Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Vitovich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Michael, appreciate you joining us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
Investments are tough when funds are limited. I always think of the saying the time is money. As a business owner you need to think of terms of time spent and momentum generated. Always invest in yourself, know any job well enough so you know how to get the job done and how to improve upon the job you’re doing. With my life and my brand of who I am my life is about balance. When I make an income performing autopsies or consulting I make sure that I have the items to do the work safely and to the best of my ability, items for people to know more about me and my business and research for travel, knowledge and progress.
Always, always think about where you are focused, where you are going and how are you going to get there. Small projects, are steps towards a bigger goal.
My goal is to be a working actor and business owner that helps people in dark times find closure. Invest in you, your growth and your progress and you can’t go wrong, as long as your direction is firm and you’re committed to your goals
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 background and context?
In life we come to a place, where we have to decide is life going to happen to us or for us. I was faced with this question after being in an industry for a decade.
I was working as a pathologist assistant for the medical examiner’s office in Cuyahoga County in Cleveland, Ohio. There I worked performing autopsies until the day I was diagnosed with an aggressive form kind of cancer. I had three surgeries over four months I was questing my future. I was unable to perform the physical activities of an autopsy so I had to problem solve a better future for myself. I observed I need within the community for an increased level of education and communication working a crime scene is a team sport and if everyone works together, the job is done to the best of everyone’s abilities. I created, coordinated and ran a program that offered free education to first responders when dealing with a live active crime scene it consisted of eight hours of class time and eight hours of practical time in working on mock crime scenes. Participants were educated by some of the best locally in the business on the standards of how to work and process a crime scene. It was a community partner-based program that included the FBI, The School of Law at the local college, the medical examiner’s office, and the local police force. I’ve always believed that it’s better to sweat in peace than bleed during war.
The program became very successful and that’s where the division started. I was starting to be pulled into two different directions. I became unhappy in my work, lack of assistance, long hours, and constant bureaucratic fights to gain an inch of progress, I had performed autopsies on a few close high school friends that and passed away and I needed a complete break. I felt helpless and my passion was burnt out. I started the private autopsy service and under that I started consulting with lawyers for legal cases. This was when Two Ravens Consulting was started.
I named Two Ravens Consulting because I believed strongly in that with the right set of eyes and experience you can help. The Two Ravens idea came from Huginn and Muninn from Norse mythology, these were the two messengers’ voices of the people and information who gathered up truth and they sat on the shoulders of Odin. I felt that I could inform, assist, help and be a sentinel of justice for those in need. I could provide a service during difficult times in order to help families find closure.
I am an expert witness, investigator, specialized technician, and owner of Two Ravens Consulting. The goal and mission statement is to provide knowledge and truth for people seeking it. It is performed through review, investigation, and performance of autopsies in order to provide closure for families dealing with losses. I currently work and am consulted by people all over the United States for various issues and concerns in dealing with the death of a loved one.
After 26 years of working in a field of death and dying you need to be able to find a healthy and happy way for you to deal with such tragedy on a daily basis. While taking personal stock of my life, my abilities, and my directions in order to achieve my goal. I found other outlets for my passion when there were moments of stillness. During this time, I have always found a way to align my passion with my efforts. This time was different, I saw a direction that I wanted to go, so I started to push and try a path that I didn’t have the confidence to go on when younger.
I was looking for something within me that I thought I lost when I was given to be an extra in the Marvel movie Captain American Winter Soldier. I had this amazing moment on set where I met and talked to Stan Lee and he gave me advice to follow my dreams and why it was important.
I started following my path of acting and I performed where ever I could, I attacked it with projects, I embraced every bit of knowledge and opportunity that I could get. I acted in stage plays, short films, feature films, and even commercials for friends and family it didn’t matter. Knowing that I was late to the game and how hard the path is to become an actor, I focused on working and nothing more. I am proud to say that I have been seen on Showtime, NBC, Lifetime Network and Investigation Discovery Network. It has been a long way but I am not done yet. I am horrible with rejection and I get nervous when talking to people, so acting has been a trying and heart-breaking thing for me. My advice for young actors would sound like this: Do it for the work and the projects but never the pay. The money will come but it won’t be there when you need it…. focus on growth and not the path, if you grow as a person and artist, your path will find your feet.
I am dyslexic and it took me longer to learn how I need to learn because it is not the conventional style that everyone else learns. With this approach, and years of doing it and pushing myself, I am proud to say that I have learned my strengths and weaknesses in order to reach a higher potential.
My brand is simple, it is effort, passion, knowledge, and a genuine heart. I prove everything that I have within and more. I have sublimated parts of myself in order to provide a useful and practical direction. I have always had an ability to dive in, learn, research, and think of a solution to the best approach that works with my skill set. The feeling of being vital is important and you can’t look for others to find that within you because they don’t know you like you should know yourself.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Give them space, give them support and give them patience…. most of all judge slowly, find out what is trying to be said.
Having the environment to create, search and define your viewpoints without fear, is vital to growth.
As a society we can foster tolerance through understanding an individual’s viewpoints. Everyone’s viewpoints should and must be heard in order to provide a happy and thriving ecosystem. As creatives we should also hold the responsibility of importance of statements. There is a difference between attention and seeking attention. We should view, donate, and support each other in this journey of life. Self-expression only helps us all to grow as a society.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I get cast as a villain a lot of the time. I have been racist, Nazi, serial killer, standard killer, drunk, child molester, child trafficker, mad scientist, pervert, crooked cop, ax murderer homophobic, xenophobic, reincarnated Santa, back alley doctor, White House advisor and an embodiment of evil.
The struggle for non-creatives comes with how can I be in roles like this, they tell me that I must be these things…. But I have also played a father, concerned friend, cancer survivor, wounded veteran, preacher, magician, artist, murder victim and secret agent.
Telling a story and telling it well takes many things and has so many moving parts. That is why it is a collaboration, as a team to finish a film. My job as a creative person is to be “all in” on whatever project I am part of and if you are not “all in” then out of respect for the project, get out. Money is one thing and yes we all need it now more than ever, but someone’s vision and someone’s dream is sacred…..and if someone can’t tell you what their vision is for a project …… you back away because you should always try to connect with the material.
I have worked for longer in the non-creative life than the creative side…. I personally found that life has felt better when I embrace the creative aspect of myself. I can give more, love more, and be more when being creative in life. I feel that non-creators do not understand the need to connect in order to access the passion within someone’s soul. Non-creators only focus more on getting the job done or motivations behind it. Sometimes doing the job is the reward. Not performing for praise but performing for oneself and their individual path they are walking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6649499/
- Instagram: @morguecandy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelvitovich/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vitovich-8a554765
- Twitter: @morguecandy
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCblyjKHfGjc86RzdMOZf93g
Image Credits
Michael Nouri Bernie Wentzal