Meet Andrew Maiorano

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Maiorano. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew below.

Andrew, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I do consider myself an optimist, but it doesn’t come easy. It’s a choice. I can’t pinpoint the specific moment, but I grew up watching Star Trek (and I still do). This was the show we’d sit down and watch as a family (Star Trek: The Next Generation). Star Trek is more than a show – it is a philosophy. Star Trek shows us a world (galaxy) where humanity CAN. We can work together, we can make the best of things, we can rise above greed. When i was a kid I just liked the adventure elements but as I aged, I realized that it affected my outlook on life, on everything. Sure I knew it wasn’t real but seeing is believing. My parents are also optimists and a huge influence on me. They are both entrepreneurs that ran a travel agency that opened in the early 80s. My mom pursued a career in ministry as well. So I had that example of how to go out there and make things happen. Sure there were struggles, and it didn’t always come easy, but they made it happen. I think if everything was easy, we wouldn’t need optimism. They always said just do the work and find the fun in things. This helps me tremendously. Sometimes I dread and procrastinate things, and then when I finally get over the hump and into the work, I realize that I was avoiding fun/creative/constructive acts. I’ve even come to enjoy menial tasks like cleaning and laundry. There is a relaxation in it. Just boldly go (haha) into whatever you’re doing and be positive. It’s infectious.
Optimism is a choice, and one that we must keep making. Every day, every hour, every minute, it’s a choice. I have plenty of negative days, or moments, but I think optimism is saying I can, and I can have some fun along the way. I’m always working at it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’ve always loved movies. Like, a lot. My parents started exposing me to classics at a young age, and I picked up and ran with that. I knew I wanted to pursue a life in film. I was born in Wilmington, Delaware and lived there through high school. Deciding to leave my hometown, I found the University of Miami, Florida. They have a great communications and film program there, and it was a warm environment. I found the winters in the northeast particularly challenging and a warm, bright climate really ramped up my creativity. There I did theater, the sketch comedy group, and made films. I made friends that were equally as obsessed with film as myself. After college I moved to New Mexico, which had a booming film scene. Here I began to craft a life where I worked on set, and made film in my spare time. Comedy shorts, an art I began in high school, and nurtured in college, became a massive love of mine. Here in LA I am part of a sketch comedy group called “No Brow Comedy.” We make super quick material for social media (less than a minute). I also began a movie podcast in 2020 called “The Andy Plex.” I interview creatives about their journey and my guest picks a film to deep dive into. The name of the show derives from the name of my apartment “The Plex.” I built a movie theater in my living room by mounting a projector and speakers (probably forfeiting my deposit). The original idea was to have the guest come and watch the film at The Plex and then talk about it. But then, Covid happened, and I learned to do it remotely. All for the better as a lot of my guests are not local, and I’m glad I learned the remote setup. The show has given me a vehicle for my cinephilia, and I’ve met and forged many cool relationships with people. I love interviewing people. I thought about a career in journalism at one point, but I love film too much.
I’m also an actor, but I must concede, I get most of my parts by casting myself in projects. But I’ve been recently asked to be in some music videos, and do some voice overs. Having a large network of creatives really helps as when those people go to do something, maybe I pop into their head. I do audition here and there and I’m looking at 2024 to be a big year after the strikes. The studios are all backed up and there is going to be a content boom.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1.) Love what you do. They say if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. This probably isn’t true as there are many trying moments in anything. My parents really grilled me when I was young to focus on what I loved. So I’d say to budding journey people to make sure you are pursuing it because you love it. There’s plenty of stuff that we just have to do in life, but to go for something because you think it will make money, or you think it’s the “smart” choice is dangerous. The creative world is very competitive, in constant turmoil, and ripe with pitfalls and set backs. But, I love it, and I’m a lifer.

2.) Be positive. I think this comes off of “love what you do.” If you love what you’re doing, you go in with a sense of adventure. Yes there will be challenges, but you can do it. Positivity is a choice. One that we must continue to make daily. But like anything, it gets easier with practice. And after enough reps, positivity becomes a habit. It’s also contagious, and others will notice. A lot of working on films or in any group activity is being around others (sometimes for very long periods). I’ve gotten hired on jobs because somebody wanted me around during the long journey of making a film. My skills at that point weren’t at their peak by any means, but there I was, getting onto a big movie. You’ll find your network will grow quicker with positivity.

3.) Tenacity. There will be hurdles, and there will be plenty of them. I think tenacity builds off “love what you do,” and “be positive.” If you love it, you’ll push harder. If you’re positive, you believe you can triumph, and that will fuel you. I’m sure any field of pursuit has many challenges, but the creative one REALLY does. I’ve had moments where I look at my peers in different vocations and paths, and see they are making more money, or achieved x or y goal before me. I’ve learned to let that go and stop looking around too much, but I must say the drive and passion in this field is paramount. We have to push ourselves to get ahead. It’s easy to throw in the towel, but again, we have chosen this because we love it and want to be here. Don’t give up.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
“Dune” by Frank Herbert is my favorite book and has had the most impact on me. I love a good science fiction piece, but this one I have read four times now. It’s rare for me to reread a book, but this one has so many juicy pearls of wisdom. Not only is it a staggering realization of a social/political./economic ecosystem, but there is a philosophy baked into it that sticks to the ribs. The quote that stayed with me the most is “fear is the mind killer.” The quote is longer, and I could go into what it means in the story, but the basics are fear stops rational thought. It takes away our humanity and moves us into the category of animal. Fear is the enemy of logic. I have struggled with anxiety all my life as I bet many have in varying degrees. It helps to have a little mantra when it takes hold. We are animals at the end of the day, but we have tools to help us move beyond animal instinct — logic and rational thought. Fear is ultimately healthy as organisms so we don’t put our hand on a flame, or jump off a cliff, but it also can stop us from pursuing what we want. I still struggle with this, and like optimism, it is a constant choice. Do I let the fear stop me? Or do I overcome it? The “fear is the mind killer” line really comes in handy, and I’m grateful I have it in my tool belt.
The other Dune quote that stuck with me the most is “the mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.” So powerful! So the book really goes into logic and deduction, but then it also understands that life goes far beyond the boundaries of logic. One can weigh the scales of every decision, every play, but in the end, we must choose a move and just make it. Just live it. Whenever I get stuck at an impasse, and I go into a decision spiral “analysis paralysis,” this one comes in handy. Just make a decision. Get the new data, and make another move. Life is meant to be lived, not constantly deducted. Logic can only get you so far.

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