We were lucky to catch up with Jacob Samuels recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jacob, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
This may seem like an odd answer to this question…but I’m not entirely sure you can overcome imposter syndrome. I’ll take that another step further. I don’t know if I TRUST someone who says they don’t experience imposter syndrome. Those people are surely ego-maniacs. I wake up every single day with a voice in the back of my head that says something along the lines of: “You have no idea what you are doing”. And that voice is actually often correct! As a filmmaker, I don’t have a clue how to truly create anything that I know will reach an audience or evoke the exact response that I want. But I still wake up everyday and get to work. That’s how to deal with imposter syndrome. You don’t think you know what you’re doing? Nobody does! We deal with these emotions by choosing to jump into that arena ANYWAYS and trust our instincts that we’ll find our own unique path forward. These creative instincts, at the end of the day, are all we have. Here’s a recent example of how I put this into practice. My latest film project is a proof-of-concept, short film that I feel I had a decent amount of push-back on. The concept is a bit outlandish and plenty of people in my circle felt that making a short was a waste of time. But there was something about it that I just couldn’t shake. I needed to tell this story and it was a creative itch that needed to be scratched. Flash-forward a few months and the film is nearly complete. Not only do I have the most confidence as a director that I’ve ever had before, but I now feel immensely more prepared for a larger-scale project. Sure, an argument can still be made for investing time and money in something you can’t do much with (there’s a near-zero chance someone will want to purchase your short film) but the experience gave me one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had in my life and a creative calling-card for anyone to see what I can do as a director. You have to find ways to guard your creative instincts and trust yourself, whether or not it immediately reaps any benefits.
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?
My name is Jacob Samuels and I’m a Los Angeles based filmmaker from Detroit, MI. Since moving to LA, I’ve worked as a Coordinator on several high-budget TV shows (THE IDOL, AMERICAN GIGOLO, THE DR. SEUSS BAKING SHOW) and pour Guinness at a pub in Hollywood on the weekends. I’ve been a sucker for film and television from a very young age and studied the craft at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. I’ll do anything to get a camera in my hands, whether it’s working with my dear friend, Andrew Olszewski, at A Good Video (@agoodvideo) or making movies through my own production company, Four Eyes Films. Speaking of, I’m very excited to announce we have a new film being released this January called “I WANT MY MOMMY”. It’s a dark comedy about a man, mourning the death of his mother, who is presented with a unique opportunity to talk to her again. I cannot wait to share this wild thing with the world!
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?
Number one would have to be public speaking. Which I know…AGHHH! I was the most awkward and quiet kid. School presentations were the bane of my existence and sharing my opinion on anything was worse than glass in my ice cream. However, it was crucial to my development. You have no idea how much looking someone in the eye and giving a simple greeting can help your confidence and overall well-being. You don’t have to always be the funniest person in the room, but people will remember your kindness. So ALWAYS go out of your way to make your presence known in any situation, and that can often be a very quick and small thing. Number two! Show. Up. On. Time. Show up on time! Actions speak louder than words, and nothing is louder than someone who’s never late. Quite literally, every time I’ve been recommended for a job in Production people have said “you can trust him to show up on time”. It’s a quality that continues to pay my rent. Trust me. Show up on time. Last but not least, I would say to take “of course” out of your vocabulary. “Of course” is the ultimate phrase of victimization. “Of course this horrible thing happened.” “Of course we have to do this boring task.” Etc. Etc. Nobody likes to be around somebody who complains. We all do work that sucks from time-to-time. Don’t be the person that always reminds people how much it sucks.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am always looking for partners and people to collaborate with! You have no idea how isolating and lonely filmmaking can be. Anyone who’s written a screenplay, sat for an unknown amount of hours in an edit bay, or held a boom pole knows that the glitz and glamour of Hollywood can disappear with a snap. It’s the people who you surround yourself with who make it all worth it. I’m always eager to meet storytellers who have a passion for getting things out there in the world. It’s so easy to find excuses NOT to make things. We’re only able to overcome that when we surround ourselves with other supportive artists. We all have different skill sets so it’s hard to exactly pinpoint who I’m looking for in a collaborator at any given moment, but if you’re someone who wants to be pushed to do a bit more…I also need that. So hit me up! I’m pretty easy to get ahold of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukqO6xPCKHI
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobsamuelsisyourbestfriend/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-samuels-299864155/
Image Credits
Mazie Hyams
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
