The entertainment business has plenty of ups and downs, and extreme ones at that. We are currently experiencing monumental strikes that have caused a near industry wide shutdown. Many more people experienced their industries come to a halt when COVID first arrived. What do we do? We adapt. We push to find ways to survive the ebbs and flows, but how do we thrive? 

Balance

Finding a balance between your work and personal life is essential. In this field especially, the work can change in an instance. It takes a conscious and constant effort to manage your work/life balance. I’ve found that connecting with my family and friends regularly is incredibly beneficial. Whether you are busy or slow, it’s important to have that support system.

Passionate

To make a living as a professional storyteller, you must be passionate. To be so passionate about helping tell stories, turns us into creative addicts. We are always looking to create and yearning for the next paycheck. Frankly, a lot of the time it can be so much fun that it is hard to believe we can make a living doing this. 

Adapt

But when it comes to a halt like we are experiencing now, it is devastating. Countless people are out of work and suddenly have a lot of time. Now is a time to hustle and do what we have to in order to make ends meet. Rest, enjoy it while you can, but stay hungry. Continue to develop your craft, learn something new, get outside – enjoy nature, most importantly stay positive. The landscape of the industry is up in the air right now, the best thing people can do is be ready to pivot. Being adaptable in this life as a freelance creative is absolutely crucial to your survival and ability to thrive.

Schedule

I find myself doing the best when I have some sort of routine and goals I’m working towards. My schedule currently consists of exercise, business development, self development, and passion projects in addition to hobbies and spending time with family & friends. It is not always an easy life, but it can truly be magical.

Thrive

The constant love and support from my family and friends keeps me motivated. What we do is exciting and fun! Sometimes we forget that, but it is important to reflect on why we went down this road to begin with. I work freelance as well as own and operate a production company (Two8 Productions) with my best friend. My schedule is forever changing, which is hard sometimes. Two8 is my effort to take control of my career and create projects I care about. Prioritize what is most important to you and the rest will follow. Stay creative! Please check out the work Two8 Productions is doing, we’d love to connect.