We recently connected with Peter Breitmayer and have shared our conversation below.
Peter, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I started very early…Middle School… just because I discovered I loved the outlet and the attention. Ha. I continued to do many plays, musicals, choir, declam tournaments, the usual “theatrical musical high school faire”. College was a big leap for me, creatively and in terms of honing my craft, but I did this by DOING not so much by going to an Arts School and formally studying acting. Inevitably, you get formal training through doing stage work because the directors are also acting teachers and theater professors, but it’s not the same as if I’d gone to Yale’s or Julliard’s or NYU’s acting program. I sometimes think back and wish I had tried to get into one of those types of programs. But ultimately I worked as an paid professional actor beginning shortly after I left college, beginning in Minneapolis. One of the greatest learning experiences in terms of honing the craft, as they say, was my three years in the resident company of Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop, doing and writing sketch comedy/political social satire and extensive improv training. The creative and craft “muscle” was worked heavily in those years and it transformed me as a creative person. When I came to LA I found an extraordinary acting teacher and that was another leap in my understanding and execution of what I do. I think the essential skills are both concrete and illusive in the world of stage, TV, Film acting….the training I DID receive was in so many ways very practical in terms of the craft and the industry. I won’t go into the numerous techniques and ways of approach in order to “fill” a character and understand the difference between the work in a theatrical and small screen setting, but learning to make strong choices that one fully commits to is a vital building block step. As far as the “business” is concerned, the greatest lesson is that the only thing you have control of is how good you are…how you deliver the work in the audition or on set or on stage. You can’t obsess about things that are out of your control, like “are they gonna pick me”. You do your homework, you prepare, you work in the moment, you make great character choices, you understand the context of the particular project you are auditioning for and you do your best….and then you walk away and have lunch. Because the rest is out of your hands. Of course, if you are writing and producing your own projects then you have more control.
I think what, over the years, that has stood in my way were mostly factors involving my own behavior….periods from time to time of not “stretching” myself and my abilities, getting too comfortable, not being pro-active enough in terms of opportunities. But for the most part I have maintained the life of a successful working journeyman actor. That’s satisfying to a degree. Even though one is never REALLY satisfied. ha
Peter, 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’ve been in the performing entertainment industry since 1990. My resume is extensive in terms of theater, film, tv and VO. I’ve worked in many countries and settings. A pretty complete list of my on screen work, at least, can be found at IMDB. Currently I have my own creative production company called Pumpkin Eater Productions, which serves as a pass through company for my acting work but also a production company for my own personal creative outlets. I have several irons in the fire including screenplays and series in various infant stages of development and a past slate of a few theatrical productions. I have worked on film and TV projects with The Coen Brothers, Clint Eastwood, David Yates, Eddie Redmayne, Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Ted Danson, Patricia Heaton, and countless others. I’m lucky in that I consistently get hired in dramatic as well as comedic roles. And I stand by the idea that in most cases people viewed as primarily Comedic Actors make the best dramatic actors.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In my line of work you get said “no” to over 90% of time. If you are booking 10% of the jobs you audition for or are offered for by you agent or manager, you are absolutely killing it. I have experienced massive amounts of rejection in my industry and I continue because I know I have a great deal to offer and there is not another Peter Breitmayer out there. I love what I do. And if you love what you do you have to learn to love and like the entire process at least MOST of the time. Each time I submit an audition, I am doing “the job”, not “auditioning”, in reality. If I book it, then great. My goal has always been to do interesting projects…projects that illuminate the human condition whether silly or serious…with good dedicated people who aren’t A-holes…grow as a creative person, and to make a good living at it. I have pretty much done that the great majority of the time for the last 30+ years.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
If you can manage to make this life work for you in terms of supporting yourself and your family and trying to keep a mostly consistent environment of creativity and productivity, then the most rewarding aspect is Freedom. You have created an environment of freedom….or what at least feels like freedom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pro.imdb.com/?rf=google_brand_us_20653753853_157443953271_kwd-11638006670
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterbreitmayer/?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peter.breitmayer
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/home
Image Credits
Dan Warner