We recently connected with Travis Sanders and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Travis , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry after watching numerous behind the scenes footage of films like Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars. The passion that the directors and actors had on set to create such masterpieces amazed and inspired me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Travis Sanders and I’m

From Windham NH. I graduated from Dean College in Franklin Massachusetts where I received my Bachelors degree in Theater Arts. My love for the industry began when I was younger watching behind the scenes content on VHS tapes. My first taste of hollywood began with watching the making of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Seeing Steven describe the troubles his film was facing during the production process, such as the shark not working and the fact that the Orca the boat used in the film sank while filming was being conducted, exposed me to the production process. I continued to watch numerous films and their behind the scenes content. Some of my favorites, just to name a few, were Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters, Titanic, and John Carpenter’s Halloween.

In late 2007, a friend of mine brought me to see one of our friends in a play which was conducted by the Windham Middle School Drama Club. I knew nothing about a drama club as I was invested in my athletics such as Basketball and Cross Country running at the time. After watching my friend perform, I was amazed by how the audience laughed and reacted to him playing a character. Their memorable reactions inspired me to audition for the schools next play in 2008. The show was called Radio Daze, a World War II play in which I was cast as a character named “Junior Script Man”, who was a returning solider from the war. This experience being in front of a live audience in addition to the fact that I had been watching behind the scenes content of film lead me to become an actor. I began stage acting from middle school, high school, and then into college. I found theater productions to be similar to my experience playing sports, that it was a team effort to put on a show.

Once I graduated from college, I continued to perform in theater. When Hollywood made its way to New England, I then started to go to open casting calls and put myself in background roles to better understand how film works. I continued this process for a couple of years. Then one day, I found an ad for a Warner Brothers Studio tour guide, I then sent my resume and received a call saying they would see me on the lot for an interview. I bought a plane ticket and flew out to California a week early and stayed at my sisters apartment which was in Santa Monica at the time. Once I went through the lengthy interview process, I was then presented with a job offer outside Gate 2 of the Warner Bros lot in Burbank, CA. I found this fitting as this was an area on the lot where the famous brawl sequence happened in Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles. I accepted the job offer and my life in Los Angeles began in June 2019. Since that time, through the hardship of the pandemic, I have been fortunate enough to work on many other lots throughout Hollywood and have been in over 20 short films/feature length movies. I have been lucky enough to participate in comedy theater shows around Los Angeles and perform in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. My journey out here has introduced me to so many talented and highly driven people, and it makes me excited everyday to continue to hustle as an actor.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For myself, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing projects on a big screen that you have either been cast or collaborated on. Watching an audience react to your work can be nerve wracking, but it always is so exciting. The same goes in the world of theater. Hearing the audiences reaction during opening night or finding new reactions in scenes throughout a show you didn’t expect. These instances are what make my life as an actor rewarding and are a driving force that make me want to continue to pursue my passion.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The Mount Everest that I’ve been climbing since 2008 is to make it to the Academy Awards. I know it sounds crazy, but I firmly believe I can reach that threshold. I don’t know if I will reach this as an actor or working in another part of the business that gets me to that point. However, I am passionate about this industry. I’m not in it for fame, I’m here to create and find new things about myself as actor and person. My journey that I’ve been on since I’ve landed in Los Angeles has introduced me to so many talented writers, directors and numerous other actors. Seeing what they are striving for and what they want out of the industry ignites my fire even more to continue to press on even when it gets difficult.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/travissanders
• Instagram: travsandersactor
• Facebook: Travis Sanders

Image Credits
Sam Hendrian, Laura Paragano