We caught up with the brilliant and insightful James Arcega Tinsley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
James, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I was raised by a number of hardworking Filipino immigrants that included my grandparents. My grandpa Faustino worked grueling hours driving trucks for the San Miguel beer company, while my grandma Fe primarily raised their nine children. Our entire family depended on their ability to hustle and it was only natural that their work ethic trickled down to my mom and her siblings, and finally down to the grandchildren like myself.
My dad has also influenced my work ethic to a great degree. When I was young, he worked three jobs at the same time to provide for my mom, my sisters, and I. He overcame some unimaginable challenges when he immigrated to California as a teenager. Struggling through gang issues, he had no choice but to work hard to leave that life behind. My mom operated with the same kind of drive when my dad was permanently deported and she had to raise my sisters and I on her own. I’d like to think I inherited some of my parents’ work ethic.
Lastly, my work ethic comes from being constantly inspired by the incredible women in my life. That obviously includes my mom, but seeing how hard my three sisters and my partner work every day — whether it be in their respective careers or raising their children — I’m continuously motivated to work harder, especially on days when I’m not at my best.
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’m a Filipino American from East San Jose, CA. I’m a writer-producer, I help run an industry networking group called Filipinx in Entertainment (FXE), and I like fantasy football (but only when I win). I’ve overcome things like a debilitating stuttering problem, my dad’s issues with drugs and gangs, and a mom who was devastated that I didn’t want to be a nurse. Knowingly breaking my mom’s heart, I earned an MFA from USC film school and I’ve been focused on writing ever since.
Jokes aside, I’ve had an interesting journey to this point. I spent years assisting television writing staffs for CBS’ “The Neighborhood” and Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” where I was lucky enough to contribute punch-up jokes and pitch story ideas. From there, I served as writers’ assistant for Taylor Sheridan & Hugh Dillon’s “Mayor of Kingstown” and I was recently promoted to staff writer for the hit show’s highly anticipated third season.
Aside from mostly working in TV writers’ rooms, I also write feature films, books, and I started my first musical earlier this year. Please don’t ask me when it’s going to come out though, I’m just hoping that I actually finish it one day!
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?
The most important skill I’ve learned that transcends professions and social situations is the skill of active listening. We take the basic action of listening for granted because we don’t have to be aware that we’re doing it. But as one of my past showrunners smartly pointed out — active listening allows you to do a multitude of things. One, it allows you to understand people better. That skill is especially important in a writers’ room because writers on staff need to actively listen to understand what the showrunner’s needs are. Two, listening also helps writers tell other people’s stories in a more truthful and accurate fashion. Three, it strengthens engagement. In an era where there are more distractions than we can possibly count, strengthening our engagement is paramount.
The second most impactful skill I’ve developed is practicing sound etiquette. You’d think having good manners and being able to read a room is fundamental stuff, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered people who don’t practice good etiquette. It’s critical to recognize when is a “good” and “bad” time for certain things. Those situations can range from texting your boss seven times without giving them a chance to respond… to pitching *too much* in the writers’ room… to not saying “please” and “thank you.” Situational awareness and kindness is key!
The last skill I’d mention is the skill of developing meaningful connections. As working professionals, we naturally want to connect with potential colleagues in the hopes of building our careers. But to restate an overly used yet truthful cliché: life is too short. We need to focus on connecting with people on a human level as opposed to operating under the mindset of “how can I use this person?” Connecting with folks on a genuine, human level is always a blessing whenever I get the chance to do it.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
There’s a few people I want to mention, so I’ll kind of go in order. The late, great John Singleton was instrumental in helping me build my confidence as a storyteller. Before he passed away, I was lucky enough to take one of his final classes at USC and he used to always tell me to remember I’m “THAT guy.” He talked about how Hollywood can get you down and how critical it is to stay confident, especially during the toughest times. His iconic film “Boyz N The Hood” changed my life, so receiving compliments and lessons from him is among my life’s greatest honors.
Rian Johnson has also been very influential to me and I almost can’t believe that I worked with him for several months on his hit series, “Poker Face.” He always approaches storytelling with a tremendous respect for his audience, so he strives to earn their trust and praise from project to project. I was an assistant on his show but he heard my ideas out as well, regardless of my status in the room. On that same show, I learned what it meant to be a meaningful writers’ room contributor from showrunners, Nora & Lilla Zuckerman. They also helped me understand active listening, etiquette, and fostering meaningful connections inside and outside of work.
Finally, Regina Corrado and Dave Erickson have helped me reach more of my potential with every day that I’m lucky enough to work with them. I’ve learned so much from them during our time on “Mayor of Kingstown.” Like Nora & Lilla, Regina and Dave have helped me grow as a professional writer, and I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. I owe the biggest break of my career to Dave and I’m constantly inspired by his positive relentlessness and his ability to get the most out of his writing team. Because of him and my previous mentors, I’ve found success and I believe I’ll continue to find success.
