We caught up with the brilliant and insightful John Palen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
John, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I started pursuing acting in 2018, in my early 30s. Prior to that, I’d never considered a creative, artistic career, never even so much as participated in drama club – I was taught to find your classic “good job”, and any artistic tendenies were left firmly as hobbies. For a long time I stuck to that plan, despite being consistently unsatisfied by it. I mostly bounced around technical, physical jobs, as a ranch hand, arborist, electrician, and military mechanic, just to name a few. It wasn’t until I separated from the military and had my education benefits to spend that I considered acting. The first thing that drew me to the idea was that I had a history of getting bored with my normal jobs, and loved the novelty of learning new things. I realized that as an actor, I could satisfy both of those desires – moving from one project to the next, and learning new skills for new roles – without having to switch careers every time. Once I began though, I immediately fell in love with the work; particularly in the realm of stunts and stage combat, but I was surprised how engaged I was by every aspect, whether it was improv, musicals, classics – I was drawn to the whole world of it. During my time earning my degree, I sometimes wished I’d found that passion and started my journey much sooner, but I came to respect the tools, experience, and insight my unique past had given me to apply to my creative work. And now, though I still do occasionally worry about starting my acting pursuit later in life, I’m less scared that opportunity has completely passed me by. It’s not like every role is sub-30 years old, nor is every older role performed by an actor we’ve been watching for decades. And the acting world is much larger than I ever gave it credit for before; as long as I don’t let my creative passions simmer, I’m sure I’ll find my place in it.
John, 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?
As I said, I first got into acting in my 30s when I was considering going back to school after the military. My favorite aspects, though – stunts and combat – have been a passion since I was a child. I was always half-nerd, half-jock, growing up playing video games and reading comic books, then taking my fantasies to the playground and fighting imaginary dragons, ninjas, and supervillains. I have distinct memories of doing slow-motion fights and flips in the pool. Since earning my degree I’ve choreographed combat sequences for short film projects and stage performances, and was part of a live action stunt team. I’ve also written several scripts for screen and stage, and am currently working on turning one into a feature-length project.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being creative is the collaboration. I found that I honestly love working with other passionate artists and seeing anyone’s dream take form in the real world. I can listen to someone talk about their passions for ages, regardless of the subject. And if I get to take it a step further and help them give those passions life, all the better. Some of my favorite moments in acting have been on set with another performer who finds that perfectly real moment in a scene. In that moment I feel like both audience and scene partner, with the perfect opportunity to not just witness, but fully engage with the magic inherent in creativity.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Sometimes it feels like my entire professional career has been one long pivot. I’ve had many different jobs in different fields, and I’m constantly learning something new (which I love). It sometimes feels like this wasn’t the smartest approach to life, but I actually think it’s served me well, both as an artist and otherwise. As an artist, it’s exposed me to many different people and lifestyles, and given me a fairly wide lens through which to view society and the world. It’s also taught me to be incredibly adaptable, and instilled both a confidence and resilience which has carried me through many challenges in life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @johnhp4
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.palen.94?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-p-432aa8283?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
Image Credits
Jeff Ellingson