I recently had the opportunity to exclusively interview Eric Colton about five random facts about himself, what advice he has for aspiring actors. Plus what this year has taught him. Check out my interview with Eric Colton below:
Loryn: What advice would you give inspiring actors who want to act?
Eric: My inspirational advice to actors starting out is you are needed. Acting is a subjective form of art. Just being your natural self is going to be a unique, rare commodity. There is only one you and your essence has yet to be experienced by an audience. It doesn’t matter what you look or sound like. If you are honest, people will relate to you.
With that in mind, finding the essence of who you truly are is vital. Many of us have families, friends and other support systems of some kind. They are a blessing, but can also be a curse to an actor. With love comes protectiveness, which can manifest itself as fear. Those who care for us most can be unintentionally stifling by instilling caution and doubt. Remember that you are the one who decided to be an actor, not them. You are inherently a dreamer, so seek out the advice of more experienced dreamers. They have the answers you need. Don’t let your past or people from it define you. As actors, we are meant to keep evolving and learning our entire lives. Keep changing.
Acting is an instinctual art. The craft is significantly easier when you are a person who is regularly present in their day-to-day life. It is a common thread amongst the best actors in the world and something we can all strive for in every moment, not just when we are acting. The simplest way to become more present is to improve your listening skills. It is the ultimate remedy for quieting the voices in your head.
We are all given an intuition. Those gut feelings we get. They become stronger and more obvious when we practice identifying and following them. Do or say what feels right to you. I’ve found this practice to be extremely helpful in becoming a more unique, confident artist and individual.
Loryn: What's a goal you hope to achieve before the end of the year?
Eric: By the end of the year, my goal is to have one of my feature-length screenplays scheduled for pre-production. At present, I have two of my seven features in the development process with committed financiers.
Loryn: What has this year taught you?
Eric: This year has taught me to take what life gives me. I believe this is a lesson we can all take from this unprecedented year of change. The confines of quarantine shifted my focus drastically toward screenwriting. With much fewer acting opportunities, I’ve given myself more time to focus on writing. I have completed three feature length screenplays during this year as a result.
I learned to devote as much time as possible to the things I truly excel at. As I lived the hectic life of an actor, I spread myself thin trying to do as much as possible. This included handling technical aspects of my career. Once life slowed down in March, the lack of errands and meetings created more freedom to focus on the things I did best.
This year taught me to look at challenges like opportunities. To not be afraid to have my mind changed by my circumstances. Adaptability is incredibly freeing. We are not married to what we thought our path was supposed to be. We can change course at any time.
Loryn: What actor would you love to work with?
Eric: I would love to work with Bill Murray. He is a hero of mine. I believe he is the epitome of being present, calm and relaxed. His comfort in his own skin is inspiring.
Loryn: What's something people would be surprised to know about you?
Eric: People might be surprised to know that I didn’t see myself as an artist for many years. It took a mentor coming into my life at age 29 to shed some light on what it truly entailed. Through a great amount of soul searching and many changes to myself, I discovered the artist I had envisioned within me all along.
Stay updated with Eric Colton by checking out his acting credits:http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2826351/ .Plus follow him on social under: @eric_colton