Neil Jackson Boldly Makes His Mark on Hollywood
BEING BOLD
1. RAINE: What is one or more examples in how you have embraced your bold?
I think anyone pursuing a career in the arts has to embrace their bold. It can be scary putting your work out there as an actor, a musician, a writer, a director. It can leave you vulnerable to criticism and judgment. Anyone who publicly shares their creativity is incredibly bold in my opinion.
SURPRISES
2. RAINE: What was the biggest surprise you have experienced in building your business or career?
That nothing is linear. The plans that I have made have rarely come to fruition. I used to put such pressures on my career, but I eventually realized that I would be a lot happier if I removed any expectation and enjoyed the chaotic flow of it all.
BALANCE
3. RAINE: How have you battled loneliness or burnout on your journey as a creative entrepreneur?
Loneliness is a constant, for me. I travel so much for work and spend a lot of time by myself in hotels or apartments in foreign places. If I’m not careful, that loneliness can easily tip over into depression. The way I deal with it is by creating a community as quickly as possible. I know that if I am feeling lonely then many others are too. I often say, “let’s be lonely together.”
FAILURES / OBSTACLES
4. RAINE: What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it?
My biggest failure wasn’t a moment or a job, but rather my ego. For the longest time I had an expectation about the level of work I should be doing and when things didn’t meet that expectation I would feel like I was failing. This caused me a lot of pain early on in my career. I was so impatient to “succeed” that I failed to enjoy the fact that I was actually living out my dream – to be a working actor. The irony is that when I finally tempered that expectation, that’s when my career started moving in the direction I always wanted. It’s almost like I needed to get out of my own way before I could succeed.
MINDSET
5. RAINE: How would you compare surviving entrepreneurship to sports?
I was a competitive boxer for years and I liken everything back to this. Boxing taught me that preparation is everything. If I hadn’t worked my absolute hardest in training, then I could not expect to succeed when I stepped into the ring. It’s the same with my career. Being dedicated to the preparation allows me to enjoy the work and be far better at it.
MEMORIES
6. RAINE: What is your most memorable experience and why?
I was shooting the last day of a feature film I had written in Morocco. We were filming in the main square in Marrakech, a bustling thoroughfare of spice markets and food stalls. I was not only acting in the piece, but I was also shooting behind the scenes footage for the DVD extras. We were setting up a big crane shot that would end the movie, when I turned around and my jaw dropped. What I saw were hundreds and hundreds of locals watching us from behind a police barrier. The story that I had conceived of in LA, then pitched and written had brought this busy square to a standstill. Luckily my friend caught that exact moment on camera. It’s a beautifully humbling reminder to me of the power of self-belief and never giving up on a dream.
7. RAINE: If you could give yourself advice 5 years ago, knowing what you know now, what would it be?
Relax and enjoy the journey.
SUCCESSES
8. RAINE: What accomplishment are you most proud of and who was the person most helpful towards it?
I’d been in LA for about four years and, though my career was going well, it was not at the level I had hoped it would be. I felt I was failing and that feeling was terrifying. I started having panic attacks. They would come on without warning and increased in frequency. My girlfriend at the time helped me find people to talk to – therapists, life coaches. It was a hard road, digging myself out of that emotional hole, but it was necessary for me as a person and an artist. I wanted to give up, on the industry and the painful self-reflection, but I didn’t. I’m incredibly proud of that achievement.
FUTURE PROJECTS
9. RAINE: What are you most excited about regarding your upcoming projects or goals for your creative or entrepreneurial roadmap?
The future is looking very exciting. I have several acting projects coming out in 2020 (The Kings Man, Stargirl, Absentia season 3), but I also have a feature film called Butter Side Up that I have written and will be directing in the spring. In addition to that I have a television series that I have written in development, so a lot of creative fervor.
FUN FACTS
10. RAINE: What are five things that your fans don’t know about you?
I make an incredible chicken roast dinner.
I love dogs.
My favourite film is “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
When making tea, I put the milk in after the water.
I get squeamish around balloons being blown up.
TRAVEL
11. RAINE: What city has most influenced you as a creative and why?
London. It’s such a cultural melting pot. You can visit the entire world in one city.
WORDS OF WISDOM
12. RAINE: What words of wisdom can you share with others on a similar journey?
Be passionate about what you do. Passion is infectious. I would rather talk to a passionate bricklayer than an apathetic astronaut.