A podcast about wellbeing in the artistic process. Join us and reflect on your journey & artist within.
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An Actor Care® project
Sponsored by Equity Showcase
Our guest today is Saman Kesh
https://www.samankesh.com/ (https://www.samankesh.com/)
Saman is an award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker celebrated for blending raw human emotion with controlled chaos, and for earning 17 Vimeo Staff Picks.
He directs for some of the world’s top brands and artists. His music videos for Ed Sheeran, Kygo, Hot Chip, and Calvin Harris have earned a YDA Silver at Cannes and two Best Video awards at SXSW. His latest Ed Sheeran video, Azizam, was nominated for Best Music Video at SXSW in 2026. His Taco Bell Super Bowl spot, along with campaigns for Nintendo, Google, and Toyota, have won multiple Clio awards.
Kesh’s narrative work also channels his signature chaos. His acclaimed short films CONTROLLER and HIT TV (both Vimeo Staff Picks) are currently in development for long-form adaptations.
Our conversation with Saman was informed by his professional relationship with my co-host and daughter, Nicole. She is Saman’s producer of choice. They’ve worked together many times over the past several years. So it was easy to drop into the topics of darkness in the creative process and the brain as fact-checker and not being the leader of our emotional and somatic experiences - but we started off light, so we thought, with a simple question…
28 Jun 2026
S4 EP10 In Discussion with Simon Ward
My guest today is AWFC member Simon Ward
www.simonward.info (http://www.simonward.info)
Simon is a psychologist, musician, actor and educator based in Sydney, Australia.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Music in the UK in musical theatre & voice, and with the Actors Centre Australia. He is an accredited Estill Master Trainer with Estill Voice International. Simon has performed in and directed musicals in London’s West End, on the BBC, and in cabaret in London & New York City. He has toured throughout Australia in musicals, plays, opera and extensively in cabaret. In addition to a busy performing and directing schedule, Simon gained four psychology degrees and works as a Clinical Psychologist with young people and creative arts professionals, and is a founding Wellbeing Committee member for Media Entertainment and Arts Association (MEAA). Simon is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a member of the Australian Psychological Society, and is Vice President of International Representatives for the Music Theatre Educator’s Alliance. Simon lectures in singing & voice at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts; and in musical theatre, singing, and psychology for performers on a range of acting, music theatre and dance courses around Australia. He regularly presents and consults on psychosocial wellbeing in the creative arts industries and higher education, in voice science and psychology, mental health for teachers and health workers for various performer health organisations internationally.
In conversing with Simon, I felt I only scraped the surface of his wealth of knowledge and expertise hearing him talk about the art of cabaret, the craft of using self as a foundation for character, and the psychology behind audience interaction and containment.
7 Jun 2026
S4 EP9 In Discussion with Andrea Rankin
My guest today is AWFC member Andrea Rankin (she/her)
https://www.andrearankin.ca/ (https://www.andrearankin.ca/)
Andrea is an artist, educator, facilitator, and coach whose work bridges the performing arts, trauma-informed pedagogy, and relational learning. As an actor, singer, and songwriter, Andrea has performed leading roles across Canada, including four seasons at the Stratford Festival in both new works and classical productions. A graduate of the Stratford Festival’s Birmingham Conservatory, Andrea holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta and a Master of Teaching degree from the University of Toronto, where her SSHRC-funded research focused on trauma-informed drama education. In 2025, Andrea co-founded the Trauma-Informed Arts Institute, a professional learning space for artists, educators, and arts leaders, where she facilitates workshops on applying trauma-informed frameworks within artistic and educational settings. Additionally, she currently serves as Professional Learning and Development Leader at the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association.
We discussed the future of actor and director education, emphasizing the need for self-advocacy tools, communication skills, and proactive well-being strategies. And one question that begged asking was why actors are willing to subject themselves to unhealthy behaviour in pursuit of their craft?
Reach and audience
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YouTube views
287
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
37
Social presence
0
YouTube
66
Engagement
32
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