What if we can do it all?
Don't let them convince you otherwise; if the doors seem closed or if you can't find the key, make your own door!
Photo by Wanda Martin
Makeup & Hair by Mikaela Honeywill
Styled by Laura Parkes
Featuring the iconic Tracey Neuls HIGHLANDER classics
The film industry suggests we can’t. Actors must be “actors only” unless you’ve made a name for yourself, in which case - “wow, that’s impressive”. I’ve been told on multiple occasions that I should “only be an actor”. If that’s what I want to do, (which it is), I should not write or direct or god forbid produce. Just act. The industry (unless you have a name - either through birth or you’ve made one for yourself) cannot compute the concept that you can do both and so that’s that.
Well, I’m sorry to say [dear industry] that I/we, am/are capable of all we put our mind to and not just that, but for some of us - who were not born into the industry with a pre-paved pathway and plethora of contacts (it’s not what you know…) - we’ve had to take matters into our own hands…
As an actor, who knows that acting is their chosen craft, if one doesn’t immediately have doors opening for us, (I mean fair enough, they’re yet to know who you are and what you’re capable of) then how can you reasonably assume that it’s possible for us to sit around idle, waiting for someone to hand us our dream career, letting our fire burn us on the inside - no! The energy of desire and passion is a forward acceleration; you might not always know where you’re headed but taking action creates momentum and importantly feedback - did you enjoy this experience? did you meet people who were aligned with you (or not)? what did you learn in this process of doing - about who you are as an artist, storyteller or individual?
I will always be grateful for film festivals. Without them, I don’t know how I would have entered the industry.
I remembering the first film festival I’d ever attended, I was so green in the industry I didn’t even know that others existed other than the Rob Knox Film Festival in Bexley which was my local.
I stepped my foot through the doors of Cineworld Bexleyheath and began taking my first steps inside of an event full of people who are open to conversing about film and also have a reason to be there. I was so excited to “be in the room” that I came away with a deck full of business cards and emails that I would promptly follow up with the next day.
I continued turning up each year and in 2013, I was asked to host at the festival which was, as I saw it, a brilliant opportunity because it put me in the spotlight, making it easier for others to then come and talk to me afterwards - networking mission accomplished! One of those people who I connected with was a film producer who had a small film production company that was working on surprisingly big and reputable projects. They’d had a part in an Emmy-nominated series and they had just finished a feature project that was distributed by Universal.
I naturally was eager to ask him if there were any roles on his upcoming projects that I could get involved with and to my surprise he said (words to the effect of), “no, but I have something else in mind. Have you considered producing?”
“Producing? No I haven’t, because I’m an actor” I said. I wonder if the industry was beaming at my narrow-mindedness. “Yes, but why can’t you do both?” he replied.
It just so happened that they had a space open up at their then 2-man-company for a junior producer. This producer had seen that I was networking my little heart out and saw how that could translate somehow into the skill set a producer would share.
And alas my first professional producing job role was born. I was a Junior Producer (title case now for extra pizazz) learning all about how to make a film. It just so happened that they had a feature film project on their development slate that during my time there, that through hard work they managed to finance and co-produce with Italy and take into production. As in the in-house actor, I was paired to read with auditioning actors, I was even part of informal script reading workshops where I was helping to shape dialogue with my character instincts and whilst it was certainly not a given, I had the pleasure of auditioning for the role of Kesha (I remember my brother helped me film my self tape) and as the feature film entered production, I stepped up as Assistant Producer on my first feature and had my acting role opposite BAFTA-nominated Kierston Wareing and Nick Moran.
This project literally showed me I could do more than one role - and not compromise on the quality of either.
So then after this experience, I started to exploring other acting roles and supporting projects with my learned producing skills. But I was holding back on solely producing my own film, because I wanted to ensure that, when I created my own film, it would be the right story at the right time - something that I could give 100% to and put my foot so hard down on the accelerator we’d need seatbelts for the ride.
And that’s where How to be Human came in…
I don't just think it is possible to do more than acting in the film industry I think it is essential. And indeed the possibility is greater than ever now in the age of the internet. I think thirty years ago or more real talent was often over looked or neglected but now there is a greater potential to be seen, often by doing it yourself. By that I mean, if you have a great idea and a high level of determination you can get yourself seen and noticed.
The obvious parallel example here is the music industry. An artist like Billie Eilish would almost certainly have been ignored or overlooked thirty years ago. But her exceptional talent emerged precisely because she did it herself from her own bedroom.
I don't know if you've heard of Nicole Lecky. She wrote, produced and starred in her own one woman play a few years ago called Superhoe. This then got turned into a BBC TV show called Mood. She not only produced and wrote this but provided the soundtrack as well. I'm not saying this is possible for everyone but I don't think projects like hers would have seen the light of day years ago probably because of it's controversial subject matter, but also because she was/is a young black woman. And we all know how much the industry was (and still is to a certain extent) dominated by white men.
Do it yourself in all areas of the creative arts is now more possible than ever. More necessary than ever. It's an exciting time to live in.
Lovely piece, Louise! And inspiration for any of us that have been told we can't do it all xx