Caroline B. McNamara

I attribute my success to following my gut and pursuing what I'm passionate about, no matter my age or background. I wasn't a nepo kid and I didn't start acting when I was a child. My parents are architects, my aunts and uncles are teachers and lawyers, so it was very professional and straight and narrow with a clear track. So I just didn't think working in the film and TV industry was something that was going to pan out for me. But the pandemic put things into perspective. I was kind of killing myself at a job I didn't love, and as an immunocompromised asthmatic, I realized that if I were to die tomorrow, I wouldn't be glad this is what I was spending my time doing. So I pivoted and applied for a master's in screenwriting in Scotland. My best advice for people, not even just the entertainment industry, is just to do what your gut is telling you to do. There's a reason you want to do what you want to do, so just pursue that. I also believe in not being afraid to fail or look dumb and to put your stuff out there. I knew that people could react badly to anything I put out, but it's more that I had something to say and I wanted to create something that I liked, and having other people like it was a happy byproduct. I wasn't planning on submitting my short film to festivals because it was already on YouTube, but the festivals saw it there and reached out. I'm very lucky that they did. It's kind of funny when you put something out there that's yours and something that you like, other people liking it too is the cherry on top.

Recently I was at a Deadline Contenders event for Television and Marcello Hernandez from SNL said "Work is the enemy of regret" and that if you work hard now, you will have no/fewer regrets later. I think that's very true. Anything I've gotten in life I can attribute to hard work I put in in the past. "The day you plant the seed is not the day you reap the reward" etc. etc. You have to work hard and have patience that your hard work will eventually pay off.

My best advice is to just go for what your gut is telling you do. There's a reason why you want to do what you want to do, so pursue that, no matter what your age. Don't be afraid to fail or look dumb and put your stuff out there. I think I was so pre-ashamed of things that I hadn't posted yet, being like 'oh, well, that's gonna be stupid, or this person's gonna say it's stupid.' But you're not posting it for those people, you're posting it because you like it. If you just go forth with the intention of 'I'm doing this because it's something that I like and I enjoy and I want to see or I want to read,' then anyone else liking it, that's just the cherry on top. People are afraid of looking dumb, and well, to be fair, people look dumb on a daily basis, even if they don't intend to do so. You scroll on the internet and you see some stupid things that people are doing that get millions of views. So it's like, if those people can do it, and obviously you may or may not have more brain cells than those people, then it doesn't matter really what you post because there's always something else that's worse. The more that you go in those situations and have those experiences, the better prepared you are for playing it off a bit better next time. Just don't be afraid to put yourself out there creatively, because not everyone responds well to that, but it's more that I had something to say and I wanted to create something that I liked, and having other people like it was a happy byproduct.

AI, the lack of filming in LA, a myriad of sequels and few originals... There's so many problems in the entertainment industry. It's important to keep in mind that, regardless of your field, we're all struggling in some way or another. These are hard and complicated times. The word 'unprecedented' is thrown around a lot. It's normal to not know what to do when facing new challenges. So just keep in mind that we're all dealing with these issues and we're all trying our best. Just focus on you, what you're doing, what you want to put out in the world, try your best and eventually we'll all find our way through.

My family and my friends are really important to me. Most of what I do is for them even if I have to spend a lot of time away from them while I do it. I know one day it will pay off and I will have the opportunity to enjoy my success more with them. Of course, I'd prefer sooner than later, but I think that everything will happen when it's supposed to. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and eventually it will all work out... Or it won't but if that's the case, then I'll just pivot again like I have in the past. I'm no stranger to change. What I really value these days is my confidence in my own abilities and knowing I will figure it out, whatever it is. I have confidence in my decision making abilities because so far I'd say I've made more good decisions than bad ones, so I'll just keep trying to do that and hope for the best.