Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Crane. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents encouraged me to have a well rounded education, and try a ton of new things! They supported me in my interests and equipped me with confidence and an ability to self-teach & problem solve. I knew that I wanted to be a storyteller from a young age, and they listened to my stories, watched my living room plays, read my short stories, and then signed me up for writing and theater classes and did whatever they could to help me explore my interests. When I wanted to play soccer, they made it happen. When I wanted to learn how to rock climb, we did that too. They taught me to surround myself with mentors and teachers who would speak into my life, and they taught me how to sift through constructive criticism so that I could constantly learn, grow, and seek out positive role models. They showed me what having a healthy relationship was like, so I knew which friends to keep, which influences to listen to, and how to make decisions on my own.
Ashley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Ashley Crane. I’m a storyteller. I act, write, sing, create films, and teach! I live in the southeast and work up and down the east coast. I love to climb, kayak, and read, as well as hang out with family, friends, and my furry friend, Maddie!
I began writing and acting as soon as I could pick up a pencil and speak. I started theater at the age of six, and picked up our family’s video camera to begin making films as soon as I could. I took all of the creative classes I could take through high school, and into college. I graduated with a degree in Communications and a minor in Filmmaking, with a focus on Screen Acting & Screenwriting. After graduation, I returned home to teach at the theater I grew up at, found an agent, and began auditioning. I later moved to NYC, where I worked in production, taught at a few acting studios, and took classes as well. During covid, I returned to the southeast and connected with the community here, making films with locals and continuing to audition for work all over the country. I began teaching again in this area, and reconnected with the film festival I’d helped to start up in 2015. I took on the Director of Education role, and we’ve been growing ever since!
In addition to coaching actors and teaching Screen Acting & Filmmaking, I am actively optioning scripts and auditioning. As the Director of Education for the Tryon International Film Festival, I am thrilled to offer a Media Arts Career & Education Day, as well as over 25 Filmmaking Educational Sessions taught by filmmakers from all over the world each October.
Nothing excites me more than seeing others accomplish their goals, no matter what the goal is. Whether I’m helping a student audition for a community theater production or for a Broadway show, whether they’re sending in a self tape for a local commercial or a feature film, or even working up the courage to introduce themselves to the filmmaking session host, I’m happy to help.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
One thing that I’ve experienced in the past that has led me to believe that non-creatives struggle to understand about my journey as a creative:
Creative energy!
Creatives need space and time to focus on their projects!
Creative projects are still work, and even if I’m not getting paid in the same timeline as some are used to, I’m still (hopefully) getting paid. In order to do my best work, I need my creative brain to be in good shape, and that’s hard when you’re not being emotionally and mentally supported by your loved ones, and even harder when you struggle to find financial support.
Scholarships, Residencies, and Grant Money is so important to the arts community!
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I love sharing resources I utilize! Here are a few:
– Studiobinder’s Youtube Channel. Whether you’re a filmmaker, an actor, or a writer, these videos are invaluable. It’s like a Masters in Filmmaking for free! Actors, you can learn so much about how Directors and Cinematographers make the decisions they make, and learn how to adjust your performance to the camera. For everyone else, watch as many of these videos as you can. Once you know the rules, then you can break them.
(I’d like to take a moment to hop up on a soap box and beg actors to learn how to edit, even on a basic level. Learning how to edit your self tapes is an amazing start. Being equipped to do everything on your own takes so much stress from self tapes and allows you to focus on your performances. And it saves you money! Studiobinder has some incredible editing tutorials!)
– How to Avoid the Cutting Room Floor, by Jordan Goldman. Jordan is an editor who wrote a book for actors about what process editors go through when deciding what footage makes it into the final cut. And you want to make it into the final cut!
– Story, by Robert McKee. This book is great for all filmmakers and actors… a book about screenwriting and how to formulate a story. Even if you’re not a writer, this will help you with your storytelling skills and help you make the most interesting choices in your industry area.
– Watch as many Behind-the-Scenes documentaries as you can, starting with Vivian Kubrick’s doc, “The Making of The Shining”. It’s so important to learn about what life on set looks like so that you know what to expect on your first day.
– In this post-covid age, there are so many online classes out there taught by incredible teachers and coaches, and tons of them are offering free sample classes. Don’t let your location hinder you from the career that you want!
– CELL PHONES. Oh my goodness, I remember when I first started doing self tapes, it was a nightmare. I had to prop up a video camera on a stack of books on a table and have my mom read with me. Then I had to upload the footage to my computer, edit it, and turn it in. Now, everything you need is in your pocket. Your cell phone more than likely has an incredible camera on it. For $25, you can buy a ring light with a tripod and a phone holder. Stand in front of a blank area in your house (or buy some fabric or a pop up backdrop!), and voila. You’ve got a professional quality self-tape. You can shoot, edit, and upload all on your phone.
– Online scripts! Just because you’re not getting auditions doesn’t mean you can’t “work”. Grab a few scenes online and tape yourself. Tape your monologues. Write your own work and tape it. Don’t sit around and wait for someone… watch your work and self-critique. Pour your energy in doing what you want to do, and I promise it will pay off.
Contact Info:
- Website: ashleyncrane.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-crane-3a540033?challengeId=AQFmAlkfCiI8VQAAAYkNXqcEFJOa5_th1sQqc2ozQ2eX4IS85LXxH7mO-n6-PLXzwtQS-0dVOSTN9khN_1kQF3drOcTzOxi3iA&submissionId=f6557e74-4180-6d17-ee14-d535e17f9f31&challengeSource=AgF48MYzYesgzgAAAYkNX2gjthxTRya5m7aPoLie8eYiMal7rcNiy7Jh2IaSOcY&challegeType=AgEbjqfNlncddQAAAYkNX2gnQPkkfR7c1VeobwCOaq1N1cwkzksQKLA&memberId=AgFFkqvWkIAW7QAAAYkNX2gqR1RO0Ai6tFnmbJRdKZMEaVQ&recognizeDevice=AgHk5adXfTMI0QAAAYkNX2gtVJwF5b7KByhpw2S7r0gSFqhvBh9B
Image Credits
Quality Insurance Screenshot – I have permission