We were lucky to catch up with Melanie Collup recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Melanie, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I didn’t make the decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry until I was in my late 30s. I have often felt like that put me at a disadvantage, because many of the people who are my age had been in the industry for a decade or more before I ever came on the scene. They had more time to build up their training, experience, and contacts. But truth be told, I think the industry would have chewed me up and spit me out when I was younger. In order to persevere in this business, you have to really know yourself and be confident and comfortable in your own skin. This business is full of judgement and rejection. I’m not sure I would have been able to handle that when I was in my 20s.
Melanie, 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’ve been a storyteller since my fourth-grade days when my classmates and I created a murder mystery film that stole the show at Open House Night. I performed in my first play when I was twelve. But it wasn’t until many years later that I realized acting and writing were what I wanted to do as a career. I spent several years performing in community theater in northern Nevada. That’s where I really fell in love with acting. One night while I was playing the role of Bella in a production of Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers, I was in the middle of a big, emotional monologue when I took a beat to breathe. That’s when I heard it… the theater was absolutely silent except for the sounds of sniffling, and I realized that people in the audience were crying! It was like a lightning bolt! I realized that people were experiencing something, feeling something, that they wouldn’t have if they hadn’t been there watching us perform that night. That’s when I truly realized the power that performers have. That’s when I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
That journey led me to New York City, where I performed in many Off-off-Broadway productions and even joined a national tour of Letters From the Front, culminating in the first-ever theatrical performance at the Pentagon. I got my first taste of working in television while in NYC, when I got to work on the sets of shows like Ugly Betty, White Collar, and The Good Wife.
In addition to telling stories through my acting, I am also a screenwriter. I have written numerous feature films, shorts, television pilots, and a web series. Several of my screenplays have been produced, including a short film, “Yes, Who, I Love You Too,” which won a film festival award for Best Comedy Film. While I write across several genres, what I enjoy writing the most are uplifting, feel-good comedies with leading characters over the age of 50.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is, quite simply, the act of creation. Whether that is creating a role that no one has performed before or creating my interpretation of a role that many people have played or writing a screenplay or producing a film. Knowing that something exists in the world that didn’t exist before is incredibly rewarding for me.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
While it is not a specific resource, I wish I had recognized the importance of community earlier in my creative journey. For many years, I went it alone. I felt like I had to accomplish things on my own. But over the last several years, I’ve come to realize that surrounding yourself with like-minded people is one of the most important things you can do. Now I am part of actors groups, writers groups, and filmmakers groups. Having a community that I can reach out to when I need feedback or guidance on my work, and that I can lean on when I need support or encouragement, and I can celebrate with when I have success, makes all the difference in the world!
Contact Info:
- Website: MelanieCollup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniecollup/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-collup-51b878b4/
Image Credits
David Muller, Lucy Page