. do have to turn to a certain direction so that the camera doesn't lose your face. Yeah, there is that. Whereas on stage, it's, you know, you're you're out there and you just live in the space. Everyone can see you. So, yeah, I do like and respect both because they both do different things for me.
How do you deal with the difference of that continuity? Right. Like on stage, you might be on stage for 12 minutes, 45 minutes, 90 minutes, depending on the role or the show versus on set. You might get eight minutes to just go 110 percent and then cut its new setup. And you're sitting around for 20 to two hours, if not more. So like, how are you navigating those those distinct experiences from, on stage and on set?
Ryan Satterfeal (30:36.11)
with on set, especially if it's just a few moments of intensity, but you really have to wait around for like, know, or like two hours or an hour because they're changing lights and camera and they need to get a new insert or whatever. Conserve your energy and pay attention. Pay attention to when you think you're going to be called to set because they're going to go for the take again. Pay attention for when you think that might happen. You know, when they start getting the lights up and production starts talking because
When you get closer, or at least when I'm closer those times, you focus the whole time you're on set. you, but at least for me, I would really, really zone in and focus the closer we got to that time. That way, by the time I had to just stand and get ready for action, I was already there. And then for theater, you kind of have to go along or time, you know, there's no real real cuts there. Because your energy is definitely key there for the show.
Especially if there's, no intermission or anything like that. I just got to go to the, go the long haul marathon. Definitely know how to conserve your energy in, in between when you're on stage and when you're off and plan accordingly.
I'm thinking of just like camera work. It's like every time they call action or the camera's rolling, it's like opening night, curtains up, lights up, and then cut, you know, it's closing. And then you do it 20 times a day to be that level of intensity versus, you know, the theater work. It's I think the hardest thing for my experience is like to
be as present as you can be for that continuous 12, 45, 90 minutes or however long. Like that's when you get lost and you're just all of sudden you're like, okay, I'm waiting for my life. go, shit, I just.
Ryan Satterfeal (32:17.55)
zone down. Yeah, you have to when you're on that stage, it's constant presence. Yeah, because right the audience just as much as the camera and TV film world won't they won't cut you slack. Yeah, they'll catch you if you're if you're not there or not committing you'll they'll catch you on it. Just as much as the camera will.
When it comes to the, whether being on stage or on set, like what, what has been like the optimal directing experience for you, at least in terms of where you're at right now, what, what has meant, like what's made for a great experience getting directed versus for the other side of like what you're like, Oh, this is my pet fever. This is a red flag.
I think when, and I think other actors could back me up on this too, is that on shoots when directors know how to communicate to actors, it's huge. It's so huge. And you know, sometimes an actor will get the direction, you know, go faster, go quickly, pick up the pace. Pick up the pace. That's very common note. To me, that's one that's like, I don't see it as an effective note because yes, I understand you're looking to get the
pace picked up. But if an actor picks up the pace without any motivation, it's devoid. All of sudden it just feels tightened up, but there's nothing really underneath it. And a director that can communicate to an actor in a way where they naturally, organically pick up the pace because of a certain reason that makes sense in the confines of the script, shoot, then that's going to be just one more great take you have the editor now has to use. So I think an
a director that can communicate with an actor to get them to organically produce the intended result. That's solid. That's key.
Mishu Hilmy (34:05.55)
those technical notes are our challenge and like either how to frame it, you know, and every actor has a different, you know, note taking registry or sort of how they interpret or, you know, translate a note, you know, I, you know, of the shirt left school and a little bit more action driven. So how can I provide actions that might inspire or motivate someone to think differently about a line versus like, you know, I do also say, hey, a little, a little heat on it. Just give me a little heat, but it's good to know like, how can you help?
create a context where there's something that might motivate or inspire that heat or a tool they could use to at least justify it rather than just me she said, put some heat on it.
With myself, it's weird because I can understand like metaphor very, very, cause you said, you said put some heat on it. Like when you said put your heat on it, I immediately knew, knew what you meant. I understood. I feel like if we were on a shoot and you told me to just put some heat on it, I feel like I'd at least know three different options to get it, to get at what you meant. Right. I think at least three different things would be in the ballpark of what you meant by heat. But not every actor is that understanding of like metaphoric instruction, my brain is.
works that way to work and says, you know, this moves like mud. And I'm like, I know exactly. know exactly. I know what you mean. Yeah. You know, this read a script and you're like, this, this world just feels.
Right. What degree of responsibility do you feel when it comes to certain moments, either in a scene or in a script of priority? I guess what I think is like stop making a meal out of every line. Right. So like
Mishu Hilmy (35:37.804)
Do you have a sense of responsibility of looking at a scene and going, when you're doing your prep work or doing your question work of this, this is the thing, this is the line where I will permit myself a little bit more craft or exuberance rather than, you know, everything's a little delicious meal so I can make a precious cake that we all eat. So yeah, I'm curious, do you think about that? Do you think you sense a responsibility of that or do you kind of rely on the director to help guide you to, you know, shift pacing or shift priority?
I think if I was ever in doubt, I would ask the director on that. For me, it depends on what am I reading? What's going on in the scene and what's going on between myself and what I'm speaking with. You know, if it's something that's like high language, Shakespearean, something like that, well then I'm going to be looking at every little period in comma so I can totally understand the weight of everything. And this is not to diminish, you know, other scripts because I mean, it's sound diminishing and it's not like...
all means. But with scripts, I look at the scene and I try to see what's going on to really understand the subtext of everything, the relationship of everything, so that I can understand is there a line in this scene that really drives the point home. Some people might call it a key line. The sentence of the scene, the sentence that is encapsulating point of what is going on. Like if I'm in a scene and I'm in a kitchen and I'm pouring some lemonade and
My first couple sentences are talking about how there's no sugar in the lemonade. That might not have as much of a hit as my character's five sentences later saying, you don't listen to me. Different. That's one of the something in there is going to There's going to be the preparation of the hit.
Do you think there's a certain, like much how you're talking about letting go of the rigidity and technicality of it, do you think there's a certain trust or confidence to know, like to do the work and know what the line is in the scene or the moment rather than I've technically, I've made all these technical choices, therefore I want the audience or the director or the camera to see all these choices.
Mishu Hilmy (37:43.17)
So then every line becomes a meal. Do you think there's a conscious ability that you've now led to a point where you trust yourself of like, no, it's based on like the this or that moment ideally.
No, I try to include, you know, the lines in the dialogue because I want the writer to be able to see it and hear it out in open. Because as a writer, also understand that there's a difference between seeing the movie in your head and seeing the characters saying things is different than like seeing a tape an actor bringing in here. Cause I also think, well, is this writer also going to hear this and go like, maybe I don't want that character to say that. Maybe they should say this instead. Cause now that that's not sounding.
But I also, you know, want to nail it as close to a hundred percent accuracy as I, as I possibly can, because I want to show that, know, I've done my due diligence. And I think that if I remember obviously relationship, the pillars of the pillars of the scene, pillars of the piece, which is character relationship, action and listening, mean, push right then all caps, listening, listening to the person who's speaking to you across that camera. Then, and as long as I know,
why I'm saying what I'm saying. That one is a big one for me. Then a lot of times, if I remember why I'm saying what I'm saying, not necessarily just what am I saying, but like, why am I saying? And a lot of times I'll have those lines down pat, if not very close to. So a lot of times I can get both. can have my right choices, whether I'm thinking this thing or looking here or moving there and also having the writer's text there. If I know
why I'm saying this to this person or these people right here, right now, this way.
Mishu Hilmy (39:27.702)
When it comes to say like doing the work on set, because there's not a lot of rehearsal time. So how do you deal with getting that prep, having unanswered questions? If you do have unanswered questions, what's been successful for you when it is a much more truncated timeline? Like, hey, you got the gig, you shoot in two weeks, it's a three page scene or whatever. What have you done that's been successful for prep? And then when you are on set, how do you deal with unanswered questions?
Well, if I do have an unanswered question, I first try to ask myself, is this one that I can solve? Like, is this a my character question? If the question is, why am I walking in from the front door or why am I, why am I walking in right now? Well, unless that question has been answered already in the script, which great. That's the question I have to answer myself. So I started by asking, is this a question I can answer myself or do I have to go flag down the director or my co-star or the AD or.
or something to just talk about that really quick. Because if I don't have to, great. That's another person who I don't have to stop and roll production.
right.
But if it's something that goes a little deeper or if it's something where maybe there's a character quality that could influence this type of behavior that maybe isn't written about, then maybe I'll ask the question, the question, the director, Hey, I'm having this thought. Does this make sense? And try and be a collaborator there because obviously we're in a very collaborative art form. Movies kind of morph every time you kind of get someone on.
Ryan Satterfeal (41:03.374)
They each had their own multiple flavors. So if I got, you know, three sides and shoot in two weeks, I would obviously read the script if I was provided. And also read my sides to try to understand who am I in all of this? Who am I now in this present time, the three sides that I'm going to be there? Who am I talking to and how I feel? What's my point of view? And what I'm trying to accomplish here in this scene and in the grand scheme of things, if I have a larger part.
Because that's going to answer a lot of my questions. But if it doesn't, then the question becomes the question that I have in my head. Is that one that I can answer or do I need to have like a director or one of my co-stars? Because it's a chemistry thing that I might try and talk to my co-stars about. How can we flush this out?
When it comes to say, is what you, this is your audition, right? This is what you did in the audition. This is the point of view. This is the tempo. This is the general characterizations. How do you retain that kind of energy or characterization when you're on set, say a month later, right? Cause for the most part, when I see someone audition, I'm like, this is what I want. I want to hire this 80 % or 90 % of what this is. So when they show up on set, they're pretty aligned with what they offered. So like, how do you retain that of what they hired you?
off of and they're hoping to maybe recreate or reestablish on shoot day.
If this is what the actor in question is trying to do, then I would review the tape that got you booked. I would definitely review that because obviously they liked something there or a hundred things they liked there that made you it. But then I would also review some of what they've done. Look at the team behind it. See what their taste is. Because if you look at some TV shows and you know, I won't name them, but if you look at certain
Ryan Satterfeal (42:48.684)
writers or producers or networks and you look and you jump from you know this show to this show with the same writer you notice you notice similar things there you notice similar film similar filmmakers or the same filmmaker but different movie it's almost got the same pulse it's almost got the same heartbeat when you're when you're watching so if you know that same like that same pulse that same tempo same again going back to that vibe
because apparently that's what makes sense, vibe, then you may know how to figure out like, where's that tempo for me? What's that vibe? How do I sit in that tempo? Because I've had some auditions where I haven't under, maybe I didn't understand it initially, but then I read it over and over again. And I just got into this rhythm to where I was like, oh, this is slower or like, oh no, this is quicker. Or it'll be like for a movie and I'll think to myself, okay, so we know that that's not as quick as TV so we can slow it down.
And we can just let moments land or I'll see their, sometimes I'll scout and I'll like see the director's wheel and I'll think, okay, this director really likes to linger on the reaction shots. He really likes to see how this lands on certain actors. So this director likes to take their time. So then I tell myself, okay, just don't rush on this one. Just be there, but don't rush because they really like those cuts.
That's solid. And then I think we're near wrapping up. So I just have a couple more in terms of like where you're at now. How do you deal with, you know, the, the onslaught of non-selection when it comes to say auditions, right? Like what's, what's been working for you? What's been mindset, thought processes that, you know, have evolved or helped you just deal with the nature of, yeah, it's a finite pool of people getting any gig any given time.
reminding myself whenever I am going that way of wanting to feel disappointed or the those dark nights of the soul that we all have and we're shaking our fists at the sky saying why am I not super amazing right now in five seconds? Why is this not happening? I just remind myself this industry is very large and I remind myself of the realities which is we've gone through a lot these last five, six years and it feels like three months but it's been five years. It's been five years everybody.
Ryan Satterfeal (45:05.282)
we're in it. Just remind myself that it's not the same thing as it was back then. Things are different. you know, everyone says the quote of what is for you when I go by you. And I try to remind myself that when you, when you get things, it's for a reason. Everything has helped in some sort of way. And so I also just, I tried to focus on, you know, other things to rounding out myself as a human being rather than just actor screenwriter.
You know, I try to make my own content and help... content. I'm not a big fan of the word content.
I refer to as materials or work or you know.
I make my own material, my own work, and I do that because if you sit and you just wait, especially to my actors who are listening, if you just sit and you just wait and you your feet up and you hope that the audition is going to come in. So the project that you want to see, that no one's seen, you have to make.
Thank you for sharing it. How do you invite risk in your auditions? How do you invite risk when you're on stage? How do you invite risk when you're on camera? Is it a conscious choice? Like what degree of subversion, whimsy, mischief, risk do you inject in your creative process?
Ryan Satterfeal (46:21.644)
with risk, like to ask myself, especially when I'm starting to feel rigid in my auditions, when I feel like I'm entering at the same pace or same direction. I just try to break that up. I just said to myself, all right, let's do something totally different. Polar opposite choice. I'm, if I'm coming in a little heated, it's like, throw that away. Do something different. Do something that makes me go. I tried to do that thing. If it makes me go, I don't know about that. I've tried to do that thing because there's going to be something there. Even if it's not the entire thing.
There's gonna be some little spectac- little spectacle of that take. That's gonna be- that's gonna make me go, but I like that.
There's like a certain vitality to that. And I think the fact that your impulse is being like self preserving is something to like explore and go, do I have the courage to execute on it? know, naturally keeping yourself safe as a physical human being, but to kind of cross the threshold of that, that rigidity, that psychological fear and go, oh, wow, I have this impulse that says, don't want to reveal that this, this thing. So maybe I'll either lean into it or.
bring it on stage or bring it on set or bring it on the audition. yeah, it's always, you to me, it's like, can you clock that? Can you integrate risk taking or mischief or subversion? Because then what like that if we're not like, I just think we're might as well be at a day job, like where there is just as you're filling out reports out of fear, because you don't want to your job. Well, can't lose an audition.
think the risk and mischief in a take of like when you're in a take or you're in a scene and that the risk and mischief I think is when you're there at that like not necessarily pinnacle of tension but whatever area of mindset the scene or area of emotion or relationship or connection that scene is in mischief and risk is that little thing that goes just a little more come on it'll be fine
Ryan Satterfeal (48:16.96)
Right. little bit more, first thing. And that's usually that's usually the little thing that makes people go because it wasn't in the text. You weren't doing just the text. Right. That little sparkle. It's that little that little it's a little sprinkles on top of the ice cream.
Ryan, was such a delight to get to chat and I look forward to hopefully seeing you on set. get to work together soon.
Mishu Hilmy (48:48.056)
Before sending you off with a little creative prompt, I just wanted to say thank you for listening to Mischief and Mastery. If you enjoyed this show, please rate it and leave a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your support does mean a lot. Until next time, keep taking care of yourself, your lightness, curiosity, and sense of play. And now for a little Mischief motivation.
All right, mischief time. Is this mischievous or is this contrived? I don't know. No one has told me if they like it or hate it yet. Still waiting on it. So send an email or send me a DM. Actually, not my brother mentioned he likes mischief stuff. So you know what? The fact that my brother enjoys these, that's all that matters. So here we go. Why did you start a little voice memo around starting?
Yeah, record a 60 second voice memo to yourself answering what made me start this in the first place. Save it and revisit it. Listen to it when you're in a creative rut, you know, or at the beginning of a project that you know is going to be hard and difficult. Record a fun little memo of why you're excited about it. Capture that joy, that curiosity, that enthusiasm. And then when you feel like you've lost sight several months later or you're in the thick of self-loathing,
Have a listen to it and see if that helps you remember the joy, the love of it. I think this plays around with episodic memory and self-determined motivation. Reminding yourself through a voice memo of intrinsic goals can help with that resilience and burnout. So give it a shot if you're working on a project or about to start a project or just love a certain craft. Ask yourself, what made me start this in the first place?
and listen to it when things get challenging. All right, I'm rambling on. Thank you for listening and have a great, great day. I'll see you at the next one.