We recently connected with Jason Cicci and have shared our conversation below.

Jason, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

Learning the art of filmmaking can seem like a never-ending hill to climb. There are simply so many aspects that are involved in telling a story for the camera. Having been an actor and playwright who had produced many theatre productions, I was not sure that all I had learned in those disciplines would transfer into filmmaking. My first endeavor was “He’s With Me”, an indie series that would come to define my career. I knew I didn’t know how to do a lot of things but I approached the challenge as I had with other projects – I used my common sense to fill the roles I needed to, onscreen and off, and jumped in. When the first season was completed, I remember the angst the night before it launched. What if it couldn’t compete with all the other series? What if the technical requirements (lighting, sound, editing, etc.) were not up to snuff? I didn’t sleep much that night. Once the button is pushed and you share your work with the world, you’re putting your stamp on what you do. Happily, when the show was shared, it became popular and brought me to a new place in my career. So, although I was fortunate to have created a quality project on my first try,  I learned an important lesson early on: do what you DO know how to do and let the people who know what they’re doing do the thing they know how to do.

Jason, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been an entertainment professional for decades, floating between the disciplines of acting, writing, producing and teaching. My interest in the arts began as a child, where I acted, sang and studied classical piano. I graduated with my BFA from Syracuse University and headed to New York City to begin my career.

Although I will always think of myself as that theatre kid turned writer/producer, I’m also grateful to have a flourishing career as a teaching artist, sharing what I know about the worlds of acting, theatre and film. It is the basis for the company I formed, which encompasses much of what I’ve learned. Make Your Show offers the unique experience of having a show created for clients who are looking for more experience and exposure. We take each of our clients through the process of creating an on-camera story from the ground up, using my creative journey as the blueprint. Imparting what I know about producing, fundraising and marketing, their projects give them confidence and validation in an industry that is changing by the minute. I’m proud of what Make Your Show has accomplished for actors looking for empowerment and relevance, giving them opportunities to network with professionals, inspire more stories and take them from actor to artist.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

When I first started out, a fledgling actor looking for roles, I never really thought past the immediate goal of landing a job. It was an exercise in ego with each audition and, inevitably, each rejection. I didn’t think there was room for philanthropy where my career was concerned. After enduring the years of ups and downs that are inherent in an actor/writer/producer’s career, finding a way to offer a service where I can give back changed my approach to my work.

When someone asked me if I might create a project for them where they can share their talents the way that I had with my projects, the worlds of creativity and commerce collided and my company was born. With the establishment of Make Your Show came a profound change for me. While writing and producing films and series, I discovered a perhaps dormant intention of helping others to achieve their particular goals in the entertainment industry. I never anticipated that I might be a teacher while creating projects for clients. Conversely, I learn with each new job. And now, my mission is clear: create and help. It’s a mantra that becomes more defined with every aspiring artist I am fortunate to work with.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

While attempting to build a career in any artistic discipline, odds are you have to find some kind of side hustle to pay the bills. Having worked in the expected restaurant and catering jobs that seem to be part and parcel with an actor’s career, I wanted to leave the hospitality business behind and find something else to sustain me. Thus began a two-decade sub-career as a personal assistant. Mostly assisting creative professionals (actors, designers, managers, etc.), I was putting my inherent organizational talent to work. With everyone I assisted, I learned new skills. Each job brought me a familiarity with various software, widened my creative network and began to lay the foundation for my career as a producer.

Sometimes when working on a new project, either for myself or a client, I will be reminded of those years when I had to be a problem-solver. That is essentially what some of my work entails. Whether strengthening a story, searching for a location, or wondering how to assemble a cast and/or crew, I am solving problems. Had I not pivoted from work that was not nurturing me in the way that I wanted and forced a new path, perhaps I would not have been as prepared for my current profession. Taking a chance on yourself can be difficult. But no matter the outcome, it will bring you somewhere else. Sometimes “somewhere else” is the best launching pad for your future career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jasoncicci.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasoncicci/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JasonWriterProducerTeacher/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-cicci-11021213/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonCicci
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDv9VWbeLeqcPs1a4UoNlDg
• Other: www.MakeYourShow.tv