We were lucky to catch up with Ginger Britt Daniels recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ginger Britt, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have been in the entertainment industry in some facet for a couple of decades now and I believe that living a full life that is rich with experience, good or bad, hopefully both helps creatives to have a better perspective with taking risks. A risk can be a scary endeavor, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know, will you? If you have multiple talents in other creative fields, it is a good idea to open yourself to all possibilities while still knowing what you want your end goal to be. For example, I was just a couple of years into returning to the industry as an actress once again, and the pandemic hit. I used my creative talents as a writer and a producer at that time to create an acting vehicle for myself that is just beginning to get some festival love. I worked with such an amazing team of creatives on this project that I would have never met if I hadn’t jumped in with my whole self and taken that risk. Was I scared? Yes, but I knew that it was a risk worth taking, even if the outcome was not what I’d imagined. Let me tell you, it was better than I’d ever dreamed, because I believed that it would be. Did I have doubts along the way? Absolutely, but I just kept myself focused, and kept telling myself it would work out. Also, I was able to pull from my life’s experiences to enrich my character, and to tell a hopefully compelling story as well.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started acting, singing, and dancing professionally in New York City musical theatre in my very early twenties. This led to working in film and television, eventually moving to Los Angeles, and even touring as a drummer in a girl band in my early thirties. I have always kept myself versatile as a performer, and I truly love being an actor, and a singer, and a musician. Now I also love writing and have always loved songwriting. I’ve learned over the years that when I couldn’t get hired at one thing, I’d get hired at another because I was multifaceted in this way. I’m super proud of all the work I’ve ever done. That I’ve had huge work opportunities that were just as significant and wonderful as some small ones. I try to learn from every experience I’m given or that I create so that I can continue to grow as an artist and a human. A short film I produced, wrote, and played the lead character in just won a leading actress award for me from Women’s International Film Festival, and this film was also just nominated for best short drama at New York Cinefest. We screened in New York where the film took place, and where I began my career, which was very meaningful to me. I have been writing a feature length thriller screenplay that was selected for International Screenwriter’s Association for both their Emerging Screenwriters Genre Competition and their Drama Competition, and I just learned I am a semi finalist for this same script for Santa Barbara International Movie Awards for best unproduced script. I’m also writing a musical/drama for television that I’ve been having a wonderful time composing the music for. I’ve been working with a producer/arranger, Michael Rosen who I’ve known for more than ten years. It’s been so wonderful, though everything is currently on hold with both projects as I am in full support of the WGA Strike.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was in my thirties I had a tough time navigating my career. I had the weight of my past, the recent death of my father, a marriage that was abusive all hanging around my neck. It was a very difficult time for me and I was forced to step away from much of what I loved. I did not pursue any of my creative talents as a business for several years. During this time, I felt lost and continued to sink in my life as I tried to rescue everyone else around me. It’s easier to focus on others when you do not know what to do for yourself, but that doesn’t help them or you, or anyone. When I finally got around to saving myself, it was an extremely hard journey. I felt I got knocked down repeatedly. People that supposedly had me in their best interest were calling me, “has been” and “too old for all this now.” I used meditation and my Buddhist practice to continue to advance forward, even when I felt I could not. I pushed myself, and knew in my heart that acting, singing, working as a creative was what I was always meant for. It will happen. It will because it’s what I’m meant for. I still repeat this mantra to myself, and now only surround myself with those who have good intentions for me that I can reciprocate. It’s a good place to be, but you have to believe.

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

I love being a creative artist because I love how I can affect someone I don’t even know with my work. As I’ve been going on the film festival circuit with my short, Not Like The Other Girls, I have had several audience members, creatives and non creatives alike approach me and tell me how this film I wrote and acted in affected them in a profound way. It’s so humbling, and truly overwhelming to hear how your art has touched another being. It’s amazing, and feels almost silly to talk about because I’m just this woman who made something from my heart, right? But I guess that’s why it affects people. When you fearlessly show your heart, that’s when you can connect with other souls.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.linktr.ee/Gingerbrittdaniels
• Instagram: @Gingerbrittdaniels
• Youtube: @GingerPantsProductions

Image Credits
Jesse Ashton Jim Brock Tina B Brandon Haynes