My First Screenplays Were So Bad...

Some of my early screenplays were so bad my friends didn’t even know where to start with their feedback. My first try at getting a literary agent was met by well over 100 rejections. And my first few films were passed on by so many festivals I lost count.

But by not taking those failures personally and instead interpreting those setbacks as deferred successes, I continued to write blogs, articles, screenplays, one-man shows, and even a book. And as I developed my voice my confidence grew – convincing me I had something valuable to offer.

The best part was how taking initiative emboldened those around me to do the same. Friends saw that if I could do it they could too. Soon I was being asked to read their plays, edit their articles, and collaborate on their new films.

In the process we built a community where we felt invested in one another’s success. We had each other’s backs, supported one another’s vision, and held ourselves accountable to making something happen.

Done is Better than Perfect

Some of my early screenplays were so bad my friends didn’t even know where to start with their feedback. My first try at getting a literary agent was met by well over 100 rejections. And my first few films were passed on by so many festivals I lost count.

But by not taking those failures personally and choosing instead to interpret those setbacks as deferred successes, I continued to write blogs, articles, screenplays, one-man shows, and even a book. And as I developed my voice my confidence grew – convincing me I had something valuable to offer. 

Your time is limited. Don't waste another second deliberating over how to get started. Just begin. The longer you wait the more you cultivate the seeds of excuses to grow and eventually flourish.

You DO Have Enough Time

Yesterday, I was on a six-hour flight from New York to California. I caught up on some work, read a great deal, listened to a podcast, and got some rest. A few passengers around me decided to partake in the limitless forms of entertainment now available on any major carrier.

I want to make it clear I'm not placing judgment, but the woman in the row ahead of me watched not one, but three films in a row. Now, I love films more than anyone I know but knew I had work that just had to get done. And in fairness, maybe she'd already crossed off all her "to-do's" for the day. (I've certainly bing watched House of Cards on a cold February day.)

But I couldn't help but think about all the times I've heard people say, "I don't have any time," as an excuse for not getting projects they seemingly value completed. The truth is we do have time but often don't think broadly enough when it comes to utilizing chunks of time that seem out of bounds.

There's time to listen to a podcast while in traffic, or exercising. There's time to read an informative book while taking public transportation. We can skip a few nights of watching Netflix to start the first draft of that book, or play. 

When we say we don't have time what we're actually saying is "It's not a priority." I encourage you to think outside the box and find ways to chip away at a project of personal value by being more deliberate about your time. 

Remember, we all get the same amount of hours in a day but what we do with them is completely up to us.

Protect Your Right to Say, "No"

As actors we're conditioned to be grateful for any role that comes our way. Because booking work for most actors is so sporadic, when an opportunity presents itself we often take it without questioning how the part actually sits with us. I know as a young actor I wrestled with this as well.

But as I got a little older I began to appreciate that as actors, though our options may feel limited, we have power over the following:

-- our work ethic
-- our ability to create our own opportunities (e.g. writing your own films, plays, blogs, etc) 
-- how we react to setbacks 

AND

-- whether or not to accept a role 

The last one doesn't seem so obvious to most, but one thing to consider is the roles you take will be there for posterity. If it's caught on film, you want to be able to look back and hold your head high. And I don't mean every role must be a leading role where you save the day, or triumph over a villain. I'm referring to taking on roles that are in harmony with your personal principles and core values. 

When I signed with an agency in Los Angeles they sent me a questionnaire asking if there was anything I wouldn't do for a role, for which I was enormously grateful. Here's what I wrote:

"I won’t compromise my personal ethics, morals, or core principles. I also will not perpetuate what I perceive to be ethnic stereotypes, or undermine my ethnic heritage.  (i.e. the butt of a one-liner Asian joke in a sitcom, etc.) Also happy to elaborate if there are any questions."

If a role doesn't sit right with you for whatever reason you don't need to take it and you owe nobody an explanation. 

Become a Quitter

There's a huge stigma in our culture about quitting. Countless films, inspirational quotes, and stories promote the narrative that the only people who succeed in life are those with the dogged determination to stick with something at any cost. But what if striving for something no longer make sense?

The truth is not quitting can actually be a greater detriment to you in the long run depending on what it is. Toxic relationships, a job you hate, and goals that no longer resonate with you should not be prolonged. It's also important to take inventory of our approach to work and relationships to see if what we're doing is working. If it's not then what's the sense in continuing? Why not find a better way?

Another form of quitting is learning to delegate tasks that need to get done by asking or paying someone else to do them. That way you have more time to focus on what you do best. Learning to let go and admit to yourself that other people are equally skilled takes courage and humility.

Look for what you should quit in your life and fight like hell for what actually is important to you. You probably already know the difference. It's just about taking the next step. 

For the Better

There are only a handful of films I can more or less watch any time or any place. For reasons I don't always fully understand, the stories resonate with me on a deeply personal level. They inspire, promote thought, re-energize my desire to shape the narrative through my own interpretation of the world.

It's interesting to note while watching a film you love to see how you've changed. The movie may now affect you in different ways than it did before. The themes more or less relevant. The movie may hit harder that you've seen more, discovered more, and lived more.

It's important to take stock of how a story has influenced your life. And hopefully, in some small way, for the better. 

Perhaps this will inspire you to do the same for someone else.

Seek the Insight of Non-Artists

Last night I spent about an hour speaking to a good friend from high school who now works as an attorney in Austin. Despite being in a completely different line of work he'd always shown a strong interest in my career as an actor.

We'd often talk about films we'd seen, new and exciting television shows, and actors we admired. At the end of our talks I was convinced he knew more about the industry than I did. I half wondered where he found the time to keep up all the various mediums while juggling a full-time job and the responsibilities of having a family.

Our conversation also reminded me of the importance of reaching out to folks who have nothing to do with your creative pursuits, or even any real knowledge of your medium. His insights on the story I was trying to write were poignant, introspective, intelligent, and unique. It reminded me of the times I'd asked non-actor friends to read over a pair of sides with me as I prepped for an audition. Invariably, non-actor friends would offer a point of view that seemed so obvious, yet frustratingly hidden to my actor sensibilities.

I discovered the longer you're an actor and the more training you have there is a propensity to start looking at the work as just an actor. You think in terms of "objective" and "obstacles," while your friends are simply looking at the work as human beings.

Try and seek feedback beyond your immediate circle of artists. They may surprise you with what they find.

Appreciate Instead of Emulate

For many years I fell into the same trap I believe a lot of young actors fall victim to. I devoured the biographies and films of actors like Brando, Dean, and Montgomery Clift. I watched the same interviews over and over hoping to gain greater insight into the aura these actors had created. And though I never tried to emulate them, I believed in order to create great art one needed to suffer, almost immeasurably.

But as I got older I realized that these men also lived profoundly unhappy lives. In many instances, they were held captive by their demons and inability to allow themselves to be who they really were. As as consequence, it seems like deep personal connections and happiness eluded them for most of their years. Great actors yes, but content with life? Not so much it seems.

In time I began to pick up on a few lessons: creative expression is not about martyrdom. It's about bringing our most authentic selves to a stage, a canvas, and film set. It's about expressing who we are at our core without allowing fear to hold us back in telling stories.

I also realized that life would present its own challenges along the way. One didn't need to seek them out. The more life experience one gained the more they'd be able to bring to their artistry. Courage was actually making the effort each day to live a life of fulfillment - a life of good contagion.

I still admire those actors for the work they contributed and their importance to the medium of storytelling. But I've learned to appreciate rather than emulate.