We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brittany Benjamin . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brittany below.
Brittany , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?
My agent is Mark Measures of KMR Talent. The agency is tricoastal and has offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Mark is based out of LA, and since I am based out of Minneapolis, it was a chance encounter that led me to meet Mark on an app called Clubhouse. Mark devotes time to helping performers understand the business by content on his regular podcast, as well as time in a clubhouse room weekly. I happened to hear him speak one day and reached out to ask him if he would look at my materials. To be perfectly honest, for all my aspiring actors out there, half the battle is having quality work to share, and getting a legitimate and seasoned agent to watch it. Mark and I hit it off from the start. I believe this is because not only did I appreciate and value his candor and expertise, but he valued my talent and drive. An agent and actor relationship is a two way street and both agent and talent need to be doing their part to the best of their abilities. Often times an agent won’t feel compelled to work hard for a particular actor simply because said actor doesn’t seem to be reciprocating the effort. Actors, the simple way to get work and motivate your agent to get you quality auditions is by working your tail off to hand in quality auditions—on time. A quality audition is a researched, carefully crafted performance. In my opinion it is best to be fully memorized and also have read the script if it was provided for you. I understand this is incredibly time consuming but there is really no way around the hard work. If you and your agent are on the same page, it will be a sort of symbiotic relationship. Mark and I are certainly on the same page and I am incredibly grateful he has sent me the biggest and best audition opportunities possible.
Brittany , 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?
I got into the entertainment business when I was fairly young. I decided there was nothing I could do better than act, sing, and dance. I always enjoyed the process of learning the deep and complex yearnings of each character in a story, and I felt a connection to the performing arts very early in life. I believe God gives each of us gifts, and I wanted nothing more than to use the gifts I had. I began, like many people do, in school plays, vocal groups, competitions, and performances through school, as well as groups and clubs outside of school. I majored in Theatre Arts at the University of Minnesota and it was there I got my first agent Carol McCormick of Moore Creative Talent. I signed exclusively with that agency and worked in and around Minneapolis/St. Paul in print, commercial, voice over, and narrative work for years before heading to Los Angeles for a pilot season.
At that point in my life, newly married and wanting to start a family, I returned to the Midwest where my husband and I had our four kids.
I am grateful I have had the opportunity to be a working actor and professional singer for many years and as of the last few years I have been writing screen plays, creating and directing my own work, and regularly using my singing voice to praise God. I continually learn more and more about the business and how it’s growing and changing with each new year. I have an ongoing and continually renewed passion to produce quality work and use my skills and talents to create the best work possible. I am always eager and willing for more opportunity for work that aligns with my overall vision and values.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Being resilient is an essential quality in the acting world. It is easy and common to let crushing self doubt, feelings of rejection, and the negative thoughts over take your will to continue on in the entertainment business. Recently I was listening to someone on social media talk about rejection in the acting world, and it was so fascinating and true. He said you aren’t being rejected. The job isn’t yours. You are bravely putting yourself in the running but someone else’s acceptance isn’t your rejection. Not getting the job a lot of times has nothing to do with whether or not you are as good as the person who got the job.
In my opinion this is the way to think about acting. Sure, as an actor you “interview” for a job more often than the average working person, but not getting the job is quite largely out of your control. So, just work really hard at all of the things you can control and leave the rest out of the equation. Don’t get down on yourself unless you haven’t delivered on something within your control. You can’t control your height, your skin color, your body type, or whether or not you have an uncle in the business. Take classes, better your acting, learn as much as you can about the business as a whole and about each individual job and character. The rest isn’t up to you.
This general mindset is true in so many facets of life. Resilience starts with knowledge and acceptance of the things you can not change and the will, wisdom and stamina to continue on in the face of adversity.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect about being a creative is the joy. There is really nothing better than creating art and when you get to do it for a living you are blessed beyond measure. People are and always will be moved by visual art, performance art, and music. Sometimes the only way to cope with our darkest days is the joy of art, music, comedy. I believe films and songs can inspire change in so many ways. Yes, the most talked about change is socially or politically. But I believe art inspires change in each individual’s heart. If my art can change one person’s heart to live in love rather than fear, anger, pain, or resentment, I have done exactly what I set out to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brittanybenjamin.com
- Instagram: @brittanybenjaminofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittanybenjaminofficial?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: IMDb.me/brittanybenjamin
Image Credits
Ben Safke Photography