Latest / Creative Roots Podcast / I Placed Myself In The Right Rooms - Jennifer | Ep. 69

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I Placed Myself In The Right Rooms - Jennifer | Ep. 69 · Creative Roots Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to regret at the end of the day that didn't at least try.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because you're already counting yourself out if you haven't tried.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_05: That looks so much fun.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_05: But would I be happy if I was there knowing these people?
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_05: You know, like I don't smoke, I don't drink.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I've always loved acting, but I didn't have the confidence in my acting abilities.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_05: And so, and so I listen, if you have to tread softly on these words, Jennifer, we're gonna get through this.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_05: And I will translate whatever she says tooth in the air, let it speak.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: Nice chill and ready for the weekend.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: I will probably do nothing this weekend.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, I I'm tasked with a lot of things to do this weekend.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_05: Thanks to, you know, somebody.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_05: You're welcome.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_05: Um so listen, y'all.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_05: Welcome back to another episode of Creative Roots Podcast.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_05: We're seeing soon become visions grown.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_05: I am your host, Tay.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_04: And I am Shamar, Tay's trusty sidekick.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_05: We would like to give a shout out to Allen Lux Studios.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_05: I would like to thank us.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_05: Shout out to Charlotte Podcast Studio.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_05: I would like to thank us.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_05: And shout out to Artbox Charlotte.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_05: I would like to thank us.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_05: Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, I'm supposed to tell y'all something.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_05: Maybe Shamar remember later on in the episode.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_05: We'll we'll get to it.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_05: Anyway, today we are sitting with Jennifer.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_05: And uh Jennifer does a lot, like me.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_05: So y'all know I'm gonna let her introduce herself and um we'll go from there.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm Jennifer Star and I do acting.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I've done my own films, I made my own projects.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty much anything creative I love to do.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um I anything that looks interesting, I will try except jumping out of an airplane.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's yeah, we're not doing not doing that.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: I like to be on the ground.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, so I do that.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then in my day job, uh I recruit for nursing.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: So totally different cre I have to have my creative outlet um from that role.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, so that's pretty much me.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um just working on getting out into bigger projects.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_01: But I also love the Charlotte film community because I get to have experience behind the scenes.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: I've been I've done director work, I've done my own projects as well with uh a co-worker, not co-worker, uh one of my friends, I met in acting class.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: Her name is Mina Segay, and so we've done our own projects.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: They are on YouTube.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: We have a channel called Real Girls Productions, so we've we've done some projects there, um, hoping to do some more in the future, but that's kind of just wraps up me in general.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_05: And shout out to Mina.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_05: I I reached out to her too, so we have to get a date set for her as well.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, so let me let me preface this because she left out one very important detail.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_05: Two, one we worked on a short film together, uh, short film by the name of Eight Ball, uh written and produced by Oliver Crooms.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_05: Go check out his episode two.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_05: And we did a premiere.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_05: First time I've seen my name on the big screen.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_05: I don't I think it might have been the first time for a lot of people that day.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, probably.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_05: And uh it's a very warm feeling.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_05: Make it feel all tingly.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_05: And um two, we found out that me, her, and Ollie went to school together, went to the same high school together.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I'm gonna be.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_05: I was just about to say that was your cousin.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_05: Because you know everybody coming here.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, but we related, y'all.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_04: We related.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_04: That's my cousin.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_04: All right.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_04: So all three of y'all went to the same school.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, we did.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we figured that out.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: I graduated in 2005, and then they were earlier before me.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: And it was called us old?
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: Old.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_04: They just old.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: Older.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it did um, I actually found out that because with the film community, everybody connects through Facebook and Instagram before you actually meet them in person.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I actually found out I Ollie had connected to me on Facebook, and I was like, I know this guy's face, couldn't figure it out.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: And then I figured out why.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: It was I was at my parents' house, and there's a photo of me when I was in um the marching band.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: I was a color guard, so I wasn't in the actual music musician, I was in the color guard, and he was all the way on the other side, and we never talked to each other in the band.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: So I was like, it was so weird.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, this is strange.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_05: That sounds like Ollie.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_05: Ollie, he's one of those people that does things intentionally.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_05: And I know when he was in marching band, he was like this, you know.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_05: I hardly saw him.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, because he was just so lazy focused.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_05: I walked past him, I'm like, you so that that's how we do?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_05: You're not gonna speak today, okay.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_05: You know, whatever.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_05: But um, but yeah, Zebulon V Vance.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: They changed the name Julius Chambers of Julius Chambers.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, something like that.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: So I still call it Vance because I mean I'm like, y'all can Google it, you can look it up, you'll figure it out.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so yeah, it's very I I get excited when I meet people from Vance because you don't always meet them, but when you do, it's you could tell that they went to Vance.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: So we're still here.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_05: Google Pride.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes, exactly.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_05: So, Jennifer, we are here to talk about and discuss you and all these things.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, like me, you wear multiple hats.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_05: With that, what is the first hat that you ever put on that got you started on your creative journey?
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_05: Well, oh, we digging a day.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, so I'll first say this.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: I when I was growing up, my parents, we would go to the library.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: I couldn't really watch certain movies, but I always was watching like the old timey like Gene Kelly musical movies movies.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: Also, we were huge in um the Muppets.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm a huge Muppet nerd due to that.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say for creativity-wise, it is sing singing in the rain.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: I love Gene Kelly.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: I just love the the movie itself.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then also the Muppets.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: The uh I feel like for me getting into creativity, I so Jim Henson, his stuff was like amazing.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: And um, during after I graduated from college in 2008, um, it was a rough time because you know, the economy trying to look for just a regular job.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I would always watch The Muppets Take Manhattan.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's like my favorite Muppet movie.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um so just to let you know.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so like I would feel down because I had like a red, it was really bad, but I had a red notebook trying to just find like a day job because that's how bad it was.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I would have like over thousands of applications, her nothing.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would watch The Muppets, and there's a song called Don't Take No for an Answer.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: And it's where Kermit's going through and trying to find somebody that will produce his uh musical on Broadway.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: So I watched that to make me feel good.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I've I've used that as like I would like to have a pro have projects to be able to help people through hard times, and so that's you know, been my thing with like getting into art to an extent there.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: And then the other thing is is that when I was in at Vance, um I did start doing theater.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I was you wouldn't know now, but I'm a I wasn't a talker.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: I was very shy and didn't talk to anybody hardly.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I started doing theater.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_01: And shout out to my old theater teacher, his name is Dr.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: Jimmy Christman now, but um he like he he wrote to me, he said that he unleashed the beast because I was very quiet when not talk at all when we were doing shows.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: And then I started doing like musical theater and just doing all the behind the scenes stuff, and so like it almost it just brought me out of my my shell and everything.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_01: So I give shout out to him because he's really kind of set it off a little bit more than like just you know, Kermit, but gave you that extra push.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_05: Now you you mentioned something, and I have to ask this question.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_05: Shamar, don't you laugh at me, but you know what's gonna happen.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_05: We're at theater in high school.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_04: My gosh.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we did.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: Now I will say this.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: So when I was in theater, I was actually Jimmy was, I think it was his second year there.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: And he was actually a brand new teacher.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: So he had only been like, so he, I don't know if they had it beforehand.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, but I know when I got there, he was just starting, he had it was like his second year of teaching.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: So I could I could not tell you otherwise, but I remember that.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_05: I'm gonna have to go find a yearbook.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: I'll also have to check because my brother actually graduated from from there as well.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: So um I'd have to check.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_04: She's saying that he's old like you, so she has to go check.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: He was.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: He was the old G.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: He he graduated the original classes.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: So rule.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, triple O triple OG.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but yeah, so we we do that.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_01: But like I said, I have no clue if there was one beforehand, but I know that was his second year.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Hey y'all, this is the core creates, and I'm here with Charlotte Podcast.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let me tell you about this podcast central.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: This place is so dope.
• 9:57
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• 10:04
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• 10:08
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• 10:10
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• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Peace.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: But like I said, I have no clue if there was one beforehand, but I know that was his second year and everything.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: I realized I was looking back, I was like, oh man, he wasn't he wasn't much older than me.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_01: When even though, you know, when you're younger, you feel like, oh, they're like so much older.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_05: But they anybody outside of high school was instantly older than us.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_05: You could have been 19, we would have thought you were 25.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh man, you're real old.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, but I had I had to ask because I truly didn't know.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_05: And that's why I said I know he's gonna laugh.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we we had a great theater group and uh lots of uh people still great, and um but yeah, it was it was a fun theater time.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I like I said, Jimmy is great, and he's now I think he's like at the head of some college in Chicago now, or and he's doing a lot of stuff.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: So shout out to him.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: He gave me a shout-out on another podcast one time about my story about me being a chatterbox after hit working with him.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I've given a shout-out to him as well.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_05: So, Jimmy, when you watch this episode, I need you to call me or Jennifer, and that way we can get you on an episode too, because it sounds like you have a story to tell amongst stories.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, yes, and we could do it virtually, he could be right there in Chicago.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_05: Yep, and wherever we can.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_05: We can do virtual, yeah.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_05: I will be here, you will be there.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_05: You know, no travel required.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, just open up your laptop.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_05: So I I hear what you said, and I feel that some of us do need that push, you know, because I was somewhat told something similar to the same thing, but it was more like hey, just do it.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it was it was a lot more aggressive.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, it wasn't as nice.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_04: Listen, I didn't know where you were going with that because I'm like, I know you ain't never been quiet.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_04: Never.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_04: But yes, they had to push you to do.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, I'm with you now.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_04: Keep going, Tay.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's what I was talking about.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_05: You know, because you know, some people, the one, the, the uh our viewers, they know because I've said it multiple times.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_05: But when I got here, I was like, I I don't want to do a podcast.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_05: I don't even want to be on camera.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_05: Listen, yeah, my job is behind the lens.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_05: You know.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_05: And we went through some things.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_05: It's like, well, it's hard to have a podcast studio and not have your own podcast.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_05: Which is how I ended up here.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_05: And I said, you know, if we're gonna do a podcast, it's gotta be something that I can talk about, not something that I always have to do like a weekly research paper on and then, you know, talk to the guests.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah, unleash the beast.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's pretty much it.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I agree with that statement.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_05: I I agree too.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_05: Even even if you know, you don't have a large or huge roar, you know, not all animals have to roar.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_05: You know, you have animals that kill it.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_05: Being quiet.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_05: You know.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_05: So shout out to these people that uh motivate and and push us to be great.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like I said, he's been the best.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I actually he gave us for graduation, he gave us the um the places you'll go, you know, the Dr.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: Seuss.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: And so I have that still.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: He has like a little nice note.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I, you know, I just I I the education like system, I wish there was more theater, because that like there is very important.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's the same thing as sports, but yeah, you know, those definitely help um individuals kind of like me that may be more shy, or I'm not like going to go run a marathon.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's not me.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: So no, I'm not running any of that.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I'm like, I'll run to bed.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: That's about it.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so uh definitely having the outlet and everything was has been great.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: And he's been the well, I say when I get an Oscar, I'll I'll bring him to the Oscar preview.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_05: So that what she said was when we went, she'll you know, she had the she can have the Oscars.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_05: Just give me the credits for being behind the camera.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_05: So this this movie, 8 Ball, can you tell the people what your role was?
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I was the production assistant and then ended up ended up turning into the camera operator while I was there.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: So what my job was is I was pretty much uh I was Ollie's assistant and I was pretty much running the show.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: So really kind of doing more of an assistant, a director role, because I would introduce myself to all the cat, the extras that came in, make sure they got their forms completed and all that kind of stuff.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: And then I had to keep everybody on time.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: And so I was yelling or coming up to Ollie and telling them, hey, we got like two minutes or we're gonna be behind, like 10 minutes behind, or something like that.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_01: So that was my job.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: And then, like I said, I was also doing the camera operator.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so they needed help with that.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: I I am really bad.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: My brain just farted.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: I can't remember who the gentleman was that was cinematographer.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: I feel bad, I'm sorry.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: But he was amazing.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I was helping him out, and he was like, you know what, you're doing so great.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna give you credit.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I honestly I wasn't sure because some people have told me that before and just never got anything.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh I was very surprised I got that um, you know, credit and just kind of helping, you know, with the camera work um and make sure there, you know, there's no issues with that.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, so that was pretty much my whole job.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: But I kind of helped keep the the set running on the day that we were we were there.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_05: Keeping everything on schedule.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_05: Um, I gotta reach out to Thor because I know he was one of the things that I think.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah, yeah.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: He was he was one, it was the other gentleman.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: I I can't I I wanna I'm thinking Ron, but I don't like I don't think that's right.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_05: We'll say Ron sounds familiar because I remember a name, I remember a Ron.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so hopefully that's right.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: If not, I'm up I apologize right now for you on that.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_05: Apologize because uh I don't remember either.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'm but I'm better with faces than I am names, I will admit that.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_05: So yes, and I have to I can see your face all day for six months, exactly, and I know what your name is.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_05: Exactly.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_05: And when people start talking about you, I'm like, I don't know what it is.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know, exactly.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, so yes, but yeah, that was pretty much my my work um there because I had reached out to Ollie and said, Hey, because I I had been there, there's you know, life happens, things you haven't, I may have not been on a set as often as I wanted.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I saw he was getting ready to just shoot some stuff, and I was like, let me send him an email and say, hey, do you need any help?
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: So I did that, and that's kind of how I got, you know, a part of the project.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: And then I he asked about some other help, and I said uh Mina, since we've worked together, I said her name, and so she ended up being the um the boom operator.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: So that was and that was uh fun.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: Because we also there was a scene where we were like having to, we were tracking it, and I'm like in the back, also like making sure nobody falls because Mina, they were walking backwards.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: So um, so we did that.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of how I got a part of the project.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's just I reached out um since I knew Ollie was working on this project and just see.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_05: So a lot can happen just by sending an email.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_05: Hear how simple that is?
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_04: Well, they say closed mouths don't get fed.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_04: So yeah.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_05: So I letters type don't get responded to.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I will say this.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: My mom likes to say they don't know you're at home in your underwear.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: They and they don't.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_01: They don't, so you know, you gotta try it.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah in my draws.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: So I was like, hey, I don't know.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so yeah, so it was just and also because I had worked with Ollie on another project before, and I was assistant, it was assistant director on that one.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I at least had that with him.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then I've gone to all of his like film different film festivals because I've been trying to just meet people and everything in the community, because uh the Charlotte community um is really great.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: They're very friendly.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because the way I actually I'll just kind of tell you so how I got into doing everything now was um this might be a little too much, but anyways, I'll go, I'll just start.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um so I in 2019 I started doing CrossFit.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: And this this will all wrap up together, but I started doing CrossFit.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_01: So I never for like I said, I don't run, I run to the bed, like that's not me.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: But I started doing CrossFit, try to do something diff, you know, difficult because that's very extreme.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, um for the time being there, it was what I needed and it helped motivate me.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I'd always wanted to do because acting, you know, I've been, I've always loved acting, but I didn't have the confidence in my acting abilities.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_05: Me too.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so, and so I started doing CrossFit and I'm like lifting weight, I'm deadlifting 175 pounds and doing all these things I never thought I could do.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, you know what?
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna try this acting thing.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I still have my day job, and but I was like, let me try it out.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: And there was a studio near my house, and so I went down there, they were filmed, it was right before the pandemic started, but they were having an audition for uh a local movie, and I was like, you know what?
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to face my fear because when I was in college at UNC Greensboro, I try to audition for one of their plays.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: I say this could be in a movie, but I go up there on stage and I'm doing the scene and I like blank and I'm like freaking out.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: And the gentleman, I don't know who he was, he's like, he's like, don't worry, just take your time, do it again.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I start doing it and I flubbed again and I ran off.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't even like give them time to like say y'all.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_05: She took off.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_05: She didn't even wait for a response.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_05: It's okay.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_05: Here's the book.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_05: You're you're you're here.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_05: Go the lines.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_05: Are you okay?
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, didn't even wait for a welfare check.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_05: A wellness check.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: This is when you know you're a creative.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: Because as my as I'm running off, I'm like, this would be a perfect movie scene.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like I was like, I was like, oh my gosh.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I had this like fear of like the audition, and I was like, I gotta do this.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I didn't tell anybody I was auditioning.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: I went to that local studio.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: I was looking up podcasts and talking about like auditioning and because it was a cold read.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so I was like, okay, I'm gonna do this.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I went in.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, and I and I knew I kept on reading stuff.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: It was like, dress the part, like kind of give them a look.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_01: So the individual's like a woman that was like, I think it was a mother or something.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: So I dressed in a dress.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, okay, I'm gonna, you know, this kind of gives you the look.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, hopefully that's the part I'm gonna get.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so I auditioned, and I, to my surprise, I got a callback.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_05: Okay.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: And and I was very excited about that.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_01: And then um I didn't get the part.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: Also, then the pandemic hit.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: So, but I started going to classes at that acting studio, it's Talent Inc.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_01: uh Dylan Mann is now in charge of it.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um shout out to Dylan.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: But um, so yeah, so I started I did some projects with that director.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: His name was Brigham McNeely.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: And so I did some projects with him, and that was like more behind the scenes, and I did a music video as well, but I just started doing that, and then that kind of gave me the confidence.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_01: But like I said, it all started because of CrossFit, um, and giving me that confidence.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: And then I had, like I said, because I did the audition for that play, I was like, I I gotta get past the fear of doing play auditions.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so the local um uh Gaston County Little Theater in Gaston County in Castonia, um, they had auditions for Diary of Anne Frank.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I really uh really liked that show.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so there was this one character who helps um brings in the family to stay there.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: Her name is Meep, and I was like dressing the part, and I was like, I'm gonna do this, and I'm uh and end up auditioning in front of everybody.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_01: I did get the part, so I was like, okay, just facing my fears and trying to do now.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: There's other things I like to do, but it's just, you know, that's how it kind of where you prefer to be.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_01: I like prefer there, but I love doing the behind the scenes and like creating my own project.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: Because whenever I was at Talent Inc., I met Mina and then we started making our own little projects, and you know, we've done things here and there.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: We would like to do more.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, life happens.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and but I try not, I'm try not to rush it.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, don't rush it.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_05: I don't um take your time, but hurry up.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, yeah, it's like you wanna also I'm very um I I mean, yes, I could do like submit myself to everything, but I also have projects that I don't want to work on because they don't match my values.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_05: And I don't want to be understandable part of that.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: And so some like, you know, some projects I've recently seen, I'm like, part of the the what you're saying I like, but the other half, maybe the organization itself, doesn't align with my values.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, I just can't, I can't do it.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_05: I'm like, I it's okay to say no.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_05: And I know even in the beginning stages, some people feel they have to say yes to everything.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_05: You don't have to say yes to everything.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_05: And I because I don't say yes to everything.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_05: At all.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_05: No, it it doesn't make sense to say yes to everything.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_05: No, especially when it deals with, you know, interfering on moral values and you know, your beliefs and things like that.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_05: If it goes against what you stand for and you believe in, say no.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, hey, I mean, do it nicely.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_05: Because who knows who else there can put you somewhere else.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_05: Nah, this one's just not for me.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_01: And some of the stuff, it's like, I'm not even saying anything to anybody.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just like, oh, I'm not gonna submit for that, you know, or um, or if I even see somebody out there posting information about that they're looking for maybe even crew or something like that, it's the same thing.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but um it's yes, it maybe takes you out of the running.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_01: Because then you also do, you know, with social media, unfortunately, you you get that little comparison like thing, like, well, so-and-so is over here, is doing all this stuff, and it's like, I'm just sitting here, you know, doing my own thing, or I mean, I haven't gotten a little bit further than I would like, but I try to remind myself I may not even want to be in their boat of what they're doing.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_05: Sometimes you gotta roll alone.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_05: That sounded like a that sounded good, didn't it?
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_05: Sometimes you gotta roll alone.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_05: I'm just saying, ooh, look, you hear that boy over here talking.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_05: Listen, sometimes you have to be on your own when it comes to a lot of stuff.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_05: Sometimes, yes, there's a community, but in the way I look at a lot of things, it could be a hundred people in this room.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_05: We all know each other, we all work together, yeah, but there should always be a very smaller collective of people that you talk to and deal with and work with, you know, quote unquote, regardless of the situation.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_05: Sometimes you can't put your feet in everybody else's shoes.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_05: And especially as a creative, we all can do something, which means we don't have to copy what they're doing or do exactly what they're doing.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_05: Because I know sometimes, you know, you get into that space of, oh man, I should have because they're doing.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_05: And now um, well, no, you said no for a reason.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_05: You know, and you if you say no for a very specific reason, you you shouldn't second guess yourself.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_05: And this is not me talking to you, because I know you know, but for you know, for the the people watching, like sometimes saying no is a bigger blessing than saying yes.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, oh yeah.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_05: It truly is.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_05: You just have to, you gotta know.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, I you I mean, I'm not like, oh, I'm wanting to be a superstar.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, I always say I'm already a star since my last name is star, so boom.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: I don't, you know, I was born a star.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_01: So um, but you know, it you you see some of these creatives that, you know, all of a sudden they like got all this, they got this big project, and then they're nowhere.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I recently saw there was some actress that was she's she's a great actress.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: I think she's British, but she was in the Odyssey and she was talking about like she hasn't worked in over a year in film.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I was like, I I try to remind myself like even the people that everybody knows or you you you've seen their work a lot, they may not be working or they may be, you know, doing different things.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_01: And and so I just I mean, it's hard not to compare yourself.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um true.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's uh especially with social media, it does make it harder.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: But I have to keep on a reminding myself, I'm like, but would like say if a project comes out, like, would I want to be in that project?
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if I would or I or maybe I would have, you know, it just kind of depends.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_01: But try to keep myself on track track in that aspect.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_05: I'm working on a short film.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, another one.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, another one.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_05: And the question that I was that the the short film is about is kind of like what you said.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_05: You know, you see all these things going on with all these different people, and then you do say yes when you feel like you should have said no.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_05: The one question is but are you happy?
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_05: So I'm putting that together mentally, and because I mean it's it's a true question, but are you happy?
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_05: You know, when you see them, that looks so much fun.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_05: But would I be happy if I was there knowing these people?
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_05: You know, like I don't smoke, I don't drink.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and if I saw people hanging out at the bar, it's like dang, I wish I was there.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_05: But it's like, but would I be happy?
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I don't smoke there at a cigar lounge.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_05: Make that make sense, you know what I'm saying?
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_05: Um so yes, you you do kind of get in that space where you start comparing yourself to other people.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_05: But it's like who are you comparing yourself to, number one?
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_05: And then number two, would you be happy if you were there?
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_05: Like, especially if it's a space that you said no to.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you know, yeah.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_05: I know I wouldn't be.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_05: That's why I said no.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, I'm gonna exclude myself.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_05: Y'all have fun.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, see y'all next project.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_05: So you you said there are mostly like a lot of the filmmakers and everything.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_05: You're finding these auditions mostly on Facebook and social media.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, some have been on Facebook social media.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: I will say a lot like audition-wise, I've been doing more submitting myself um through like uh Actors Access, which is the acting site for those who are actors.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's how you submit your to the projects.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_01: But I mean, a lot of the indie stuff, yeah, yes, it is through Facebook.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_01: Now, like I said, I also do behind the scenes work too.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of the stuff I've done that way has been through social media or people I have worked with and they say, Hey, would you uh here's your name and they give it to somebody.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_01: So that's usually how I find projects there.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and same thing.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: Also, I've worked, trying to think, I think I had a work crew with some people, and then they were, they reached out to me and they saw some acting stuff, and then they asked, you know, if I would like one of them, I just they saw uh my reel as a cop and they just said, Hey, would you be our warden for our project?
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, Yes.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I would love to play a police officer or anything like that before.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm down for it.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so so yeah, so that's kind of how I've found that.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: And like I said, you know, the community is very small.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you know, my first the first project I did behind the scenes work on, um, her name is the director, her name is Victoria.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_01: And she shout out to her and her team, and the uh I think it's Pasha Intertainment.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_01: They did a horror film.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: It was filmed right during the pandemic.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: So that was fun doing everything.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, mask and a lot of what we were doing.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_01: But I had found out through her name is Kia.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, she also shout out to her because um I met her a long time ago at one of the film events, but before I even started doing film, and she saw my name on the list about being a production assistant, and she asked for me to work with her in the the wardrobe.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: Now that we all learned I did not, I cannot iron.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_01: Or so yeah, so we learned that was not my skill on that project.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um but oh no.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, so and on that project, that's what really solidified kind of like my the community I started building up because everybody was so great.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it was awesome because like I said, it was a female director, writer, pretty much almost all the crew except a couple people were female.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_01: Let it was just it was awesome.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so they put a high standard for me on projects.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, luckily I've been pretty good and you know, um having been a part of projects, but that's kind of how I found the acting within acting and the behind the scenes work.
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_01: So pretty much a lot of it indie wise is connections to local people and working with them and you know, if they like you know, just because you work with them doesn't mean they're gonna say, hey, I want you to be in my movie because you may not fit the role, which I understand, but correct.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, I I am once again, I'm selective.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_01: I may work behind the scenes with you if and but like, hey, this might be a good opportunity depending on the project or or for things like that.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_05: And that that makes sense, you know, especially when you can do a lot when you know a little bit more than a little bit.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_05: Um, you know, because we could go somewhere and, you know, I'm supposed to be a photographer and we get there and they're like, hey, can you guys do video?
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_05: Well, I mean, it's it's the same camera case for me.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_05: So then I'm like, all right, Shamar, you got them pictures, I get this video, yeah, you know, and we make things happen.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_05: You know, um because like with 8 ball, I was just the editing consultant.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_05: And you know, things took place, and it was like, hey, can you color grade?
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and I was like, Yeah, can you can you do that?
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_05: I said, Yeah, just send it to me.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_05: And then when I got everything, I was like, hey, um I'm gonna go ahead and mix this audio because I can't hear.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_05: It's like, oh, okay, great, great.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_05: Hey man, yeah, I appreciate that.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_05: You know, so again, shout out to Ollie for that.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_05: But, you know, I uh took the project that he, I mean, again, like you said, he edited.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, he contacted me about certain things, made sure he knew how to line things up, where things needed to go.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it was it wasn't like advanced yet simple stuff, but it was like, okay, wait, don't do it that way.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_05: This is more simpler, this is quicker, easier, and simpler.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_05: Do this.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_05: So he would, you know, go back, he would do it, and then, you know, when he sent the final version, I sat there and watched it like three times and I was like, oh man.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_05: And then I went into it.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_05: But I'd I tell people pick one thing, yeah, start with that.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_05: And it sounds like your one thing would be acting.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's that's what it was.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_01: And then like I said though, because I like because I started in pandemic time, it's kind of awkward, because you kind of like were like, I'm I do the behind the scenes a little bit because that that was the other thing, is that you know, people were talking about if you do behind the scenes work, sometimes people will just solely see you as maybe a crew.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I've tried to be choosy in what I do because I'm trying to get individuals to see me as an actress, not I mean, yes, you can see me as other things, but if I want you to first think, oh, Jennifer, actress, you know, that's what I want you to think first.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_05: And she can do all these other things.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_05: You know, like for me, it's like, oh, Tay does video.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, whatever that looks like or means to whoever.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_05: Tay is known for being behind the camera.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_05: I didn't know he had a podcast, and I didn't know he can do a little bit of acting.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_05: I'm only saying a little bit because I'm sitting beside Jennifer.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_05: Here we go with this comparison thing, you know.
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_05: Um, but it's like I I can do a lot more, but I want you to know me for one thing, and I'm in a sense in that space of where know what I do, but trying to figure out what I want that number one thing to be for people.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_05: Cause I mean, it's been 15 years plus, I believe.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, okay.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_05: And I'm known as the videographer.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_05: You know, I do the video, but uh, we're working on changing that because um Tay' tired of holding the camera all the time.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_05: You come hold this camera, you tell me you won't hold on to it for two, three hours straight.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_01: I say it was like a workout.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_05: They think it's heavy.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, think about this than a five-pound, ten-pound dump.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_05: But it's like, oh man, this is easy, but over time, it's like, oh God.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_05: You know, this is oh my god, you know.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I was on, I was on set for another project uh recently, and it was now they had better equipment than I've seen in any of my little pro on some of my projects before.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like the equipment was like top notch, and it was like the big rig, and it had the it was like the thing, I don't know how to whatever it was, the rig.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, the thing is like it made me hurt my back just looking at it because I was like, how are you standing upright right now?
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_01: Because I mean it was crazy, but I mean it was really cool, but I was just like, because I love like I I dabble in photography stuff too.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the other thing is I really love the camera stuff and the cinematography, and it, you know, so I've always liked the visual and and everything like that too, as well.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean, like I said, if it's something I'm interested in, I'll try it out.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_01: If it don't work, it don't work, you know.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_05: But the key thing is trying.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_05: You don't know what you get until you try it.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_05: You know, think about it.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_05: You you went to start training with CrossFit.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_05: Basically said, if I can lift up these, do these deadlifts, I should be able to open up my mouth in front of a group of people and pursue what I want to do.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 39:43
  SPEAKER_05: You know, and then you're it's not something that you were forced to do.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_05: Oh yeah.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_05: It's something that you wanted to do.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_05: And I think that plays a part in a lot of things too, where sometimes we become a creative or become a X, Y, and Z because that's what we've been told to do.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_05: You know, things have been pushed on us to become, and it it doesn't always work out.
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_05: But are you happy?
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_05: You know what I'm saying?
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_05: So you've done this for a while, all the way back to theater and high school, right?
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_05: With everything that you have going on, the job titles, the auditions, uh, booking the role.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_05: How has your support system been in the midst of all of this?
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: They've been good.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_01: I, you know, uh family are great.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_01: That, you know, if you know, I'll sometimes say, I got an audition, like, especially if there's ones that I can say.
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: You know, sometimes you can't say on certain ones, uh, which gets you're like, oh, I wish I could.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I'm not gonna get sued from them.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um uh, but uh they've been great.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then, you know, like my best friend, uh, she shout out to Heather.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_01: She is, we've been friends since third grade.
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, wow.
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_01: Third grade.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_01: So we go back, we both were weird, we're still weird.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: But she when when we were in theater, she would come and she had, you know, how you would do like for football, they would have signs.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_01: She would have signs in theater.
• 41:17
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean, like, she's like a true cheerleader, she's like that for everybody.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_01: But um, see, I have her, and then I have my other uh good friends from college, um, and everybody's been supportive.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, sometimes you have sometimes if you haven't booked bigger roles, or like, well, are you know, are you really acting?
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_01: You know, is it really there?
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, some other, you know, sometimes you hear that.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_01: But I will say this, sometimes I mean you get you get things from people about like why aren't you like further along or whatever?
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_01: But I feel like sometimes the harder part is yourself.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like you sometimes you don't feel like it's hard to motivate yourself and you negatively talk bad to yourself.
• 42:15
  SPEAKER_01: And like I said, you know, for me, that's been kind of my journey is been trying to deal with that and then the whole comparison thing and and everything.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: Also uh worrying about what people think.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_01: That's the other, I think that's sometimes what I for me, sometimes it's like I worry too much about what someone's gonna think about whatever, whatever it is.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_01: And so then that causes you to to I say, I guess, dim your light.
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_01: So um sometimes I feel like that may be a little bit more for people too.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know, but that's for me.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that could be a big thing.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_01: But I have a great support system and everybody, you know, my mom's like, we're getting too.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, you better get on that red carpet.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, I'm like, okay, mom.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to, I'm trying to do that.
• 43:06
  SPEAKER_05: Just give me a minute.
• 43:07
  SPEAKER_05: I'm working a little bit.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, I'm working, guys.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but uh so she always will jerk with me on that.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, it's just um just trying to you have people that can push you, but it really most of the time it comes down to yourself to being able, you know, afraid of getting rejected, which now with act actually also when I was looking for a job in 2008, that prepared me for like acting rejection.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_01: Cause like I said, I had a a red book and I had over a thousand applications that was never hurt anything.
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_01: So so yeah.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_01: So um, so yeah, it I I feel like it's a lot, Thompson could be yourself too.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_05: I think you as an individual are is the number one person that can do a lot, say a lot, because I mean you're talking to yourself.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_05: You Sometimes you don't ask for opinions, you just you know, well, should I?
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_05: And then you play every scenario in your head except the one that actually happens, you know.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_05: And it it comes down to self-doubt.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_05: And then the question is, why are you doubting yourself before anyone else has a chance to even say anything?
• 44:23
  SPEAKER_05: You know, um we had a discussion.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_05: I can't remember who it was, but it's like ask people early.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_05: Don't wait until you're on like step eight of ten and say, hey, what do y'all think?
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_05: And they're like, no, that's garbage.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_05: That's a stupid idea.
• 44:43
  SPEAKER_05: And they're being genuine, not you know, hating on you or anything like that.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_05: And it's like, well, why didn't you ask at the beginning before you spent all this time and sometimes money getting this far and then ask, you know, sometimes you have to ask these people, and you have to know who to ask.
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_05: You know, you don't want a yes man or a yes woman.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_05: You know, every now and then you need one.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_05: But for the most part, 98.9%.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_05: No, I don't I don't want you to just agree with everything I say because you're not challenging me to think, you know, or to do.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_05: You know.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_05: So have you had to deal with a or anybody just basically like Jennifer?
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_05: What and why?
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, yeah, yeah.
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_01: I mean you get you know, when with acting, I mean you can't, I mean, statistically they say like I think it's like one percent actually make it and with like money-wise and stuff, you know.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_01: But um it's like you know, you're told, oh, you should do this type of job.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um and or like I guess also the other thing is is like I think a lot of it's more of like, well, have I seen you on anything?
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_01: And if you haven't, then it's like, are you really doing it?
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_01: Does that make sense?
• 46:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like at all, they they think that you're doing acting.
• 46:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so it's like just because I'm not on like, you know, I'm not like uh the Kardashians or something like that, you know, uh it doesn't mean anything.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean you just get you a lot of times though, I mean sometimes you'll get that from friends, family, whatever, but a lot of times it's but also at the same time, I yeah, I get you know, try try it.
• 46:51
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're only gonna live once, you know, you know, but um I I would just say like sometimes it and then the thing is this it may not be for me, it may not be like directly told to me, if that makes sense.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's like kind of like being around the bush, kind of like what I'm doing right now.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_01: But um uh yeah, I I see you over here trying to select your words wisely, trying not to offend anybody.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_05: But listen here, let me explain something to you.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_05: If you don't care about my feelings, I'm not gonna care about yours.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_05: Whoever that is, too.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_05: You know, I'm gonna give you the same energy that you give me, but you can ask those like Shamar.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_05: I can be Petty 1000 in a split second, and I will give you the same energy.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_05: So when you look at me crazy, just understand you started it.
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_05: I know how to finish a lot of things now.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_05: But listen, if you have to tread softly on these words, Jennifer, we're gonna get through this.
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_05: And I will translate whatever it is.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_05: She said she's sick and tired of y'all telling her that she can't act and that she needs to hurry up and figure this out.
• 48:03
  SPEAKER_05: You hear me?
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_05: She said, hold on and wait.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_05: Okay, except for you, mama.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_05: Don't, it's not you, not you, mom, not you, mama.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_05: But for everybody else, let her cook.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_05: Ain't that what they said?
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_05: They let her cook.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_05: Let her cook.
• 48:16
  SPEAKER_05: Okay, I think my rant is over.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_05: Listen, y'all don't leave Jennifer alone.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_05: Okay, she's getting these gigs, she's getting these jobs.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_05: What y'all don't understand is there could be somebody doing something for 10, 15, 30 years before they quote unquote make it big, be get on the the big screen or start this restaurant.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, the colonel was what, in his 60s, 70s?
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_01: I think Morgan Freeman, he started like 50.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_01: Or he'll, I think he got his bigger stuff when he was like 50 or something.
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_01: When he was something older.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so, well, personally, I'm like, hey, I'm fine with that.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, because you know, I feel like as I got older, I found figured out who I am.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't think I I had at one time I had thought I was like, well, you know, when I was younger, uh like I was afraid to do some kind of audition for something when I was really young.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_01: But uh it was a movie, and I was like, but if I got that, would I had I don't know if I would even be prepared.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 49:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, because there's a lot going on if you do make it big or whatever.
• 49:22
  SPEAKER_05: But I mean, that's not really there's a lot that is put on you once you as you elevate.
• 49:29
  SPEAKER_05: Not once you elevate, but as you elevate, you think about the knowledge that you gain, quote unquote, in the little stuff, right?
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_05: So when you do get that big call from Warner Brothers or a Tyler Perry or somebody that's when I become Squirrel Girl for Marvel, um, they're not ready for that, but just let you know.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_05: So you hear that?
• 49:52
  SPEAKER_05: You hear that, Marvel?
• 49:53
  SPEAKER_05: She's ready.
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_01: Squirrel girl, sorry.
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_05: So listen, it's you have to know who you are and where you are.
• 50:01
  SPEAKER_05: And a lot of people want to tell us who we are and what we should be.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:06
  SPEAKER_05: And you have to know take what people say with a grain of salt.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_05: It's their opinion.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_05: But how much of it is true, how much of it needs to be worked on, flushed out, you know.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_05: Um how much of it needs to be ignored.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_05: Because I ignore a lot of comments.
• 50:22
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:23
  SPEAKER_05: I ignore a lot of things.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_05: I ignore a lot of people.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_05: And Shamar will tell you, when I cut you, you're done.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_05: You know, there's no conversations to be had.
• 50:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 50:34
  SPEAKER_05: I will cut you quick.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_05: So you've been doing this for a while.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_05: And I and I keep repeating that because I want people to understand that like you didn't start yesterday and tried to do everything.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_05: You've been auditioning.
• 50:51
  SPEAKER_05: You had the stage fright.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_03: Yep.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_05: You know, I had stage.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_05: We went to go perform at a house party, and we had this bright idea.
• 51:02
  SPEAKER_05: We're not gonna put the lyrics on the song.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, gosh.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_05: Because we know it.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_05: I knew everything word for word.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_05: And we got up there, it was my turn.
• 51:13
  SPEAKER_05: I said the first bar, and I froze.
• 51:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_05: And my face was literally like, yeah.
• 51:22
  SPEAKER_05: And all you heard was all the kids, oh, and they ragged on, and I think this is around the time Eight Mile came out.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_05: So, you know, it was it was horrible for me.
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, I was like, run that back, DJ, run that back.
• 51:35
  SPEAKER_05: So he started it over, yeah, and I killed my verse.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_05: But after that, I was like, I cannot believe I didn't get past the first line.
• 51:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's like your brain just like goes away.
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's like whatever you prepare.
• 51:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 51:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, it's and I've I've learned.
• 51:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I've been trying to focus more on for also with my acting, like try to be more just present.
• 52:02
  SPEAKER_01: Because just me in general as an individual, I'm sometimes like everywhere.
• 52:06
  SPEAKER_01: So like it's really sometimes I struggle to be, I'm just here.
• 52:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm listening and and and reacting.
• 52:13
  SPEAKER_01: So it definitely with the fear of it, it definitely takes a lot.
• 52:19
  SPEAKER_01: You gotta like focused on it.
• 52:22
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you have to stay focused.
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_05: Um, for people like us, you have to get a grip on this ADHD because the mind called squirrel brain.
• 52:32
  SPEAKER_05: Squirrel.
• 52:33
  SPEAKER_01: Squirrel brain.
• 52:34
  SPEAKER_05: We know about squirrels, don't we, Shamar?
• 52:36
  SPEAKER_04: Because we do that all over yesterday.
• 52:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 52:38
  SPEAKER_04: No, no, no, we don't do that.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_02: He's like, you do it.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_05: Look, y'all, I said what I said.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_05: I said we.
• 52:47
  SPEAKER_05: So it's we, me more than others, because I'd be like, hey, Shamar, remember that one time we went to that place?
• 52:53
  SPEAKER_05: He'd be like, yeah, and I'd be like, so what's for lunch?
• 52:56
  SPEAKER_05: He'd be like, what did them have to do with each other?
• 52:59
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they can all relate.
• 53:01
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's a man to a lot of people laugh at me because I like I said, the Muppets and I I couldn't read like anything back, like anything is that's when you know you watch a lot of movies.
• 53:11
  SPEAKER_01: Is that I if you say one thing, I can relate it back to a movie and I literally visualize it in my head.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 53:17
  SPEAKER_01: And it is, and they're like, Jennifer, what I I don't understand.
• 53:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like, how did that get?
• 53:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll say the line or whatever, and they're and I'm like, but yeah, I can't remember where I put my key.
• 53:30
  SPEAKER_05: Exactly.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_05: I've watched so many movies and so many TV shows.
• 53:34
  SPEAKER_05: I'm one of those people that no matter what you say, like uh if I say first things first, oh he like I Papa freaks, you know, all the honeys, dummies, playboy bunnies.
• 53:49
  SPEAKER_05: All right, see, and now he's going with the whole verse, you know.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_05: And if I'm like, if I say certain things or I hear certain things, you know, like if somebody's like, um I'm about to raise my prices, there's a Christian hip hop artist named Aha Ghazelle, and his he's got a song that's like, Ever since my price went up, the people ignoring me.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_05: And I hear this whole song.
• 54:13
  SPEAKER_05: Every time somebody says something about pricing, or I'm raising my prices, I have that song.
• 54:19
  SPEAKER_05: Um, it's like, what you looking at?
• 54:22
  SPEAKER_05: It's like, what you looking at?
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_05: Ain't no beating me.
• 54:24
  SPEAKER_05: And it's like, oh, these are going through my mind.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_05: I'm trying to remember them, but because I'm in the moment, I can't think of any.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and they'll come out later afterwards.
• 54:34
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, but you know, I'm I'm just one of those people that everything relates back to something.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_05: And I'm like, I would really love to be able to create a series, you know, doing that, but we we're talking like years of copyright infringement and you know, the legalities just to get this 10, this three seconds of a song played, you know.
• 55:01
  SPEAKER_05: So I'm like, I I'll write it and pass it along.
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 55:06
  SPEAKER_05: Tyler Perry, we need to talk.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_05: Somebody, whoever, we we need to talk, you know.
• 55:12
  SPEAKER_05: But um, but yeah, that's that's me too.
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_01: I I call it kind of the superpower though, because that's what also makes me want to try different things too.
• 55:23
  SPEAKER_01: Because like I said, people find it, they're like, oh my gosh, you're just like, if something looks fun, like I'll do it.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll just say this right now.
• 55:35
  SPEAKER_01: I I've been doing pole dancing.
• 55:36
  SPEAKER_01: I've learned how to pole dance because I've randomly just wanted to learn how to do something fun.
• 55:41
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, it's just it's like I'll do anything, like I said, except jump out of it.
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_01: No, I like to be on the ground, yeah.
• 55:54
  SPEAKER_05: So you have to get out.
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_05: You don't know what you like until you try it.
• 56:00
  SPEAKER_05: You know, give it a shot.
• 56:01
  SPEAKER_05: I I know there was a line, a statement that's like, you know, you should try everything at least once, except jump out of a plane.
• 56:10
  SPEAKER_05: You know, try to be smart, and it makes sense, you know, because at one point I'm like, cameras are expensive.
• 56:18
  SPEAKER_05: I just figure out how to become a rapper.
• 56:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 56:21
  SPEAKER_05: And I'll stay in front of the camera, you know, or you know, I'll learn how to act the way I'm in front of the camera.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_05: But then I start looking up camera prices, and you know, this is around the time of the T3i era.
• 56:33
  SPEAKER_05: And I'm like, that's not that expensive.
• 56:38
  SPEAKER_05: And it's made for me.
• 56:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 56:41
  SPEAKER_05: You know, the beginner hybrid camera to do photo and video.
• 56:45
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.
• 56:45
  SPEAKER_05: And I found one on Amazon.
• 56:48
  SPEAKER_05: Not Amazon.
• 56:49
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, I'm about to date myself.
• 56:51
  SPEAKER_05: Craigslist.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh-oh, oh, Craigslist Killer.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_01: I just think of Craigslist Killer.
• 56:59
  SPEAKER_01: I've watched too many lifetime movies.
• 57:01
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, but that was after this, though.
• 57:03
  SPEAKER_01: No, okay.
• 57:04
  SPEAKER_05: You know, so I looked it up and he was selling the camera, an extra battery, and and something, and he was only selling it for like three, 350.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_05: So I was like, I got that.
• 57:18
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, let me get that.
• 57:19
  unknown: Yeah.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_05: Then I started buying lenses, listening to other people.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_05: I've never used those other lenses.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 57:27
  SPEAKER_05: Never.
• 57:28
  SPEAKER_05: You know, with the the variable uh aperture, you know, the wider it is, you know, it's at L4, but as you zoom in, it goes down to 5.6 and all, and I was like, yeah, I have no need for these lenses.
• 57:42
  SPEAKER_05: You know, but you don't know until you try.
• 57:47
  SPEAKER_05: And y'all know, I sat with that camera like this for a year, telling myself, well, they don't look like that.
• 57:55
  SPEAKER_05: They don't look like his and they don't look like hers.
• 57:57
  SPEAKER_05: And you know, I took a picture and it was just straight white.
• 58:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 58:02
  SPEAKER_05: Take another picture and it's straight black because I'm not learning the settings.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_05: I'm literally trying to quote unquote figure it out without taking the time to learn.
• 58:13
  SPEAKER_05: So at least you've taken the time to learn and apply.
• 58:19
  SPEAKER_05: And that right there is a story within its own.
• 58:23
  SPEAKER_05: That to me tells me personally you're again, you're willing to do it.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_05: Except jump out of the plants.
• 58:31
  SPEAKER_01: So both we're not jumping out of no plants.
• 58:33
  SPEAKER_01: I will stay on the crowd.
• 58:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, exactly.
• 58:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I just love trying new things, and you know, I well, I also say this.
• 58:43
  SPEAKER_01: My mom and dad say I am Jethro Bodine from the Beverly Hillbillies.
• 58:48
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if anybody ever watched that show, but he was always saying he was like a double-knot spy and some other things.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_01: So we joke that that's me.
• 58:56
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was like, he had ADHD.
• 58:58
  SPEAKER_01: I think that character had ADHD because he was always gonna be something.
• 59:03
  SPEAKER_01: And so um, so yeah, so I just, you know, it's just so much fun.
• 59:07
  SPEAKER_01: And it's funny because I don't think it's because somebody had told me, oh, that's so courageous.
• 59:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, I'm just doing something that I'll like it, looks interesting.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna try it.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I guess I don't think of it as creative.
• 59:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I just I'm like, okay, we'll just try it.
• 59:25
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, it it's kind of funny how I don't see see it as that, just because I'm like, I'll just try it out.
• 59:31
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, as the worst thing is, is I'm just not good at it, or I'm just, you know, I'm not there to try to be like the professional of whatever it is I'm trying to do.
• 59:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um and everything.
• 59:45
  SPEAKER_05: Harping on an interest.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_05: And even with the line of you're so courageous, we have to think that, or have to know, we speak from our own experiences.
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_05: So that could have come from someone that's like very timid.
• 1:00:03
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, very oh no.
• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_05: Well, what if?
• 1:00:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:00:08
  SPEAKER_05: And and I've realized that even, you know, some of the people that have sat in that same exact chair you're sitting in, and I've learned that from, you know, clients, potential clients, like you have to just do it.
• 1:00:22
  SPEAKER_05: You know, one thing that we say is our biggest, uh, the biggest thing, the easiest thing to do is the hardest thing to do, which is just press record.
• 1:00:29
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_05: Press record.
• 1:00:31
  SPEAKER_05: You know you're recording.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_05: You know you got that little 32 gig SD card, so you ain't got but 15 minutes to figure it out.
• 1:00:37
  SPEAKER_05: You know, what are you gonna do with it?
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, but yes, you you have to just try.
• 1:00:42
  SPEAKER_05: Just try.
• 1:00:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_05: So let me, let me, let's, let's move this along.
• 1:00:47
  SPEAKER_05: With everything that you been through, everything that you done, your support system.
• 1:00:52
  SPEAKER_05: Um, what is one seed that you would plant for the viewers?
• 1:00:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um just try it.
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that just try whatever um piques your interest.
• 1:01:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, if it's you know, I I hang out with some cosplayers and they just some of them are very cre like, I mean, really creative, and they're like almost like fashion designers, and they just they're just doing stuff just to have fun.
• 1:01:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um you know, I I had I had a conversation with somebody one time, and I think that also helped kind of get me where I wanted to with acting.
• 1:01:43
  SPEAKER_01: And when I was sitting in the the conversation, I was like, I need to do this because I don't want to regret at the end of the day that didn't at least try.
• 1:01:56
  SPEAKER_01: Because you're already counting yourself out if you haven't tried.
• 1:02:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um and and keep on going.
• 1:02:04
  SPEAKER_01: And it it's it could be difficult.
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, also at the same time, like I like to have certain things in my life, like, you know, I'm gonna have a regular job or you know, to make sure I have money to do things I want to do.
• 1:02:21
  SPEAKER_01: But um just I don't know, just try it and see where it goes.
• 1:02:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and definitely try not to compare yourself.
• 1:02:31
  SPEAKER_01: And like I said, that's easier said than done, but that's just always I'm trying to remind myself on a daily basis um that even though I may not be where somebody else is, I maybe kind of would like to be at their level.
• 1:02:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but hopefully whenever I'm ready and I'm trying to get, I'm I've been, you know, I'm taking acting classes, I'm trying to get better at my craft and different things like that, and doing other things that will help me get better at my acting, like kind of like similar with the CrossFit.
• 1:03:04
  SPEAKER_01: I did CrossFit and that's what got me into the acting part.
• 1:03:07
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say is just try it as best you can and um see what happens.
• 1:03:13
  SPEAKER_01: I know it's really difficult sometimes, uh, because some days you're like, why am I even trying?
• 1:03:19
  SPEAKER_01: It just doesn't feel like anything's happening.
• 1:03:22
  SPEAKER_05: But yeah, I mean, I quit almost every other day.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I usually say that in my head.
• 1:03:27
  SPEAKER_01: I'll I'm like, maybe I should quit right now.
• 1:03:29
  SPEAKER_01: And then I'm like, but I really, it's like there's something in me.
• 1:03:34
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, no, you gotta keep on going.
• 1:03:36
  SPEAKER_01: And it had always been there too when I was younger, too.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_01: I felt the the similar like voice.
• 1:03:43
  SPEAKER_01: And that sounds not what I mean, but you know what I mean.
• 1:03:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like you just have that inner inner monologue.
• 1:03:50
  SPEAKER_01: Please don't think I'm crazy.
• 1:03:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, the inner monologue, uh I would say um it's in there somewhere.
• 1:03:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:03:59
  SPEAKER_05: So try.
• 1:04:02
  SPEAKER_05: Like Aaliyah said, if at first you don't succeed, try to sell up and try again.
• 1:04:07
  SPEAKER_05: See what I mean?
• 1:04:09
  SPEAKER_05: Try again, try again.
• 1:04:12
  SPEAKER_05: So, yes, I agree.
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_05: You know, you fail once.
• 1:04:18
  SPEAKER_05: Okay, maybe you did something wrong.
• 1:04:19
  SPEAKER_05: Try it again.
• 1:04:20
  SPEAKER_05: You know, thinking about it like science um formulas.
• 1:04:25
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, something is off if it doesn't reach the result that it's supposed to.
• 1:04:29
  SPEAKER_05: Figure out what's off, which is basically trying and trying and trying and trying and trying.
• 1:04:34
  SPEAKER_05: When you figure it out, now you know how to do it every single time.
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:04:39
  SPEAKER_05: So, yes, people, try.
• 1:04:42
  SPEAKER_05: Keep it moving.
• 1:04:43
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, so Jennifer, yes, can you please tell the people where they can find you if they want to book you or have questions?
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 1:04:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I am on Instagram.
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_01: So it's Jennifer underscore star s t-a-r-r, because there's two R's.
• 1:05:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that is my Instagram.
• 1:05:04
  SPEAKER_01: That's where you can find everything.
• 1:05:05
  SPEAKER_01: So I have like a link tree, has my links to the YouTube channel where you can watch our dark comedy that we did um with me and Mina.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then also like actors access and other different things that you could want to know about me.
• 1:05:21
  SPEAKER_01: But um, check me out on Instagram and uh you can follow me there.
• 1:05:27
  SPEAKER_05: And there it goes.
• 1:05:28
  SPEAKER_05: Yep.
• 1:05:29
  SPEAKER_05: So this is the the section where I open the floor for you to ask me a question, make a statement, uh, give advice, ask for advice, whatever the case may be.
• 1:05:42
  SPEAKER_05: So the floor is yours.
• 1:05:45
  SPEAKER_01: What would be your advice to people on you know trying to get started in creativity or at least keep me motivated?
• 1:05:58
  SPEAKER_05: It's a very simple.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_05: Difficult thing and it's get your butt up and go do it.
• 1:06:05
  SPEAKER_05: You know, waking up is the easy part, but at some point you have to put action behind your thoughts, action behind your words.
• 1:06:13
  SPEAKER_05: So again, the most easiest yet difficult thing to do is press record and start with what you have with what you have.
• 1:06:22
  SPEAKER_05: If all you have is your cell phone, use the rear camera.
• 1:06:26
  SPEAKER_05: No, you can't see yourself, but use the rear camera.
• 1:06:30
  SPEAKER_05: It gives you a better quality instantly than the front face camera, and just go.
• 1:06:36
  SPEAKER_05: Do until you figure out where you want to be exactly.
• 1:06:41
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it's best to press record and start figuring it out.
• 1:06:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:06:45
  SPEAKER_05: Instead of thinking that you figured it out and what you put out nobody cares about, nobody likes, nobody watches.
• 1:06:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:06:51
  SPEAKER_05: You know, so that's my advice.
• 1:06:54
  SPEAKER_05: Just press record.
• 1:06:56
  SPEAKER_05: Just press record.
• 1:06:57
  SPEAKER_05: Not that difficult.
• 1:06:59
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah.
• 1:07:01
  SPEAKER_01: That's cool.
• 1:07:01
  SPEAKER_01: I like this.
• 1:07:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, sometimes it can be uh once again.
• 1:07:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like I said, I'm a people pleaser.
• 1:07:10
  SPEAKER_01: So you're like thinking about what everybody else is thinking before you hit that record button.
• 1:07:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um I understand that for sure.
• 1:07:17
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 1:07:18
  SPEAKER_05: And I it's a good it's okay to have people in mind when you do it.
• 1:07:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:07:24
  SPEAKER_05: You know, and thinking about what they may or may not say.
• 1:07:27
  SPEAKER_05: But at the same time, it's like you kind of have to push that to the side because a lot of times we don't do because we're solely focused on what they might think when we haven't even had a conversation with them.
• 1:07:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_05: You know, and just because you talk to somebody like, oh man, that's whack, that's stupid.
• 1:07:47
  SPEAKER_05: I tell people, I say, think about T Pain and Akon.
• 1:07:51
  SPEAKER_05: You know, T-Pain wrote, uh, what was it?
• 1:07:54
  SPEAKER_05: Um, was it the bartender song?
• 1:07:57
  SPEAKER_05: Or it was one of his first songs.
• 1:07:59
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:08:00
  SPEAKER_05: And Akon was basically like, nah, we're not doing that.
• 1:08:04
  SPEAKER_05: No, I'm not.
• 1:08:05
  SPEAKER_05: And T-Pain took it, and that's what launched his career.
• 1:08:08
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:08:09
  SPEAKER_05: So that being said, you can't always focus on what everybody else thinks and says, you know.
• 1:08:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:08:16
  SPEAKER_05: And I think that, and I know that's for the collective.
• 1:08:19
  SPEAKER_05: That is for all of us.
• 1:08:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:08:21
  SPEAKER_05: So listen, Jennifer.
• 1:08:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_05: I greatly appreciate you being here.
• 1:08:26
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
• 1:08:27
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
• 1:08:28
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 1:08:28
  SPEAKER_05: And um, I think that's it for this episode.
• 1:08:33
  SPEAKER_05: Unless Shamar got questions.
• 1:08:35
  SPEAKER_03: Sounds good.
• 1:08:37
  SPEAKER_05: That is it.
• 1:08:38
  SPEAKER_05: Well, that's it then.
• 1:08:40
  SPEAKER_05: Listen, thank y'all for tuning in to another episode of Creative Roots Podcast where C Song Become Visions Grown.
• 1:08:46
  SPEAKER_05: I am your host, Tay.
• 1:08:48
  SPEAKER_05: And I am Shamar Tay's trusty sidekick.
• 1:08:51
  SPEAKER_01: And this is Jennifer Starr.
• 1:08:54
  SPEAKER_05: She's like, I wasn't ready.
• 1:08:56
  SPEAKER_05: Um a star.
• 1:08:59
  SPEAKER_05: Don't forget, check out the website.
• 1:09:01
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, we have shirts, we have hoodies.
• 1:09:04
  SPEAKER_05: Um, there's getting ready to be another design released.
• 1:09:08
  SPEAKER_05: And we're we're getting close to being a little being a little chilly outside.
• 1:09:12
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah, make sure you go get your hoodie.
• 1:09:16
  SPEAKER_05: Creditrootspodcast.com.
• 1:09:18
  SPEAKER_04: Well, you said we're getting close to being cold outside at 91 degrees in this recording.
• 1:09:23
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_04: All right.
• 1:09:25
  SPEAKER_04: But when this episode comes out, only next week.
• 1:09:30
  SPEAKER_04: Hey, I'm getting ahead start.
• 1:09:31
  SPEAKER_05: I'm getting a head start ready before they all sold out.
• 1:09:34
  SPEAKER_04: Stay ready so you know how to get ready.
• 1:09:36
  SPEAKER_04: I know.
• 1:09:37
  SPEAKER_05: Exactly.
• 1:09:38
  SPEAKER_05: Go get the hoodie now in 95 degree weather.
• 1:09:41
  SPEAKER_05: Feels like 110.
• 1:09:42
  SPEAKER_05: Go get the hoodie.
• 1:09:43
  SPEAKER_05: But um, that's it.
• 1:09:45
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, shout out to Howlux Studio, Charlotte Podcast Studio, and Artbox Charlotte.
• 1:09:50
  SPEAKER_05: And we will catch y'all in the next one.
• 1:09:52
  SPEAKER_05: Peace.