Acting : Ask Me Anything (AMA) 12/8 - 12/9 by Karen Ceesay

Karen: first of all, congrats on all of your work! I remember you from many of those roles!

Secondly, thanks for being so generous with your time. I'd love to connect with you in a conversation about working in Atlanta (being a Southerner / Southwesterner myself).

Hi Karen Ceesay - as an actor on shows that are very close-to-the-vest on storylines and plots, do you have to sign an NDA? And how does the production help you prep for questions from fans of the shows?

Depending on the project, we have to sign NDAs prior to auditioning. Sometimes they want our reader to sign one too. Other than a memo about on-set photos, I've never been prepped for questions.

Hi Karen, thanks for doing this AMA! I'd love to hear your thoughts on actors moving into the Atlanta market. What are the common mistakes? What are some things you've seen them do well? If you can speak to writers and directors, if there are unique experiences when coming into the Atlanta market, I'd love to hear about that as well.

I'm an actor/writer, and I moved to Atlanta at the beginning of this year! I immediately got involved in the background/extra world for acting, and I've even got the amazing opportunity to do some casting assistant work as well! My question as an actor is what are your tips/suggestions on finding an agency or gaining the attention of an agency in the Atlanta market. Other than that, what would you consider high quality and effective ways to network as a currently unrepresented actor?

My question as a writer would also be networking related. Finding the ability to pitch shows to people is one of the things that seems so foreign in the beginning, and I wondered if you had any helpful tips on networking as a screenwriter to find those opportunities to potentially pitch your show to folks. Maybe that answer and the actor answer go hand-in-hand, but either way I'd be very appreciative to hear any advice you'd be willing to give!

Hi Karen Ceesay! Thanks for doing the AMA! I was curious - there's been a lot of talk online the last few years regarding productions and politics, with some companies even stating they won't make films in GA, but it seems like many productions (some of which you've worked on!) are staying put. Do you see the industry in Atlanta continuing to grow or do you feel like it's slowed a bit in recent years in terms of the number of jobs available for actors?

@Niki - How Atlanta appears from the outside is very different than how it really is as well as the entire state of Georgia. Some people come in with assumptions about how people will be/act based off TV shows & movies written by people not from here.

Just be OPEN - to meeting different kinds of people, to who you can/will meet, to new opportunities

WRT writers - there are a number of writers groups but to date, I only know of ONE studio writers room that was based in Atlanta - Will Packer's Ambitions. I'm not really up on how the director scene operates, but there are so many female & BiPOC directors working here.

@Zane - finding an agent is always going to be a challenge at first, but I definitely (always) recommend getting involved in the community once you're here. Go to events, take classes, join organizations, volunteer, etc. It's a small enough city and most people are very welcoming. Word gets around and you may meet people who can refer you once they get to know you. In the meantime - hustle for yourself - find the indie filmmakers (Atlanta Film Society, Film Impact Georgia are two groups I highly recommend), submit yourself for projects through Actor's Access or any other of the online casting sites. Research the projects shooting here (Georgia.org) and submit directly to CDs if you can.

WRT - pitching - it is a beats all unto itself so train as much as you can on the topic. There is so much info on pitching already here on Stage 32, take one of the classes or webinars. And again - network at events, meet people and be of service.

Good Luck!

@Emily - right now, the work is BOOOOOOMING. As someone who has been here for a long time there is absolutely no comparison to the opportunities today vs. those just even 5-8 years ago, let alone 10+. I do think that down the line, there may be a slow down overall in production everywhere just because there is so much content being produced right now and I don't know how that can sustain. But anything is possible in the business of show.

WRT - Politics. Well, it is what it is. Productions companies toy with the idea of pulling projects out of Georgia, but the tax breaks & incentives are just too good for them to pass up and we know they are about the bottom line. I don't see that happening anytime soon. (MY OPINION)

Hi, Karen Ceesay. I thought you looked familiar (Lucas and Erica's mom on "Stranger Things")! :D Congratulations on the role and all of your success!

Thanks for taking the time for this AMA. From a producer viewpoint, what's something that writers do in scripts that they should avoid?

I have only produced projects that I have written, so far, so I'm a bit biased with my writer LOL! But given what I've heard from others as well as from classes: not following the rules & practices of basic screenwriting. Formatting -- in terms of both story structure and actual script formatting (scene headings, dialogue, action, etc.) Writing with direction notations/camera angles, excessive flashbacks, as well as things that will end up being expensive (ex. - SFX, period wardrobe/locations, excessive locations, etc.)

Thanks for the answer, Karen Ceesay. I try to keep story structure and script formatting clear and understandable, and I try to avoid using those things (direction notations/camera angles, excessive flashbacks, and things that run up the budget). It's great to be reminded of these things though. Thanks. :)

Hi Karen it's such a pleasure to meet you here - I was wondering, what's your favorite part, acting, writing, producing? Do you think being multi talented is a plus in the industry ? Thank you !

Karen Ceesay I love this comment: "...things that will end up being expensive (ex. - SFX, period wardrobe/locations, excessive locations, etc.)" This is really good advice and makes me want to go back and look at my IPs to see if I can adjust to make more inviting! Question - when producers look at a script, do they make cost cutting suggestions or do they leave that up to the writer and decide based on that? As a writer, I would want someone to tell me. I love collaboration. Just not sure what the consensus/appropriateness (whether or not a producer feels comfortable) is surrounding that. Thanks!

@Stephanie - I can't lie, I'm a full on HAM and love to perform. That has been me since Day One but I also love creating stories through writing.

@Leonardo - it depends on the project really - the main difference being studio vs. indie, but also what YOUR specific options are. Everyone doesn't get the same choices. Just know what works best for you before you go into a professional relationship. Be aware of what your hard no's are but still try to be flexible. Too many writers are so attached to their scripts they are unwilling to make changes and then it doesn't get produced. But you don't want someone to completely change your project into something unrecognizable.

Karen Ceesay There's a core line with boundaries that I'm internally aware of that I won't cross so that totally makes sense. I also want to be the guy they want to work with. Thank you!

Karen Ceesay Thanks! I appreciate you sharing your perspective -- LA really exists in a bubble so it's great to hear from someone who's really there and successful!

Spike Lee and John Singleton were an inspiration in the early 90's for me. Are there any Directors or Actors that inspire you today? (Also, What do you think of the ending of DO THE RIGHT THING? Was it a tad harsh? I remember teary eyed Italian-Americans leaving the theatre at the end and me wanting to hide under a chair. This was in NY/Yonkers.)

Thought you'd like this..?

Great blog Karen Ceesay and welcome to Stage32! I love Stranger Things, it has been great to have before, during and after the pandemic - Erica and Lucas have a cool mom!

Hope you have a great time here. Are you currently on a writing project? Do you have a favourite genre - like sci-fi, fantasy, historical?

@Julia - my favorite is comedy for writing/performing. But I've been a sci-fi & fantasy fan my whole life.

@Amman - School Daze is one of the reasons I wanted to go to Spelman so my Morehouse brother Spike Lee has been a major influence on my entire life. Do the Right Thing was sooooo long ago, I remember seeing it and what happened, but what my "feelings" were about the ending, I don't really remember.

Karen Ceesay Ok, no biggie. I thank you and Stage32 for your Blog. You have put Atlanta on my radar for future projects.

Karen Ceesay Love "the silicon peach", that one was new to me. Great blog. ATL has so much to offer across the spectrum.

Fellow Hot-lanta resident & actor and very nice to meet you.

@Tyneckia - Thank you! Several of these nicknames were new to me too. Found them wile I was researching.

Big A, Tyneckia?

Congratulations Karen Ceesay on your many achievements. I would love to connect with you to learn about the industry as I am developing a script. I am from the Caribbean and wish to get my foot into the industry in terms of fantasy. How should I go about this process?

Karen Ceesay how did you find your way into getting that first job? Do you feel that you had an upper hand bc you were there at the time of the upcoming market in Atlanta? Are there any creative ways to get noticed in this new age digital submission industry?

@Giselle - there's no one way to a first job. And is "job" quantified as paid work or a booking? Starting out everyone has to do the free/low budget/student/church/community projects. You train (and train), get an agent then start auditioning for bigger stuff. That takes some time and then you finally book something. There's an upper hand now, I guess but there were about 15 years of a lot of nothing that people now don't have to wade through. People are starting off booking co-star gigs and that took me a long time to get to since the work wasn't her for so long.

The best way to get notified is to do good work, submitted on time/early, consistently. We are also in a content creation place now, so create your own work.

@Joshua Thank you! Thankfully, nowadays, you can be anywhere and still be part of this industry. And lucky you, you live in an environment coveted by most. Before focusing on getting noticed, focus on training, writing, rewriting and rewriting some more. There's a wonderful writer's group right here @Stage32 that offers plenty of classes, webinars, access to pitching as well as a large network of other writers.

Happy New Year, Karen!

You had a class for May 3, 2025 for a pitch deck session. Do you plan on rescheduling the class?