Interview: Lisa Dawn

Today we’re joined by Lisa Dawn. Lisa is a phenomenal author and blogger who writes about a number of things. She loves fairy tales and focuses on it. Lisa also enjoys analyzing princess movies, books, and TV shows on her amazing blog. It’s clear she’s a passionate and creative individual, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m a self-published author, blogger, and screenwriter. I love stories, especially fairy tales. The Disney Princess movies were everything to me when I was growing up. I’ve written several fairy tale adaptations and original fairy tale novellas at www.amazon.com/author/lisadawn and regularly review and analyze princess movies, books, TV shows, and more on my blog at www.theprincessblog.org. I studied screenwriting in college and am about to complete the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting Online. My latest screenplay is an original princess story that draws inspiration from one of the hardest times in my life.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by beauty, but not just the visual kind. I love musicals with songs that tug at the heartstrings, stories that are cathartic and empowering, and of course beautiful artwork of mermaids, faeries, and magical princesses in lacey flowing gowns. My love of animation has been a driving force for my creativity even though I can’t even draw a circle. I was devastated when traditional animation got replaced by CGI, but I attended a visual effects school in Florida to learn how to animate on a computer, which landed me a job in Los Angeles.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

Yes, I have always wanted to write. I can’t remember ever not wanting to write, even when I was a very tiny Little Mermaid-obsessed preschooler. I love stories and the effect that they have on people’s psyche. A good story will simultaneously bring someone to tears and allow them to accept something in their life that they were struggling with. When I graduated college and had to deal with the hardships of being an adult for the first time, I wanted to tell my own stories even more because there’s a comfort in viewing life through the lens of a magical fairy tale instead of facing the harsh reality head-on.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

You’ve probably noticed the princess theme by now. Not all of my stories are about princesses, but I focus on them because princesses are the most magical and empowering female characters in any given fantasy story. I love how princesses have evolved over time from damsels in distress to strong warriors. I analyze the dichotomy between these archetypes in The Princess Blog and try to find a healthy balance between them in my own writing. For me, Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid is the perfect combination of vulnerability and inner strength.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

It has never been easier than it is today to promote yourself through technology. Everyone is connected through social media, so if you’re willing to share your art, people will find you. You can also easily reach out to the people you admire via Twitter, which is something that used to be much harder. Unfortunately, that also means there’s a lot more competition out there. In that respect, I would say to work even harder than you think is necessary. Write, draw, sing, and create every single day, even on the days when you don’t feel like it. I thought I would never make it as a screenwriter, but now I feel like I’m closer than ever because I’ve learned how to make connections and get valuable feedback from my peers. Yes, I do occasionally take breaks, sometimes even year-long ones, but I know now that the more time I take off, the longer it will take me to accomplish my goals. Promote yourself and keep it up!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I am a heteroromantic repulsed asexual. I’m also married, which still surprises me sometimes, so for those of you lonely romantic aces out there, there is hope!

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I write independently, but I’ve experienced ignorance in the workplace a few times. I once had a job converting movies to 3D, and some of my co-workers there were a little immature. There was one man in particular who would not stop harassing me after I blurted out that I was asexual. He kept naming all sorts of different scenarios and asking me if I would have sex under those circumstances (not with him). I probably should have reported him to HR, but he was part of a large company layoff shortly after that, so I never saw him again. A few years later, I did an interview about asexuality for a famous magazine right after my wedding that promoted my husband and myself in a humiliating way on several Facebook pages with millions of subscribers. A co-worker I had at that time tagged several fellow employees, including a supervisor, on one posts and didn’t tell me. I only found out about it after going through all the comments. I did report that to HR and got an apology out of her. If this happens to you, do not tolerate it sitting down! That’s what Human Resources are for.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

“You’re not capable of love?” is always a classic.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

The world is a very different place today than it was when I came out as asexual in 2005. Hollywood is pushing for more diversity in the media. Uncommon sexual orientations are becoming more commonplace. Social media is all about expressing yourself. You are living in one of the best eras to be different. Embrace it. Know that there are more people willing to accept you today than there would have been fifty, thirty, or even ten years ago.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I have a subscribe link on www.theprincessblog.org, but most people find out about new posts through my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/theprincessblogger. I’m also on Instagram at www.instagram.com/theprincessblogger and Twitter at www.twitter.com/PrincessOfBlogs. I have a YouTube channel where an animated version of myself reads my blog posts at http://yt.vu/+theprincessvlog, and of course you can find my books on Amazon at www.amazon.com/author/lisadawn.

Lisa Dawn also has an author site: http://lisadawnbooks.wixsite.com/lisadawn

Thank you, Lisa, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Nora Rose

Today we’re joined by Nora Rose. Nora is a phenomenal artist who does a bit of everything. She’s a passionate writer who does everything from novels to fanfiction. When she’s not writing, Nora is also an avid cook, an actor, and an audiobook narrator (I think that’s a first for Asexual Artists). Whatever art she’s working on, Nora throws herself fully into it. She’s an incredibly enthusiastic and dedicated artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I have my fingers in a lot of pies. I’m a fanfiction writer, an unpublished novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, an amateur actor, an audiobook narrator, and aspiring cook.

Writing has been a passion since I was in second grade, and I’ve been pursuing it as a habit and career since I was eleven. My senior project for my undergrad degree was a play in one act that I wrote. I’ve been writing fanfiction for almost as long.

I studied theater at college. I fell in love with acting in high school, and I was probably the first person in my grade who knew what they were going to major in. My grandest moment was as Mrs. Bennett in a stage rendition of “Pride & Prejudice” that our director was writing.

Mrs. Bennet

Unfortunately, since graduating I haven’t had much chance to do any acting, but I would love to end up in television–writing, acting, directing, and producing.

The audiobook narrating was unexpected. I did some live voicework for some friends’ senior shows in college, and afterwards had people come up to me and tell me I should pursue it. I never really thought I would until it turned out the son of my parents’ neighbor had just self-published a book and wanted to do an audiobook. I was just about to move to the same city he lives so we connected, and I’ve recorded the first two books of his series.

Growing up, I hated cooking. I think it was part rebelling against the expectations of being a housewife someday and part the fact that I’m a picky eater. One summer during college, however, I was doing a summer semester and was bored out of my mind. So I started making a whole bunch of different foods–mostly desserts–for my landlady. Someday soon I want to actually go to culinary school and maybe eventually open a little bistro.

Fruit Pie

What inspires you?

I’ve found that inspiration for me can come from anywhere. It can come from that one image in a dream that sticks long after waking up. It can come from a personal story someone told me that sounded like something out of a fairytale. It can come from real life experiences where the emotions were loud and visceral. It can come from a visual of certain actors in certain costumes or situations. I can be inspired by an actor that makes me cry. And, of course, the Food Network and Pinterest can be extremely inspiring when it comes to cooking.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

As for writing, I’ve loved it so long I honestly have no idea what got me interested. I finally decided to start writing my own books after falling in love with Tamora Pierce’s “The Song of the Lioness” series.

Acting, it was the first director I had in high school. The first play I was in, I was just a somebody. The second one, he cast me as the lead female part. He took a chance on me, and he believed in me, and I fell in love.

As You Like It

Narrating was explained a little in the first question, but I really decided I liked it once I started and realized it was a form of acting. While I wasn’t on stage or in front of a camera, I got to act and put heart into it, and it was a relief to be doing that again.

Cooking was boredom. I’ve really fallen in love with cooking because I love feeding people. It’s just like storytelling–I get to give people this beautiful thing I’ve created and I love watching their reactions.

Have I always wanted to be an artist? Yes. I don’t know that I could be anything else.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

Not really.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

This is cliché, but just do it. As someone with mental illness, trust me, I know it can be hard sometimes to motivate yourself even to do the things you love. But you have to. Don’t let it stress you out, of course, because then you’ll start to hate it. But do little things. If you write, but you’re having trouble getting any words down, outline. If you act, but you’re having trouble getting out the auditions, act out some of your favorite movie scenes in the shower. Do what little you can.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Asexual, poly, panromantic. I’m not sex repulsed, but I’m not really interested too much in sex. It doesn’t faze me usually. I like having sex, but I forget that it’s an option a lot of the time, and I’m in a committed relationship with someone with a high sex drive. I’ll watch porn and I read porn, but if I’m not in exactly the right mood for it, I get bored really quickly.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

The only example I can think of that happened in any of my fields was once I was discussing with the producer of the audiobooks I’ve worked on other types of books I’d be interested in narrating. He made some comment assuming that I’d like to steer clear of romance novels. I said, actually, I wouldn’t mind. In fact, someday in the future, I plan on narrating my fiancé’s novels, most of which fall in the category of “romance”. He then made some comment assuming I’d like to stay away from more hardcore stuff, and again, I said actually, I don’t mind. I’m asexual, I said, so it really doesn’t faze me. The rest of the elevator ride was quiet and uncomfortable.

I talked to my fiancé about it afterwards. That’s how I deal with most things. It felt a little funny. It was kind of tiring. I didn’t know how to react, really, because in this particular situation–wouldn’t that be an advantage? Why should it matter if it’s actually going to make both your job and my job easier? It never came up again. I guess we’ll see if it does if I ever narrate a romance produced by him.

Orchard

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Mostly I’ve just met people who had no idea what it meant and said as much. Who’d either never heard the term or only had in high school biology talking about asexual reproduction. Luckily, most of the time they just ask, and I’m able to explain in a way that I’m comfortable with, saying this is a general definition, and this is what it means in my case.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

It’s a spectrum. It’s a moving spectrum. Do you know how old I was when I realized I was asexual? Twenty-three. For a while I even thought I hadn’t always been asexual. But the more time goes on, the more I look back, I just realize that I’ve simply become more comfortable with my asexuality and let that color how my life is. Don’t stress. If you used to think you were straight, or if you used to think you were demi, or if you’re certain you’re into women but the idea of sex freaks you out? It’s a scale. Things change. And you’re allowed to feel more ways than one.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

Check out my Tumblr at nrsully.tumblr.com and my Facebook page at Nora Rose Sullivan. You can find the audiobook for “Orchard” on Audible here. You can also find my more recent fanfiction on AO3 at Briar_Elwood.

Curious Savage

Thank you, Nora, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Lib

Today we’re joined by Lib. Lib is a fantastic writer who is currently a hobbyist and incredibly passionate about the art. They have written a number of different things. They’re currently playing around with screenwriting and considering some historical fiction, though science fiction seems to be the genre Lib’s most enthusiastic about. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I write speculative fiction as a hobby. For me the biggest part of writing is answering the question “what if”. I’ve written a couple of short fantasy stories, but my heart is set on science fiction and adaptive screenwriting. Lately, though, I’ve surprised myself and starting thinking about historical fiction. I wrote a short two and a half minute screenplay for a class and the piece was well received. I’m currently doing historical research to see if I can adapt the short piece into a full-length feature script. Part of the reason I’ve shied away from historical fiction is the amount of research involved. My dad’s a history teacher so if I do take the historical fiction route I want my pieces to be as historically accurate as possible and still be interesting. History shouldn’t be boring.

What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from music and folk songs. I like how short and to the point music lyrics have to be while at the same time maintaining beauty. I try to shape my stories the same way and say what needs to be said in as little words as possible and using as many perfect words as possible. I know a sentence is meant to be when there are no other words that are more suitable. I also draw inspiration from other art like TV shows, movies, and other books. One of my literature professors talked about “writing in the gaps” and it has become my favorite phrase for what I do. I don’t have to be truly original to be a good writer, I can add to the existing narrative by filling in the gaps. I had another professor say “it’s all fanfiction until you get paid”, but I like the filling in the gaps phrase better.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in middle school. During summer break I would read at least one book a day powering through 200 pages or more. My dad made an offhand comment about me becoming the “next Anne McCaffery” because that’s what I was reading at the time. For me that’s when the light bulb went off in my head that I really could do that. That dream hasn’t gone away and the potential is still there, but I’m working really hard to perfect my own brand and style. I don’t just want to be a writer, or even just a published writer, I want to be proud of myself and my craft. Arthur Conan Doyle once said, “If in 100 years I am only known as the man who invented Sherlock Holmes then I will have considered my life a failure.” So, I’ve strived to create work that I can be proud of for myself.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

Even before I knew what asexuality was, I’ve had it in my writing. I have ten rules that I use for writing with the purpose that it will diversify my character set and storytelling. I know Harry Potter was really popular when its day, but I’m making a point to write about someone other than a young white male as my protagonist. This practice won’t make me a mainstream writer, but after discovering my asexual/aromantic identity I cannot in good conscious write mainstream characters. I also put a lot of thought into my antagonists and villains. Often the villains become my favorite characters because I can sympathize with them and see their point of view. Are they really villainous? Or is it just that they can’t find “true love” in a sexually/romantically charged society and are demonized for it?

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

The difference between an amateur and a professional is a professional is an amateur who never gave up. As my favorite writer/philosopher Joseph Campbell said, “Follow your bliss.”

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m an aromantic asexual. I can feel aesthetic and sensual attraction, but I’ve never felt sexual attraction. I’ve only felt romantic attraction once, but I still choose to identity as aromantic instead of demi-romantic because that’s the identity I’m most comfortable with and feel describes my experience best.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I’ve experienced general acephobia and prejudice like people saying asexuality isn’t a real orientation, it’s a Tumblr fad, etc… When I came out to my parents they said I just “haven’t met the right one”. I’ve found that the best way to deal with acephobia is advocacy and education. People have been told all their lives that true love is between a man and a woman. I get asked constantly if I have “another half”, but I find it empowering to think that as an aro-ace, I am perfectly whole. I don’t need another half because I’m not incomplete and I don’t need a soulmate because I’m not half a soul either. This is a really hard idea for people to understand though because they’re basically trained to think that it’s expected to grow up, get married, and have kids. Even LGBT individuals grow up now thinking marriage and kids by adoption or surrogacy. Saying I don’t want even a relationship is going against everything people have been ever taught.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

That I’m missing something. Like being single is proof that I’m defective. Being asked if I have a boyfriend/girlfriend is usually one of the first questions people ever ask me. I usually choose to avoid the question saying I consider my relationships to be private. It is private. I know we’re so used to having everything about us out in the open for everyone to see on social media, but even social media has privacy settings. We can choose what we share with others.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

I was 25 and living in a conservative state when I discovered I was asexual. My exact words were “Holy shit, I’m queer!” and I was absolutely terrified. Suddenly everyone I had ever known and complete strangers seemed to have a license to hate me just because of who I am. But then I called down and gave myself time to adjust to the idea and now I’m very happy with my labels. Slapping a label on me didn’t magically change who I was. I was always aromantic and asexual, but now I have the words to describe my experience and as a writer, words are everything to me.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I keep a Tumblr account [https://write4nom.tumblr.com/] and a blog [https://acubedblog.wordpress.com/]

Thank you, Lib, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Devyn

Today we’re joined by Devyn. Devyn is a phenomenal up and coming screenwriter, who also occasionally directs. She writes the scripts for films and mostly focuses on short films. Devyn is interested in independent filmmaking and is currently growing a production company with a friend. Judging from the passion and enthusiasm in her interview, we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Well, I’m a screenwriter. So, I write screenplays. I focus mainly on short films, so far the longest thing I’ve written is ten pages. I’m not sure if I want to do the Hollywood thing and write features for studios. I’m pretty sure I’m going to stay in the independent market with a friend of mine. We’re growing our own production company as of right now. We have a pretty sweet deal set up actually haha. I write the movies, I get a say in casting, then she directs. I’ll never have to be on set, which is what I greatly prefer. Although we might end up co-directing a lot of things, which I could learn to be okay with.

What inspires you?

This seems like it would be an easy question, but it’s actually somewhat complicated. I draw different kinds of inspiration from different things. My story ideas can come from anywhere. My latest film, Just the Usual started as a fanfic. Another script I’m currently working on is based on a dream I had a while ago. Ideas for characters more often than not come from my friends, and other people in my life. Sometimes they’re based on random people I’ve passed on the streets.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

Alright kids, buckle up! It’s story time!

Art is basically in my blood. That can happen when you have strong Italian roots like I do haha. My great-grandmother was a dancer, singer, and huge supporter of theatre and opera, my grandmother and great-aunt were both in choir and theatre in high school, and my mom danced for a good portion of her life. So it was pretty much assumed that I would be some sort of artist.

Originally, I thought I was going to be an actor. I fell in love with musical theatre in high school and that’s what I wanted to pursue. I started in the theatre program at my old community college. However, after two years, I ran out of acting classes to take (including a summer workshop where we got to build a small demo reel). Still needing financial aid (once you enroll at SBCC, you can never leave SBCC) I decided to try my hand at film. The demo reel workshop taught me the basics of video editing, which I liked and seemed decent at, so I figured, why not? During that class, I came to like editing more and got into screenwriting.

Fast forward a year and I’m applying to my current school. Obviously, I was interested in their musical theatre program, but I also decided to apply for the film school because I liked film as well. I had everything for my film application and portfolio, so I submitted that first. A few days later, I got an email saying I was accepted into the program, I just had to get into the school. So which program I went to depended on whether or not I got into the musical theatre program. Well…by the time I got everything together for my video audition, it was like three days after the submission deadline. Film school it was! I became a film student and never looked back. So far, it’s totally worked out haha. I do still act every once in a while, though.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

Not yet. I’m still just starting out and trying to figure out what my “signature” is.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Allow yourself to make shitty first drafts. No matter your art, it doesn’t matter if your first attempt doesn’t turn out how you want it to. That’s why it’s only your FIRST attempt. It’ll get better. But you have to let the first one be bad. If you get lucky and your first try is amazing, that’s awesome! But more often than not, the first try isn’t going to be great. And that’s just fine!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Biromantic Asexual

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?

To be honest, not very many people in my department know, with the exception of a few friends haha. I guess the one sort of thing that upset me was something that happened last year.

I was talking with a friend (we are no longer friends and this is a small part of why) and we somehow got on the topic of relationships and stuff. She told me she was bisexual, but she usually just told people she was gay because that was easier for them to understand. I told her that I was asexual. The first words out of her mouth were “Oh I could never date an asexual person.”

Like, okay, I understand liking sex and yeah, someone with a high sex drive should probably think twice before dating an ace. But I don’t think that should be the first thing you say to someone who comes out as asexual to you. I can guarantee that’s already a thought in the back of their head. Anyway, it really upset me but I didn’t really do anything about it either. It just left a bad taste in my mouth and after that it was hard to be around her. Especially since I had a crush on her at the time. Let me tell you that ended real quick haha. Anyway, I’m rambling, I’m sorry.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

“It’s just a phase. You’ll change your mind when you meet the right person.” Ugh!

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Don’t worry too much about putting a label on yourself. If labels make you feel better, great! If not, then don’t label yourself. But if you do decide you want a label, try it out first. Say it to yourself in the mirror. Keep trying things until something feels right. That’s what I did.

Also, YOU DO NOT NEED TO COME OUT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO! It is nobody’s business who you are (or probably in this case, aren’t) sleeping with! If there’s only a handful of people you want to come out to, only come out to those people. If you want to be out and proud, be out and proud! Whether or not you come out and how you come out is entirely up to you.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I don’t have a lot of work out right now, since I’m still starting out. I do have some stuff on my YouTube channel though. If you look up the user TheWickedMizfit, you should be able to find me. I made that channel when I was in high school OK? Cut me some slack haha. It’s only 4 videos and they were made a few years ago when I was still at my old community college. I am in a MUCH better school now and, thus, will turn out better work haha. Though I am actually kind of proud of the Axe commercial. I came up with the concept, someone else actually put it on paper, then I edited it. I WISH I could take credit for the music choice, but I cannot. Also, with Memories (the other one I wrote), we had a checklist of all these different shots, lighting techniques, and sound effects we had to incorporate into the film. So, if something doesn’t make sense, assume it was on the checklist haha. The other two I just edited.

Now the biggest thing I have going is my short film, Just the Usual, which I wrote and directed. We hope to submit it to several film festivals so that over the summer and in the fall, we can get a decent festival run. So be on the lookout for that!

If you want to know anything about my videos on YouTube or any other projects I’m working on, or you just want to say hi, feel free to contact me on Tumblr: http://ace-spiringscreenwriter.tumblr.com/

Thank you, Devyn, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Robin

Today we’re joined by Robin. Robin is absolutely wonderful artist who works in filmmaking. He’s a screenwriter, a video editor, and an actor. Some of his films have already been selections in film festivals. The links he sent along are fascinating shorts. There are two horror shorts (“The Music of Erika Zann” and “Memento Mori”) and a noir (”I Blog Alone”), which are awesome genres. My thanks to him for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Still from “I Blog Alone”

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m a screenwriter, video editor, and actor.  I’m a part of Portland, OR’s Wheelhouse Media.  We mostly do short films, horror, but we’re looking to branch out.  We currently have a superhero satire piece in the works and we’re hoping to do our first feature in 2016.  I’ve adapted the HP Lovecraft short story “The Music of Erich Zann,” into a short film, “The Music of Erika Zann,” and this year wrote a short inspired by the Gabriel Knight video game series entitled Memento Mori.

What inspires you?

I really like hearing other people’s stories.  I’ve been lucky enough to live in a lot of places and meet a lot of kind and interesting people which has enriched my own life.  Also, the collaborative nature of filmmaking.  I love bouncing ideas off people and watching them grow.

What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I didn’t really discover my talent for writing until I got into college.  It took me a while to figure out my passion for film too.  I was taking a course on Major Filmmakers where our professor showed us some of the great underappreciated directors.  I remember watching The Red Shoes and really seeing what film was capable of and thinking “damn, I want to do this.”

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I like to put little nods to my friends in my work.  Either naming characters after them or using a little quirk from someone I know.  I’m from New Jersey and like using references to there too.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Just keep at it.  It takes as much time to not make anything as it does to make something.  Even if it’s bad, it’s a learning experience.  And if enough people see your bad work, someone will want to work with you to make good work with.

Still from “Memento Mori”

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m heteromantic demisexual.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?

As of this writing, I’m only out to one producer who happens to be a friend of mine.  Of the ignorance I’ve encountered outside of my field, it’s mostly just been about the existence of asexuality rather than misconceptions about it.  The people I have come out to have been fantastic and supportive about it.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Mostly that people don’t believe it’s real.  Sometimes it seems the more you explain it (the spectrum, demi and graysexuality) that you’re getting away from a definition by broadening it too much.  When I first came out to my friends, I did have to explain that yes, we can date and form meaningful relationships without sexual attraction.  Like I said though, I’ve been lucky that I’m surrounded my caring and supportive people.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Like all the blogs say, you and your sexuality are valid and you’re not alone.  And if even if you’re not sure, it’s okay to take time to find out.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

My blog is RobIsAWriter.Tumblr.com.  I don’t update it as much as I’d like to but I’m planning on turning into a home for short fiction and other film projects next year, including a documentary project I’m currently planning.  You can also like Wheelhouse Media on Facebook.

Still from “The Music of Erika Zann”

Thank you, Robin, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.