Apart from internships, becoming an extra was one of the main ways I got on SAG feature and television sets. It was the first time I got to relax and take in my surroundings without the pressure of doing an entry-level production job.

Short films are valuable tools for self-improvement as actors. More than anything, they show you where you are and the potential for where you could be as you continue down the on-camera path. I’ve had the honor of participating in many short films, just trying to find my footing. My first one was a student short film directed by a friend of mine in college. It was in that experience that I saw first-hand how important it is to treat them with respect.

It always comes back to this one question: why do this? Why put ourselves through the auditions, constant traveling, and preparation all for constant “rejection.” I use quotes for that r-word because I refuse to think of those roles that went to other people as a reflection on me. In doing so, we internalize the wrong message. The message that we’re not good enough over and over and that’s just not true. Still, it hurts after a while…all that trying. So why bother?