We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Grayson Berry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Grayson below.

Grayson, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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 have been earning a full-time living as an Actor-Director-Producer for the past 5 years or so.. Shooting in different markets has been especially fun, and I never mind hotel rooms. I’m grateful each and every time I get the pleasure of being on set. So much so that I’ve abandoned my cell phone for the joy of taking it all in. And I’ve had some wonderful conversations as a result. I don’t want to say Acting is a vacation after Directing-Producing, but it’s close, in that, your focus is “singular.” If you’ve done all the preparation (enough where you won’t kick yourself after) it seems to be about letting go. I did a recurring on Days of Our Lives in 2023, and it was quite the experience. They are shooting 60 plus pages a day. Most network shows shoot 8 (max) for comparison. I got to play the “Interim Mayor Of Salem,” classic baddy, opposite James Reynolds, a Daytime legend. Jim can actually trace historical events based on where his “character arc” was that given year haha.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am trying to make Acting the focus for this one, but I’d be crazy not to think my writing and producing hasn’t had an impact. Our Production Co. has started a comic Feature called Carlton Taylor Has: aka Major Problems, in which I play MAJOR, CARLTON’S childhood imaginary friend, who takes him on a Bill & Ted’s journey through time and space. My intro to Carlton scene is next, and I’m feeling the joy. My mom, a former Hollywood actress in the 60’s (The Green Hornet, Patty Duke) gave me sage advice from the start: “it’s only and always about the part”. Deniro was friends with Scorcese and DePamla, etc, and all those amazing 70’s actors are who they are because of a role. I started late, at 27, after working as a Sports Anchor & News Reporter out of University of San Diego.
I wouldn’t trade that experience, as it informed my world view, but I was in search of the all-illusive ‘more’ haha
But that is really the last ‘degree-related job’ I’ve had, so the decision to abandon financial security hasn’t been all bad. Living statue work, a reindeer-horned Expedia promoter, catering, dropping off & picking up real estate signs, and extra work, are a few of the bill-paying gigs from my Los Angeles days. Wouldn’t trade those either. That’s a lie Haha

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

That I’m still alive and have all my limbs. I have to reverse engineer to give myself perspective. Otherwise, all the waiting for the phone to ring is too painful. And that goes for Producing/Directing as well. 22 years and I counted every month. That’s how long I’ve been doing this thing, and I’ve given up, on average: once or twice a year. Then you ask “what else are you going to do?” If, after consulting the bones, and getting bad advice, you can’t come up with anything, that’s probably it.
So ENJOY it. It’s amazing when shooting a client’s “passion project” to see their eyes light up and watch them float while it comes to life. It’s beautiful. And we get to see ourselves in them. I told a client recently: “What a mind f&&& that in a business that is supposedly all about “us,” it really has zero to do with YOU?” Sure, Ben Stiller can say “well it really is a meritocracy.” But it’s far from it, on both sides. Our company gets to value “Performance Quality,” which rarely gets considered. But I can tell you from starting our film festival and seeing countless titles: Out of Production Quality, Writing, Editing, and Acting, Acting gets neglected the most, by a landslide. If what’s happening in the frame isn’t interesting, the composition means nothing.
But it’s painful to put in all the private work and not have it seen by the public. No getting around that.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

That’s a great question. A time we had to Pivot Careers? I guess that’s leaving the security of Broadcasting 22 years ago, for Acting in LA. It’s a story as old as time. I had a good Broadcasting agent that got me a job in Medford, OR as the Sports Director for the ABC affiliate. A big move up from being the “swiss army knife weekend guy.” Even the GM at my station would say “Don’t leave here until you have another job Grayson.” When telling my agent “I think I’m going to be an Actor,” she responded: “Grayson…I’m only going to tell you this once. You don’t want to do that” Haha. But I’m always pivoting. Currently it’s trying to raise money to finish “Major Problems,” and “Faith In Miracles” a Documentary Feature I’m Directing. Asking people for money is counter to everything in my body, because of my personal experiences of people asking me for money. But you can’t shoot films for free, and I own the fact that we’re trying to make great films, and not just fill a niche. Over half of MP’s is in the can, so check back with me in 6 months to see if this pivot has failed. I’m seeing a theme here. Failure. Pain. That’s the good life haha

Contact Info:

• Website: graysonberryproductions.com
• Instagram: @graysonberryproductions.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graysonberry1/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChgTf6fOOf2kAy5WQ1H6yVQ