Sarah Michelle Brown - Writer, Director and Actor
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 09:27.
Career Tips
- Do what you love. Absolutely. Number one. Because even when you're fatigued from the amount of work you're doing, there will still be an underlying joy in it for you.
- Persevere! Never give up on your dreams as they may take a long time to come to fruition. There have been many ups and downs in my career path, and there will be more in the future. The main thing is to just keep going. I received some great advice from a film director many years ago. I asked him how he handled the highs and lows of his career. His response was: "If you haven't been told 'no', at least one hundred times on any given project, then you're not even trying."
- Keep your dreams clear in your mind and heart. It helps you to better deal with the setbacks and day-to-day grunt work when you are also working towards something that already exists in your imagination.
- Set your big goals, but also set small attainable goals. I found that during the process of bringing First Hand Woman to the stage that I would sometimes feel overwhelmed by the size of the mountain that I saw ahead of me. So whenever I felt like my goals were impossible, I would make lists of the smaller steps that I would have to take in order to start climbing. I literally had to take it one step at a time.
- When someone tells you that something is impossible… Try to do it anyway. You just might find a new creative way to approach the situation.
Currently performing in her own stageplay, First Hand Woman
What does a typical Thursday look like for you, starting from when you wake up – to heading to bed?
Aha, there is no such thing as a typical Thursday for me. The nature of the artistic beast is constant change. Lately though, with the preparations for this Toronto debut of First Hand Woman, everyday looks a little bit like: Wake up hours before my alarm, get to work immediately (usually on the computer). This work can be anything from designing and/or updating the website, designing posters, postcards etc, troubleshooting any "challenges" that have popped up overnight, researching more ways to spread the word and sell tickets for the play, deal with any and all general manager-type details… work work work… Remember that I forgot to eat… work work work… Again remember that I forgot to eat… Eat… work work work… Talk to my parents. Sleep. Rinse and repeat.
What was your first job out of school?
I went straight from biochemistry studies into, wait for it, wait for it… modeling.
What are the 3 skills you require most to do your job well?
Perseverance, creative writing and the ability to stay connected to my long-term vision.
What do you love most about your career?
That it is filled with possibilities.
Do you have any warnings?
Be aware that the fear of success and failure can very often lead you to play it safe. Though it is often the more difficult path, you are far better served by choosing the road less traveled.
If you could try a different career on for a year, what would it be?
Since I was originally aiming towards the maths and sciences, it would be intriguing to see what my life would have been like as a doctor or researcher.
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