Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Finn. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Michael, 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?

I wasn’t always able to earn a full-time living being a creative. I’ve really only found my way in the last few years. I spent years working different jobs, most of them in the service industry. I bartended for many years and even created cocktail menus and ran bars. It was a way to be creative in a different industry, but it wasn’t fulfilling for me. I spent most of my career focused on being and actor and director only, but in the last few years have started to grow as a writer, producer, and technician. I’ve been extremely lucky to have connected with some amazing people in the industry who have not only given me a chance to work behind the camera, but have taught me invaluable skills that allow me to work in the film and television industry on a consistent basis. While I may not always be working as a director or performer, for me it’s rewarding and informative to be able to work as a crew member on so many different projects. I’ve learned more about being a filmmaker from spending my time on set as a grip, electrician, dolly grip, camera operator, 1st AC, etc. I think the most important thing was being able to recognize the opportunity to work in a field I truly enjoy being a part of. I know for a fact I missed out on multiple opportunities when I was younger because I wasn’t open to working in a position I didn’t feel was something I wanted to do. I either felt unqualified or that it was beneath me as an artist. Thankfully I learned over the years that I was wrong. The production of films, TV shows, and plays are a wholly collaborative effort and they take a family of people to make them come to life, from the EP to the PA. I am thrilled to be able to be a part of that family, in any capacity.

Michael, 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 got into the film and theatre industry back in high school, and went to college for acting, learning as much as I could between the university’s theatre department and the student body-run one as well. As an actor, I have a BFA from Montclair State University, and have continued my education ever since, working with wonderful teachers and studying different techniques. After college, I went on to direct several plays before picking up a camera and creating my own work. I moved from NJ to NYC and lived there for many years, continuing my education as an actor and teaching myself filmmaking by working with friends on short films we would create. I don’t have a formal film education, but I have taught myself many aspects of the art just by picking up a camera, grabbing a few friends, and shooting short films. After working in independent film and doing off-Broadway plays, I moved to Atlanta to continue to elevate my career. After landing in Georgia, I signed with an agent and I have gone on to book multiple roles in feature films and Television shows, star in a national theatre tour, act in a handful of commercials, and work on well over 100 short films, multiple features, and TV series in both the G&E and camera departments, as well as direct over 30 of my own films. I have grown into a full on creator; writing, shooting, editing, directing, and producing. I still act, having just wrapped as lead in a feature and with more projects lined up ahead, but my passion has grown exponentially as a story-teller, and I love the aspect of bringing together a full project from page to screen. I currently have multiple short films in pre-production, two in post-production, and a couple feature concepts starting to be put on paper.

I also dabble in photography in my spare time, shooting a lot of wildlife and landscape and currently expanding into product photography. For me, photography is a different way to tell a story or capture a moment in time that would have otherwise been lost to the ether. It allows me to still continue to evoke emotion from others in a new and different way. I love the focus and patience that it takes to create the perfect frame, find the perfect shot. Whether it’s waiting for the sun to set to capture it at just the right moment on the horizon, quietly tracking an animal in their natural habit, or finding the the right props and feel for a product, photography is a lesson in peacefulness for me, and the moments surrounding the shot are just as important as the shot itself.

I truly believe it’s all about giving back, and it’s important that I share my heart in all my projects. I make sure to work with focus and positivity, even through the challenges. Nothing in this industry is guaranteed, and I am extremely grateful that I get to be a part of it. When I was young, movies, theatre, art, creating; they were an escape, a way to step out of my own life and problems for a couple of hours. It was a way to travel, to live in a world that wasn’t mine, a way to experience things outside of my own life. What I didn’t realize then, was it was also a way to gain new perspective and work on myself and my own thoughts, troubles, and insecurities. It was a way to see a bigger picture and to touch corners of the globe that I couldn’t afford to travel to. Now, as I discover more and more of my voice and I look at what is important to me and possibly to others, I try to use my art to give back those experiences; to teach, to travel, to learn, to grow, to start a conversation, and to help. I think art can move the world, and if I am lucky enough to touch one individual, to reach someone on a deeply emotional level, to help even one person through any trouble or issue or to even allow them a moment to breathe, then I have lived a full life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One big lesson I had to unlearn in my life was to put others needs first. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting to be completely selfish or to harm others for the betterment of yourself, but I have learned that I need to be the most important person in my life. I spent decades trying to help others, and never really thought of myself and what I wanted or needed. I always just assumed that I would be taken care of the way I took care of others. It lead me to a very dark place and both professional and emotional burn-out. It’s like the saying “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” In order for humans to effectively take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves. This is something I learned way too late in life, but I am happy to have learned it. Now I maintain a pretty consistent self-care ritual. This allows me to make sure I am recharged, re-fueled, and re-filled so I can work at the best of my ability and also be there for others. Self-care is not the same for everyone and can include anything from meditation to therapy, working out to taking a nap, and so many things in between. What’s important is to find what works for you and utilize it so that you can be the best version of yourself in the world.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is being able to live through your heart. It’s not an easy world to live in, with the cost of living so high, and it’s easy to get caught up in financial struggles. It’s also a time where we’re seeing the highlight reels of people’s lives displayed on social media. Getting caught up in the comparison game is easy: “John is in Barcelona”, “Sarah just got a new car”, “Tim just bought a house AND went to the Galapagos”, etc etc. We are so prone to compare our lives to others that we forget to see what we have and what we’re capable of. As an artist, it’s a blessing to be able to recognize life in each moment and be connected through the heart and not the head or wallet. This isn’t to say I’ve never been guilty of a little jealousy or envy that someone got to travel or whatnot, as these are things I enjoy as well. However, I can recognize in my heart that my purest joy comes from creating, and I can do that anywhere at any time.

I also love being able to create with other people. It helps me hear new viewpoints and learn about ideas from a different perspective. People are life. Not the things we collect or the places we go. It’s the people we meet who shape us and teach us and help us learn and grow. Being able to be emotionally in-tune with myself and speak and act from a true place of love is the greatest gift I can give as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: mfmichaelfinn.com
• Instagram: @therealmichaelfinn
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• Twitter: @realmichaelfinn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@therealmichaelfinn
• Other: https://linktr.ee/mfmichaelfinn