We recently connected with Marcus Ellison Jr. and have shared our conversation below.
Marcus, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Honestly by just doing my best to stay true to who I am at my core. Despite us still having a LONG way to go when it comes to racism & representation in this country, I’ve been fortunate enough to be around during a time where there have been noticeable strides in the right direction in my industry; so it happens less & less. But times where I do find myself to be the only Black man (or person) in the room, I try to focus less on the discomfort that that may bring and more on the fact that I’m supposed to be there. I let my actions and my acumen make it so that IF someone were to question my right to be in said room, the ground that they’d have to stand on would be shaky at best.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m an artist but to be more specific I’m an actor, editor, podcaster and potentially by the time this comes out; director. What’s most exciting/special about being a part of this industry is that it’s driven by creativity. While the business side of it keeps things afloat, it is the craftsmanship and imagination that makes it so vital. As a kid I’d watch movies/tv, play video games or read books and continually be in awe of the worlds that people could craft through words & visuals while longing to be apart of it all. At 34 years old, I haven’t lost a bit of that awe but now I can say that I’m a part of it all too.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
If I had to just narrow it down to 3…I’d say perseverance, open-mindedness & gratitude would be the most impactful qualities on my journey so far.
As for advice that I’d give to people who’re early on their journey in regards to these…
Perseverance: I feel like perseverance is only gained or improved upon by actually being in the trenches so advice is a bit difficult. What I can say though is that anything truly worth having will come with hardships or obstacles to overcome. If you can look inside of yourself in the midst of those hardships and see that your desire hasn’t dimmed, then that’s your sign to continue to persevere.
Open-mindedness: In life we will encounter many things & people who will challenge our beliefs, worldview, etc; it’s an inevitability. It’s also, a good thing. It’s okay to stand firm in who you are & what you believe in, but to close your mind to different ways of thinking or doing things is to rob yourself of understanding. The more we open ourselves up to different avenues the better equipped you’ll be to navigate the tricky landscape of life.
Gratitude: In most cases there’s at least one thing to be thankful for and show gratitude about. Through the lens of the film industry, no matter the size or scale of the set that I’m on I try to be gracious and put my best foot forward. Partially because I always want to do my part to foster a good work environment but also because you never know what doors can open as a result of the connections that you forge in any given opportunity. That also cycles back to being open minded as well.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Never getting in the way of my dreams. For context, my mother works in the medical field and my father is a blue collar worker; so them having 4 children with artistic aspirations had to have been scary. In spite of this they never discouraged myself or my siblings (to my knowledge) for having lofty aspirations. They made sure to remind us that we’d really have to work for it but they didn’t let fear or societal pressures stop them from being supportive of their kids, and I will always love & appreciate them for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: pressx2start.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inc0g.negr0/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fel0ndegeneres
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_nmMWUIVZSoH5BFscpCNiQ
Image Credits
Mark Soriano (IG: @marksori) Bayou Elom (IG: @bayouelom) Brenton Oechsle (IG: @britishocean)
