We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adrienne Rose White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Adrienne Rose, thanks for joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
I’m a big believer that creatives need an equity stake in their work, meaning that they need to own at least part of it. I’m happy to say that I earned a full-time living for my creative work, and it is part of my mission to help other creatives do the same.
How did I make it happen? I had a lot of stops along the way. I feel like a lot of people talk about their creative path – I’m going to tell you about the side hustle!
When I first got to LA, I started tutoring as my side hustle because I could write and audition during the day, and tutor in the evenings. I learned a lot from that time: how to get confident about new material very quickly, how to explain things in a way that a student would understand, and how to make an emotional connection so that there was an extra layer of support as they learned.
And maybe best of all, I made a lot of great organic relationships with families that were in TV, because I did my job well, and when they asked me what I was working on, I told them about my writing and acting work.
As I got better at my writing and acting craft, I would book a big commercial or sell a TV show to a network, and that would pay a nice chunk of change. But I didn’t want to quit tutoring until I had a consistent source of income. Because of that, I actually kept tutoring longer than I really should have. I didn’t yet realize that the skills I learned as a tutor set me up to be an incredible TV consultant. I had to get to a mental place where I was ready to take the leap into building something that I had ownership of. And that something is Something Truly Brilliant.
I think my process would have been faster if I had recognized my own skills sooner, and invested in coaches who had done what I wanted to do. I’ve had a few coaches help me figure out my next steps, and that has made all of the difference.
I make my living from the acting jobs I book, the shows I write, and the shows I help other people sell. It’s pretty great :)
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As an actor, I was frustrated that I wasn’t getting the type of roles that I wanted or projects I was passionate about, so I started writing. But as a writer, it took some time to figure out how the buying process works, and I had to figure out how to make it work for me. Flash-forward to the present, I have optioned or sold five TV shows with roles designed especially for me as an actor. Looking back now, I noticed that the way I approached my projects and my relationships was very different from how I saw other people doing it. At the best moments, it just felt like there was… flow.
Through my company, Something Truly Brilliant, I hope to share the knowledge and experience I’ve gained in the last decade to lower the barrier of entry for aspiring writers and actors interested in selling their own shows. Beyond that, I’ve helped people who don’t identify as creatives sell a show – the last show I sold to CBS came from an idea that a lawyer texted to me, and we developed it together. So I want to debunk the idea that you have to be a writer to sell a show. I’d also like to debunk many misconceptions about selling television shows so that creatives can begin pursuing their dreams with confidence rather than fear. Clarity: we love to see it.
At Something Truly Brilliant, we empower you to sell the authentic story only you can tell.
Ever notice that stunning storytelling on TV has a unique ability to foster empathy and connection? Us too. That’s why we’re passionate about helping you package your story and get it sold. Here’s the plan, friends:
Education
First, you’ll watch on-demand video lessons that guide you through every step of developing a TV concept that can sell for $100k or more. It worked for us, and it’ll work for you, too.
Creative Consulting
Then, you can apply those lessons to your project during workshops with me and other members in the community. Hi, new friends. You know we love a deep conversation.
Connect with TV Buyers
And last, we’ll show you how to get in touch with industry dealmakers. We’ve helped creatives get yeses from Netflix and Paramount, as well as meetings with their dream showrunners.
So if you want to have a clear ROADMAP for selling your show and the SUPPORT and CONFIDENCE to execute on it… come and play with us.
We’re doing a free workshop called “PITCH IMPERFECT: HOW TO SELL A TV SHOW” on Dec 7th, 9th, and 11th. Come find out how to go from “just an idea” to “just met with Netflix.”
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspecting of being a creative is sharing what I’ve learned with other aspiring creatives. That’s why I’m offering a free workshop “PITCH IMPERFECT: HOW TO SELL A TV SHOW” on Dec 7th, 9th, and 11th, 2023. Come find out how to go from “just an idea” to “just met with Netflix.” Visit sellashow.com to snag your spot.
We’re going to cover some of my favorite topics to debunk and demystify:
– How to get meetings with execs if you’re not a nepo-baby.
– How to mine your authentic experiences for storytelling gold.
– Why you don’t need a script and why getting it polished is the worst plan to get it sold.
– How to get your TV show idea to stop living rent free in your mind and started paying you. 💡💰
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Right now I’m reading “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” and it’s changing how I build my teams and run Something Truly Brilliant. It’s an incredible guide to living and leading consciously and authentically in groups and organizations.
Contact Info:
- Website: somethingtrulybrilliant.com
- Instagram: @adriennerosewhite and @somethingtrulybrilliant
Image Credits
Cameron Thrower