Meet Pete Dorton

We were lucky to catch up with Pete Dorton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Pete, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I work everyday on myself and my creativity! It hasn’t always been this way. Now that I’ve been more disciplined, the easier life has gotten. Living in NYC there is a lot of stimuli and I find meditation helps me get in touch with my creativity. Growing up in a rural town in Ohio you had to rely on your creative mind to pass the time away. I learned at an early age that movies were my escape into new adventures and excitement. I will always be grateful that I grew up in the country but I love city life. That upbringing instilled in me at a young age, a great foundation for my work ethic of working hard, being honest, leading with kindness and respect for my fellow human beings. I try to surround myself with people who love life and are great to collaborate with. Creativity is like a newborn baby. You have to nurture and protect it. Once you tap into your creativity everything starts to move in a positive direction. Life is too short to not enjoy what you do. As a Producer I finally know what it means to love what you do and it will never feel like work. My creativity fuels my energy and stamina to take on numerous projects. I try to say yes to everything. You always have to be in action! Always dream big! My motto is “There is always a solution”

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

I’m an award winning Actor, Producer and Writer with numerous projects. I recently was an executive producer on two feature films that are out now. “Bobcat Moretti” starring Vivica A. Fox is currently available on STARZ and “In Fidelity” starring Chris Parnell, Cara Buono, Dennis Haysbert, Willow Shields and Illeana Douglas and that’s available OnDemand, Amazon and AppleTv. I also executive produced “Werewolf Game” releasing January 21, 2025. This feature stars the late Tony Todd, also Robert Picardo, Lydia Hearst and Bai Ling. I have four short films that I produced on the festival circuit. One is “Sisters of Seneca” a supernatural short that is about two mysterious sisters from Seneca Village in 1857. The next is called “Hero” about an actress dealing with some deep troubling issues. The third is “Her Turn” where you get to see what one woman goes through with her family while downsizing. My fourth is titled “The Entertainer” starring Lance Roberts and Andre De Shields. It’s a love letter to NYC from a re-emerging performers perspective. Do second chances really happen? I’m currently finishing up my next one, a SciFi short called “Never Too Late” about an isolated man who has to come to terms with being alone in a changing world. It’s been a busy couple of years but it makes me happy that I’m fortunate to have the work. I will be shooting a horror feature in the
spring and then followed by a Christmas film next summer. I recently just produced the AMT International Film Festival in NYC with Festival Director, Sharon Osowski. It was 65 films from all over the world in three days. I’m always looking for my next project.

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?

I attribute years of working in the service industry that made me into a really good Producer. Waiting tables and bartending in high volume restaurants taught me how to always stay five steps ahead, knowing how to put out fires before they start, never letting them see you sweat and being a pseudo therapist and knowing how to deal with difficult people. I live by these skills and my love of movies. Above all else though, always lead with kindness and respect. Never ask someone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. Never be afraid, just jump in with both feet. Always keep hammering away until you get a result. It might not be the result you expected but it’s usually even better.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

Something that I’m proud of is all the wonderful projects I’ve worked on in the past two years. I’m so lucky that I have a team of great people around me. It really does take a village. I’m part of an incredible film and theater community. One piece advice that someone gave me and I highly recommend it, is “Surround yourself with people that you respect and admire. It’s even a bigger bonus if they have more knowledge than you. That way, you will always be learning and striving for more. One last thing, take care of yourself. I recently had a couple of health wake up calls. I decided to stop all sugar and any processed foods. The difference has been incredible. I’ve had a significant amount of weight loss that is attributed to these changes. It’s given me so much more energy and really helped with my mental wellness.

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Image Credits

Bradley Hawks, Bridge Blanco, Dan Lane Williams, Yitzy Herskowitz

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