Intro: (00:01)
Welcome to the VIP Ignite podcast. Your source for tomorrow’s talent today. Hear real life stories of models, actors and musicians breaking down barriers, launching careers, and sharing their stories of overcoming obstacles and finding real success. They will activate the winner in you by revealing the path with their best tips and advice.
Deneen White: (00:26)
Hey everyone! My name is Deneen White and I am the host of the VIP Ignite live podcast. This is a series of podcasts and interviews that we’re doing right now during quarantine, during the coronavirus. We have two reasons for doing this. First of all, we want to bring you inspiration because we know that everyone can use some inspiration.
Deneen White: (00:48)
The other reason that we’re doing this is: We want everyone to know that right now is the time to be planning and working on getting your career. Whether you’re an actor or model or musician, where do you want to go? This is the time. So, today I am so excited to have Andrea Williams here live on the podcast from Chicago. Andrea, is a part of our VIP Elite Talent Academy and I cannot wait to hear her story. So Andrea, what are you doing to keep yourself busy right now?
Andrea Williams: (01:23)
All of you guys’ homework.
Deneen White: (01:25)
All of our homework?
Andrea Williams: (01:26)
Yeah. It keeps me very busy cause once I’m done with that homework assignment or challenge, it’s another one, and I don’t mind cause it’s actually pretty fun.
Deneen White: (01:35)
So, hold on. So homework is fun?
Andrea Williams: (01:37)
Y’alls regular school homework is frustrating, but I find y’all homework pretty fun cause it’s like I get to do new things. Like I’ve never did Shakespeare before and it’s like. Trying to deliver Shakespeare’s plays is actually kinda fun and cause I’m learning how to do it while laughing at my mistakes, you know?
Deneen White: (01:57)
That’s awesome. So, hold on. So, now you said homework is fun and Shakespeare is fun. All because of the VIP Elite Talent Academy.
Andrea Williams: (02:06)
Yeah.
Deneen White: (02:07)
Okay. Let’s talk about this. So, before you met us, and before you started doing our challenges, did you ever like Shakespeare? Where you’re like, oh my gosh, I need to learn Shakespeare?
Andrea Williams: (02:18)
Well, you know Shakespeare really wasn’t ever so fascinating to me because I never really understood what they were talking about.
Deneen White: (02:24)
It is crazy language. So, what was the turning point for you? How did you go from thinking like, I don’t even understand what this guy was trying to say, to saying that it’s fun.
Andrea Williams: (02:35)
First of all, I’m understanding, now. Like, I know how to like- I don’t really know how to explain it is, well, now delivering the play is actually really kind of fun. Cause, like- I don’t know how to explain it.
Deneen White: (02:48)
Is it because you understand the language and you understand the beat of it? The iambic pentameter?
Andrea Williams: (02:54)
Yeah. I know how to count it and I know how to actually read it. I know the story now. Like, I know what it actually was about, right? I’m not, I’m not just there listening to just words.
Deneen White: (03:05)
You’re not listening to the ‘thou’ and ‘shall’ and ‘shant,’ but you actually are understanding. So what play or what work have you read from Shakespeare that has turned you around to thinking it’s fun?
Andrea Williams: (03:17)
I did Hamlet. I actually kind of always kind of, on the low key side, liked Romeo and Juliet. I would just never sit down and watch it, but I’d be kind of like, it’s a good story. But now, I will actually sit down and watch someone performing and Hamlet, and you know all that. I really haven’t read many, but the ones that I have read and actually sat down and watched the scenes and stuff, they were pretty decent.
Deneen White: (03:43)
I mean you’ve hit on two of the most well known Shakespearian plays: Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. So, I mean, tackling Hamlet and saying that you enjoy it alone. I feel like, no matter what happens, for the rest of my life, I feel like we’ve won. So, Andrea, how long have you been a part of the VIP Elite Talent Academy?
Andrea Williams: (04:05)
Oh, only a little bit of time. It’s gonna be my first month. The 22nd makes my first month.
Deneen White: (04:12)
Oh wow. So you’re a newbie. So let, let’s talk. Who has been your favorite coach so far? Who has really changed the way that you see things?
Andrea Williams: (04:20)
Mark Christopher Lawrence.
Deneen White: (04:22)
Okay. Mark Christopher Lawrence is one of my favorites, too. For anyone who’s listening who- I don’t know how you don’t know him, but maybe you don’t. He performed in The Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith. He’s classically trained in dramatic theater. That’s why he was so excited to help us with Shakespeare. He was also in Terminator 2. So, this is the kind of person that you’re studying with. How cool is that? First of all.
Andrea Williams: (04:46)
Yeah, that’s right.
Deneen White: (04:49)
So, tell me, what is it about the way that Mark Christopher Lawrence teaches that that makes him one of your favorites?
Andrea Williams: (04:55)
I mean, well he goes step by step. Like, he’ll give you…like what is it called? Iambic pentameter?
Deneen White: (05:04)
Yeah, iambic pentameter. I know, it’s a mouthful.
Andrea Williams: (05:04)
Yeah, he broke it down on what it actually means. He showed us, like, he went slow enough for everybody to understand it. And, that’s why I’m actually understanding when I’m, you know, getting taught something.
Deneen White: (05:17)
I think that’s probably one of the highest compliments you could give to someone who teaches Shakespeare. That they slow it down enough that you actually understand it, and then that you think is fun. I’m actually going to send him a message afterwards to tell him that he’s turned one person into thinking that Shakespeare is fun just so you know.
Andrea Williams: (05:33)
Okay. Thank you.
Deneen White: (05:34)
You’re welcome. So, what has been your favorite challenge? Because you said we’re keeping you busy with the homework, and we like to call homework ‘challenges’ because it sounds a little more fun, but what has been your favorite challenge so far?
Andrea Williams: (05:46)
I like any challenge that I can act something out. Cause I want to build my confidence and be able to, you know, play any kind of character. All these different challenges where I gotta act it out. I’m playing different characters so I’m developing different characters.
Deneen White: (06:02)
That’s fantastic. Now, do you feel like your confidence is growing with each performance?
Andrea Williams: (06:07)
Yeah, I actually do. I’m able to just be able to- Because at first, when somebody would be like, perform this, I’d get nervous. It takes a very long time for me to calm down, and I’m still kind of nervous with it. But, now I’m able to do it, now. Not still, completely, but a lot more than I used to.
Deneen White: (06:27)
Hey. Let me tell you something. Some of the most well known actors, models, and musicians in the world, when they step on stage or they step on set, they get that feeling too. So you’re actually in really good company.
Andrea Williams: (06:41)
Yeah, that’s another thing I feel. Speaking with John Moore and face to face like this, cause now I’m a little more calm. I’m able to, I feel like, if I’m staying connected well with you guys, I’m not trying to sail off. I think I could feel the confidence I need and just be able to stop all the butterflies.
Deneen White: (07:00)
Okay. That’s awesome. So are you, have you jumped on any of the calls that we’ve done on Zoom?
Andrea Williams: (07:06)
Actually, no. Recently my Facebook page has been blocked. Like, a couple of days ago. I have no idea why they blocked me.
Deneen White: (07:14)
What?
Andrea Williams: (07:14)
Cause I tried to, um, I tried to message you.
Deneen White: (07:16)
Oh that’s right. Right.
Andrea Williams: (07:18)
Then I tried to message you and it says, ‘You’re blocked from this action. Press Delete or Okay.’ And then I tried to go on my actual Facebook page and I can’t see any updates. I can’t comment, I can’t post. It’s just I’m completely blocked and I do not know why.
Deneen White: (07:34)
[Gasp] Well Andrea, the first thing I want to do after I’m done on this call is, I’m going to send you the schedule of all of the calls that we have, because tonight we’re actually having a coaching session live on zoom with 50 Cents acting coach. Do you want to get on that one so you can build your confidence a little bit more?
Andrea Williams: (07:51)
Yes. I want to do anything it takes to get my confidence up.
Deneen White: (07:53)
Well, I’m sorry you had to hear this on the podcast. I knew that we had Facebook issues. But, what I’ll do is I’ll send you out the links to the Zoom calls. This way you can get on. I don’t want you to miss anything.
Andrea Williams: (08:06)
That would be so helpful. I was here worried like, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do? I can’t access anything.’
Deneen White: (08:14)
Oh my gosh, I would have been worried, too. So I’ll take care of that. Tonight, make sure you get on the call we’re doing with 50 Cents, and then tomorrow night, every Friday night- You may not know this, cause you haven’t been on the Facebook page, but every Friday night we’re doing a variety hour, too. So, what you can do is, you can choose a monologue and you can perform it in front of all of us. How cool would that be? It’s kind of like an open mic night.
Andrea Williams: (08:40)
I feel like that’d be pretty cool cause I’m doing it in front of people that’s not family. It would kind of be like a bigger step for me.
Deneen White: (08:48)
Okay. Well, I’m going to send you the link to that, too, because I want to see you perform a monologue tomorrow so that you can hear all of us clapping. It won’t just be me. It’ll be all of us.
Andrea Williams: (08:57)
Okay!
Deneen White: (08:58)
Sound good?
Andrea Williams: (08:59)
That sounds great.
Deneen White: (09:01)
Awesome. So Andrea, I know that you’ve been going through, obviously, you’ve been out of the loop a little bit. Can you tell me what it means to you, right now, with the world being under a lockdown? What does it mean to you to be able to still be pursuing your craft and be a part of a community of people that are going to cheer for you no matter what?
Andrea Williams: (09:21)
I got, like, a mixture of emotions with that.
Deneen White: (09:24)
Okay.
Andrea Williams: (09:25)
I kind of feel like the lockdown is a little helpful, because now I can sit in the comfort zone and be able to complete everything. And you know, when lockdown is over with, I would be out and open. You know, I don’t know how to explain it, but I know how to…
Deneen White: (09:41)
What I’m hearing is: You kind of like it because you have no choice but to do those things that normally you wouldn’t make the time for.
Andrea Williams: (09:49)
Right. And in the comfort of my home.
Deneen White: (09:52)
So, what does that mean for you, though? What does it mean to have this time with these trainings to be able to do that? How do you think that’s going to affect your career in 30 days or 60 days, whenever we’re allowed to move freely again? How much do you think it’s going to impact your life in 60 days?
Andrea Williams: (10:10)
I feel like it was going to impact it a lot because I’m already learning everything at home. So, when it’s time to actually go out, and in the public places and in front of other people, I’m already going to know what to do, because I’ve got these trainings.
Deneen White: (10:23)
That’s awesome. Watch out, Chicago, because Andrea is coming after you. Okay. It’s going to be amazing.
Andrea Williams: (10:30)
I can feel it.
Deneen White: (10:32)
I can feel it too. It’s going to be absolutely amazing. I’m really proud of you because, again, when other people are kind of hiding and watching Netflix, I like to say this a lot: Do you want to watch Netflix or do you want to be on Netflix?
Andrea Williams: (10:45)
I wanna be on Netflix.
Deneen White: (10:45)
Exactly. You’re going to be one of those people. I’m going to be watching and be like, ‘Oh, I remember when I did that podcast with Andrea and now look at her.’ So, I’m super excited that you’ve chosen to be a fearless rebel that you’ve chosen to be in momentum. So, thank you so much for being a part of our community.
Andrea Williams: (11:03)
Thank you for having me.
Deneen White: (11:05)
You’re welcome. So, are you excited to be a part of our crazy community that now that you’re growing during, again, during this time.
Andrea Williams: (11:13)
Oh, I was excited the day it happened, like, I could not stop smiling.
Deneen White: (11:16)
That’s awesome. And, you haven’t stopped smiling since, right? You may have writer’s cramp, but you’ve definitely been smiling since.
Andrea Williams: (11:23)
Yeah, since we came on here. Yeah.
Deneen White: (11:25)
That’s awesome. Well. Andrea, I want to thank you so much for taking time out of your day to be on the VIP Ignite live live podcast. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have you as a part of our VIP Elite Talent Academy community and I can’t wait to see where you are in 30 or 60 days as you continue to work hard.
Andrea Williams: (11:46)
Thank you and everything. Vice versa. I am so excited. Like. I am so, so happy to be here. I feel like a boost in my career happened when I joined you guys. Cause everything else has been dead ends. You have been the only real thing that has happened to me and I’m just so excited to be here.
Deneen White: (12:04)
Are you trying to make me cry on my own podcast? Cause that’s how I feel right now. No, that’s fantastic. I’m so excited to hear that. I’m glad that, for the first time in years, you’ve realized that you’re no longer at a dead end because we’re opening the world of possibilities to you. But, you had to be the one to take that first step and get on the call and say yes and take action. So, I’m overcome. [Stammering] I’m at a loss for words and that happens very rarely on these things. So, thank you so much for doing that.
Andrea Williams: (12:33)
No problem.
Deneen White: (12:35)
Okay, we’re not going to cry. So, we’re going to end this, but Andrea. Be on the lookout for your email so that I can send you those links. Okay. I’ll send those to you shortly.
Andrea Williams: (12:43)
Okay. Thank you Miss Deneen.
Deneen White: (12:45)
Thank you, Andrea. You have a fantastic rest of your day.
Andrea Williams: (12:49)
You too. Thank you for having me.
Deneen White: (12:50)
You’re welcome. Thank you for being on. Have a great day.
Andrea Williams: (12:53)
Okay, you too.
Deneen White: (12:54)
Thanks.
Andrea Williams: (12:55)
Bye.
Outro: (12:56)
Thank you for listening to the VIP Ignite podcast. For free resources and to learn more about how to become a model, actor, or musician, please head over to ammsociety.com, and if you love this episode, please head over to iTunes to subscribe and leave us a review. It is very much appreciated. Thank you.
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