Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Heidi Schultz . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Heidi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
My latest children’s book, “Little Dinky’s Big Adventure”, follows a baby hummingbird from his birth to his first flight with all of the predicaments & obstacles along the way that makes his determination to reach his dream of flying even more important. The book is based off of a real baby hummingbird and includes actual photos of his journey outside my kitchen window. It captures two parts of my heart…the joy that hummingbirds bring to so many people and the encouragement to never give up on dreams (which rings very true for me as an actress/writer). We all need those little things in life that lift our spirits, and hummingbirds do just that every time I see one. And within the entertainment world, I face constant obstacles and rejection, but the love of what I do as well as the desire to never look back and wonder “what if” keeps pushing me forward to pursue my dreams wholeheartedly.
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.
Down into the core of my being, I am a storyteller, and I use various mediums to do this. My love for acting & writing began at an early age. I performed in plays & musicals starting in elementary school, and I had a wonderful 5th grade teacher who encouraged my writing & storytelling. Over the years, I have worked with some amazing acting coaches who helped me to delve into that passion even more. I have had the privilege of working in theater, film & television across various genres and had unexpected opportunities pop up along the way including playing Daphne’s mom in “Mystery Incorporated” as well as working as a stand-in/photo double on The Mighty Ducks & The Lincoln Lawyer. During down time, I leaned into my love of writing as well as photography, and my second children’s book (which includes my own photos) recently released. Both of my books have enabled me to travel across the country to read to audiences, helping to bring those stories to life even more. So whether acting, writing or even taking photos, I have realized that I love to tell stories, especially those that capture the hearts & imagination of the audience.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I find myself very drawn to comedy or uplifting storylines. So many people struggle with depression, self confidence, or just daily struggles. If I can be a part of a story (whether written or acted) that brightens someone’s life, even for a moment, I feel that I have given back to the world in a way that matters. When I feel down, I have my go-to shows or books that inevitably make me smile, so helping someone else find a bit of joy through my work truly is a goal I have for myself.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
“Better grades means I can achieve whatever I want in life” proved a lesson that I had to unlearn to move forward on my life’s path. I grew up with a lot of pressure to maintain straight A’s in my school grades along with the challenge, “why wasn’t it a 100” if I scored a 99. This often led to a need for perfection, and if I couldn’t achieve that, I would question whether I should even try. Creative fields need many things, but perfectionism isn’t one of them. The more I focused on getting something “right”, the more I failed. It’s in letting go of constraints or expectations that the real magic can happen. One of my favorite acting teachers really encouraged me to find that freedom which helped me release my fear of failure and instead focus on the joy of the journey both in the script and in life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: heidi.schultz
- IMDb: http://www.imdb.me/heidischultz