We were lucky to catch up with Robin Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Robin, 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.
Thank you for having me! I have perhaps a controversial relationship with the concept of “purpose.” I don’t believe I, as an individual, have a “purpose” – which I find quite liberating! For many years I was convinced my “purpose” was “to be an actor,” or “to affect people (to act, to change, to feel) with my performances.” I was single-minded in my pursuit of this purpose. In 2020, the entertainment industry shut down with the rest of the world and I was forced to figure out who I am without acting. I realized that in clinging tightly to a “higher purpose” or “calling” I had closed myself off to other opportunities, to nurturing parts of myself that didn’t neatly intersect with the “actor” part of my identity, and to recognizing my place in the larger collective.
In my opinion, American culture puts too much emphasis on individual success and purpose. While it’s important to like yourself and your own company, and while individual rights and freedoms are imperative… at the end of the day, we are all just nervous systems stuck inside meat-suits made of stardust. Humans are tiny, insignificant, and deeply interdependent. Our only real purpose is to be present and to be good to each other and the planet. And I think that’s both beautiful and freeing.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I said, for many years I identified solely as an actor, working mainly off-Broadway (winning several NY Independent Theater Awards), in indie films and commercials. Now, I’d call myself an actor, director, poet, and choreographer. My filmmaking debut, a 14ish-min short film entitled “Beach Day,” is newly streaming (for free!) on the indie streaming service Red Coral universe, and coming soon to Vimeo. We completed “Beach Day” in 2023 on truly a “zero budget” (my boyfriend and I spent under $2k of our own money), and so far it’s won 8 awards, received 9 additional award nominations, and has been an official selection at 24 film festivals. Using dance, magical realism and horror elements, it pays homage to Medea, Circe, and other wronged women of Greek tragedy as well as to survivors of domestic abuse today. If you like strong female leads, stories about witches, the ‘good for her’ horror sub-genre, or films that subvert expectations and make audiences uncomfortable, you will dig “Beach Day.”
Next up is a film inspired by my grandmother, a dark comedy about mental illness, inherited and religious trauma, again with a magical realist twist. We’ve shot a proof of concept and are currently applying for grants.
Outside of my art, I work a 9-5 at a cool non-profit and spend a lot of my free time organizing in my community, taking dance classes for fun or hanging with my cats.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I like to think that I’m still early in my journey, but here are some things I wish I could tell 18 year old Robin:
- There is no singular recipe for “success.” There are lots of scammers out there looking to sell young actors workshops like “The KEY to booking the gig!” or “How to Identify your BRAND!” Don’t listen to them. There are of course elders and instructors in the industry who can teach you about how things typically work, and building relationships is important. But if anyone comes to you touting a definitive set of rules one must follow to navigate the industry or the craft, run. Even good, well-intentioned (and free) advice should be taken with a grain of salt. You’ll meet lots of casting directors, agents, managers, directors and fellow performers who will tell you what works for them. But you aren’t them. You can’t duplicate their journey or circumstances. Listen, thank them for their insights, but ultimately abandon what doesn’t resonate with you – even if they’re wildly successful.
- Tune into your values and speak up. Actors are taught that their job is to be but an instrument in the playwright’s orchestra, or one piece of the director’s vision. And young women are socialized to be nice, polite, and not to make a fuss or take up too much space. I say – that’s no way to be an artist! Work with people who want to collaborate with you and uplift your ideas, who value your full humanity, who are consent-driven. If something makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe or angry, say so. Don’t audition for the commercial if the product goes against your values (I’ve done this), don’t work with mean people (I’ve done this, too), and don’t take the sexist role just for the paycheck or to please your agent (I’ve done this too many times).
- You can be happy and a creative. The “tortured artist” trope is BS. You deserve to make a living wage, to be mentally healthy, and to be supported by a fantastic network of people who love you. Gaining all of that will not diminish your artistic capacities, but will instead give you more security to take creative risks.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I love this question, and my answer is “follow your bliss.” Do what inspires you, whether it’s a strength or not. Do it for the love of doing it, not for the outcome. Comedy comes easily to me – I’ve been told countless times to sort of “stay in my lane,” lean into my comedy chops and develop a nice little comedy acting career. I have played lots of comedic roles, and have had fun doing so! But if I’d only stuck to performing comedy, I never would had tried writing and directing an experimental horror film, which has been such a rewarding experience. I still dance for fun, because it brings me joy, even though I haven’t trained formally in years and I am technically “bad” at it. If you commit to what’s calling you, to the idea that is itching your brain and giving you butterflies, whether that’s something new or something in your wheelhouse, that’s a win.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RobinTellsStories.com
- Instagram: @__robinjohnson
- Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6686872/?ref_=tt_cl_t8
Image Credits
Headshot by Emily Lambert Photography. Black and White dance photo by Hans Alcindor Photography. Black and White lifestyle photos by Midtown Stories Photography.
