Quote:

 

I am in LA right now....again. I believe it is the next step and that I have to push to enter this US market/industry here to achieve what I have set out to accomplish. I want to be financially viable and maintain creativity integrity - is that possible? I will find out! Again, I refer to my amazing support system (my wife, family, and friends) for the confidence to ride the roller coaster.
I don't think anything changes from being an actor in Canada to the US to Timbuktu for that matter. You do your homework, you take classes/study, you respect your achievements, and you stay aware of you sense of self and purpose. LA likes to attack that last one! But truthfully, it is only perspective that can really affect that last one. My first trip down here ....well, let's just say my sense of self came home in a body bag. Yup, I had my butt whooped and handed back to me. I now see why it happened. I allowed others more control than I should have. I didn't create a relationship with my manager that would help progress my situation, primarily due to levels of control. I have realized why people demand respect. You have to! The tricky part of all that is the balance of when, where and how much to demand ....which relates back to control. Too much and you are a pushy a$&hole, too little and you are a pushover. Due to Canadians predisposition to humility and kind demeanor that balance may be more difficult to find. Or so I discovered - I think I have a pretty good start on it all!