The Business of Show Business

Jamie Body
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast to help unpack the skills, stories, and side hustles behind the entertainment and creative industries. So if you're ready to thrive, not just survive, in the showbiz and arts & culture sectors, you're in the right place. A series of solo shows and interviews to help creatives with the business of show business. Learn how to market yourself as a creative and how to boss your social media and online presence. Great for actors, dancers, singers, producers, writers and those in the creative industries.

  1. 2d ago

    The Truth About Being An Actor Nobody Tells You | Alexa Morden/ The 98% Podcast | The Business of Show Business

    What does it actually mean to succeed as an actor? In this episode, journalist and presenter Jamie Body is joined by Alexa Morden — actor, coach, author, and founder of the 98% podcast and CIC — to have the conversation the industry rarely wants you to hear. Alexa breaks down why chasing the traditional idea of "making it" could be holding you back, how to find genuine success and fulfilment at any stage of your acting career, and why being in the 98% of actors who don't earn their main income from acting is nothing to be ashamed of. They also get into the red flags actors need to watch out for — from fake producers and IMDb credit fraud to agencies withholding pay — and why Alexa turned her podcast into a Community Interest Company to keep fighting for actors who have nowhere else to turn. Plus, in Lights, Questions, Action: the role Alexa always wanted, the acting advice she thinks is complete nonsense, and why you absolutely need to be her friend if you're okay with voice notes. 🎙️ Topics covered: Why only 2% of actors earn their main income from acting?Redefining success on your own terms. Internal vs external validation. Control the controllables — a process-focused approach to your career. Industry red flags and the work of the 98% CIC: The myth of blacklisting. Writing Beyond the Spotlight with her father, performance psychologist Dr Steve Ball 📖 Alexa's book Beyond the Spotlight is out now. 🎧 Find the 98% podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. The Business of Show Business is the podcast for performers, creatives, and industry professionals navigating the real world of show business. Hosted by Jamie Body, distributed across 45+ countries. Subscribe for new episodes monthly and leave a comment below — what's your definition of success as a performer?

    32 min

  2. Jun 5

    Savage House: Director Peter Glanz on Making a Period Drama with Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy

    What does it take to write, direct, produce — and edit — your own feature film? This week on The Business of Show Business, Jamie Body sits down with British-American filmmaker Peter Glanz to talk about his highly anticipated new film Savage House. Set against the chaos of 18th century England — a Pox outbreak, the Jacobite Uprising, and a society obsessed with image and social climbing — Savage House is a darkly funny, madcap satire of greed, class, and power, starring Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy. The film has already landed five-star reviews following its world premiere. In this mini episode, Peter reveals: — How a single image of a nobleman at a candlelit dinner table sparked the entire script — Why 1715 felt like a "black mirror" for our times — The reality of making a period drama on a tight budget — and storyboarding every single frame to make it work — What it was like directing Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy, and the direction he gave Claire that unlocked her performance — Why he edited the entire film on a MacBook Air at home — His honest advice for emerging filmmakers and directors trying to break through Peter's career spans a short film that premiered at both Cannes and Sundance, commercials for Chanel, YSL, Marc Jacobs and Tommy Hilfiger, a Carly Rae Jepsen music video starring Tom Hanks with over 300 million views, and an adaptation for Paramount Pictures. Savage House is his most ambitious project yet. If you love film, filmmaking, British period drama, or the business behind the screen — this one is for you. Savage House is in cinemas now. The Business of Show Business is hosted by Jamie Body and available on all major podcast platforms.

    15 min

  3. May 27

    From Rejection to Ride the Cyclone: How Grace Galloway Built a Career on Her Own Terms

    Jamie Body sits down with performer and vocal & performance coach Grace Galloway — fresh from her critically acclaimed run in Ride the Cyclone at the Southwark Playhouse — to talk about everything nobody tells you before you leave drama school. Grace opens up about the real mental and emotional demands of a performing career, how she landed Educating Rita at Dundee Rep with a cold email (not an audition), what happened when she chose a holiday in Greece over a producer final, and why she believes the hard part of this industry isn't the job — it's withstanding everything around it. They also dig into vocal health, building a rep that actually works for you, the Ride the Cyclone fandom, and how operating as a vocal coach has made Grace a better performer. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: Why Grace nearly didn't submit a self-tape for Ride the CycloneHow a cold email to an old drama school contact led to her being cast in Educating RitaThe mental health challenges performers don't talk about enough - Vocal health tips that actually work (and why lozenges don't do what you think)How many songs you really need in your rep — and how to use themThe worst career advice Grace ever receivedWhat Grace wishes she'd known leaving drama school 🎟️ Ride the Cyclone returns to the Southwark Playhouse, go and see it. 📲 Follow Grace: Instagram & TikTok: @gracegallowayxx Coaching: @gallowayvocals | gallowayvocals.com 📲 Follow Jamie: Instagram: @bodyjamie Website: jamiebody.com 🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts — and if you enjoy the show, leave a review. It genuinely helps.

    42 min

  4. May 13

    What It REALLY Takes To Be A Musical Theatre Swing | MT Swing Life on The Business of Show Business

    This week Jamie is joined by Amy West and Matthew Ives — co-creators of MT Swing Life — for The Business of Show Business' first ever trio interview. Amy and Matthew have between them swung, dance captained, and choreographed on shows including Hunger Games, Back to the Future, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Addams Family, Little Big Things and more. They break down exactly what it takes to be a musical theatre swing — from the soft skills (calm under pressure, grace under fire) to the practical tools (cheat sheets, swing Bibles, colour-coded maps, Stage Right software). They also get into the dance captain role, why it's one of the most undervalued and underpaid in the industry, the ADHD superpower in the swing world, and how to position yourself if you want the swing life to find you. Whether you're a performer thinking about swing work, already in a show, or just want to understand what keeps West End productions running night after night — this one's essential viewing. 🔗 Find MT Swing Life: https://www.instagram.com/mtswinglife/ 🌐 Jamie Body: jamiebody.com 📸 Instagram: @bodyjamie The Business of Show Business is the podcast and video series pulling back the curtain on the entertainment industry — the careers, the craft, and the business behind the show. Subscribe for new episodes every other week.

    49 min

  5. Apr 29

    The Experience Economy, AI & Selling Live Events | Dawn Farrow | The Business of Show Business

    Today Jamie is joined by Dawn Farrow — freelance marketing and sales consultant, founder of On Sale Live, and the woman behind over 36 million tickets sold across theatre, immersive experiences, and live entertainment. Exhibition News called her the accidental architect of a live experience revolution, and after this conversation, you'll understand exactly why. They get into the real business of selling live experiences — from why some shows make a profit and others barely break even, to the biggest red flags Dawn sees when producers pitch to her. Dawn shares the lessons she learned building and then closing her own agency, Boom Ents (home to clients like Walking With Dinosaurs, Luna Cinema, and Birmingham Royal Ballet), and why walking away was her proudest career moment. They also talk honestly about: - Why "this show is for everyone" is the fastest way to fail - What performers already know about sales that most marketers don't - How AI is changing the experience economy (and why it's a massive yes) - The difference between marketing and just making a poster - Her new event, On Sale Live — the first conference built purely for sales, marketing, and comms professionals in the experience economy Whether you're a performer, a producer, a marketer, or a freelancer trying to figure out how to sell yourself, this one is packed. 🎟️ Find out more about On Sale Live: https://www.onsale.live/ 🔗 Connect with Dawn on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dawn-farrow 🌐 The Business of Show Business: jamiebody.com Subscribe for new episodes every week — the business side of the entertainment industry, with the people who actually know it.

    44 min

  6. Apr 15

    From Playing Fortnite to Centre Stage: West End Star Jacob Fowler on Into the Woods, Heathers & the Business of Performing

    What's it really like to perform eight shows a week in a musical — or to be on standby, one minute playing Fortnite, the next going on at the Bridge Theatre? This week, Jamie Body is joined by West End performer Jacob Fowler — known for his iconic run as JD in Heathers the Musical, the UK Tour of The Addams Family, and currently appearing in Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre, one of the most-nominated Olivier shows of the year. In this episode, we cover: 🎭 What life as a standby is REALLY like (including a mid-show emergency at the Bridge) 🎤 How Jacob went from messaging Paul Taylor Mills on Instagram to playing JD over 350 times 🌳 The audition for Into the Woods — singing in a church pew with the director and creative team 📺 Winning Little Mix: The Search and supporting Little Mix on their arena tour (including three nights at the O2) 💼 Co-owning a Theatre Train franchise, running solo workshop tours of 15 cities in two weeks, and why every performer should think like a business owner 📱 Jacob's honest take on social media, networking, and shooting your shot with casting directors Whether you're a musical theatre fan, a performer navigating the industry, or just obsessed with all things West End — this one's for you. 🎙️ The Business of Show Business is hosted by Jamie Body. Subscribe for new episodes and don't forget to follow on social media #IntoTheWoods #HeathersMusical #WestEnd #MusicalTheatre #BusinessOfShowBusiness

    46 min

  7. Apr 10

    Improv Is "Yoga for Soft Skills", SNL UK Is Changing British Comedy and Why Every Creative Should Do Improv (Even If You're Terrified) | Steve Roe, Hoopla Improv

    Steve Roe founded Hoopla Improv above a pub in Balham 20 years ago. Today it's one of London's most beloved comedy institutions — and the improv school quietly behind some of the biggest names in British comedy, including members of the SNL UK cast and writing team. In this bonus episode of The Business of Show Business, Jamie sits down with Steve to talk about building a culture-led arts business from scratch, why improv is one of the most underrated career skills you can have, and what the arrival of SNL UK means for the UK comedy and improv scene. In this episode: How Hoopla grew from a free pub drop-in to a London-wide improv institutionWhy SNL UK reached out to Hoopla — and what happened nextImprov as "yoga for soft skills" (and why corporates are catching on)The myth of the impoverished artist — and why it's holding creatives backHow social media and TikTok are reshaping British comedyWhy the Edinburgh Fringe is no longer the only pathHoopla's 20th Anniversary Festival: April–July 2025How to start improv even if you're absolutely terrified 🎟️ Find out more about Hoopla's 20th Anniversary Festival: hooplaimprov.com 🎙️ The Business of Show Business is the podcast for performers, creatives, and entertainment industry professionals who want to understand how the business really works — from the inside. Subscribe for new episodes every fortnight.

    32 min

  8. Apr 6 ·  Bonus

    "It felt like a fever dream" — California Scheming stars on James McAvoy's debut film

    Jamie Body got a sneaky peek press screening of California Scheming, the directorial debut of James McAvoy, and sat down with stars Seamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley for a candid chat about playing morally questionable characters, the wild true story behind the film, working with McAvoy on set, regionality in the UK acting industry, and the survival jobs that kept them going before the work came in. California Scheming is in cinemas from April 10th. 🎙️ The Business of Show Business is the podcast exploring the industry behind the industry — for performers, creatives and entertainment professionals. 🔔 Subscribe for more industry insights, interviews and commentary. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 What drew them to the script? 02:00 Improv skills as an actor 03:30 Playing morally dubious characters 06:00 Art imitating life — actors vs musicians chasing the dream 08:00 Survival jobs before the big break 09:30 The audition process 11:00 Working with James McAvoy 13:30 Regionality — do you need to move to London? #CaliforniaScheming #JamesMcAvoy #BusinessOfShowBusiness

    12 min
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About

A podcast to help unpack the skills, stories, and side hustles behind the entertainment and creative industries. So if you're ready to thrive, not just survive, in the showbiz and arts & culture sectors, you're in the right place. A series of solo shows and interviews to help creatives with the business of show business. Learn how to market yourself as a creative and how to boss your social media and online presence. Great for actors, dancers, singers, producers, writers and those in the creative industries.

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