We were lucky to catch up with Maurice Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maurice , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I am a product of the 80s culture. My favorite hobby when I was a kid was playing video games and I always had a passion for drawing and Art. I remember sitting in class with issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, and Game Pro Magazine drawing maps and pictures from my favorite video games. At the time I was living at military bases so I was used to moving ever so often. It was hard to keep friends so video games kept me occupied as long as my grades didn’t slip. I think my first passion was pinball and arcade machines in the laundry mat and bowling alley. There is no better feeling than the noise and excitement playing with and meeting total strangers in Arcades something that is not really common anymore with today’s kids. Everything is online. When the home consoles were released, my father brought home an Atari 2600 and from there I got the Nintendo Entertainment System. I was hooked.

Maurice , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I wanted a career change after my military service and went to Art school to obtain a degree in Video Game Design. I went to the Art Institute of San Diego for my undergrad and was able to earn an internship with Sony Online Entertainment and was able to subsequently get hired as a 3D Environment Artist working in Triple A gaming. I then went on to attend Full Sail University to continue my graduate degree. I had the best school experience at Full Sail and the only person in the degree program that actually had industry experience at such a technical level coming into the program . I ended up earning an Honor’s Degree and Advanced Achievement award. I have a Master of Science in Game Design and Development. After I graduated I used my military experience to work in Aerospace and Defense as a 3D Artist. After some life changing events and not being content I decided to pursue a career as an Actor and Entertainer. My experience in the world of game design literally helped to prepare me for the other side of the entertainment industry as the development cycles in the gaming world and film world share some similarities..

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The biggest reward of being a full-time artist and creative is having 100% of your time. People can have the misconception that because you make your own booking schedule that you are not actually working when in reality my day consists of the full 24 hrs. Most of the time I am working more than 8 hrs a day. Usually 12 hrs at the minimum if I am on set with the rest of the time, trying to book more jobs, maintain a film ready body, going to acting classes or having commercial or headshot sessions. It can be very time consuming and you have to be adapt at juggling multiple projects at once and scheduling. Having that flexibility is very difficult to do when you are chained to a traditional job especially if it requires you to be on site. Additionally, as an independent contractor you are responsible for keeping your own books and doing your own taxes year around.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Yes, I remember hearing a podcast where Shaquille O’Neal credited the book, “The Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business” for changing his business outlook after blowing his first million dollars on cars and jewelry. He read that book cover to cover and when he didn’t know something he always went back and referenced that book so I grabbed it and read it after hearing about it to improve my own business.

I also am a fan of Robert Kiyosaki’s, “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Mr. Kiyosaki was also a Marine so that is what initially intrigued me into researching more of his materials. I also download his Monopoly inspired game “Cash Flow” which is a fun way for someone to learn things like reading a credit report and finance.

Other books outside of finance that I recommend are The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Bruce Lee’s Striking Thoughts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mauricejdesign.wixsite.com/mysite
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricetjohnsonactor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceTJohnsonOFFICIAL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurice-johnson-60147743/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Maurice87010305
• Other: Actor’s Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/mauricetjohnson