We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ginger Cressman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ginger, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

There are too many variables in life to wish we had done anything at any point, other than the point we started it. I personally started modeling in high school. A teacher of mine had started a fashion club, and through that I met a photographer. This photographer believed in me and helped me start my first model portfolio. He also introduced me to a friend of his who had formerly been signed with Ford Models in New York. She became a bit of a mentor, who helped me learn how to land a modeling agent, as well as how to protect myself as a young model.

I began acting in elementary school, getting involved in church Christmas plays or classroom plays at school. In high school, I joined the cast of our school play, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I was cast as the White Witch and immensely enjoyed the experience. As time progressed, I booked my first music video with Brooks & Dunn as well as my first commercial for the local state university.

Upon graduating college, I began a career in teaching, got married and had two children. During that time, I stepped back from the pursuit of a creative career. Once my children were old enough to be in preschool and elementary school, I delved back into modeling and acting with a new fervor and passion.

We never know what is going to come our way, or what would have gone differently if we had made different choices, so I don’t believe in wishing anything had been done any differently. Currently, I am having a blast working hard. Not to mention having bills to pay that involve my children gives me more motivation than I ever would have had on my own! Being a bit older, much more experienced in life, I also believe I am able to add a richness to my characters that only life can bring.

Ginger, 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 am a model and actress. I act in feature films, short films, commercials and anything else that comes my way. I also model for lifestyle shoots and occasional fashion shoots. I have had many lead roles and supporting roles. The deeper the character, the deeper dive I take into my own soul to bring that character to life. I enjoy the new experiences that are associated with acting, as no two days are ever alike! I travel often to wherever I need to be to make movies happen!

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

Any actress will tell you that if you aren’t resilient, this is probably not the career for you. We audition over and over again, in hopes of landing one job. The competition is extremely steep because most auditions are held via self-tapes that you do at home and submit to casting directors. People do not have to travel to audition, so there are sometimes hundreds, even thousands of people competing for one role.

I have learned to as much as possible, “submit it and forget it.” In other words, do the audition, turn it in and don’t think another thing about it. Casting directors do not tell you if you do not get the job. They only tell you if they do. It is very easy to get caught up obsessing over a role if you do not move along after your audition. It can be very disheartening to learn that you didn’t get a role that you really wanted. I’ve learned you cannot become attached to a role, even if it seems like it was written just for you. “Submit it and forget it”. Celebrate the wins and clap for others when they win.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There are so many indie filmmakers and actresses out there doing their best to create content that exhibits their skills and shows their heart. I’ve heard a quote from Hemingway that says, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” I feel this as an actress. It is a chance for me to use my inner soul and experiences in a creative way. To hopefully bless others, give them something to identify with and let them know they aren’t alone.

Society is impatient, short attention spans rule and mass advertisement overshadows smaller productions. If people could take a moment to download the apps that independent actors/filmmakers share on social media and watch their films or search for independent content, there are so many ways to support artists like myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gingercressman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealgingercressman
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@gingercressman

Image Credits

Director Steve Moon
Toni Riales Photography
David & Sue Tong
Hannah Hope Photography