As an ambitious actress/creator, you know you have the goods when it comes to your talent. But your opportunities don’t necessarily reflect what you’re capable of.
How many times do you have to hear that the industry “doesn’t know what to do with you” before someone, anyone, finally recognizes what you bring to the table?
I hear you.
I know how incredibly frustrating it can be.
But here’s the truth - the industry is never going to pick you. It just doesn’t happen that way. Instead of waiting for permission, or some elusive big break that never comes, why not create it yourself?
When you sit down to write your script do you…
….stare at a blank page for what feels like years…
….find literally anything else to distract you…
….write a few lines, hate it, delete, start again, rinse and repeat until you die…?
I totally hear you.
Writing is hard. Writing something good is even harder. Especially if you don’t have the right tools.
That’s why I don’t want you to try to figure this out all by yourself. I’ve already done that and it takes about 10 years longer than it needs to.
When you do have the right tools, the right mentorship, and a community that inspires you to rise to the challenge, then you can make sh*t happen, on your own terms.
If you have a burning desire to create, but you don’t know where to get started (or you feel overwhelmed by all the moving parts), Pickford West can help.
Get on the waitlist for my next Short Film Lab Intensive to finally write and produce your damn script already!
I’ve always been drawn to the Golden Age of Hollywood. I’m fascinated by the early days of this industry and the biographies of the major players...many of whom were women. Before the Hays code brought censorship to “the pictures,” and before Hollywood was the boys club it later became, roles for women were incredible! They were unapologetic career women, they embraced their sexuality, they were bawdy, and ballsy and modern...in the 1920’s!
And women from this era were the original multi-hyphenates.
Mary Pickford was a silent film star who went on to become one of the most powerful women in Hollywood. She was a producer, a studio head and a major star onscreen.
Mae West was an actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter, comedian, and sex symbol whose career spanned seven decades.
She was way ahead of her time. Her work promoted a message of the sexually empowered woman, and she was a lifelong advocate for gay rights (we’re talking the 1930’s here). This made her extremely controversial during her lifetime.
Pickford West is a combination of these names, and represents the spirit and get sh*t done-ness of these pioneers who carved their own path.
I want that for you too. My mission is to help you become a successful creator in your own right.
Think about the film or tv show that made you want to be an actor. Or the character who inspired you to finally make that call, or do that thing, or change your life.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect, to disrupt the status quo, and to effect change.
Something magical happens when you sit in that dark theatre, wide-eyed and open-hearted, allowing yourself to go on an adventure, and most importantly, allowing yourself to feel. Storytelling can be an act of healing.
Your project is that moment for someone else. That aha moment, that shock of recognition, that impetus to do things differently. Your project is about more than just you...it’s about the people who need to hear your message. So don’t rob them of that experience.
Aren’t you sick of mediocre films written by mediocre men about mediocre characters doing mediocre things? I know I am.
The good news is change is a-coming to these here parts. And actor/creators are at the forefront of this change.
Just look at the last few years of awards shows. Some of the best breakout hits are written, created by and starring actors. Sometimes they direct, produce and showrun too!
Ambitious actors are uniquely suited to get sh*t done, and when you know how to go from “idea in your head” to “finished screenplay” and beyond, you can truly write your own ticket in this industry.
If you’re starting to freak out and feel like you have to write an Emmy-worthy screenplay right out of the gate, now would be a good time to take a deep breath. It’s gonna be ok.
In fact, I encourage you to start small.
Did you know that Fleabag started out as a 10 minute piece at a storytelling show? And Insecure started out as a web series called “Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.” The episodes were just a few minutes each.
These actors didn’t set out to get an Emmy nomination. They just got started. You can do it too.
If you’d like help, that’s what Pickford West is for.
Ready to take the first step? Grab my free training: How To Write Your Dream Role here.
The Short Film Lab Intensive is a 3-day event to learn everything you need to go from idea-in-your-head to finished script.
If you’re tired of waiting for the industry to pick you so you can do what you love, it’s time to take your success into your own hands. And the best way to do that is to write and star in your own short film.
The one that not only your audience will relate to, but can also put you on the map for the kind of roles you should be playing!
It’s time to finally write that idea you’ve been thinking about forever and turn it into your dream role. And I’m going to help you every step of the way.
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