We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sammy Smedley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sammy, 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?
Personally I feel that resilience comes hand in hand with pursuing a creative life. It’s pretty difficult to grow as an artist without it. Because let’s be honest, without it, even the most talented and artistic people can throw in the towel when things “get too tough” or they don’t reach the success they imagine for themselves on their predicted timelines. I’ve found that my own resilience is a result from my profound passion for the craft of acting. I am in the deepest parts of my soul an actress. It was a calling before a career choice. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I have certainly been left questioning myself after countless audition-less months or lack of bookings, feeling like I am not being seen or understood as an artist, asking myself “what if this doesn’t work out?”, “what if I’m not meant to do this with my life?”, “what if all of their NO’s really mean NO?” But it doesn’t take long before the calling snaps me out of it again and I am reminded almost immediately that this is just who I am, I cannot be anything else nor do I want to try to be. So I will continue to work towards becoming the best version of artistic self no matter what that ends up looking like professionally. Rejection is weak in the face of a resilient artist. That deep need to explore the human experience, to then share those findings and feelings in order to affect as many people as possible is what keeps me going. To put it quite simply, my life would be meaningless without the craft of acting therefore the resilience never dies.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve been living in New York City pursuing a career in acting for ten years now. And I can honestly say that it’s taken those ten years to get to this point of feeling that I have a genuine grip on myself as a professional actress. I just launched an independent film production company called Blue Plumbago Productions, with my partner, where we are writing stories and creating the films we want to see in the industry. Pursuing a career as an actor inevitably comes with its own setbacks and ladders to climb but after Covid and then the strike protecting us against AI, it’s been especially difficult to find those opportunities and get work. Ask any actor or filmmaker and they will tell you, it is a very palpable and uncomfortable feeling right now. Creating my own production company and re-discovering my long time love for writing (and now my new love for producing) is my way of taking back some control of my career and artistry. Instead of waiting for the opportunities to find me, holding my breath that the industry will one day open its golden doors to me after years of hard work as I wait anxiously fighting the nay-sayers, wasting time scrolling through social media battling thoughts of competitiveness with my fellow artists, I am too busy creating and focussing on what my artistic soul truly needs to thrive, to be healthy and happy. I have so many ideas that I know only I can bring to the table and that really excites me. My first short film “X-Mas Anonymous” is currently making its way through the 2024 festival circuit and I am in pre-production for next short film shooting this June!
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?
Looking back on my journey thus far, I’d say hone in on what makes you YOU, find ways to exercise your craft by trying new things and having a positive support system. I think in any artistic field, but in this case acting, it requires a sense of true self and receptiveness. Do not try to be anyone but yourself. You will find that there is more success in following a path only you can lead opposed to trying to replicate someone else’s. Mistakes are a necessary evil when growing artistically but never shut down. Like my father says “Fail Forward!” I myself am a much better artist for having listened to my mistakes and used them to push myself in the direction of growth and experience. It’s so easy to get set in your ways and “play it safe” artistically. I would recommend to young actors to find classes, try improv or theatre, even take a stab at writing. Do things that scare you. If it feels uncomfortable or foreign that means you should definitely do it. Not only are you growing and pushing yourself as a creative but you could find a new talent in yourself that you didn’t know you had and it could possibly transform your entire creative career. Support systems are very important as there are a lot of highs and lows following this career path. It can feel lonely and stagnant at times which is why it’s very important to have grounded and encouraging people behind you.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The greatest challenge I battle today is a challenge that I’ve been facing most of my artistic life-perfectionism and therefore second guessing myself. I’ve found that a lot of artists are like this and there is an awareness we have to keep in order to counter these tendencies. Because the reality is that “perfect” doesn’t exist especially in the realm of art which will always be in one way or another quite subjective to its audience. You can’t please everyone, not everyone is going to “get it” and that’s okay.
Worrying about being right or wrong, good or bad, when it comes to creating art is such a waste of emotion and energy. You’re creating a pressure for yourself that doesn’t help create your most truthful art and a stress that otherwise wouldn’t even exist if you didn’t give it the power to. That’s why writing and producing these days has significantly helped in regards to my anxiety of being a perfect artist and because of that has also made me a freer actor when performing. I’m unlearning a lot of habits that were holding me back and I’m learning new things that keep me humbled and grounded. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone more through exploring new vulnerabilities in the way I can story tell is effectively fighting all of those pesky little voices in the back of my head telling me that something has to ever be done one way. I’m finding more comfort and thrill with creating in my own ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sammysmedley.com
- Instagram: sammy_smeds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sammysmedleyactress
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@SammySmedley
Image Credits
SubUrban Photography Fortway Media
