We recently connected with Kellie Christensen and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kellie , thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
I’m not going to go into detail. I don’t think I need to. Capitalism allows whoever owns and runs the company to pay themselves whatever they want, and that’s great. However, there’s enough studies out there proving that the more you pay your employees, the happier and more productive they are. This leads to higher success rates for the company. The better off your employees are, the happier your customers are. It’s so simple. Greed is the bane of American capitalism. No one working for a billion dollar company should be struggling to make ends meet while their CEO’s sip champagne on a yacht.
Kellie , 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 began acting in high school and I’ve been chasing that high ever since. To me, acting is one of the best drugs on the planet. I began writing, producing, and directing about 7 years ago while living in Las Vegas, and I’m now living in LA building my film career as a whole. I spend as much time as I can working on my craft and skills, fostering relationships, and curating my life to involve as much creative work as possible. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to become known for my directing because the industry still does not include enough working female directors. As much as Hollywood has made progress over the past few years, there’s still a long way to go. I typically find myself involved in projects that center around edgy female characters, so I assume that’s my storytelling niche and I couldn’t be happier about it. I believe all women are fabulous rebels, whether or not they realize it.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I wanted to answer this question specifically for anyone thinking about moving to LA to pursue acting. I grew up in San Diego and then lived in Vegas for 7 years before moving. San Diego was tough financially but I was always ok because I wasn’t going after my career to this extent. Vegas is pretty easy. You can have one job and make a good living. It’s taken me two years to figure out how to operate in a way that works in LA. Acting is expensive. Classes, photos, actor website fees, demo reels, clothing, gas, car expenses, all of it adds up and it’s necessary. But so is time. You need free time so you can focus on your goals. Unless you’re filthy rich or dating someone who is (yay you if that’s you!) you need multiple streams of reliable income in order to stay afloat in LA. Most people I’ve met here have 2-3 or even 4 jobs. So the trick has been finding work that I don’t hate, pays the bills, pays me extra, and doesn’t suck up all of my time and energy. Are you tired yet? I am! I think I’ve finally figured out the balance this year. I’m starting a pressure-free job at a yoga studio (I love yoga) and looking for a remote job within the realm of my industry. I also have my demo reel business, Younique Reels, and of course when acting gigs come around, it’s an awesome bonus. It’s been two years of trial and error but I’m finally finding my balance. If you’re planning on coming out here, just know that it’s important to find yours. None of us knows for sure when acting will be the thing that pays the bills, so it’s vital to create a work life you like, even love, that fully supports you in the meantime.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
As a writer-director I build my reputation by following through with what I say I’m going to do. Execution is everything in this business and most independent projects never get finished. My aim is to finish everything I begin. Every script I write gets done no matter how long it takes. Every film I make gets completed no matter the obstacles. Some may take more time than others but they will get done. I also love write for actors. Most actors at my level don’t often get to really play because we don’t often get handed the exciting, meaty roles. So I like to write roles for actors that are challenging, fun, and outside the box. I like to create space for what actors like me crave- a chance to play characters they don’t normally get to play. As an actor I try to be memorable by being on time, delivering a solid performance, treating everyone in the room with kindness and respect, and showing up relaxed and ready to work. It sounds so simple but it’s crazy how many actors are difficult to work with. Making a movie is already so hard. I aim to never make it harder and that goes a long way. It might help that I direct so I know what a difference it makes to work with actors who always come with a pro mindset. I recently directed a short film I wrote, Blowback. That shoot was grueling. Overnight, freezing cold outside, literally a one-man-band crew, and 16 pages in 12 hours. That is insane. But we did it, and everyone who was a part of that shoot was such a rockstar. Nobody complained, everyone nailed their parts, and it’s going to be such a cool film. I wouldn’t do something that ambitious again, but the people involved made it worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm4689503?ref_=hm_nv_usr_profile
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelliedoesfilm/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-christensen-948a92b0/
- Other: https://www.kelliedeechristensen.com/ https://www.youniquereels.com/