Meet Spencer Weitzel

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Spencer Weitzel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Spencer, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Purpose! I’m not entirely sure I’ve found it. Not specifically, anyway. But BROADLY, I know that I am to live a creative life, tell stories, and… other than that, I’m still working on it.

I know this much – When I’m watching a play, a film, or a series, sometimes I’m moved profoundly, sometimes I can work out a problem in my life or learn something new, and sometimes I just laugh and escape for a moment and it’s… everything. If I can be part of that somehow for someone else… Well that’s the goal, I suppose. That’s the whole thing.

In terms of finding that path, I’ve always been a creative type. When I was super young, my Dad gave me an old VHS camcorder and my friends and I started making “movies”. We didn’t have Spielberg’s chops but we were… enthusiastic. I was definitely very fortunate to grow up with a family who nurtured that bug AND a little friend group as goofy and creative as I was (some of whom I’m still working with in my thirties). That’s either my hero or villain origin story. You know, depending on the mood you’re in when I invite you to another play.

Truly though, I think I’m constantly finding art as my purpose. As a kid, acting was a way to get approval, be of value, diffuse tensions with comedy, or have an identity in a large group. In my twenties I joined a theatre company in Los Angeles. I really learned about the craft there. The importance of emotional truth, and just how powerful and cathartic and therapeutic and beautiful connecting with other people can be. And now in my thirties, I feel like I’m finding art as my purpose all over again by creating my own opportunities – writing and producing projects and aligning myself with creators that I admire.

I love all of it. Art. Any angle. All of it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m an artist. A multi-hyphenate creative type person. An actor, writer, filmmaker, horror fan, student of comedy, sagittarius, and a gig worker. I work mainly in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. Acting will always be my first love. I recently had the opportunity to lead in a feature film called “Out Past Dark” which just released on Prime video (other platforms soon). In recent years I’ve been writing, editing, and acting in a comedy series called “Halloweeners” (now streaming on Kings of Horror). I’m producing some theater in the spring, and doing some late night Horror Hosting with Kings of Horror in the coming months.

A big thing I’m focusing on, professionally, this year is honing my skills as a promo-editor. This is an area I’ve worked in for some time and have grown to really love. At its best, it’s working with artists and helping them tell the story of their project or product with a unique, excited, energetic, artsy fartsy trailer, or mini doc. And at its worst it’s cutting together a neat little video. It’s an odd skill I’ve cultivated over many years of promoting my own stuff and I’m excited to travel down that road with more intent.

So… That’s me. I’ve never been one to focus on ONE craft. I think all these crafts talk to each other and I try to be of value in any area I can. Sometimes that’s being a small piece of the puzzle and other times, it’s carrying… the puzzle. You know what I mean?

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Listen. Any performance is made better by listening, but this goes well beyond acting. Listen to your scene partner, your collaborators, your friends, your people. Make the moment about the other person as much as you can and it will enhance your life. In an edit, you can literally listen to what the project is telling you it wants to be.
2. Empathy. Obviously this is a necessary skill for acting, but it will go a long way if you can have an understanding of what the crew is going through, and same for the crew with the cast. Learn everything you can about the world you’re entering and the people who are bringing it to life and you’ll better serve the project. I think directors should take an acting class, and actors should try directing, and you know what else if you’re gonna eat at a restaurant, you should maybe have served a table or two. This might be a long way of saying “be pleasant to work with”.
3. Be ready to adapt. The only consistency in every project is that something at some point is going to go wrong and you’re going to have to pivot. I think you should learn to love that a little bit. Pivot. Learn to lean into restrictions. Especially when you’re just starting out. Let the lack of resources kickstart your creativity.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

You can find me on social or email me directly. My contact info and socials are all linked below.  I’m always looking for editing work. If your play needs a promo video, or film needs a trailer, or anything in that vein, I’d love to chat. I’ve plenty of work examples on my website. Or if you’re looking to make something from the ground up- I’m a writer, I’m an actor, and I love meeting fellow creatives to conspire and collaborate with. So if anything I’ve said resonates with you, reach out, let’s make something.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Charlie Jake Sanchez Christian Villarreal Meghan Lewis

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