We were lucky to catch up with Lito Velasco recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Lito with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I started engaging in the disciplines of acting and music not because someone forced me to, but because of my love for entertaining or eliciting laughs or a reaction from an audience, engaging in artistic endeavors, etc. So, practicing or rehearsing for performances was never “practice” or “work”: it was simply a part of immersing myself in something that created joy for me and others.
Regarding the “work ethic” itself: I’ve had a job of one form or another since 7th grade. Growing up in a household where finances were often a struggle, I tried to contribute wherever and whenever I possibly could. So, taking a job (which consisted of washing dishes, flatware, and trays after lunch instead of going outside for recess) in our school’s cafeteria seemed sensible, practical, and like a positive act. Especially since the school paid for my lunches and allowed me to eat as much of whatever food was served that day. Granted, at that age, unlimited amounts of school-lunchroom-style pizza was enough of a payoff – but knowing that I was able to take the cost of my lunches off my parents’ monthly budget, allowing them to free up at least some money for other necessities and bills was the true reward.
Further, I’ve been immersed in “the hustle” of seeking out and working multiple gigs ever since college, during which time I worked part-time jobs at both Sam Goody and the local Kerasotes movie theater while also serving as Principal Percussionist in multiple local orchestras, all while also attending school full time. To this day my plate is usually still full with multiple “gigs” (as actor, composer, musician, etc.) at once. Sure, this lifestyle can be fairly challenging, often stressful, and sometimes exhausting, but at this point I’m pretty accustomed to it.
In terms of overall determination and perseverance: I can be pretty stubborn, which partly explains approaching most of my tasks and artistic efforts with a dogged focus and tenacity. Second, many of my goals and aspirations – be they artistic, relational, emotional/mental, fitness, etc. – I equate with what I believe to be one of the primary purposes in the life of every human being on this planet: striving to become the best version of ourselves possible. Sure, that might not be an easy credo to follow: it takes desire, work, daily reminders, and, perhaps most importantly, discipline. But, as someone who has focused on becoming a better version of myself and worked very hard on that aspect of my life in the past few years, I can promise anyone reading: it’s absolutely worth the effort. And, hopefully, after enough time spent, it won’t require “effort” – it will have become habitual and an innate part of who you are.
I should also mention that I come from a very blue-collar, Midwest household in which my parents usually worked themselves to exhaustion in order to try and provide their two children with the type of opportunities and education they weren’t fortunate enough to have experienced. Those efforts, combined with my work ethic and talent, led to my attending and receiving training at some of the finest arts schools in the world, such as The Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School. Who my parents were, as well as their dedication to the goal of improving the lives of their children and the struggle they went through to do so, is something I very much observed, learned from, and, albeit probably subconsciously, allowed to shape me into who I am today – and part of that “who” is how I approach my own efforts. The knowledge of my family history is a huge part of what drives the work ethic behind my goals: because I owe it not just to myself to hold onto and pursue my dreams and goals – I owe it to my parents and their work and sacrifice.
Finally, there’s also the emotional satisfaction of watching people react to or enjoy art I’ve created, performed, or helped create. Knowing that somewhere, someone is enjoying that art – that they’re appreciating something that will live long past the day I’ve ceased to exist on this planet, and that I’ve been able to affect people with something that has made another person smile and/or laugh, or simply helped lift someone up in any positive way… There’s so much reward in that knowledge and the feeling that comes from that realization and awareness.
All of the above explanations are reasons why I put all of myself into my art and everything I set out to at least *try* to achieve.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
At risk of sounding arrogant, I’m grateful to be a multi-talented artist who specializes in acting/voiceover, music composition, and, although rarely, music performance. During my time in L.A. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of the creative team for various amazing projects: whether they be live events, stage performances, or filmed ventures (wherein I’ve served in capacities both in front of and/or behind the camera, as part of the production team).
During the past few years, many of those endeavors have involved composing for both feature and short films, which seems like a natural fit, given my schooling, familial lineage (my father was also a composer), and lifelong love of the art of film and film scoring. Thankfully, the feedback and audience reception to those efforts has been mostly positive. Some of my scores have even been bestowed with the honor of a handful of awards along the way, mostly for the festival darling, “Les Bêtes”, a stop-motion-animated short directed by Emmy-winner Michael Granberry, with whom I’ve collaborated on a handful of projects. My most recent film scoring gig, for another frequent collaborator and friend, Dakota Thomas (a Texas-based filmmaker), is the short “Crawford”: a heartbreaking and compassionate look at the eponymous titular legendary, tragic actress, which afforded the chance to write music in a setting and style completely different from anything I’d previously worked on.
Following up on a previously mentioned notion, I’m usually working on multiple projects simultaneously, some of which involve acting, which I’ve been doing since I was about 6 years old. Additionally, I’ve always had a gift for mimicry, an ability that has led to a decent amount of voiceover and live-action performance roles – ironically, often as notorious but well-loved villainous characters, such as Robert Englund’s Freddy Krueger, Mark Hamill’s Joker, Chris Sarandon’s Jerry Dandrige, and many others.
What I find exciting and special about art (my “work”) is not just that it offers me the chance to entertain, add something positive (hopefully) to the world, and help create something that will live beyond my years. Art also allows its creators to examine and tap into all facets of this world, its inhabitants, and the human experience. Good, bad, light, and dark. All of these experiences matter. They’re all of some value to us as human beings. And they’re all a part of our collective whole, both as individuals and as a collective. Art gives us a chance to say something about “us” to others – and I live and love to embrace that opportunity.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
There are so many valuable assets, experiences, and teachable moments I could talk about for this response. I think many artists would agree that we all have certain similarities, but I think part of an artist’s responsibility to their craft and themselves is to discover that which makes us, and our art, different from others – a quality or aspect that each of us can claim as uniquely our own. Supposedly, it’s often said that in order to find true success in this town and industry, you have to find something you’re really good at, focus on that, and make a name and career for yourself in that area – which is why I suspect that typecasting is so prevalent for actors and artists, in general. But, the truth is: *my* experience has taught me quite the opposite – or maybe I’m wrong and I haven’t found “true success” because of that belief (although, I suspect one’s perspective on that subject would depend greatly on their interpretation and definition of “true success”).
But for me, versatility as an artist has opened doors to valuable experiences, some of which could be described as “once-in-a-lifetime” events. Because of a history of acting, I’ve booked roles on stage – which have led to acting parts on film and TV. Training and history as a classical percussionist helped me book several performance and acting gigs. Collegiate training and output as a composer led to being offered my first film-scoring opportunity. A lifetime of mimicry, impersonations, and impressions has attracted fellow artists who needed someone with those skills for staged readings – which led to more film work as well as live events…which led to voiceover work, etc.
So, despite the fact that people have said directly to me,”I don’t really know what to do with you ’cause I don’t know what it is that you specifically do,” I would say one of my most-valuable assets is definitely my versatility. Maybe it has cost me some roles as an actor or chances as a musician, but it’s also helped me work with and meet plenty of people I’ve looked up to my entire life and do so on projects I wouldn’t have ever dreamed possible of being a part of when I was younger.
As far as advice for artists who might be just starting their own journey? I’d say…be open to the idea of saying yes as often as possible. Don’t do it at the risk of sacrificing your self-respect, morals, or sense of self. But be willing to jump at artistic prospects, even if you’re a little scared. And when it comes to fear: a little fear is a healthy thing – hesitation is sometimes a very natural response, we all get nervous before certain gigs, and we all suffer with dreaded “impostor syndrome” now and then. But you can’t let your fear control your life to the point that you don’t take chances or pursue avenues of opportunity. What’s the worst thing that will happen: you don’t live up to your own expectations or even fail? Everyone fails. And we do so repeatedly. Anyone who says differently is just flat-out lying to themselves and others. There is absolutely nothing wrong with failing now and then (and if you’re an artist seeking to live and work in “the industry” in *this* town, you’d better get used to “failure” or “coming up short” – because you’re going to *not* book more gigs than you actually book). It’s how you respond to failure or “coming up short” that will determine who you really are. Failure, as well as the ability to recognize and admit such, is a necessary component for growth. It’s a healthy and vital part of our life experience because it allows us to evolve into a complete and, hopefully, humble human being and artist.
Also, as an artist I’d suggest developing whatever talents you have in any way you can. Part of that relates back to the previous point of embracing opportunity. And if you’re working a gig, learn as much as you can while you’re working that gig. You never know when you’ll discover a new skill or artistic venture that brings you joy and is something you might excel in.
Lastly, my greatest piece of advice would be: follow your heart and dreams. Sure, there are plenty of people who would give the following guidance: “If there’s anything else you can do in this life other than art, *do* it.” But, to me that’s just way too cynical to offer, let alone adopt, as a valuable life lesson for an artist. Is the life of an artist impractical? Perhaps. Is it unrealistic? Maybe. Is it painful? Absolutely. But the most important and biggest question of all is the one I ask myself when things get really difficult, painful, or stressful: is it *worth* it?
That is, are the joys and rewards that come from using your gift in this world worth enduring pursuing a life and career that could be called “impractical”, “unrealistic”, etc? Yes, without question or doubt. Those moments of fulfillment and joy…they’re everything. They light up your artistic soul in a way few other things do or can. And anyone who has lived their life as an artist can, hopefully, probably identify with that sentiment.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Honestly, I wouldn’t change as many things or alter my lifestyle as much as some might think. That’s not to say my life is perfect: it’s not, and no one’s is. That’s also not to say *I’m* perfect: I’m absolutely not, and no one is.
What I’m saying is: my advice to artists who are just starting out is how I try to live *my* life. I’m a firm believer in what I wrote above and have made every effort to follow those philosophies as much as I can throughout my lifetime. I mean, my Instagram profile reads: “I follow my heart, chase the stars, & live my dreams one day at a time…” for a reason.
I guess I would try to travel, with my wife, more – so that we could see places we’ve always wanted to visit. I’d probably finally get that dog we’ve talked about adopting. I would try to really savor every moment, taste of food, drink, laugh, kiss, piece of music, viewing of favorite films, conversation, relationship, etc. I already work consistently on fully appreciating life and the many aspects of our existence which already bring me great joy, but the depth of the meaning of each would, more than likely, become even greater to me.
I might give even more effort to “making things happen” and really pursue items on my “bucket list” with greater zeal than I do now, but…all in all, even though I do complain and gripe sometimes: I do love my life. I am thankful for who I am, who I’ve met and know/known, and all of my experiences that have made me…me. And despite there being negatives and sadness therein, it’s all been a necessary part of creating the person who writes these words. Everything that has happened, that I’ve experienced, created, and learned…every relationship, conversation, triumph, tragedy, achievement, failure, win, and loss…they are all invaluable to *my* human experience and journey. As an artist and human being. And I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything.
And until I die, I will most likely continue to live this way. I will continue to try to come to total peace with the realization that life is a series of ups and downs as I create the art that lives inside me, fueling my heart and soul. And I wish anyone reading these words a life of purpose, contentment, and fulfillment – it’s the least we can ask for, right?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LitoVelasco.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/litovelasco23
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodLito/
- Twitter: @HollywoodLito
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hollywoodlito
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hollywoodlito
Image Credits
Photo #3: Lito as Jerry Dandrige from “Fright Night” courtesy Adobe Images
Photo #4 Lito as Freddy Krueger courtesy David Woodruff
Photo #5 Lito as The Joker courtesy Dan Gilbert
