39. "I am special" and other lies we tell ourselves.

39. "I am special" and other lies we tell ourselves.

one of our members just hit a massive milestone:first co-star, first rep, SAG-E status, woo hoo! but instead of feeling on top of the world, she's feeling the weight of how much further there is to go. we've all been there. you work so hard for the thing, and when you finally get it, you look up and realize it's just the beginning. we wanna chat about this specific flavor of overwhelm and why it doesn't mean something is wrong with you/your career.we also get into sam's BI news: she got randomly selected for the SAG Motion Picture Nominating Committee (yes this is clearly v important to her) which means she'll be screening movies before they're widely released and helping narrow down award nominations. which brings us to how FYC events actually work, who pays for them, and whythe awards are kind of purchased LinksJoin The Membership [https://themembership.co/]Sam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/]Gab on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/] Chapters00:00 Sam got selected for the SAG Motion Picture Nominating Committee06:00 How FYC events work and who actually pays for them08:00 "Everything is eyes. Everything is dollars."13:00 One of our members booked her first co-star and she's overwhelmed17:00 Sam didn't picture herself working through adulthood — and why that matters22:00 Is this the mountain I want to climb?24:00 Where you bring your career questions matters as much as the questions themselves28:00 What shifted between then and now?31:00 The two different kinds of self-awareness (and how they both trip you up)40:00 Coffee meetings, bartering, and knowing your worth45:00 Why Sam secretly wants to be someone's assistant46:00 Headshot class is coming and Sam wants it as a birthday gift

38. Step-by-step headshot planning.

Get in on the LIVE class! EDIT: it is now JULY 7th! [https://the-membership-ee5120.circle.so/checkout/the-headshot-class-2026] *Everything you need to know before your next headshot session, and how to build your headshot plan from the data you already have!*We are recording this one from Sam's living room with Gab fresh off a week of working in person together and yes we are talking headshots AGAIN. This is not about telling you to just "get good headshots." This is about the prep work that makes the session itself easy, so you can show up, sleep the night before, and let the other creatives do their thing. And if you want to go deeper on all of this, the Headshot Class is July 7th at 5pm PT / 8pm ET. You'll get a printable guide you can bring to your photographer, your hair and makeup team, and your reps. If you can't make it live, you still get the recording and the guide. **Links**Join the Headshot Class [https://the-membership-ee5120.circle.so/checkout/the-headshot-class-2026]Join The Membership [https://themembership.co/]Sam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/]Gab on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/]Chapters00:00 - recording from sam's living room + what this episode is about01:49 - what the headshot class covers and what it'll help you walk away with02:00 - the pre-homework: why most of us skipped this for years03:44 - starting with your past auditions to find the through lines05:57 - identifying which headshots are currently working06:33 - how to ask your reps in a way they can actually answer08:13 - building your headshot budget (the full cost breakdown)11:49 - deciding how many looks you actually need13:32 - how to choose the right photographer for the vibe you're going for14:16 - if you're brand new and have no data yet: where to start16:00 - using tv shows filming in your market + looking at co-stars18:02 - finding actual headshots on actors access vs. imdb19:10 - if you have no idea what your essence is: how to figure it out21:05 - what the headshot class goes deeper on + how to get the guide22:30 - wrap it up!

37. BTS on our next headshots + how we make them better every time.

Join the LIVE Headshot Class! [https://the-membership-ee5120.circle.so/checkout/the-headshot-class-2026] We're sharing exactly how we're approaching our upcoming headshot sessions, including why we booked two different photographers, how we used our audition histories to figure out what we actually need, and why we're finally remaking The Headshot Class. We break down the process of pulling your character types from real audition data, why you shouldn't be getting headshots for roles you've never been called in for, and what to do when you're earlier in your career and don't have much data yet. We also get into some real talk about Gab's Cape Fear premiere, the nerves that come with seeing yourself on screen, and what it means to finally not be celebrating a career milestone alone. Links: Follow us on Instagram:@samvalentine: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/ [https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/]@gabriellebyndloss: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ [https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/] Join The Membership: https://themembership.co/ [https://themembership.co/] Chapters: 00:00 Gab's coming to LA (and it's already a lot)02:00 Why we booked two photographers instead of one05:00 Sam's new commercial rep and what they're actually asking for10:00 We're remaking The Headshot Class, and here's why11:30 How to use your audition log to plan your headshots13:00 Gab doesn't keep an audition log, and here's how she approached it anyway15:00 Stop getting headshots for roles you've never auditioned for17:30 What to do when you're starting out and have no data yet19:30 It's okay to get the wrong headshots first22:00 Gab's five character types from her audition history24:00 Sam's character types (including the one she really wants to play)27:00 Commercial vs. theatrical: why they need completely different shots32:00 Gab's premiere nerves and what she's actually nervous about34:30 Why it matters to not do this career alone

36. Surviving the internet (and general rejection) as over-sharing actors.

Gab shared a post this week about the "thanks but no thanks" emails that come with the job, and the internet had...feelings. Which brings us into difference between processing your feelings and wallowing in them, why having a big resume doesn't make rejection sting less, and how the pressure to perform positivity (online and as actors in general) quietly makes us smaller...and how much it comes down to being seen and accepted. Links The Membership: https://themembership.co/ [https://themembership.co/]Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/ [https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/]Gab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ [https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/] Chapters 00:00 - Behind the scenes chaos and missing episode 2802:30 - Gab's rejection post and the "just be grateful" comments07:00 - Sam on learning to have opinions online without people-pleasing09:00 - How rejection notes make us question our choices (and our looks)11:00 - Street cred, submission reports, and the legitimacy question13:30 - Who's actually lurking and what they're deciding about you15:30 - Having credits doesn't mean rejection hurts less18:00 - Forced positivity, auditions, and what we're told women shouldn't feel20:00 - Sam's rule: it's your house, don't let anyone leave trash on your lawn23:00 - How Sam and Gab are wired completely differently, and why it works26:00 - The CVS story you didn't know you needed to hear27:00 - Does any of this make us smaller as actors? Actually... no29:30 - Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme, and singularly focused characters31:00 - We don't live in singularities33:00 - 20,000 listeners and Gab still doesn't believe anyone's watching

35. (trigger warning) How auditioning can bring up survival mode.

Trigger Warning: we discuss eating disorders and sexual assault in this episode. Please only listen if this is a safe space for you. Two real booking stories, one booking and one not (yet), and what they reveal about the auditions we almost talked ourselves out of: this week, Gab is dialing in live from Nashville where she's on set for a commercial that put her through one of the most challenging callbacks of her career. Sam shares the not-booking story where being too young was somehow the problem. And we wide up chatting about how the audition process has a way of surfacing things that have nothing to do with acting and everything to do with who you've had to become to survive. We didn't plan to go this deep...but Sam didn't edit it out. Links Join The Membership: https://themembership.co/Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/Gab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriellebyndloss/ Chapter Markers [00:00:00] Gab is live from Nashville (on a commercial booking)[00:01:00] The audition that almost broke Gab before the booking[00:02:00] The nationwide callback, the timeline pressure, and the live TM watch party[00:04:00] 30 redirects on one line and what that actually means[00:05:00] When the feedback hits different because of your identity[00:07:00] Why Gab records every callback (and what she found when she watched it back)[00:08:00] The avail, the booking, and the full Nashville logistics saga[00:10:00] The reframe: auditions are not supposed to be fun[00:13:00] Sam's not-booking story: the casting director who said she was too young[00:15:00] The age range spiral and what it means to be stuck between brackets[00:18:00] The healthy stalk that actually helped[00:21:00] Sun exposure, Botox, and whether taking care of yourself changes your casting[00:24:00] The unbothered quality you can't fake and what it actually comes from[00:26:00] How essence can work for you and against you in the same room[00:27:00] Eating disorders, trauma, and this career's way of magnifying what we carry[00:33:00] Why actors might be doing the most important work without realizing it[00:35:00] Wrap-up and a reminder that this podcast is doing very well (Gab still doesn't believe it)