Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Castrillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I’ve always loved the arts. I was a theater kid, a band kid, a chorus kid, etc… I got a BFA in Media Arts and Animation. I knew from a young age that I wanted to tell stories and perform. My parents won’t let me live down the time I ran up on stage for a karaoke competition in Coney Island. (I sang Oops, I did it again, of course.)
I fell out of creative spaces after college but found my footing on social media during COVID.
I’ve not only been able to find community talking about what I love, but participating in it.
Amanda, 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?
I took a leap making content creation and social producing my main job. I was working in retail after college and wasn’t able to find a job in the industry I got a degree in (Media Arts and Animation.)
I had to be bold and blunt a lot of the time. Before I got signed with any kind of management, I was handling the content creation and negotiation stuff all on my own. I had friends help and give advice here and there, but I spent a lot of hours researching public relations contacts, influencer marketing contacts, etc… I often ended up cold-emailing companies with my media kit and a blurb about myself and hoping for a response.
I was very fortunate to get responses and make connections. It’s not an easy industry to get into, and I’m still paving my way and learning a lot.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to show people a different point of view that they may not have otherwise considered. Art imitates life and vice versa. Entertainment such as movies and tv shows are not only products of humanity and personal experiences, but ways to convey lessons and messages.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
As someone who has been a creative all my life, people often assume that because it’s fun it’s not work. I know I have an unconventional job. My day to day life looks very different from the average person, and I can only assume it will change more as my presence grows. While my hardest day doing this is still better than my best day in customer service, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any bad days. There isn’t a lot of down time, so I definitely have to make time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amandajustvibin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandajustvibin?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: N/A
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-castrillo-3b9b8a180
- Twitter: N/A
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@amandacastrillo?feature=shared
- Yelp: N/A
- Soundcloud: N/A
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandajustvibin?_t=8nMwKNPiEpy&_r=1
Image Credits
Main photo by Danielle McBrayer
https://www.instagram.com/dphotopro?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==