We recently connected with Dan Payne and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have been very fortunate to be able to make a living from my creative work. My love of performance and the ‘demand’ of performance in front of an audience came via sports. My first career as a professional athlete awoke that relationship of connection and communication with an audience through performance. When I retired from sport, I still deeply craved that experience and traded the gym for the stage. In the beginning, it was a very difficult transition. I spent numerous years learning to achieve my personal best as an athlete but was now entering a whole new world as a complete rookie. Sports had given me the willpower and fortitude to push through rejection and falling on my face… and I fell on my face a lot in the beginning. But every one of those face plants was an opportunity to learn. And I had a passion for acting that was growing stronger with every moment and every lesson. When I finally realized that the storytelling came through the filter of me and my life experiences, I began to grow as an artist. I started out with commercials and ‘one line’ auditions. I had to work my way up the ladder and eventually got my first principal role then supporting role followed by my first guest star and then finally lead role. Each stage of that journey involved a great deal of learning through classes, peers, and ‘trial by fire’. In the early days, I did whatever it took, whatever non-industry job it took to keep my days free to take classes or get to auditions. Once I began working in the industry I started to explore every aspect of the industry I could (and could make a buck or two to keep the wolves at bay!). That work included being a reader for casting agents, Stunts, voice work as well as learning to write and create content and scripts. The opportunity to see the industry from all these different perspectives was one of the single greatest elements of building success. It gave me awareness and respect for all that goes into film. I wish I had figured out at a younger age to be a better sponge for all of that wonderful information and experience that was around me in order to have possibly achieved more at an earlier age. That said, this industry is beautiful in that you can start a career in acting at any age, find great success at any stage in your career, and have an incredible time no matter where you are in the game.

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 back background and context?

As I mentioned in the previous question, I’m a former professional athlete turned actor. The experience of being ‘on stage’ as an athlete carried over to a passion for acting. The love of storytelling has continue to grow from the very first day I decided to pursue this career and this industry. I love bringing characters of life and lifting script from the page. There are few things as euphoric as connecting with another actor during a scene and having the rest of the world around you disappear. It’s a state of bliss that I endeavour to return to at every opportunity I can. That often involves collaboration with other actors, directors, producers and casting agents. That process, when selfless, can’t be referred to as work as it is far too fun. I love to learn and this industry teaches me something new every single day. I am very proud of the fact that I have worked my way up from a completely inexperienced rookie to now having two decades in this industry. And I’m extremely proud of the work I’ve been able to be a part of – which my wife pointed out is, in a way, my legacy. For me, they are visual reminders of phenomenal experiences with incredible people doing a job I love. I just reread that line and can see how that might seem over the top but, for me, it’s true. I don’t foresee ever not doing this job. Every change brings about a new opportunity to learn and a new challenge.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A major component of the acting industry is rejection. Hearing ‘no’ is common place. And I believe, as an actor, you have to learn that it isn’t personal. That the rejection is usually based on something beyond your control. Therefore, the only thing you need to concern yourself with all those things that you can control. The industry definitely does help you grow a thicker skin. But if you don’t have a thick skin to begin with, it can eat you up as well. I was very grateful for the journey as an athlete to help me understand rejection, picking yourself up, and getting after something you truly want. As my brother and I always say, ‘get up one more time then they knock you down and you will be successful’. I’m proud of the fact that I found a career that no matter how much I have to battle or how much struggle it presents, I truly desire to keep battling on.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

At this stage in my career, my mission is to be able to create content in order to work with the people I want to work with. I’ve made a great deal of relationships and friends throughout my career and I can think of nothing better than to create content, make films, or be a part of projects with them. And I mean from top to bottom – cast, crew, directors, casting the entire thing!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @actorDanPayne

Image Credits
Rhonda Dent Helenna Santos