We were lucky to catch up with Al Martin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Al, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

When starting off as an actor, I knew right off the bat that training was ESSENTIAL. In anything, if you want to become exceptional at what you are pursuing, you must train hard and work at it constantly. I started by picking up as many books on acting as I could, as well as finding a great class with an instructor who was vetted and acclaimed. And, you know what, I’m a firm believer in everything being in the right timing. That stems from my spiritual background. So, speeding up the process, or slowing down the process is something that I never really focus on because the timing of where we all are in our journey’s is always perfect. I truly believe that. Some of the most essential skills that I have found within the craft of acting are voice, emotional openness, and true listening. The only obstacle in the way of learning more is an attitude of ‘I know it all’. When you start to believe that as an actor, then you stop growing. Acting is human concentrate of the human experience. As humans we are all evolving and growing day by day, so, as an actor, how can you EVER stop growing?

Al, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Al Martin and I’m born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. I got in to the industry almost seven years ago when I felt a true spiritual calling to the craft. From there I was referred to an acting instructor from a friend of mines who was / is pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles. My brand as an actor is in centered in the ‘drama / action’ genres. I place an emphasis on inspiring audiences who are lost and enduring hardships. That is a personal journey throughout my life as someone who has grown up in an economically challenged city, like Detroit, and as the son of divorced parents. I rely on my unwavering faith, cultivated throughout my life journey by my loving grandparents. That faith is on display in the characters I embody, sending a message that pain and tribulation are temporary.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the self-discovery and empathy that encompasses the process. As an actor I’m constantly challenged to dig into my emotional history to try and find what the character may be feeling. Also, at the same time there are characters that I’ve played as an actor that have experienced certain things that are foreign to me. That’s where empathy comes into play. The willingness to try and relate to a character who thinks differently than you do…who feels differently than you do…who believes differently than you do…true EMPATHY is a beautiful journey that cultivates more love for all humankind. It’s something that we need more of as people on this Earth.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

A book that has tremendously impacted how I think and move as a human being and as a professional is, without question, ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho. It’s a book that touches on themes such as dreams, overcoming obstacles, enlightenment. At the core of Coelho’s body of work is a central message on dream-chasing and how we all have what we need and what it takes to make our biggest, most ambitious dreams come true. It’s an incredible body of work that I frequently visit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.actoralmartin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__almartin/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlMartinWKAR