Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samuel Martin Lewis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Samuel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
When I was about 10 years old (what year that was in, I will not say – just know that it was at some point in the 1900s…), I remember I was doing my weekend morning routine. It was a simple one (although that day it would be the spark to a very complicated life.); Wake up, pour myself a disconcertingly large bowl of cereal, and plop down in front of the TV, to watch any and all shows I could until my Mom realized and heavily suggested that “I do something more productive with my day.”
What I didn’t know was that this particular morning would change my life. I flipped on the TV, and before I had a chance to begin to scroll through the channels, I came across a stunning wide-shot of a group of battered and bruised men in blue prison uniforms, working on the side of the road of on what was seemingly a very hot afternoon. It was the opening credits to Paul Newman’s Cool Hand Luke. The next thing I knew, the movie was over, the cereal was soggy & untouched, and there were two very clear thoughts in his head:
“I want to be that guy (Paul Newman)”, and second; “I want to write stories like that…”
Well, here I am – all these years later, trying to do just that.
Samuel, 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?
Samuel Martin Lewis is a Jewish-Colombian writer/actor/stand-up comic, born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin (that’s right, he’s a Cheesehead, and perhaps a little too proud of it…). After his time growing up in the Mid-west, he relocated out east to Salem, Massachusetts – where he learned more than he ever wanted to about witches, wiccans, and the power of healing crystals… He attended Salem State University where he was incredibly fortunate to learn and grow as an artist from an amazing group of teachers, coaches, and peers about how to hone his craft. After 4 years he earned his BFA in Acting, and soon after moved out west to Los Angeles to pursue his career as a writer & actor, along with, on occasion, performing in Stand-up comedy.
Since being in Los Angeles, Sam’s main focus has been his writing and is diligently working every day on numerous projects, written for both television & film. Most recently a short film that he wrote, produced, and acted in, entitled; The Catastrophe, has been making a quite a run on the festival circuit, to date winning more than 15 awards, and recently premiering at the TCL Chinese Theatre for The Silicon Beach Film Festival.
With his writing he has a unique ability to write genuine and believable characters, from all different walks of life, with a heavy focus on raw & authentic dialogue. He very much enjoys developing roles that take on the “anti-hero” persona because he finds that their internal struggles, demons, and sometimes inability to rise above obstacles in certain crucial moments, makes for a deeper connection between the audience and the story’s protagonist. Sam found from a young age that he tends to view the world, specifically human interactions, from a unique point of view, and because of this, paired with heavy influences from many of the world’s best comedic playwrights, his writing often contains a great sense of ironic, and at times even absurd humor that still feels grounded and believable.
He also comes from a writing family, his grandmother and father both being award winning novelists – his father publishing 6 novels, two of which were made into major motion pictures starring Elvis Presley, Warren Beatty, and Jean Seberg.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Pay them enough to be able to have the time and resources to devote their talents to their craft to the best of their abilities. If we do this, I promise that the level of artistry shown in their work will create some of the most memorable and important material that has ever been. Artists want to entertain you. That’s what they desperately want. It’s basically all they want. True artists want to connect and entertain with audiences so so much. To the ends of their fingertips and the bottom of their hearts and souls, and in my mind there are very few things more noble than this.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Honestly, it’s a very simple one; my great fear of death. Fortunately, I have, however, been able to reconcile myself to the fact that this will inevitably happen. It will happen to the best of us, and this is perhaps the one great unifier of mankind, and for that matter, every being we share this planet with. I figure, if I can’t avoid death, perhaps the next best thing is to leave something behind that hopefully will be remembered and cherished by those who come after me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.samuelmartinlewis.com
- Instagram: @samuelmartinlewis
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-martin-lewis