Learn about others and yourself. Then get to writing. Then get to directing.

 Get out of your comfort zone and make connections. With myself or with someone else. Learn about others and yourself. Then get to writing. Then get to directing.


A long time ago I found out I'm good at sales. I like to talk to people and I'm passionate about research, demographics, and talent wrangling. Unfortunately, I was in the wrong industry. You'll see though, I finally found my calling 25 years later. 


I'm not a Prodigy. I spent my youth chasing sex and partying because part of my being in the wrong industry was connecting to what I was meant to be doing. I became an actor. I was connecting with something creative. 


Acting taught me much about performance and timing and understanding of the human connection. SIDE NOTE: We're all actors. We wake up as ourselves, take a shower and head out the door as whoever puts money into our bank account needs us to be. It's a thing to be an actor. It's quite a noble profession. It's hard work.


Sadly, being a full-time actor was not in the cards for me. I wanted to be Steven Spielberg. 


I didn't know what that meant though. I figured I showed up in London or Tunisia with a fully grown beard, and I wore a beret and said "Action!" when the actors and crew finally showed up.


In my partying days I had forgotten I had a mastery of English, my 2nd language in my home growing up. My first language being Farsi, the language taught to me by my parents. Immigrants living in America, they taught me Farsi first, and somewhere along the way they learned English better and taught  me too. By the time I was in pre-school and kindergarten I was speaking and writing English full-time, and speaking Farsi at home full-time. 


The truth is that it took me a long time to experience life and to have a voice. I thought I was a Director like Mr. Spielberg, but I turned into a writer my first year of moving to California to be like him. At the time I realized I might have a voice, I was still experiencing culture shock of moving to The Land of Milk and Honey.


I had to experience as much of the ups, the downs, the in between and the struggles as I could. Honestly, to this day I'm still experiencing it. It's changed me into someone that appreciates all the little details that come my way. That's what becoming a good writer has been to me.


My past work? It's been good enough, but likely some of my earlier success was beginner's luck. My now broad experiences in life have taught me so much.


To respect others, even if I don't fully agree. To be open to whatever comes my way. To always do the best I can while I can. To continue writing what I know about.


My current work? It's gold. It's fantastic. It's relatable. That's why I'm not a Prodigy. I had to embrace life and feel it in my bones to make something worthy of my experiences.


Get out of your comfort zone and make connections. With myself or with someone else. Learn about others and yourself. Then get to writing. Then get to directing.