Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tessa Markle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tessa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I’d like to break down this question with two separate answers for acting vs filmmaking. But for both, I would say that everyone learns differently, some people thrive in school while others learn better on the field. Either way, you’ll never truly know what you’re doing until you get on set and do it!
As an actor, I do recommend classes. All kinds. Take general acting classes, take business of acting classes, take on camera and stage study classes, do agent workshops, watch free zoom webinars. Gain as much knowledge from as many different sources as you can. The more diverse your teacher pool is, the more you will benefit, because no one answer works for everyone. And even when you’re not actively in class or on set, make sure you’re exercising your actor muscle. The more you rehearse and get feedback, the better and more comfortable you will be!
As a filmmaker, gather as much knowledge as you can beforehand. Know what the most common equipment does, what the roles on set are, what duties each position is expected to perform, what goes into a budget, etc. Regardless of if you are directing or producing, if you’re in a position of leadership, you want to be as familiar with the entire process as possible. That being said, you’re not going to really know what you’re doing, what challenges you’ll face, and the flow of actual production until you’re on set. Don’t let that intimidate you; you’ll have a team to support you. The only way to learn is to do!
Lastly, as far as podcasting goes, the beauty of it is that there are no correct answers here either! It’s still a relatively new field and while some things have certainly proven to work better than others, success also means different things to different hosts. Decide what’s important to you. Do you want to make money? Do you want an interactive and loyal following? Do you just want to put out a pristine product? Listen to shows you enjoy and that inspire you and follow their lead. Reach out to other podcasters and ask advice, then just start! You’ll be on the air for a while before seeing any progress, so just go for it, find your groove, and stick to it!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up in the tiny town of Scottdale, PA, smack dab between Pittsburgh and West Virginia. I loved performing from the time I could talk and was constantly asking my parents to watch my antics and film them on the camcorder. Around age 10, I joined my local community theatre, the Geyer PAC and did every show I possibly could all the way through my college years. In high school, Geibel Catholic, I did all of the musicals, and was very active in the theatre department at my college, Washington and Jefferson, majoring in theatre and re-activating our local Alpha Psi Omega theatre fraternity. After graduation, I performed professionally in Pittsburgh before making the move to Los Angeles.
After moving to LA, I began my career in film, commercial, voiceover, and TV. My passion for acting in a highly competitive environment led me to create my own content, and upon meeting my now production partner, Carolina Alvarez, we formed Femme Regard Productions in 2018. Femme Regard allowed us to write, direct, produce, and star in our own productions. From shorts to our first feature, currently in post-production! While producing our first short, we realized that we wanted to share our journey, get real with the ups and downs, and give other beginners a peek into what worked and didn’t work for us. We were learning things we never talked about in class and felt that we wanted to share that with other creatives! So we started Femme Regard Podcast the following year and have since expanded to interview amazing industry professional guests and join the Geekscape Network.
I am proud of myself for allowing my idea of success to change and grow along with my career and my own self. For trying everything and then narrowing down my own path. For sharing my experiences and knowledge gained with my peers and hopefully inspiring other creatives. And most recently, for producing and starring in my first Femme Regard feature-length film, Sync!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I love this question because, of course, the first thing everyone thinks of is money. Well, “struggling artists” can always use money, but it’s not everything. If an artist is charging a price for their product, pay it. Don’t question the amount, because, trust me, a lot of thought and imposter syndrome went into planning it. Support artists’ crowdfunding. Art is expensive. Movies are expensive. Classes are expensive. A lot of work goes into a crowdfunding campaign; if they’re bothering to promote one, it’s probably very important to them and I promise, every dollar helps.
But there’s a lot of other ways to support that cost you nothing.
Social media is huge. Help artists get a bump on the algorithm. Like their posts, comment, follow them, subscribe, share. You’d be surprised how far it goes. Marketing and PR cost a lot of money and sometimes social media is all we have at our level.
Here’s a big one: consume the product! Watch the movie! Listen to the song! Read the book! Hear the podcast! Whatever it is, the validation of knowing people are actually consuming the content you put out there is the biggest motivation to keep creating. And after you do, give us feedback! Share a review! Tell your friends!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think a lot of non-creatives don’t realize how much work actually goes into a creative career. We’re not just sitting around all day playing pretend. We’re constantly learning, networking, buying equipment, rehearsing, planning, budgeting, researching, writing, the list goes on and on. And that’s all before we even get on set. It’s a long and difficult journey just to get to a point where you actually get to do the thing! This is a career in which, you have to absolutely love what you’re doing, because you’re going to spend literal years and far too much money prepping yourself for success before you ever get to reap the benefits. This can be discouraging to non-creatives, but it’s what we live for!
Also, success looks different for everyone. Even myself; I began this career thinking, okay, my goal is to be a “working actor” that makes my living from acting and doesn’t have to have another day job. Ten years later, I still have a day job but am finding my career very rewarding. A steady six-figure income or a million followers or A-list status aren’t everyone’s goals. I AM a working actor who auditions regularly but also makes my own content and I’m able to share that with others and inspire them. Imagine my surprise when I found “green” creatives looking up to me!
I ask non-creatives to be patient and open-minded with your creative friends. We’re doing the best we can in a career path that has no clear direction and relies heavily on luck. Please stop asking us if we know so-and-so celebrity, if we’re going to be famous, or when we’re going to get a “real job”. And we know you’re genuinely curious, but the “have I seen anything you’ve been in?” question gets really old, really quickly. But do feel free to ask us productive questions like what made us want to do this, what inspires us, what we’ve been up to or aspiring toward if you’re curious!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tessamarkle.com
- Instagram: @misstessalauren
- Facebook: @TessaMarkleActor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tessamarkle
- Other: www.femmergard.com – website https://www.youtube.com/@femmeregard – youtube @femmeregard – instagram @femmeregardtv – tiktok
Image Credits
Llenelle Gibson Christopher Violette Chris Kapcia Bahareh Ritter