Experiences That Last a Lifetime - Marcus Scott | Ep. 70

Marcus Scott is in the building!

Award-nominated actor, award-winning Best Male Lead, producer, and an all-around great guy to be around, Marcus joins Tae on Creative Roots and gets right to it.

We talk about the realities of pursuing a career in the film industry, what it means to remove compassion for the industry, and the importance of continuing to sharpen your craft. Marcus opens up about his experience taking acting classes, his desire to keep growing as an actor, and the lessons he's picked up along the way.

Of course, we had to pay homage to the person who brought us together: Ollie Crooms. Marcus and Tae previously worked together on Eight Ball, a short film directed and produced by Ollie, who has also been a guest on Creative Roots.

But somewhere along the way, this conversation takes an unexpected turn.

Tae opens up about things he hasn't said out loud before, creating a moment of honesty that goes beyond the film industry and into the heart of what it means to be a creative.

What keeps you creating when the road gets difficult? What happens when the passion is still there, but the journey starts testing you?

If your urge to create is as strong as ours, this conversation is for you.

New episodes of Creative Roots drop every Thursday at 9 AM as we sit down with creatives, explore their journeys, uncover the challenges along the way, share solutions, and have the conversations that help us take better care of ourselves mentally.

Tap in.

Recorded exclusively at Charlotte Podcast Studio

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_01 0:00

And I know some people kind of feel that way about being behind the camera because we have to constantly being an actor is being able to dive into the art form in a way that you step outside of yourself. It's not about the the the awards and stuff. That's great. That's great nominations. That's great. It's great. I'm not downplaying it because I think it's important for people to.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

I gotta sit down and get into the social media space again because in the air, let it speak. But listen, man. Today we we sit here. We got a little bit of a lot of a lot to cover. Okay. Okay. Because you do everything. I don't know if you know. I just get right into it. Okay. That's great. So yeah. So listen, y'all. We are back with another episode. Hold on. I don't even like the way that sounds. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Welcome back to another episode of Creative Roots Podcast where seeing someone become visions grown. I am your host, Tay. And today, like I said, we got a lot. We got a little bit of a lot to cover. I'm sitting here with award-nominated, award-winning, uh, uh, uh this man got so many times I can't even spit them all out. Actor of the year, is that what it was?

SPEAKER_01 1:28

It was best male lead. I've been nominated. I've been nominated for actor of the year a few times.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

And I lead a lot of people, and I ain't got that title. You know what I'm saying? So listen, y'all, we are sitting here with none other than Mr. Marcus Scott.

unknown 1:43

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

How you doing? I'm doing great. I am doing great. Great. So listen, y'all know I don't introduce people no more because I've been butchering them. So, Marcus, can you please tell the people who you are and what you do?

SPEAKER_01 1:57

My name is Marcus Scott. Um, I'm an actor by trade. Um, I still have my day job, so it's not like I'm, you know, killing it out here, but I am doing my best to try to kill it as much as I can.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

He's killing it, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Don't let this man tell y'all that he's killing it. Um, like Tay said, I am uh I did just recently uh win Best Male Lead for uh my contribution to the musical The Gift. And uh what an experience. Um I was surrounded by a great cast and crew, um, great fearless leader and Miss Vicky L. Evans that wrote it. And uh it wasn't the first time that that production had been here, it was just the first time that I led it. And uh man, when I tell you an experience, that was a great experience because it's it's art imitating life. And when you look at the how everything developed within the play, it is it was spot on. I mean, you just never know where your help's gonna come from and where who who God's gonna send your way, you know, to help you out. So um of course, bonds. Every cast kind of bonds, you know, yeah, uh, in a certain kind of way. And we have like a cast family, but it's everyone is different. So, not to take away from any other cast that I've ever been on, but we, you know, that cast has their has we have our memories because we had experiences together that that last a lifetime.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Experiences that last a lifetime. I think that's gonna be the title of of this episode. That's what we're gonna put. If it ain't up there, y'all. Hey, continue watching. It's okay. So listen, uh, what Marcus didn't tell y'all, just like Jennifer didn't tell y'all last week, no, we're not cousins. Okay, let's get that one out the way. But um, we all had a helping hand in the short film Eight Ball that I was telling y'all about. Um, Marcus, can you tell what your role was in that? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

I was a production assistant and camera operator. So uh the production assistant role was basically uh taking notes on set, what cameras we were using for what scenes, um, how many takes, and uh so that when Ollie went back to do the editing, so he'd know which one we were actually going to use, what takes we were gonna use, which ones were the best, top two or three, you know. If we had one, that was just you know, no doubt, uh you know, note that as well, that kind of thing. And then the camera operator that came about with uh some of the South Park shots. Uh we were there and um moving around because we didn't Ollie doesn't really pinpoint, even though you have a title, he doesn't pinpoint you and pigeonhole you into that. Like if we can use you in something else, he'll he'll allow you to do that. So that's kind of how that came about. But it was a great experience to be able to, you know, move a camera around a little bit and see because that's my first time doing that. I'm used to being on the other side of the camera, you know. So it was it was awesome. It was an awesome experience. And and I'm so proud of the finished product. You did your thing, my brother. I can't, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

I mean, I wasn't even gonna say nothing about me. You know, I gotta give you your props. Yeah, hey man. And for me, it was it was it was one of those things that's it's just a natural thing for me to do. You know, so of course when I asked, I was like, yeah, whatever. I got you. Yeah, you know, and I sat down, I put this stuff together, and he was like, Man, this is great. Yes, I've already watched it three times. This is great.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

Since you said that, the day after the premiere, um I was the first person at church. So I'm back into the parking space, and I was sitting there watching it on my phone. So Ollie pulls up, she pulls up right beside me. We both rolled out windows now and they showed our phones when we were both watching it. It was so funny, we just started laughing.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

It was so funny. I mean, but it it came together so well. It did, it did, you know, and you know, cast and crew. Yes, you know, I didn't get to see anybody until the premiere. I only knew faces and names, and I'm like, I don't know any of these people like just walk up and be like, hey, you know, I'm Tay, how you doing? Because everybody the way I felt, everybody would have been like, okay. And that means, you know, so I kind of just shied away. Hey. Some of us I would have known. Some of us would have known. Yeah, but yeah, I get where you're coming from. Yeah, because I mean, I like um uh Brittany. Of course I knew exactly who she was, right? You know, um, and of course I know Ollie, you know, right? And you know, just seeing pictures and everything, I was like, okay, I recognize some of these people. And then to me, to see y'all, you know, right there, it was a whole different thing of like not starstruck, but it's like, I know that person. Yeah, it's you know, like how when you see a celebrity, it's like, hey, but just like putting a face with the name. Yeah, yes, yes. I said I know exactly what you mean.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

I'm sorry about this. I'm trying to put this on side. Oh, you can't.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Hey man, listen, I can't tell you how many times my phone done rang, uh uh Shamar's phone done ring. Listen, if the phone ring, I'd just be like, Shamar would answer the phone. So don't even worry about it. Shamar would be like, hey, we recording the podcast right now. Hey, I gotta call it. No, we recording right now. Like right now, right now. Bye. So you good? Like if my wife called, I'd be like, sweet, I'm recording, I call you that. All right, yeah, I love I love you too.

unknown 7:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

But I gotta go. Okay, bye. Okay, okay. You know, yeah, my kids call, but man, listen. I ain't worried about that. All right, good, good, good. By the way, I don't edit anything, so everybody's gonna see all this. Uh no. I don't edit. You okay? No, I don't know. Okay, we're good. We're good.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

We're really at Cousins' house then.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

Listen, my thing is leave the episode as raw and authentic as possible. When you start touching things, to me, those are some of the things that people get. Yes, that might actually pop and or resonate with somebody. The way that it I get we I see that I can't tell you how many, and just we're going on a side note, y'all. No tape, we'll take a left, but trust me, coming back. We've had people come and record, clients come and record, and then they're like, Oh, can we cut that out? And I'm like, Are you sure? You I made a mistake. Well, let people know you're human. Right. Let people know. Yes. I mean, how many, how many sets have we been on? How many videos have we done, you know, where it's like, ooh, bad take. But we don't, oh well, let me go ahead and delete it. You know, we we keep it because you never know. Some of that stuff ends up in bloopers, some of that stuff ends up like, man, I remember that. Yes. You know, you send it out to people. But yeah, I don't, I don't edit. Absolutely. That's uh, yeah, you're right. You're right. You put it that way. You never know what's gonna happen. You know, somebody can be watching this and be like, dang, I don't feel so bad. Right. You know, I was on my podcast and da-da-da-da. You know, I mean, it they at least it ain't like I had a guy and his homeboy, he dropped the phone like three times. So of course I I say if he dropped that phone one more time, and he's like, You gonna cut that out? No. Hey, you know who you are, and I'm gonna leave you alone, bro. I'm gonna leave you alone, but I still gotta get you up here too. But so listen, see, now we're back. Yes. We back. So, Marcus, you you've been an actor. You do that's your number one thing. You've got production assistant, and now you're bringing up camera op. Out of all these things that you do in this creative space, what was the first seed that was planted that got you on your journey?

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Strange, but it was it was 16 years ago. I was uh I was off work and it was weird, middle of the week, the kind of days I had to burn. And uh an actor that was a commercial actor at the time, and now he's blown up. Um but he was in three consecutive commercials. I think it was a candy bar commercial, a beer commercial, like a Las Vegas commercial. But he was in three consecutive commercials, and I'm sitting there like I can do that. Not knowing what all it takes to go into it. I was thinking, you know, I well, maybe I could, if I could learn to do it, I could put in the work to do it, but I believe I can do that. So that's what I did. I got up and I started doing some research. The next week I walked into uh Johnny Casablanca's modeling career center down on Tivola, off of Taivola in the business center back there. Walked in there and talked to them about what their curriculum was like for uh adult actors. Um we had some back and forth. They showed me the curriculum, and uh I said, whoo, okay. Uh that's a lot. Yeah, expecting that. Yeah, I wasn't, but uh they said, well, you know, you don't have to pay it all at once. I said, All right, well, um I'll invest in myself. So I went through the curriculum and uh was finished by I think September, November, actually September 11th, 2010. And uh by 2011, I had already started I hit the ground walk running. Like I well, my one of my acting teachers actually uh she got me a short film gig, and I started doing short films. I did a lot of work for free. I still do it. Uh did a couple music videos. Um, and then the biggest, my next, the biggest thing that I did in 2011 was like the breakout for me, was uh I did stand-in work, which going from nothing to stand in work on a major network was huge for me. I stood in for uh a character named Tom Walker on the show Homeland on Showtime. And uh the actor's name was Chris Chalk. And he's he's I think he's known around here because I think he went to UNCG. But uh yeah, I did that, and then being on set was just it blew my mind. I mean, it's just it's something that I had imagined, but I couldn't I couldn't imagine the detail. It was extremely detailed, the immaculate detail of these sets. And the the the studio that they were using had a garage here, a kitchen here. And I mean it was and for my scene was uh it was in like the Middle East. He'd gotten kidnapped in the Middle East, and they were using the lighting, of course, as a stand-in. They prepare for him to come on set. So I was there with you know, shirtless, pretending I'm him, getting beat and like tortured. Well, you know, the actor tortured. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, um, and that experience just I mean, it just took me from here to I I was I was sold. It was it became a passion of mine. I wanted to dig in and find out more. How can I do this more? Ended up uh being a featured extra on season finale of season one. I went back for season two and did double double time. And then uh, I mean, I just kind of kept building, kept building. Um, I mean, the next big time the next I did some, of course, free work in between. I met Ollie um actually around 2013. Um my acting teacher that got me that first gig, she got me that gig as well. I was uh lead actor in his mom's music video. Um try it again. And that also, and we we Ollie and I crossed paths at that time, but we didn't really click like that. I mean it was a mutual respect because I was seeing how that family moves. It was just like I mean, it was art. It is everybody, everybody had a you know, had a thing, a niche or uh something that they were looking at and taking care of. And you know, it was it was it was amazing to just sit back and watch and just to be a part of. And uh so so loving though. Like uh you it's it's hard to find a uh a gig, so to speak, that feels so loving. And that's that was what I took away from that that experience. Fast forward five years, and I see Ollie doing behind the scenes work on a short film that I'm doing. And uh we were doing like a one-take short. So it was like uh, I think it was supposed to be seven minutes, so it was like a floating camera. We don't we don't cutting anything, so it was gonna be difficult. We spent a lot of time doing it, but Ollie was doing the behind the scenes. We reconnected in and then locked steps in.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

So I I love how this kid, while in high school, I called him my little brother, and nobody was allowed to bother him, period. And to see the man that he has grown to be. Yes, you know what I'm saying, and the connections that he's made, the connections that he makes with and for others. Absolutely, you know, no gatekeeping and not selfish about all who he knows at all, you know, and I truly do love that about that dude. Same, you know, same.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Like I say, when I say like a brother, yes, there's been times where I even where I felt bad for not feeling like I didn't meet the mark for what I expect to do in working with him, you know, and he's never treated me any differently. Even if if I was going through something, he never treated me any differently. If anything, he turned up how he cared for me and how he looked out for me, and how he, you know, that's that means so much, that means so much to me. So anytime, at any time he asked me to do anything, you know, I'm like, bro, if I can do it, I'm there. So I agree.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

I agree. So and the good thing about that is we know he won't take advantage of us or the situation. You know what I'm saying? Right. Genuine. Yes, very genuine. Ollie, this episode is not about you, though. It's not, it's not, bro. We love you. But it ain't about you.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

It ain't about you. Had to throw that in there though, because that that is me, the lat the latter part of my career, me meeting Ollie, has transformed my career because it actually brought me he he's the reason I got back into the church. Like hey, yeah, working with him, he's the reason I got back into the church. And I've been with this church now for seven years, October. Um, and I'd been to different churches, but uh had I was kind of at church, not in church, if you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

I know exactly what you mean. No, and people don't know how to distinguish the difference. Right.

SPEAKER_01 17:45

And not saying that I'm, you know, 100% on everything that I'm you know I'm doing now. Right. You know, because I'm human. But at the same time, it's a it's a vast difference of where I was into where I am now. And I'm I I do I'm I'm grateful for working. We we worked on a on a film and we're celebrat out celebrating because the film got uh screened uptown at the Knights Gallery and at the booth playhouse in the Blumenthal, and we were out celebrating, and uh and he was asking me about uh about church and um there was uh upstart church and he asked me uh if I wanted to if I could sing and if you know that kind of thing, and then I went and uh met Miss Arneta again and sat down with her and from there, been there since, and she's a blessing. Call my spiritual mom, she's important to me so much, seeing things that I didn't see. You know, um it's it's it's sometimes I'm I'm speechless when it comes to the love that they show. And you know, I'm again, I'm not gonna just keep going on and on and but but I have I have to I have to if I would not I don't I don't feel like I would be where I am or how I am with that part of my career uh and but with part of my faith and everything that aligns how it's starting to align without you know that push from because I was getting don't get me wrong because I come from a church. My mom and dad raised me in the church, and uh my mom, there's no one before my mom. My mom is the the the similarities between the two are crazy as far as faith, not worldly, like you, you know, the things that we talk about in the world, they have no idea about none. And you can tell that they're they're in their Bibles, they're in their bags and they're in their Bibles too. You know? Yes, you know, but um the push that I get from my that I've gotten from my family to get me to where I can, you know, withstand certain things and how my family has poured into me and told me about the light that I carry and the responsibility that comes with that light. Um I think that yeah, there's that there's a lot of people don't talk about that. There's a responsibility that comes with that light because when you when you when you have a light to shine and you dim it, there are consequences, and I'm learning, I'm learning that. So um I believe that during that period of uh leave not kind of nomading with with church and then my faith aligning with my passion with the career and then meeting Ollie and Miss Arneta and how they it was all you know by grand design that push got me back to where I was supposed to be going, where I was initially pushed to begin with from back home, you know, because it's I'm I'm from small town, South Carolina, Hartsville, South Carolina. I love my hometown. You're on when I say I love my hometown, my boys in college get tired of me talking about nobody's gonna talk about Hartsville more than not talk about Hartsville, because I'm I'm proud to be from there. Um, and there's it's like 7,500 people. You put that amount of population in Charlotte, you can put that in probably a hundred times, you know. Yeah, give or take. So I mean it's it's uh it's special to me to be able to do the things that I'm able to do. Um, I'm grateful for the the people that I met, the uh the lives that have impacted mine, and I feel the responsibility to to make sure that I use my gift to impact as well.

SPEAKER_00 21:45

Well, good. I tell you what, something that nobody will probably believe, right? I've known Ali since we were in high school. I graduated in 02. I think he graduated in 03. All these years I've never met his mom, but I can see how his parents have, you know, stuck with him, you know, encouraged him, raised him right as they say. Yes, yes, you know, and it shines. It does. So yeah. It does. So Ali, uh, at some point I need to be able to meet uh Mama Arneta. Stop playing. Bruh. You stop playing. You know, because I I had a intention of speaking to her, you know, while they were while we were at the premiere, but man, I looked up and everybody was gone.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Yeah. It's like everybody was trying to get to, I knew I had to walk my dog. I had to be inside all day, so I had to get home and walk him first, and then go meet everybody at the uh at the after uh dinner thing party. And um, but yeah, I think everybody was kind of get out to get trying to get out to do that. I think I was halfway home before I realized, wait a minute, I'm supposed to wait and stop.

SPEAKER_00 23:11

I was supposedly been talking to you, Jennifer, Mina, and like two, three, four other people. I was like, Yeah, you know, let's get a picture. I look around, I said, I guess we ain't taking no pictures. I'm glad I got y'all on Instagram because I was waiting because uh hey, we were gone. Y'all left me. Yeah, we were gone, man. Yeah, and I couldn't I couldn't make it to the after party because I thought it was in Charlotte somewhere. Oh no, I was in Rock Hill, yeah. And I said, It already took me an hour to get here. Yeah, we're talking about going to Rock Hill, yeah. And I gotta go to work tomorrow. Oh no. I understand that then. So I was like, hey, Ollie, it's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. Oh, it's just we just not. But yeah, man. So being being here on set, you're used to being in front of the camera. Yeah. For those that want to become an actor, right? Um, those that want to be in front of the camera, period, you know, regardless, because we know some people want to be stunt men. Right. Not me. Right, right, right, nothing. You know, what what do you think is something that they instantly need to know before they just jump?

SPEAKER_01 24:30

Uh do some research for what it is that you want to do. Make sure that you're prepared. Um's you're gonna get a lot of no's. Be prepared to do free work. That's how you hone your skills. Uh, get get be prepared to be paid little, you know, um to be able to build your resume. Um I think one of my favorite snippets I've seen is from Don Cheadle. Don Cheadle's asking a young man, you know, do you want to be an actor or do you want to be famous? Because there's a difference. There's a difference. You know, being an actor can you can be famous. That can be a byproduct of being an actor if you're good at it, you know, or if you know things align, but it's that's not what it's about. Being an actor is being able to dive into the art form in a way that you step outside of yourself, you take on a whole different persona. You study a person, you study a person's uh youth, you study a person's trials, you study you know as much as you can, and you try to emulate that person outside of yourself. Otherwise, you're the same person in everything that you do. Also, when you're acting, you are a part of a team. So when you know how teams work, only you know, you're only you're only as strong as the weakest link. You don't want to be that weak link to make a project fail. You know, so keep all of that in mind because it's gonna take a lot of selfless behavior, selfless commitment. Um, and I think uh there's some misconceptions about all of that, but if you're in it for the right reasons, those misconceptions don't bother you because you understand that a lot of times many people will look at you and they will attach their uh insecurities to you about what they want or what they need or what they or you know, it's just a natural thing. It's a it's a it's an instinct sometimes. So and it's it's it's kind of a road to grace type thing. You know, when you realize you start doing some self uh self-healing or self um looking yourself in the mirror for choices that you make, and then you that that grace begins to get be extended to others because you know everybody's out here hurting. So a lot of things that you hear in the beginning of as an actor, oh as an actor you're selfish, or oh, he's a great actor because he's yes. I'm an actor because that's what I do, it's not who I am.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

Because of what you do, not because of who at who you are.

SPEAKER_02 27:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

Man, I know I said I wanted to get into acting, and I mean I've starred in all of my short films, you know, instead of looking for somebody, trying to get to that point, right? Um studying, I believe, is the strongest thing, especially when you go out here to do it for somebody else. Like, if you wrote it, you should know how to portray it. Right. Should. Should if you can't do it, you might need to go find go find somebody. Hey, we sitting right here, we here, you know. Got me, you know. But I I I've always felt that being in front of the camera was always a lot more work because it looks so easy. And I know some people kind of feel that way about being behind the camera because we have to constantly check settings. Yes. You know, if the sun moves, we have to change something. If we go from inside to outside, lighting, we gotta change something. Yes. You know, lighting, your your F-stop, your IS, you have to change either something on the camera or something on the set. Right. You know, and that's another place where a team comes into play. You could be behind the camera like Jennifer and end up in front of the camera. Right. You could be like you in front of the camera and end up behind the camera. Yes. And I've always said just be prepared because you never know. Absolutely. Can you speak to your experience of being this camera odd? Just what was that like knowing that that was something new for you? I didn't want to mess it up.

SPEAKER_01 29:25

That was my main thing. I didn't want to mess it up because, you know, I it was only a little, you know, it wasn't much, but he trusted me with that. So and being trusted with something, it, you know, you just don't want to mess. And it's this is well into filming too. So it's not like it's the first scene or even the first location. I think we was probably we're probably on third, fourth, maybe fifth location by this moment by this time. Close close to rapping. But uh, but yeah. Oh, yeah, but it was it was it was really, really cool um to be able to because you know, like you said, if anything moves or anything adjusts, you have to adjust with it. Continuity is huge. Because you know when you're the finished product, when you see it, if the slightest thing, people may not know anything about acting, but they know things about watching films and watching movies, and if something's off, they'll point it out. So you gotta be yes, yes, yes, and you'll hear about it. That's another thing about being an actor or being in the film business that when you're producing films, um, everybody's a critic. You know, so um whether they are, you know, everybody's a critic, but not every opinion is informed. We know that, but the everybody's entitled to their own opinion. Sometimes you will be forced to hear those opinions, you know, and they're fit and they're entitled to them. So you got to be prepared uh and have tough skin for that as well. But also, you know, um just making sure you do your best so that uh you kind of stave off some of those uh bad ones, but they're gonna come. But that that that that uh opportunity for me, it was it was amazing. I didn't foresee it coming because I was content, not content. I won't say content, that's a bad word, but I was very happy. I will say that with being productionist. I just wanted to be a part of the project because I knew it was gonna be great. Um yeah, me too. I knew it was gonna be great. So I just wanted to be a part of the project. Um uh on camera, off camera, didn't matter. You know, I'm I'm when it comes to you know helping out, I'm big team player and I'm gonna be I'm gonna be loud and boisterous about how happy I am because about about the project. Because if I don't, who will? You know, right? If I don't, who will? I'm I'm involved in in the project and can and contributing to it.

SPEAKER_00 31:52

So why wouldn't I be? Correct. Like everything that was sent, I'm like, yeah, we're gonna go ahead and share this. We're gonna go ahead and repost that. Yes. I'm gonna say something on here. Yes, I'm gonna say something on that. Ollie, it's midnight. Why are you even posting anything? Hey, it's okay. I'll send it out in the morning. Get up in the morning, bloop, bloop, bloop, add the story, put a little caption to it. And I got a I got a text. Wait, what? What what is this? Is that Ollie? And I was like, Yeah, that's that's that's Ollie. And my cousin, she was like, Wow, y'all did that. I said, Yeah. I said, Ollie did it, he just let me be a part. You know, this is not Ollie, you know, this is you know, you know, I was just here, you know. But yeah, you you have to say something because think about how many people there are in the world, how many people did not know. Right. You know, and the the short film is on Omni Plus. Yes, yes, we we almost famous. Almost, you know. We we almost we there. We there, you know, and and the weird crazy thing is, you know, even Omni followed me.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

Yes, okay, Omni, so Omni's reached out to me as well.

SPEAKER_00 33:10

Like that, isn't that that's yes, wow, it's and I'm just like, hmm, I know how to work in front of and behind the camera, yes, more so behind the camera. But hey, but hey, I'm here, yes, you know, yeah. So so shout out to Ollie for doing what he did, and you know, keeping this film pushing, you know, reaching out to all of us. He knew who could help, he knew everybody's strengths and weaknesses, and he played to that. Yes. And I know as a cameraman, camera op, videographer, cinematographer, whatever my title is that day, um, audio engineer, I know how to portray somebody, you know, because I shoot with edit in mind. So if it's something like an event, I have to sit here and say, hmm, I definitely need this, I definitely need that. Let's see how everything plays out. And as I watch and I'm filming, I say, okay, I've recorded 15 clips, 10 of them are dead to me. I'm not even gonna replay them back because I know I'm not gonna use them. Right. But these five, okay, okay, okay. Now I'm piecing it together like a puzzle.

SPEAKER_02 34:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 34:33

And as I'm piecing it, everything is coming together. And I say, okay, I need this type of music. I need to get this, I need them to do this, okay. I'm not gonna be able to find anybody. Hey, I need you to do me a favor. All I need you to do is wave at the camera. I I give you a countdown, you wave. Or I go to somebody and say, hey, all I need you to do is just make a plate. As a matter of fact, why are you here? Just go ahead and make my plate. Remember, just record it. You make my plate, I'm gonna record it, it's gonna go on the video. You know, yes, because T B Hover. So I have to go and find things. And I and I think that sometimes we get stuck into just this, that we don't think about everything else. Right. Knowing that, when you when you have to pivot, what goes through your mind and and like your emotional state when it's like, okay guys, we gotta change X, Y, and Z.

SPEAKER_01 35:38

I think that takes place, well, where I am now, experience has taught me to have that perspective going in. Because before, a lot of times, it's and also being a background actor, that that has taught me to be prepared for whatever. Because being a background actor is a running joke of uh what's gonna make and what won't make the cut and what's left on the on the editing floor, whatever you um a lot of background actors do that for fun, and some of them are retired, and that's they just travel and do it, and they really enjoy it. It's a lot of fun. Um but a running joke would be hey, you can see my arm in this, or you can see my hand in this. But a lot of times what will happen, we things will pivot a lot of times on set. Uh one thing, one time in particular, um it's the first the first season of uh Banshee was shot here. First and second seasons were shot here in Charlotte. And uh, and I think the third episode of the first season, I was a Marine and went for the fitting, got uh got fitted, called the set. Uh call time was like 5 a.m. Got there and I was yeah, I was there at like 4 45. I'm standing in front of the wardrobe trailer. This is actually pretty pretty pretty funny. I'm standing in front of the door of the wardrobe trailer, and uh a man comes out of the dark with no shirt on, and he's got all shorts and flip-flops, and I cannot see this man's face. And he comes around and he puts his arm around me, and I'm like, it's five o'clock in the morning, dog. Like, you ain't got no shirt on. I mean, it's dark out here. Like, what are you doing? Who are you or what do you want? Well, at that time, they were the lighting was was up, but there was the light wasn't at that in that area. Somebody opened the door to the wardrobe trailer. He was, and it was uh Frankie Faison, who's an act, famous actor. He was most notably, he was the superintendent on uh Coming to America, the guy that switched departments. So he puts his arm around me and he says, Hey baby, man, if I cut in front of you. When I realized who he was, I was like, sure, sure, sir. Yes, go ahead and get your wardrobe. The pivot came when I got my wardrobe and I sat down and I'm waiting. Somebody didn't show up for that was a stand-in. And one of the production assistants was running around going crazy because the person just didn't show. And he goes, Scott, I need you to do double time. What's that mean?

SPEAKER_00 38:24

All right, I got you. What is that?

SPEAKER_01 38:26

Yeah, what's that mean? I'll do it, but what's that mean? He goes, uh, I need you to do be a stand-in and a featured extra. So you have your wardrobe, right? I mean, I'm already dressed. So he's like, Well, what I'm gonna do. He took a big uh some a big some masking tape, thick kind, and he wrote the character, his name, his character's name was sugar. So he wrote it on there and put it on on my on my chest here. So he says, When you're on camera, take it off. When you're off camera, put it on, because we're gonna need you, you know, both times. So I had to I was following Mr. Faison around for about 14, 15 hours that day offset. And I mean, it was fun, don't get me wrong, because he's hilarious and uh very wise, dropping nuggets here and there about acting. I mean, it was a great, great experience. But that pivot, you know, um, some people would have been like, oh no, no, no, choose somebody else, not me. Not me. What do you need me to do? Yeah, as long as it's not, you know, it's not anything crazy. I'm I'm in. Right, right, right. Yeah, hey, I'm here for it. Yeah, however. However, yeah, yeah, yeah. However, it has to be, you know, within the realm of the film, you know what I mean, what we're doing. So yeah, yeah, but yeah, um, yeah, well, what's that? What do you want what do you need me to do? And and that's and I I think I still I may still have those side the sides that we use, um, you know, it's just that that part of the script um for that day. Um, I have it somewhere. And uh that masking tape, I had it. I put it on the sides and I saved it for a keepsake.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

So yeah, because I was that was gonna be a question I was gonna ask you. Like when you work on these sets, do you get do you keep anything? Uh I don't think you're no, I don't think you're supposed to.

SPEAKER_01 40:09

Well, what we're gonna do is uh, you know, I had it actually I had it in my I had some dungarees on because I was, you know, the I was a Marine. So I think I slipped the sides in my side pocket or whatever, not trying to, you know, do it, but when I got in the car that evening, I was like, oh, I still have the sides. And I still had the tape on. So I was like, you know what? Let me just keep this. And and I had put it up and I kept it all these years and still have it. Still have it. But yeah, I mean, it things can pivot. Things can pivot so fast. Um, I I had a close-up on Homeland. I mean, we spent 45 minutes on it. I mean, it was right before, I won't if for people who haven't seen it, I think it's on uh HBO Max or Prime now. No, no, it's on Netflix. It's on Netflix, I think all seasons are on there. But um there's a scene, a big scene on the season finale, and just before that season, you know how it's like the quiet before the storm? I was there with my gun, and I'm looking around. And I mean, we we all kinds of lighting, we spent 45 minutes on it, cut it out. So when I rewatched it, it wasn't there. I was like, hmm, oh well. But that's that those things kind of taught me lessons of you know, no matter what it looks like on set, they're looking at those tight angles, the wides, they're looking at those things to piece those together just like you were just saying, and not everything, you know, that's not especially with background, it's not about you at all. It's not about you, and that will put you in your place. If you're thinking you're going as a background actor and it's going to be about you, you're sadly mistaken. You're sadly mistaken.

SPEAKER_00 41:41

Yeah, go ahead and I feel if that's the case, if that's what you think is gonna happen. Like, hey, I'm here, background actor. Make sure you put my name in the credits. Yeah, go sit down.

SPEAKER_01 41:54

I've seen many, many, many people show up that way and they don't make it to the end of the day.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

That's crazy to get kicked off in the middle of filming.

SPEAKER_01 42:02

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 42:03

So now that means they have to go and cut out everything that you were in. If you were yes, if you were even in it. Yeah. I've heard they had to do that on Wild and Out. Really? Yes. They uh some of the cast they were saying, like, if you come on there and they testing you out, trying you out, everything that you were in, they will completely cut you from the episode.

SPEAKER_01 42:23

Yeah. I haven't I know that it's been done. I haven't seen a finished product to compare, but yeah, I've seen the finished product to know that they weren't in it.

SPEAKER_00 42:36

That's crazy. So when you when you go on these sets, I think the thing that you know people need to know too is like, listen, you're there to help. Regardless of what your role is, you're there to help. Absolutely. Part of the team. I I think no matter if you're the janitor, background, stand-in, main actor, you can be cut. Yes. And replaced. Yes. Everybody's replaceable. I've seen where uh like Jamal the Creator and uh I think his name is Lonnie, Fenarios, you know, they've had to completely redo seasons because things have happened with the main character. You know, the the female just is like, whatever happened, they're like, you know, hey, we see y'all commenting, asking about what happened, and you know, why does it look like we are redoing the season? Well, we had to because of X, Y, and Z.

SPEAKER_02 43:38

Right.

SPEAKER_00 43:38

So think if that's something quote unquote small, they're mostly on YouTube, and um, now they have, you know, more episodes behind a paywall. But if they are willing to do that on a local yet high standpoint, and I mean they making hundreds of thousands because they know what they're doing. Right. Big job. You know, uh all of them. How at any point you can get cut. Especially if somebody is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars just on you. How many actors are like, you know what, we changed our mind? We're going with somebody else. Yes. You can get cut.

SPEAKER_01 44:20

You can get cut at the last second. Yes. Yes. I mean, it's that's that's how quick things pivot, depending on what what they're looking for, and what they're looking for is subject to change.

SPEAKER_00 44:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

So I mean, it you just kind of have to be prepared for that. Um nothing has to really make sense. Uh, it's definitely not to you if you're working, but I mean, it only needs to make sense to those that are uh foot in the bill and are paid to make sure that it executes the way that those are foot in the bill. Correct.

SPEAKER_00 44:51

It has to make sense to them. Everything else don't need, just go sit, yeah, stay in your place. I will say this.

SPEAKER_01 45:00

Um it does create a uh a healthy fear because it's like you don't you don't want to be caught lacking to a point where you have to be dismissed. Uh one experience for me where I was scared. Uh I was doing background on um uh The Eyes of Tammy Faye like what was that 2019, maybe 2020? And I was a prison guard. Uh same, a similar setup to where I had to go get fitted for my wardrobe prior. But the day I show up to set and go to wardrobe, they gave me these clunkers, man, like shoes, like the heels were like, and for some reason I could not, the floor that I was walking on was like a linoleum floor. And I was trying so hard to like walk quietly, but it's just it could not work. I was trying to be quiet and walk at the same time. Well, the director, Michael Show Walter, is sitting in the corner and he goes, I'm like, oh gosh, I'm not. And I'm because I'm roaming in the scene, it's a prison scene. You see the eyes of Tammy Face towards the end. I'm roaming in the scene. He calls me over. I'm like, oh, he's getting ready to have me sit down. So I go over, he's like, take the shoes off. I said, off is that yes, just take them off. So I took them off. And in that scene, I'm walking back and forth with socks on, which you only see, like again, you only see my arm because it's back sound. Yeah, you know, but at the same time, it took out because it was it was very distracting because you dump the dialogue in between as they take breaks in the dialogue, you know. Uh, and I could tell the actors were getting frustrated with that sound. Everybody was, because it was just, and I'm looking, I'm like, I'm trying, I'm trying to be quiet, but that was probably the best thing that could have happened. But I was I was afraid it was gonna be like, yeah, just go ahead. Yeah. Are you sure? Yeah, take them things up. Woo!

SPEAKER_00 47:08

Yeah, listen. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yes, yes. Well, and you mentioned dialogue. Dialogue is a very sensitive space when it comes to any film. I know people only watch certain things for the action, but can't tell you the storyline. Right. They can't, they they only follow the action. And for me, I'd be like, shh. I want to hear what they're saying. I need to hear. Yes. You know, me and Ollie kind of talked about it, but you know, it's like Marvel movies. You can watch for the action, but you might not know why they're fighting if you're not listening. Right. And even with my kids, you cannot walk in the room when we're watching a Marvel movie and be like, hey, what else? Right.

SPEAKER_01 48:03

Like, these aren't movies, aren't your normal like superhero movies? These movies were they broke the mold when they started this MCU. They did, because I mean it was great acting, yes, great storytelling, yes, and the action. Yes. So and the suspense. Yes, the cliffhangers. I love uh I love the uh um I guess practicality, if you will, how people can look at certain things that happen in say, say for instance, in game. It wasn't in game, no, it was uh Infinity War.

SPEAKER_02 48:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

So it was Infinity War when uh Strange, we said how when he asked him how many times, he's how many futures did he see 14 million? How many did we win? One. So, you know, years later, it's like it's the joke is oh, so Thanos won 14 million times, and we sat we decided to film the one time that he lost. Stuff like that is funny when you're following the story, you know, because yeah, of course, it's supposed to be about the superheroes, but if you're looking at it from that from that standpoint, it's actually pretty funny. It's almost like we're hating on Thanos.

SPEAKER_00 49:19

Because we are, we are, and I mean, okay, I'm gonna go here. When you think about what Thanos is saying, he's got a very good point, bro.

SPEAKER_01 49:30

I quoted Thanos on uh on Instagram. I'm such a nerd. I it's okay. We're here, we're here. I'm such a dort when it comes to comes to the stuff, man. I quoted Thanos on um on Instagram for a week because there's oh there's a line that he says was like as long as there are people who remember what was, there will always be resistance to change. And I mean that's that's profound.

SPEAKER_00 49:59

That is profound. I mean it's they gave Thanos some hard delivering reality statements. Yes, yes. Even when he threw Gamora, it's like you had to get rid of something you love, and it's like, oh well, he doesn't love anything. And then he drops a tear. Yes. And she's laughing, like, oh, you crying, that's funny.

SPEAKER_01 50:24

She still didn't get it until she did it.

SPEAKER_00 50:26

Right. Wow. That's crazy. We're not gonna go there today. No, yeah, we're we're not gonna We're not gonna go there today. So listen, what uh so you've been doing this 16 years. Yes. Over these past 16 years and counting, how has your support system been when it comes to you know being an actor and everything?

SPEAKER_01 50:48

Um, it's it's been pretty steady with those that uh really know me. Like my family, yeah, uh, my my immediate family, my extended family. Um, you know, the further out it gets, the kind of uh, you know, not you know, I love my family. My family's huge though, so I get you gotta give me that. So yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, I mean that that's that's the core of my support. Um, my friends, um I'm learning it. This journey has taught me what friends are, what true friends are. Because true friends, you know, they support you, but they not only support you, they help you in ways they're not necessarily, they may not have to be in a they not may not have to do anything to support you. Um, you know, I see people all the time, and you it's a it's a common theme on in social media. I'm I'm blessed to be on um Ollie's board on the Carolina Film Festival on the marketing community, marketing and community, community engagement committee. Oh, I think that's a good thing. So a lot of a lot of the a lot of social media push, that's where that comes from. So I'm you know, we're we're pushing out, trying to make sure that people go into the and anything involved with the with the with the film festival, but it's also taught me to market my own things, you know. And I see you start to understand algorithms of different, you know, uh the rotations and things of that nature. Um, I you see the support for people that people don't even know, right? And it takes nothing to like, it takes nothing to share, it costs you nothing. Nothing, you know me. And especially in in ways that like social media platforms where I can see you have looked at it. You know, why did you look at it if you're not gonna engage? Not that you have to, but you know, some people will will do that, some people will refuse to. But those again, that those are the teaching you, you know, some people are just monitoring, they're not really supporting you, they're just kind of waiting to see what you're doing next, and you know, right if you're gonna fail, or you know, if it's corny to them, or whatever the case may be. Again, that goes back to that insecurity thing. You can't really take it personally. You get to a point where you don't take it personally. You see people that look at your stuff every day and never even mention anything about it and pretend as if they don't know what's going on, but they see everything that you do. So, yeah, the support system, you'll you will find that you'll get more support from people that don't know you, but really are touched, or what you're doing resonates with what is going on with them in their lives. And I think that's that's mainly what I pay attention to because that's what I'm that's what I'm here for. Again, it goes back to my light. I don't want to dim my light again for anybody. And I want to make sure that you know people people are going through things, and it's everybody's going through something. Correct. And it's okay to feel what you feel, feel it. Feel it, feel it, feel it. And if there's something that I've done, a bad choice that I made, uh, anything that you can learn from, that's what I'm here for. You know, the the the art is just a way of freedom of expression, but it's a vehicle to reach out and touch people without actually having to touch them. Because true art, that's what it's supposed to do. It's supposed to move you without touching you. You know, there's some people sitting in an audience watching you portray somebody, and they may have an uncle that's going through that exact thing, or a cousin that's going through that exact thing. And the way you portray it reminds them and it sits with them, and they may take that away, and it's like, wow. And it may change something in them. That's that's what I chase now. It's the it's the impact. And what taught me that is the the the privilege of being able to hone my skill in theater, right? Film is film is great. Um again, I I like quoting Don Cheeto. He's he's an amazing actor. He says, uh, when he said the are you do you want to be an actor? Do you want to be famous? Then he asks, Are you in theater? Are you in anything? Or do you, you know, are you in your local theater? Denzel says that a lot. Do you do local theater? You know, community theater is important because these stories need to be told. But also, you know, these this is it's also freedom of expression, but it's a way to deliver art to the community. And it's another vehicle to to show people with art imitating life, everybody goes through things, but that doesn't have to be the end of your story just because you go through it. Once you get through to the other side, and what you do with what you've learned is is is really where the the um the reward is, right? That that that uh that feeling of somebody coming to you and saying, hey, you know, I really couldn't stand you in the beginning of this this play, but by the end of it, man, I had to come shake your hand. Something like that lets you know that you're doing things the right way. But when you have the perspective of, you know, some someone out here may learn from this and not, oh, come see me at this play because, you know, I'm I'm gonna be clean and I'm gonna be sharp and I'm gonna be my wardrobe, and it's not about that. It's not about that at all. It's about it's about getting on stage with people that share the same vision with and trying to do your best to betray what the writer has written for your character, but also using it in a way that's ministry. That is like, you know, this, yeah, these are real stories. They may they may be made up, but these scenarios, people, some people, somebody's going through this. Yeah. Somebody's going, somebody's dealing with uh a cheating husband, somebody's uh or wife, somebody's dealing with the loss of a child, somebody's dealing with an alcoholic member or drug addict member. Somebody's dealing with that stuff. And when they may not be thinking about it when they get there, but it'll sit in their spirit when they get there at in at any moment. At any moment. And if you do it the right way for the right reasons, that message is getting out there, and I feel like it's doing God's work. I really do.

SPEAKER_00 57:15

I agree. I I feel when you become an actor, your your main thing is not to quote unquote be seen, it's to be felt. Yes. You have to have that emotional piece to you, and it has to sit, regardless if you're the good guy, the bad guy. I mean, even though the Joker is bad, Heath Ledger played the mess out of that role. Bro.

SPEAKER_01 57:45

I'm trying to tell you, like the bad performance, yes, is is up there with I mean, I even some people think it's it's it's it's bad to compare him to because Jack Nicholas was, I mean, Jack Nicholson was the first and he was he did it so well. But this was a totally different, different, different animal with Heath Lake. Completely different, completely different. He was more intellectual, and and although he it was like he didn't plan, but he did. He wasn't a thinker, but he was. You know, he was he was all of those things, and the things that matter to everybody else didn't matter to him. Money and didn't matter to him. So how do you how do you pinpoint and corner somebody when you don't know what it is that they're going after? You know, how do you at that that portrayal was amazing? I watch, I still watch that over and over again. Yes. The dark night.

SPEAKER_00 58:46

And then it's like the the scene when they were in the ballroom where he just walked up and he just uh he grabbed the girl and was like, you know, telling the whole story. Like, you wanna let me you want to know how I got these scars? Yes. That was not supposed to be in there. They just so happened to still be recording. So when you hear stuff like that, or Denzel during training day, yes, like the majority of it was just improved because he was actually in character. Yes. You know, the Pelican Bay and all of that.

SPEAKER_01 59:19

Yes, all of that. I yes, I I heard that too.

SPEAKER_00 59:22

You you you pull on people's emotion. You know, even when he prayed played Frank Lucas, it's like we know this is a real guy, but we're sitting here like Frank was about his business. Yes, he was, and he did all of that, and he got his mama house. Yes, and then we have to sit and be like, but he sold drugs. Right. But Denzel pulled. He did. He pulled. He pulled Jamie Foxx. Ray. Yes. You watch that movie, you listen to the voice, and you watch the motions that you forget that's Jamie Foxx. Because the more he's in character, all you see is Ray. Is Ray. Period. And I love being able to see stuff like that, you know. And and I personally would want to in someday, you know, be in that space. But again, I I I like it behind the camera. Allow me to be the person to capture that magic. Because I'll be right now, I'm better at that than, you know, standing in front of the camera. Like, I can act, you know, I'm I'm a goofball, I'm a nerd. Yeah. I can change my voice, you know, do whatever needs to be done. But allow me to stay behind the camera and I'm okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:48

But so, so listen, we we we've been here for a minute, and I've I know you dropped a lot of nuggets, you dropped a lot of knowledge. There's a lot of things that has come from this conversation that's gonna have me sitting, you know, thinking and working on some things my per myself personally. But with that being said, what seed would you plant for uh other creatives, you know, regardless if they want to be an actor or you know, aspiring from being a cameraman or, you know, camera op or whatever the case may be, what seed would you plant for the next creative?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:29

Believe in yourself. Don't listen to anybody else's vision for you. If you feel it, go for it. And just know that, yeah, in this industry, yeah, there are a lot of no's. But that makes the yeses even more special. Uh it makes those opportunities shine a lot more. You take them a lot more seriously. Um, and you when you look back, the no's don't matter. The no's just give you the tough skin to be able to say, you know what, I'm gonna go at it a little bit harder. But you know, nobody's gonna have your vision like you have your vision. My vision wasn't to be like, honestly, when I started out, I was like, you know, I was so shallow when it came to acting initially. When I when I initially started, I was like, I'm gonna do a music video. Maybe do if I can do a full-length finish with a music video, a short film. What does that cover everything? Now maybe I can get on stage. If I can do all of that, maybe I'll call it quits. I just wanted to cover and check off boxes. But then I got I got the itch. And I mean, when I when I got it, it made me when I went, I went from here, the depth came from there because it was, I wanted, I needed to know more. I needed to know how I could portray someone that is, you know, a bishop and then also a cheating husband. You know, I've and I've done I did that last year on stage. And a lot of people, I went from I went from a bishop, no, actually, I went from a bishop to a cheating husband, to a pastor, to a street thug that was that was comic relief. And one of my um let me let me let me let me say this too. Charlotte film community, Charlotte theater community, I mean, so embracing. Working together, like I can't say enough about the community as a whole, like how we come together, lean on each other, help one another. Um, the the people that I've worked with and had the privilege of working with, second to none. And I mean, not just in their craft, but as people, like caring. That's not guaranteed to happen. That's not guaranteed to happen. And in this business, there's a lot of cutthroat, you know. You could be in today, out tomorrow, and it's it's a phone call, nothing face to face, and and and that's what you can expect. But I mean, these people care and support one another. When I look out on the stage and I'm on stage and afterwards, and I see people that I've worked with on other product projects, and they're there and they're coming, hey, I came to support you. That means the world to me. You didn't have to do that. I'm sure you had other stuff to do. It's a Saturday, but you could have been anywhere else in the world, but you're here. You know, um, my church family. I have to shout them out too, man. Like they came to see me and and still will come see me and asking constantly about what I'm what I'm doing. And when I say support, they pray, they don't pry, they pray, and they support me. You know, um, it's it's amazing. Um it's really helped my alignment and my my faith walk, my my career. All of this is it is intertwined. It all goes together. But yeah, um, back to your question. Sorry, I'm I had to had to give a shout out to film and in theater community. Oh no, you're good. That's my family, man. You know, I mean it just people need to know. Yes. I mean, it's it's it's what you walk into, you know, and and it's also what you make of it, too. It's also what you make of it. You know, if you're uh if you if you if you're not pouring into other people, they're not gonna pour into you. And uh and you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing, then you know, they're not gonna wanna pour into you, you know. But uh, but yeah, I mean this this whole experience has been such a blessing. Such a blessing. And I look forward to the next 16, however many years. Acting is a is a is a is a career that you can do it until you're 80 if you want. And if I'm in community theater until I'm 80, if out that's what I want to do, then that's what I'm gonna do. You know, if I still, you know, if I'm still touching lives and I feel like, you know, that's where God wants me to be, that's where I'm gonna be. Because that's what's important. Yes. It's not about the the the awards and stuff. That's great. That's great nominations. That's great. It's great. Don't I'm not I'm not downplaying it because I think it's important for people to feel uh that they're recognized by their peers for the work that they put in.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:36

You know, that's I think that's important. But we don't want to miss what's really important. You know, that the art form is there for a reason, and that reason is not just for awards and galas and and things of that nature. It's not for that. That's that those are byproducts for you to have fun, you know, when you're when you're not working. But when you're using the art form correctly, you're touching lives, you're making impact. And that's what I've enjoyed doing. Um, some of the stuff that I've done, I've had to actually lean on in my own life. You know, so I know if I had to do it, and I'm out here doing it. Just imagine what the people that are out here that love theater, that love film, that are watching these things over, you know, that spend their time and spend their money doing it. Just imagine what they're catching, along with watching, you know. So yeah, yeah, I would tell anybody be prepared to to to uh have naysayers, have people that just don't get it. They're gonna misunderstand you. They're gonna think you don't have vision, they're gonna think you're, you know, um shallow and whatever, because they don't understand what it takes for you to do what you have to do. But they're not supposed to because they don't have your vision. Correct.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:49

And I've said multiple times, people view your stance, people view you based on their stance and their thought patterns, their emotions, their wallet, whatever it is with their, you know, you can instantly tell when people like, oh, you better than me, or ooh, I just couldn't do that. Right. You know, when you hear those things, that lets you know where their mind is uh concerning at minimum that one thing. Right. You know, if you were to be like, hey man, I'm about to go out here and I'm about to be the next Denzel, I'm like, I bet what you need me to help you with. Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:27

You know, that's I started I started a uh TikTok profile in 2023. I was late to the game. Don't feel bad. I made mine last year. And I one of the first things I did on I put on there, and it's still on there, it says collaboration over competition. I've if more people thought that way, we say that here too, Billy. If more people thought that way, man, we we there would be so much more work for people. But there some people get in their ways and they get, you know, there's jealousy and resentment because they're looking through a lens of competition versus a lens of collaboration where you know, if if I can help you get there, it don't matter what I did. Me seeing you get there is everything for me. Because if if I want, if knowing that I want to see, I mean, that means you've impacted me in some kind of way. That I that I that I'm gonna take my time to do it. And if that if it's that important to me, then yeah, why, why, why the competition? I don't know. But that that's also a level of emotional intelligence or or maturity.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:32

Yeah, because I mean, even when it comes to eight ball, I didn't expect to be the colorist. I did it. Right. You know, I was just I just thought I was there to help Ollie through the editing and make sure he was good. And he was like, hey man, I talked to him and Thor. Thor was like, hey man, I'm not gonna be able to have the time.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:54

Wow. Because yeah, because he was working on a big project project himself.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:57

Yes. So I was like, all right, send it to me. You know, and you know, even in that process, it's just man, I'm here to support my brother, man. Yes. Yes, I got you, man. Yes. And he's like, man, I appreciate it. I'm like, dude, come on. You know, you you you should have expected me to say yes. Right. You know, but there there was Thor could have easily said, no, I got it, and tried to figure out how he was gonna work on two, three projects at the same time. Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:31

And that's but that's also that's Thor's, I'm sure that's his experience. I learned that the hard way myself. Taking on too many projects at once and then stumbling across the finish line. That's not something that you want to do. You know, and and being able to say when it when enough is enough. Uh, yeah, hard lesson I learned last year, but it's uh it's a lesson that I'll take with me because it's it's uh and I'm I'm I'm glad that that happened because it also opened the offer uh opened the door for you. You know what I'm saying? That I mean that that was by design, I'm sure. But you having that being open to not even having any ego, you know, that that's the important part, man. That that's that's what I love. When you take the ego out, take the ego out when you're working, there's so much more that you can accomplish.

unknown 1:11:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:19

Because now you're you're you're looking at opportunities versus okay, what it what is it in it for me?

SPEAKER_00 1:11:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:25

You know, when you're looking at opportunities for the entire project to grow or to to pop, or whatever it is that you needed to do as a team, instead of being in your little pigeonhole and your little thinking about me, me, me, me, me. A lot of people, they get that way. You know, I don't a lot of inexperienced people, I say that. Yeah. Because I think if you're in this business for long enough and you have enough experience, you will you will see uh number one that it's not about you, regardless of what you do. It's not about you. It's about the project and what we do to push the project forward and push it across the finish line. Right. And the best product that we can that we can present. Um, so yeah, man. Um I'm um I'm elated that we were able to work on a project together, even though we didn't really have to interact. Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:15

Right though, but I'm being the one that sat at the house like and can't make it. Ollie, bruh, I can't make it. I'll live in Albemarle. I can't what what time, bruh? I I can't make it. And I'm like, I I hate having to keep saying I can't make it, but I truly can't make it.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:34

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:35

You know, and and even when he he sent the film and I watched it, I was like, okay, wait, wait, wait. I'm supposed to be doing something besides watching it. You know what I'm saying? So I had this, I I had, okay, let me go take a break. I'll come back. And then I'm listening to, I say, I say, hey, bruh, um, you got somebody doing the audio for this? Like, is somebody mixing? He's like, uh, no. Uh I was gonna try to do it. I say, do you have speakers and stuff to do it? He's like, uh no. But uh, I say, hey, I say, I'm sitting here, it's done. I see a little something I'm just gonna tweak real quick. I'm gonna color it. Then I'm gonna work on this audio. I say, because me sitting here, I already hear what needs to be done. And he's like, oh, okay, bro, hey man, I appreciate it, man. Hey man, hey man, thanks a lot. Hey, thank you. Thank you, man. And I was just like, whatever. Nothing. Nothing. You know, but again, he could have sent that to somebody else. True, true, you know, and and I had I had sat with that thing, I did it, and I waited. I said I need fresh ears, and I listened the next day. Let me go ahead and send this to Ollie. He comes like, dude, man. Yes. I say, yeah. Yes, yes. And me being the also humble person that I've always been, I'm just like, you welcome. Bro. I've been taught I have an issue with accepting compliments and things like that. So if you ever give me one, I'm just like, Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:33

Yeah, I mean, I'm going to give you a compliment, brother. And let me tell you, along the way, I'm telling you, along the way, uh, was fortunate enough to be privy to to some of the clips along the way. And yeah, man, I'm I was blown away. I don't know the details of and how all of that is developed. I don't. I'm not I'm not at that experience, but I know good work when I hear it, I know good work when I see it. I've seen enough bad work to know. I think most of us have. You know. You know, so when I as this as these these days are and and pieces are being pieced together and it's coming together, I'm like, wow. I mean, it's there's so many different pieces with sound. Uh some of the some of the shots, some of the uh, some of the way, some of the lighting, some of the some of the oh, the drone shots. My goodness. I mean, Rocky killed it. Yeah Rocky killed it. Um I happened to be, I was on set one day uh with uh the at the park and watching him, I mean it was dude, it was it was crazy. I'm sure that if I sat down and watched how you because I'm because just like you were just explaining it, how you were hearing and piece, that comes from experience. I bet sitting down and looking over your shoulder as a shadow, I bet it would be just like a symphony. Like that's how I felt with watching Rocky with the with, I'm sure. That all came together the way that it did by design. And I'm so I'm so stoked about this, this, this project, man. I mean, I've I've seen multiple, I'm I'm excited to see what may come of a second one.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:32

Yeah, I I I pitched something to I said, hey, you need to check this out today. And he's like, But I didn't even know about this, man. Hey, I appreciate that. Yeah, man, I appreciate that. I said, Yeah. I said, now I appreciate signing up and snowing too. People are waiting on either part two. I'm not gonna say on camera. I'll tell you when we get off. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:58

I think I know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:59

So yeah, yeah. I'm just gonna have to hold on. Yeah, yeah. Hey, hey, which reminds me, I I I want to get Ollie up here too, because I want to have him talk about it. Yes. Last time he was here, we were talking about starting it. Right. So, yes. Ollie. Yes, sir. I'm probably gonna call you before this episode comes out anyway. But yeah, hey, we we gotta get the ball rolling. Um tell the people where they can find you and your work.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:32

Okay, you can find me on uh social media. Facebook is Marcus Scott. Um Instagram is the official Marcus Scott. It sounds corny, I know, but I had my my Facebook was Marcus T. Scott, and then somebody hacked it. So then I had to go through the whole verification pro. I still haven't gotten that profile back. So I had to make an official, and there's so many Marcus Scott, there's a lot of Marcus Scott's out there on social media. So the official Marcus Scott on uh on Instagram, uh I put a lot of my work out there. Um if you get tired of seeing a lot of the marketing, I'm sorry, but I'm I am I try to I do try to stay busy. Um, and because it's it's a passion of mine, and I love it. I'm not gonna apologize for that. Uh, but yeah, um Heartsville, I love you. Wingate, I love you. Uh just wanted to down Wingate University, boy, play football there. That's my heart. Um and Mom and Dad, I love you. And my brother, T Scott. Yeah, just wanted to get those shout-outs before I was done.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:33

Hey man, no problem, man. So listen, this is this is the space where Oh, Lola, one more thing, one more thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:40

Mila, Reed. Best things I've ever done. This is my daughter's. Okay. Yes. I figured it was the keys. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't think they'd, well, Reed would probably be, but Mila probably won't be watching, but she'll probably watch now.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:58

Yeah. She's gonna watch now. Yeah, yeah. So this is the part of the episode where I open the floor for you to ask me a question, make a statement, give advice, whatever, whatever. So it's on you.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:15

Uh what do what is your what drove you to take this route of wanting to know more and interviewing creatives? Um, I know it's it's the I saw I've every once in a while I stumble upon and I and I'll watch. But what what started that for you?

SPEAKER_00 1:19:38

You remember growing up watching Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous and Yo M TV Cribs and Pent My Rod, and you know, you you see all these people that are already here. I used to always ask the question of how did they get there? All you know is Ja Rule drops Holla, Holla, right, and it's like, where did this dude come from? DMX drops the Rough Rider album. Where did this dude come from? You know, Grandmaster Flash. You know, we we we see people, dang, Pulp Fiction, and this is the first time the majority of us see um Samuel L. Jackson. How he get here? Right. And how long has he been in this industry? Because I don't remember him from XY and Z. Spike Lee got how many films by the time I'm 10? That's right. Hmm. What did he do? How did he get there? Which reminds me, if I had the moment, if I could just have a day to sit with Spike Lee, and if I could have a day to sit with Robert Townsend, oh, and if I could have a day to sit with Ken and Ivory Wayne, or any of the anybody in the Wands family, period.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:12

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:13

Do you not know that will be the pinnacle of me being super excited without fanboying and ruining the moment for myself?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:24

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:25

Because these are some people that have made some genuine classics. Yes. Hollywood shuffle on how much money? How many credit cards did Robert Johnson use?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:36

Dude. And Keenan Ivory Williams was a part of that too, right? He was so it's that the way that they worked, collaboration over competition, yes, could have easily had been ego, egotistical. Very yeah, small and the the the industry wasn't as opportunistic as it as it is now back then. Correct. So I mean, yeah, I mean that that's they've they've laid such a foundation. Yes. And they have to be able to pick their brains, I could definitely see that, brother. I would wish I would be wanting to be right there with you. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:12

But it's like that that's how I created this. You know, we we had a podcast, Charlotte Podcast Studios Podcast. We teach you everything about starting a podcast with the things that you need, the things that you don't need. We go over statistics, we teach you how to do this. But if you don't want to do it, come come here. We'll we'll do it all for you, right? We teach you, we have coaching classes, you know, breakout sessions. We we're here to teach you, you know, but I don't want to talk about that. I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk to people. I want genuine conversation, right? You know, because I tell people, these are conversations, these are not interviews, you're not applying for a job. Right. You know, let's have a conversation. So you take, well, we can't be a podcast studio and not have a podcast. Right. On top of how did they get there? How did the baby get where he was? And he's local. And I've been doing all the I've been rapping for forever. I know people that have been rapping since forever. How did he get there? Okay, let me just sit down with some of these people. People, well, do you interview celebrities? Everybody that has sat on this couch is a celebrity. I don't care what you do. Well, have you ever thought about taking it and interviewing people like uh Denzel or a Robert Townsend? Yes. Yes, I do. But right now that's not what my aim is. Right. There are too many people here locally that need to connect. Absolutely. Me and Tacora sat, and we talked about the loop, 485. How long does it take you to go around 485, start to end, the whole circle, right? And how many businesses are off of each exit where as a videographer, there could be a there are over a hundred videographers within just this circle. How many businesses are off of each exit to where we don't, you know, bump heads or feel like we have to compete with each other? You know what I'm saying? So it's why not sit with us locally to the point where I even have a lady that reached out from the UK.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:38

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:39

Uh I interviewed a lady that's all the way out in Oregon or Washington State, if I I think Portland, Oregon. So she's in Oregon. Wow. You know, uh virtual calls with people in New York. A guy comes down from Pennsylvania, you know what I'm saying, to tap into this local market to educate not just us here, but the world. I have people, we have people that watch across seas.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:06

You know what I'm saying? To see that you have downloads in like India. That's hurricane, things like that. You know what I'm saying? But the the goal has always been, how did you start? Well, we sit with creatives and talk about their journey from the beginning. That's what we're here for. That's how I got into this because I at some point somebody's gonna ask me, Well, where did you how did you start? When was the first time you picked up a camera? How did you get to this place? And then the other thing is I want other people to know that to me, nobody is too big to ask, where did you start? How did you get here? Right. Nobody is too small to ask, oh, I haven't done anything in five, ten years. I don't care. You have a story.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:56

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:57

And it's a very passionate thing for me. And and I because I feel like I'm I'm sounding like I'm fussing, but I'm not. No. You know what I'm saying? But it's like, where do we come from? What do we do? Everybody has a different story, everybody's from a different place. Like we I sat with maybe eight people straight that talked about this came from a mental health thing. To the point where in January, one of my high school classmates is a therapist, hey girl, shout out to Natasha. You know, she's been here twice already, and we're already talking about a third episode. Wow. Because the majority of us creatives, we had something happen to us. But what happened? Because you being molested, neglected, uh, you know, you've been on your own since the age of eight. You know, living out of my car, you know, going through the things that I went through, and you know, so many other people have gone through. There could be somebody else out there watching this right now, going through the same thing like you spoke to. We're not, in that sense, we're not here to pull on an emotional draw, but it's there. Right. So I'm here to let people know we all have a story.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:16

Everybody's got a story. Yes. Tell your story.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:19

I love it. I love it. I love it. You're right, and you're absolutely right. That's that's I feel like that's what we're here for. You know? Because I mean, loving on each other is understanding each other. We can't understand each other if we don't listen. And everybody has a story to be told, you know. So, man, that's that's that's great work, brother.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:43

Hey man, listen, we we are expanding the community one week at a time, one person at a time. I I think we are finally over 200 subs on YouTube. I think we're close to 300 followers on Instagram. I have not posted on TikTok in a while. I know what I need to do to get, you know, things rolling numbers-wise. But my thing is this too. I want people in the seat, not just watching. Right. And how many of y'all are creatives that are watching this episode or have watched any episode or just watch the clips? It's like, I can't be on that podcast because that's too polished. That's too quote unquote big. Listen, this lady Sherry said the same thing. She has one of the highest watched episodes. And that episode is two hours. Wow. Wow. And she thought she was only gonna come up here for a 20, 30 minute episode. That episode preaches. The episode speaks to the mind, it speaks to the heart, it speaks to the soul. Wow. She came over here to talk about broach ties for women, and everything was broached and tied together in that episode. Wow. You never know. You're right. You're absolutely right. You never know. The community is growing. I'm I'm working on some things like I tell people I see this being held in a conference type setting. What's the thing? Tonight's conversation. I've only seen clips. And I'm not saying that's where I see creative roots being, but I can see the community growing to that. You know, social proof, they have a summit. I want a summit. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:40

Absolutely. I can totally see that. Totally see that. And and with your laid back approach, it's a it's a there's a comfortability that's mixed with the actual genuine intrigue about what your story is. Yeah. Whoever's sitting in this chair, your story matters, and it's and it's that comfort with that genuine intrigue, not just poking questions of being nosy and you know trying to flip it into something else that you may benefit from. It's really what what it is what is it that drives you? Those types of questions to get someone to open up while they're sitting here. That's important because when people are watching, they're gonna have some of those same questions. And they're they'll have questions they hope you ask, or they'll have certain things that they hope is covered because they're interested too. They're interested in whatever, if it's brooch ties, or if it's if it's film, or if it's music, or if it's you know, visual art, whatever the case may be. Right, the people that are watching, they're interested, and that that is going to continue to grow your following. And yeah, summit, bro. I can I can totally see that. Totally see that, bro. You're doing good work, doing great work. I I love it. I appreciate it. Doing great work.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:01

I feel I'm doing what I am called to do. It doesn't feel like run my mouth. Talk. I can talk for days. There are some days where I have that introvert moment where I'm like, Yeah, I don't want to talk and I don't want to listen. Just gimme, you know, but to let the local community and the world know who this person is sitting in this seat that you're sitting in, to me is a greater value than me sitting here teaching somebody how to start a podcast or talking about my experience only. Right. You know, this is episode 6970. We've been going strong for a whole year. We haven't missed a single week.

unknown 1:31:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:55

Praise ye the Lord. We've gone live once. We weren't supposed to go live for three hours. That thing ended up being four hours of entertainment. Wow. You know. We we have a uh partnership with Mono, the providers of these microphones.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:13

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:14

I'm getting ready to have a uh a conversation with a lady that runs a water company. I'm working on some stuff. If I could choose one thing to do for the remainder of my life, as much as I love creating short films, being behind the camera, it would be sitting here talking to people like you.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:44

That's that's and you have you've built, you all have built something special here, bro. Something special. And I I your vision, just like we were talking about, um you said it's supposed to be three hours and turn into four. That that perspective of knowing that you know sometimes things ain't gonna go the way they go. Having that pivot, that pivot, being being flexible enough to pivot and knowing that you're doing it for the right reasons, man. It's it's it's something that that's about that that brings comfort, confidence, and uh, it doesn't feel like work. Doesn't feel like work at all. I can I can yeah, I can definitely unid on that with that.

SPEAKER_00 1:33:31

I would love to have those days where, because it's happened before, where I can have three, four, six people in a day coming in and having these conversations. I I see it getting to the point where, and Sherry was the first person to break it, an episode two, three, four hours long. You know, let's have a panel discussion. You know, let me get two videographers, sit here with me. I don't know what we're gonna talk about, but we're gonna talk about something. You know, Dom came back for her second episode. She made one statement. The episode was I said, Dom, I don't even know what we're gonna talk about. I say, there's nothing to discuss. And it became an open discussion. We still had people watching that episode, we still had a conversation, you know. I can't even explain or fathom the thought of the vision that has been given to me for this thing here called Creative Roots. For me to even speak it, like you're like, wow, that's like the tip of the iceberg, bruh. That is it. This here for me is the thing that I know.

SPEAKER_01 1:34:59

I get it. Don't yeah, don't, don't, don't, don't tone it down for me, brother. Don't tone it down for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:35:05

Listen.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:06

I can see it, I can see the passion in you, and and it it excites me. That's something. When I when you when you see somebody that is that that is walking in there calling, it excites you. Oh, it excites me anyway. So yeah, if you see me over here making faces and stuff like that, that's why. Because like, uh uh, I'm excited, I'm ready to jump back into whatever it is that I'm doing too, you know. So I'm I'm I'm I'm extremely I'm thank you for the opportunity of being here, first of all. Thank you for coming out. Yes, yes, man. Yes, yes. I I really appreciate this, and um I I really appreciate being in the first seven in one of the first seventy, because bro, I really feel like with what I've seen just before I even came up here, um the little I know of you, but the it's not even about the it's quality over quantity, I guess you can say. That's the conversation, that's where I'm going with this, because it's you have something that that is very, very useful, very, very powerful, and if handled well, and I think your your your perspective is is spot on for for reaching all of those goals. It's spot on for reaching all of those goals because you're not worried about the views, you're not worried about that. That'll come. That stuff will come. It's the quality of the content, stories that are being told. That's what's gonna that's what's gonna take you there. And it it starts with the intention, and I love, I love, I love what I'm seeing, man. I am so thank you. Thank you for letting me be a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:44

Amen. I appreciate it, man. Because I I I want to throw a party by the time we hit 100 episodes. We're going live for Christmas again this year.

SPEAKER_02 1:36:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:53

Um check out the website. We got I'm I have to find the time to drop it, but I keep telling y'all there's a new design coming. There's a new design. Uh, you know, we we're working on hats. We're working on stickers. When I say I'm I'm working on things for uh for people to show their support, because I know I know there are people that watch that don't comment, and I'm cool with that. Yeah, you know, they told me, hey man, you know, I don't comment on stuff, but hey man, I've seen every single episode, you know. Support however you have to support. You know, again, it doesn't cost anything to click share, right? You know, right. Wherever, however, you know, re-post or whatever that is. Listen, I gotta sit down and get into the social media space again because I haven't posted any shorts on YouTube since January. And I can tell that I haven't because the views are not there.

unknown 1:37:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:37:57

But for those people that show there every single week, bro.

SPEAKER_01 1:38:03

That's that that's your true following. And and I I get it, I get it. There are people that they're gonna be there regardless of the ups, the downs. Those people, that's that's your circle, you know, and going from big from a big circle and thinking that was what it was about and growing up, maturing, and realizing that circle don't have to be that they're not have to be big to be powerful. They don't have to be big to be powerful. And matter of fact, most powerful circles aren't big. They aren't but those those people that make up your circle, they make it up with the quality of who they are and their support and and how they support you. Um, whether it is a share or repost, or you know, in and in your case, views. Um and views for for any any content that you're that you're creating, and and you know, that's the measure. Absolutely. Absolutely, because that to ignore it, you know, and know you, that's I don't under I don't understand that. You know, I don't understand when you know how to support someone and you know someone and you don't and you just don't take the time to do it when it's something very simple. Um Right. You know, uh, you know, I I like I like to be able to support those. I I try to support everybody, but you know, it's it's not it's it's that's not uh realistic because you're gonna have time to do the things that you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 1:39:44

Correct. So listen, y'all. I I think we've given y'all more than enough for this episode. Because I didn't do it at the beginning, before somebody says something. Shout out to Allenux Studios, shout out to Charlotte Podcast Studio, and shout out to ArtBot Charlotte. I would like to thank us. That is it for this episode. I appreciate you for coming in, helping these news, helping educate the community. Um, and with that being said, y'all, we are out. Peace.