
Collage of films I've been a part of (as of 2005).
I'm retiring from acting. Yep, I'm serious.
Over the past few years, I've lost interest in acting and also lost touch with a few people who I've regularly worked with. It's been a natural progression as I've turned down some things here and there and just worked less in general... not that I ever had the busiest schedule. I don't know... I suppose the gimmick has worn off a bit? A major part of it is the lack of challenge. While I'll always be grateful for the opportunities I've had, there are only so many ways you can scream at a rubber monster or get killed on camera by the next ridiculous prop. Don't get me wrong - I've loved working on B-movies. They've been a hell of a lot of fun and there actually have been a few scenes here and there I'd happily put on my demo reel - and have. I'm lucky and grateful to have a resume and will always feel particularly indebted to Mark and the late John Polonia. It's just that it never was my dream to do low budget horror almost exclusively. It's not ALL I've done but if my name were to be synonymous with anything (aside from maybe my show), it'd be indie horror.
I'm not crying "poor me" or anything. Quite the contrary! For a guy who never moved to NYC or LA, I managed to build a resume of ten films, most of which are available for rent or purchase across the country with one or two available internationally. I've walked into a Blockbuster Video and seen myself on the video shelves. Hell, I've even gotten fan mail and a few autograph requests! I'm very proud of that. No, I suppose if I really wanted to be taken more seriously or wanted to pursue more comedy or drama, I would have. If I moved to NYC or LA as I've threatened to do for years, I would've felt challenged... reinvigorated. If I REALLY wanted more opportunity to do the projects I always envisioned being a part of, I would've pursued those avenues. The truth is that, as time has marched on, my interest in acting in general has waned.
It's been a fun ride and who knows? Maybe at some point, if something interesting comes my way, I'll take another look at things. But I really feel that chapter has come to a close. I'll still finish putting The BK Show episodes up on YouTube (slowly but surely but slowly) and maybe have another showing of the film but after that, that's it.
And of course, there's the OTHER reason: how many people get to retire from anything in their 30's? I mean, really... athletes, entertainers and entrepreneurs. You really can't overstate the cool factor here.
So what's next? Golfing, eating at Wendy's and reading People magazine all day? No, I've always had a major interest/obsession with music. I've taken voice, piano and guitar lessons off and on for years and auditioned for a few bands and such but never really followed through. I've always had the ear and it's an outlet I've neglected for far too long. In the last couple of years in particular, I've found myself gravitating toward making music. So for now, it's open mic nights and karaoke as I'm still getting used to singing in front of people. I'm also getting ready to throw down some bread for a humble home recording studio. As for the future, who knows? Too early to tell. All I know is that I'm ready to turn the page and explore something I've wanted for a long, long time. Viva life!