Meet Billy Dunston


We were lucky to catch up with Billy Dunston recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Billy, 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 got my resilience from the military and Brazilian jujitsu. There is a mental toughness developed by willfully putting yourself into difficult situations. No 14-hour day on a movie set will ever be as challenging as an hours-long gunfight over uneven terrain. While that is an extreme circumstance, We all have something devastating, but we are still here. Divorce, death of a loved one, etc. Eventually, we bounce back it’s human nature. Resilience in the film industry is one of the best skills to develop. You’ll hear hundreds of “No” before you get one “Yes” and when that’s done, the cycle starts over. There are no guarantees but it’s done for the love of the art and it’s a long game.

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 SAG-AFTRA actor based out of Portland Oregon. Acting is how the bills are paid, but recently I’ve also begun writing and directing. I wanted to understand both sides of the camera and in doing so it’s made me a more well-rounded actor. While filmmaking is hectic, there is nothing more satisfying than watching multiple artists come together on a film. From HMU artists, and G&E to editors, seeing the project come to life is always a feat. I’m currently producing my web series “Betrayal and Bullet” and attending the WGF veteran program.

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?
When it comes to filmmaking the three things that helped me the most were being resilient, deciphering criticism, and communication. Film is a collaborative process and nothing ever goes completely smoothly. The skills listed above help me be flexible and creative in a bind. No one does it alone and taking care of the people around you will help you make it over any hurdles along the way.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
“Secrets of screen acting” by Patrick Tucker is by far my favorite book on acting. The book covers classic and modern acting styles along with time-stamped examples from movies. It’s the book I always recommend to anyone looking to dive into acting or public speaking.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Jin Rye Tim Coyle Lance Reis Naji Saker Tac Gas

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