We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tommy Martin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tommy, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Variety. I enjoy doing new things and learning new skills. I’m a very analytical person, so figuring things out is a big motivator for me. It’s also helpful to think of acting and filmmaking as a team sport. My goal is always to make the best possible project for the audience.
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 a creative storyteller focused in tv/ film. I’m often wearing multiple hats, as an actor, director, assistant director, producer, editor, etc. I’ve been very lucky to work on projects that have varied in scope, budget, and genre, in cast and crew positions; which have given me a bigger picture of the puzzle. It’s important to me, to understand all of the ins and outs of a production.
I first worked with Jake Jarvi as the character Precious, in his web series,<i> Platoon of Power Squadron</i> (2012-17). Precious was a lot of fun to play. I really leaned on music and wardrobe to flesh him out. I still have my “Precious Playlist,” final hat, and popcorn socks! That series meant a lot to me personally and professionally. I actually still have my series box set preserved in the original plastic. Being a part of that series taught me a lot about acting and filmmaking. He always assembles the best team of people, and his sets are so much fun and collaborative. Working with Jake really opened my eyes to what it means to be a multi-hyphenate. Seeing how he works behind the scenes and keeping his audience in the know with “Update!” vlogs is really inspiring. He is one of the people I continue to learn from, so it was very exciting to get the call to be a part of <i>Haunt Season</i> as his assistant director and the character, Walt.
Walt is a charismatic tour guide at an escape room who really just wants to fit in. Deep down, I think he wants to be a part of the haunt crew. I had fun finding Walt, including wearing the “Blast from the Past” escape room t-shirt, which I saw as an easter egg nod to my work in <i>PoPS</i>. On my first day as Walt, I presented the hair flip idea to Jake and Isabella (hair & makeup), which ended up in the trailer, and the recut Walt promo that my buddy, Adam Hinkle (Danny) edited just for fun. We had the time of our lives making <i>Haunt Season</i>, so it has been very special to attend screenings with audiences to hear how much they love the movie.
<i><b>Haunt Season</b></i>: A masked maniac targets cast members at a suburban Halloween haunt attraction, turning their staged injuries into gruesome real-life horrors.
After a limited theatrical run, <i>Haunt Season </i>is now available on VOD platforms. For more about the movie, visit https://linktr.ee/HauntSeason For more about Tommy, visit https://www.actortommymartin.com/
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?
Patience. Things always take longer than anticipated on set, and cooler heads always prevail.
Teamwork/checking your ego at the door. At the end of the day, making movies is a collaborative art form. It’s going to have the best opportunity to thrive if the focus is on the project.
Attention to detail is also of huge importance to be able to efficiently run a set or perform as your character.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Having a reliable community of other creatives has been my biggest contributor towards success. We work in a fickle industry that can generate a lot of self-doubt. Being able to lean on my peers for positive reinforcement, help with self-tapes, or literally anything else is a huge relief. It’s comforting to be able to work on things you love with people you love.
Contact Info:
- Website: actortommymartin.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/actortommymartin
- Other: https://linktr.ee/HauntSeason
Image Credits
photo: joe mazza, screenshots courtesy of Haunt Season/ First Fright LLC
