Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelsey Taylor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Kelsey, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
It’s only in the last few years that I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work as a commercial director— and it’s something that came somewhat as a surprise— something I never counted on.
I credit it to being 1) lucky, but 2) hard working and making the most of EVERY opportunity to create. I can cite each project that led to the next that built upon the next that led to where I am today. While it wasn’t clear at the time, each project was a brick in a strong foundation I was unknowingly building. Focus on the work, not the money— but I know, SOMEONE still has to pay the bills!!! And that means you have to work twice as hard, because you need the job that pays those bills, while simultaneously pursuing the job you want. That’s what I did.
For many years I kept myself active on film sets, working jobs I didn’t want, but knowing that these jobs paid the bills and allowed me to continue learning. Over the years I’ve also learned to live small. Your creative work can support you if there isn’t that much to support! This is also a necessity when the world has shown just how dry the dry spells can be. I’ve been freelance long enough to see the cycles of work, how it comes and goes, but the last few years— pandemic, strikes, fires— have shown that those diabolical cycles are always changing.
To me there’s another interesting and complicated question within the question of “have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work”— and that’s, “do you enjoy the creative work when it becomes your full-time living?” This is a question I’m still trying to answer for myself now that I’ve reached a point where making a living from my creative endeavors is possible.
Kelsey, 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 am a writer and director working in both commercial and narrative mediums. I’m originally from a small town in rural eastern Washington, but in the pursuit of working in the film industry, I moved to Los Angeles where I attended Loyola Marymount University and earned a Bachelor in Film Production and minors in Film Studies and Music.
From a young age I knew I wanted to translate the books I read into films— my first adaptation was a scene from Tuck Everlasting for a fifth grade book project, and I was not allowed to operate the camera despite my many protests.
To this day I gravitate towards adaptations. I love subverting expectations which is why you’ll often find me working in both the horror AND comedy genres. My short film, ALIEN: SPECIMEN, sponsored by 20th Century Fox and Tongal, expanded on Ridley Scott’s classic and helped put me on the map as a filmmaker. On the back of Alien, and some of my early commercial work, I was invited to join the roster at commercial production company, Eleanor, and have since joined the Director’s Guild of America.
My day to day is a balance of commercial and narrative aspirations— some days I’m pitching on commercials or shooting on location, and other days I’m writing or building decks for my personal projects.
Most recently I completed my debut feature film, TO KILL A WOLF, which has been a goal for many many years. My greatest fear right now, is not having the chance to make another film. TO KILL A WOLF was seven years in the making and while it’s daunting to summon the strength and energy to repeat the process, it would be devastating to not create again in this way. There are so many stories calling to me— I’m a storyteller at heart and that’s what drives me to continue to pursue a career that is often unpredictable and heartbreaking.
The auteur director is very popular right now, but I’m a filmmaker who loves bringing other people’s stories to life. I love stories that invite us into someone else’s life or allow us to empathize with people we might not typically be drawn too. And I love to be a visual chameleon, always creating a visual language that supports the story. I’ve always seen films as a way to reach a wide variety of people, share ideas and change minds and that’s my intention behind making films.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Let me start by saying I think everyone is creative in some way. It may not be in the traditional avenues in which art is expressed, but people are inherently creative problem solvers, some just have more encouragement than others to create. The difference between “non-creatives” and creatives to me, is the choice to call oneself a creative, or an artist, and to pursue a career under that banner.
There is a connotation of great privilege often attached to that choice of being an artist— the dreamer who never learned to be realistic about life. But I’ve found that while that stereotype certainly exists, so many of the creatives I know are very realistic about their dreams and live only with the goal of practicing what they love, even if it means living small and living without certainty.
Because when you choose to work in a creative industry, every day is unpredictable. There’s no boss telling you what project to start, what timeline you should be working towards. There’s no guarantee of healthcare or a retirement package. You are the only person in control of your destiny, but at the same time, you have no control. For someone like me who craves control, I curse myself everyday for choosing a creative profession. But I couldn’t have it any other way. Or I would have changed courses long ago.
I imagine “non-creatives” might struggle to understand the drive and passion that makes a creative pursue something singularly without regard for the structure most of the world chooses to live within.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I never had an interest in self help books until I picked up “The Art of Power”, by Thich Nhat Hanh while creeping on the bookshelves of an Airbnb. The title caught my eye because it sounded like one of those ridiculous books that supposedly gives you the secret to conquering the world in ten easy steps. However, the book was not what I expected— written by a Buddhist monk, exiled from his home of Vietnam for nearly forty years, the book dramatically shifted my mindset about the work I do, emphasizing balance and slowing down to reflect upon the ways the work benefits people and the world.
A few other favorites:
– Getting Things Done, by David Allen
This one is purely about organization and it’s daunting, BUT it changed the way I organize my life and helped get rid of so much clutter in my head. If you get it out of your head, then you’re free to actually think and not spend your brain power keeping track of your life.
– Deep Work, by Cal Newport
Working in blocks of 90 minute, uninterrupted increments made me rework the way I manage my time. For anyone looking to tap into DEEP focus and make slow but steady progress on a long term project— this one’s for you.
– The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin is always touted as something of a guru, and this made me skeptical from the beginning, just in terms of how practical his advice would really be. But I found his book incredibly encouraging. He emphasizes the importance of playing, and not losing the fun in the work. After all, it was the joy that led you to pursue it in the first place…
– On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
This serves partially as an autobiography and also as a guide to being a prolific artist. My take away— if you want be a writer, start writing. If you want to be a singer, start singing. Everyday. And keep doing it. Hone your craft. Everyday. It’s pretty simple.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kelseytaylor.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseytaylorhasnoinsta
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-taylor-784b1844/
Image Credits
Kelsey Taylor and Maddison Brown on the set of To Kill A Wolf
Photo by Donald Nam
Jolene Anderson in Alien: Specimen
Image by Adam Lee
Maddison Brown in To Kill A Wolf
Poster by Midnight Marauder
FaZe Swagg in Call of Duty: The Haunting
Image by Adam Lee
Alejandro Hernandez in Clash Royale
Image by Adam Lee
Pooja Shah in Rakuten: Book Club
Image by Adam Lee