Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Isaiah Garcia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Isaiah, 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.
Before I went to school I would rewatch all of my favorite movies and take notes on what I think the actor is doing to make the scene great, it could be their delivery or their body language. I love how something as simple as moving a stapler from right to left can really change the tone or theme of a scene and I feel like all my favorite actors do something so subtle but brilliant that without it, the scene would be completely different. While in school I was taught to show up with ideas and a character backstory to ground yourself in whatever reality you’re about to step into. I like to keep a small journal if I know it’s going to be a longer shoot or rehearsal process so I can try to keep building on whoever I am playing. I like to continue finding new motivations or new things I can try based on what I already know. I have also worked with actors who can simply show up read the lines over a few times and absolutely knock it out of the park. Knowing now that there isn’t a ” right way” to act and its about the vulnerability the actor shows us I would tell a past version of myself to take a breath and find the process that comes the most natural. I was very set on one process and one way of getting into character and it couldn’t be done another way because I would be doing it wrong, I think that thinking process stems from fear and I just needed to get out of my own way. I feel like learning how to act is just learning how to build a reality using the emotional tools you already have and putting someone in a ” this is a race and you need to get there first” mindset will only slow them down. Ive found through acting those emotional tools only get stronger and you have some great breakthroughs within yourself.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was raised in Wisconsin and have been acting since I was about 6. I fell in love with movies and music and since I can remember I told my parents I was going to be an actor. I moved to New York to go to a conservatory program at The New York Film Academy and through the help of some of the most creative amazing people I was able to be apart of some amazing projects both in film and tv as well as on stage. I am lucky enough to be represented by nouveaux talent and have been auditioning for roles all over the world for the past few months. I love doing standup Comedy and have gotten to perform at places like The New York Comedy Club, The Broadway Comedy Club, St Marks Comedy Club. I love taking polaroids to document my life and the life of my friends and family.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love being able to express anything I am feeling or working through interpersonal blocks behind the comfort of a performance. I think acting is a craft that forces you to dig deeper in all aspects but especially within yourself. Any insecurity or questions you have acting almost pushes you to embrace that insecurity and really find the beauty in our imperfection. Ive always been someone who wants to know the” why”. To me the reasoning behind something is more important than whatever the thing itself is because then it comes down to the intention behind it. The most rewarding aspect of being an actor is figuring out those intentions and putting together this puzzle of questions and answers till you realize you have your character. It’s almost therapeutic how after you’re done with the project it feels like you’ve made a breakthrough within yourself. I feel the best characters are ones where you see a little bit of yourself in for better or worse and leaving those projects really gives you this amazing perspective or change of perspective on how you felt about something before starting, I’ve walked away with so many of my ” Why’s” answered because of acting and its one of the reasons I love it.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
When i’m in a headspace of negativity or self doubt I like to picture sitting down and being able to talk to 9 year old me. He would first need to be bribed with some ice cream to stay still but once he heard about the things we get to do and the experiences he’s gonna have when we get older im pretty sure he’d drop the bowl of ice cream (and let me just tell you reader for 9 year old me nothing was getting that Ben and Jerry’s out of my hand so this would really be something). To that kid self doubt isn’t a thing, second guessing isn’t a thing, the fear of failure isn’t a thing all that little kid knew is he wanted to make people as happy and fulfilled as the people on tv and in the movies made him. Everything I am doing on this journey and this pursuit is for 9 year old me and the wild dream he had of what life is going to be like and I feel like I owe it to myself to bring that dream to life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isaiah_garcia1234/
Image Credits
All photos taken and edited by-https://www.instagram.com/_bvbbz_/