Meet John Riddlebaugh

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

Hi John, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I’ve had moments when I felt like walking away, but quitting is something I have a hard time doing. I’ve quit doing some types of modeling and acting, mainly because they didn’t seem worthwhile to me. I also have some friends who, despite being brutally honest, have also been supportive.

Modeling and acting have become a balance for me. I do other forms of work for money, and they can be really stressful at times.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hello, I work as a professional model for several colleges and drawing groups. I act in people’s films, whether as a hobby or with money involved. For almost four years, I have also acted at a haunted house called Nightmare Cleveland–it is one of the highest rated haunts in Northeast Ohio.

I am sort of chameleonic as an actor. At the start of the year, I’ve played the villain in a low budget superhero movie called SHADOWDOME: WARRIOR OF THE NIGHT (directed by Mike Stafford). I’ve grown a beard for an arthouse short film called “Monsieur Phot” (directed by Bruce Checefsky), shaved it off for a horror feature called BLOOD DEVILS (I get killed off in it), and then I have to grow my beard back for a few more scenes of “Monsieur Phot”. In the meanttime, I’ve acted in another feature horror film called FINAL CURTAIN PART 27 (it’s part of a series director Mike Goodreau has been making for over twenty years, shooting each installment in a different location around the US), in which I also get killed off. I also returned to my job at the haunted house, which was open for laser tag (customers go around with fancy guns, and shoot me and the other haunt actors)–I played a giant bug. At the time of my writing this, I have finished shooting my scenes for “Monsieur Phot”.

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?

Reliability is a quality that I can’t stress more. The local entertainment industry is filled with people who boast on social media that they’re all that and a bag of chips, but don’t have that dedication to back it up. One person gets cast in a short or feature film, he/she will brag they are a movie star. Many of those people ghost the production by not showing up, or only show up one or two days then that’s it. It helps to be on the same page with the director.

Learning the craft is also important. I’m not telling people to get a degree in it. They should attend an acting workshop or two. Attend a class where the instructor is active in the field (if he/she is a casting director who is still working in the field, that is a good sign). Even if you have natural talent, it helps to learn a thing or two.

Don’t do something you are going to be uncomfortable doing. Learn when to say no.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

As an actor, I would like to collaborate with someone with actual creative ideas. I want to do commercial, music videos, TV, or feature film work. I am also looking for SAG productions to audition for–I have an interest in getting Taft-Hartleyed (that would be one of my next big goals in life).

As a professional model, I am looking for paid work: whether it’s for drawing groups, print work, etc.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Robert Banks
Blind 7 Photography/Abe Robinson
Bruce Checefsky
Mike Goodreau

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