We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Beatty. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.

Hi David, thanks for joining 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.

If I roll back the clock and remember the first time I took ART seriously, it would have to be my ceramics class in high school. That was over 30 years ago and I still remember the importance of learning the habitual tools and skills needed to create work. And every art form has it. There are physical and mental things to learn in order to become an accomplished artist in your field. Since then, I have continued my ceramic work, however, I have also become an actor, writer, filmmaker, artist and teacher. Looking back at those years, I have come to acknowledge that my strength as a creative is to always approach the work with curiosity. Which is also another way of saying that I work as if I’m always learning something new about the craft. In fact, I would argue that the only reason I continue to create is because I feel there is still something to learn. So to answer your question, I would not speed up the learning process but in all likelihood, find a way to slow it down because learning, expanding and growing never truly ends. Living in a state of constant curiosity is a form of evolution. As human beings we are natural creators. That’s what we do. And to evolve that creative nature, we must be curious. Always.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I took my first acting class in college. This was in 1993 at Adams State University in Alamosa Colorado. The professors – Dr. Carolyn Harper, Dr. Paul Newman and Jim Willis – changed my life forever when they welcomed me into that world. I immediately knew I was going to do this for the rest of my life. As most actors feel when we perform our first play, it’s as if you have come home. The theater department became my second family and I was hooked.

As for many people, acting is a gateway drug. My love of performance propelled me to write a play. Then writing launched me to directing. All the while, I continued acting, honoring the fact that it is, and will always be, my first love. However, as I continued working in other areas, I became aware that I had other talents that were brewing just beneath the surface, waiting to get out.

Fast forward to today, 2023, and I still work in theater, currently directing a play with actors Julie Phillips, Jacob Seidman and Ross Gosla. I’ve also continued acting in various project, TV shows and films. As well as writing, painting, photography and ceramics. In short, I am a jack of all trades. I really do love all forms of art and try to bring them together in most of my work.

Most recently, I wrote a book, “An Actor’s Process” currently available on Amazon. It explores the many tips, tools and techniques I’ve learned over my 30 year career. It approaches acting from the point of view that if you develop your craft and hone your skills, you will more fully understand your work, grow into a more self actualized artist and discover that you too have something to say about the art of acting.

However, the majority of my art over the years has been the creation of original work.

For example, I’m currently writing a feature film that is set in Los Angeles and follows a group of artists. Some are just starting out and others have been in the business for a long time. Some are successful, while others are not. In my process of writing, I’ve taken on the role of creating all the art in the movie. I paint from the perspective of one character, write music with the ear of another, and create ceramic sculptures for an entirely different character. In other words, I’m the art department. It’s a way for me to continue to make films and explore my love of art, art history and the diverse economic social structure of the characters that inhabit the art world.

I think what sets me apart from many filmmakers living and working in Los Angeles is that I approach all of my work from a very independent, DIY approach. Because I have embraced being a producer of my own projects, I can write my films to be manageable. I know my production costs as I write. I often know the people I will work with, my cast and crew as well as the locations I will shoot. I am a very pragmatic filmmaker interested in character, story and breaking the rules of filmmaking. I want to surprise myself and challenge myself. I truly appreciate producers who spend years getting a project made, playing the long game of their film projects. However, my grass roots approach, with simple production value has given me the opportunity to create dozens of projects and work with so many talented and creative people.

As a prolific, independent, DIY filmmaker, I’ve never been happier or more content with the amount of content I’ve created and continue to create.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The year was 2003. I had been living in Los Angeles for several years with my complete attention on being a working actor in Film and TV. Over these years I became completely absorbed in the entertainment business. The lesson I was learning was that in order to be a successful actor, I had to be on TV or do a big Hollywood motion picture. Although I was trained in the theater, I was drinking the kool-aide that the only way to be successful was to be in Hollywood and be on TV. It was a completely narrow minded way of thinking. It was all consuming and I was miserable. It was a lesson I had to unlearn.

So I applied to graduate school and went to UC Davis where I was introduced to Anne Bogart, Rinde Eckert, Sarah Jones, Della Davidson, Dyan McBride, Katie Ruben, Danny Hoch and so many more. I saw how other actors and artists lived and worked, quite successfully, outside of Los Angeles.

I didn’t see that the world was much bigger. That to be an actor, I didn’t have to live in Los Angeles to be happy, continuously creative and be surrounded by wonderfully talented people.

In 2011, I decided to move back to Los Angeles. I found myself in a new acting class, new agent and once again auditioning for TV and film. However, this time I approach it with new eyes. I’m older, more experienced and less interested in an old school philosophy of what it means to be a working actor in LA. I embrace making my own content, expanding my world of creativity and as a result, I’m much happier.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.davidbeatty.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_david_beatty_/