Since I decided to launch a production studio in San Antonio, I reached out to a few former clients and asked if they’d mind writing a review about their experience with me. Bad idea. I got some really nice ones though, but that’s it. I’m not asking anymore.
My old studio was in Los Angeles, and I recently moved to San Antonio. I thought it would be cool to bring the same concept to Texas, so I reached out to someone who had been a client for over 10 years. Here’s the funny part: he only paid for the first month. And back then, it was only 2.99 per month. Less than a cup of coffee in 2008.
I had a lot of actors who simply couldn’t afford the membership, even though it was crazy cheap in my opinion. You got filming, unlimited self-tapes, audition practice, the Writers Room, and a ton of other stuff. If you couldn’t pay, I had one rule: don’t flake. If you flake, it affects everyone.
Obviously, if you had a big audition or booked a job, that was different. But this dude would flake because he was hungover. And I tolerated it because I felt bad. I always told myself, Nobody is going to care as much as I do.
Either way, over the years he got a ton of footage, I helped him get into SAG, he built up IMDb credits with footage to match, and he even booked jobs through people who were casting out of my studio. Needless to say, he made out pretty well.
We stayed loosely connected through social media over the years. A few messages here and there.
“Hey man, how’s it going?”
“Good! You?”
“I see you’re still at it. Good for you.”
“How’s Texas?”
Blah, blah, blah.
About a week after I launched the new Facebook page, I messaged him and asked if he’d mind writing a review about his experience.
His response:
“For Texas? No. That place is racist, and I’d never endorse this if you’re opening there and not here again.”
Weird.
Ten years ago, that probably would’ve pissed me off. I would’ve taken it personally and carried it around way longer than I should have. But I think every 10 years or so, we become slightly different people. Your perspective changes. Your life experience updates. Things that would’ve consumed you before suddenly don’t seem that important. I used to sing a little song to myself in my head when people annoyed me. Only a handful of people know what that song is. Lol.
These days, my inner monologue doesn’t say much. I shrug my shoulders and keep it moving. Texas has been amazing. The people are chill. The hustle is still here, but it feels different. I can’t really explain it. Maybe I’m just getting old.
I’m 48, but I still feel 28. Until I talk to someone who’s actually 28 and they ask me to follow them on TikTok.
Thanks for reading.
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