Brendan Bald

Category: Blog

  • Life as a WILDCARD

    Life as a WILDCARD

    “I’m a WILDCARD.”

    That’s what I tell people when they ask me what my next big move is. 

    There’s something fun about describing myself as a wildcard. It makes me feel free and unpredictable. That’s how actors should feel, right? I mean, I ditched predictability when I decided to stop being a lawyer. I needed to get in touch with my creative side. I needed change. 

    And I got it. 

    I’ve been pursuing the arts for a year and a half now and every day is different.  My work schedule varies weekly. My retail hours change. Some weeks I’m giving tours twice a week – other times it’s 5 times a week.  Some weeks I’m on set acting in my latest indie project. Other weeks I’m writing creatively. Or memorizing lines. Or reading veraciously.

    Every week is different but no big moves have really been made. 

    If I’m the “wildcard” I claim to be, eventually I’ll have to make a big move. But what will it be?

    This question has been bugging me the last couple months. I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to be. Is Nashville home? Do I want to move to Los Angeles? Do I want to move to Atlanta? 

    I’ve also been thinking about what I want to do. Is Acting my end all be all career? Will I be happy making a living working retail and giving tours in the meantime? 

    The answer to all of the above questions is one BIG FAT I DON’T KNOW. 

    But here’s where my head’s at…

    I love acting. But as of now (and likely for the foreseeable future) I’m not making a living acting. I’ve got a LONG WAYS to go before that becomes a possibility. I’ve been told that acting is a 10-year business. Meaning, it takes 10 years before you can make a living to doing it. 

    I knew the whole making a living thing would be hard before I transitioned. I’m also perfectly aware that I started late. I’m a 29-year-old, straight, caucasian male with nothing but non-union credits to my name. Not the best age, casting, and credits – I know. 

    So, if I can’t rely on acting for money, how will I make a living?

    So far, I’ve been able to scrape by working retail, giving tours, freelance writing, as well as picking up random jobs here and there. But is that life sustainable? Will that work keep me happy while I pursue my creative interests?

    I don’t think it will. 

    I need something else. Working numerous part-time jobs and pursuing acting will be difficult to sustain. I would LOVE if I found something else, in addition to acting, that I was passionate about. Something that would allow me to make a living. 

    What is that something else?

    Here comes another BIG FAT I DON’T KNOW. 

    Here’s what I do know…

    I know that I love film and television. I love the creative elements, the production elements, even the post production and marketing elements. The magic of film and television interest me to no end. It’s what drew me to acting in the first place. I veraciously read books on the film business, screenwriting, storytelling, directing, producing, and Hollywood in general. So wouldn’t it be awesome if I could somehow make a living working IN the film industry? That question is rhetorical. It would most definitely be awesome.

    Does that mean I should move to Los Angeles? Should I do what all Hollywood newbies do and become a production assistant?

    This is something that I’ve been seriously considering the last couple months.

    Los Angeles would allow me to continue my acting career and pursue opportunities within the film industry (outside of acting). Sounds like a win-win to me. 

    So what’s holding me back?

    MONEY.

    Not a good excuse, I know. But hear me out…

    Los Angeles is expensive. And landing a legit assistant gig in Hollywood is DIFFICULT. Hundreds apply and success depends on who you know. And how do you “get to know” people in the industry if you don’t currently live there? You can’t. 

    So either I save up a chunk of savings, move to LA, and hope I can survive until I can find an industry gig. OR I settle for a non-industry gig to pay the bills and network my way into an assistant gig. 

    The second option is more likely considering my current financial situation.

    If you’ve read this far, clearly you can see I’m leaning towards moving to LA. 

    The question now is when do I pull the trigger and move?

    Time for my third BIG FAT I DON’T KNOW. 

    I’m in no rush. When I made my career transition away from law, I deployed a ton of patience in my life. Success doesn’t come overnight.  It takes time. 

    When I feel the time is right for me, I’ll make my move to Los Angeles. 

    But then again, Maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll move somewhere completely different. Maybe I’ll even stay in Nashville. Who knows…

    After-all, I am a WILDCARD!

    -Brendan 

  • Making A Movie

    Making A Movie

    The Bald Brothers have officially produced their first short film. The movie was written, directed, and edited by Brendan Bald but STARS both of the Bald Brothers. We recorded this episode to talk all about the filmmaking process. We specifically cover…

    – Choosing the right script

    – Pre-production

    – Assembling a team of creatives

    – Brad Bald’s experience acting in his first film

    – Having fun on set

    – Post production

    The film is titled “Love and Lies” and will be published in the coming months. Follow Brad and Brendan on social media for updates!

    @brendanbald

    @bradbald22

    Listen here…

  • The Truth About The “CREATIVE LIFESTYLE”

    The Truth About The “CREATIVE LIFESTYLE”

    Let’s talk about the “Creative Lifestyle.” 

    I’m talking to those folks who are living out their creative passions and financially supporting themselves with side jobs. My question for you is how long are you willing to continue this lifestyle? 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? 15?

    I currently work three part-time jobs. None of which I am truly passionate about but all of which I enjoy. They don’t pay me much but it’s enough to cover my expenses.  They also give me flexibility to pursue my creative dreams (acting and writing). 

    At this point in my life, I’ve prioritized passion over practicality.  Some may look at my life choices with a questionable eye. “Why is this lawyer working retail, giving tours, and trying to be an actor?” I hear it a lot, trust me. 

    Truth is, I’m okay with not making a lot of money. I’m okay with not having a “traditional” career. I have a deep desire to act and write creatively. So that’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t have many fears, but regret is one of them. It’s the driving factor behind a lot of my life decisions. 

    All that sounds inspiring, I know. But despite what it may sound like, I don’t have it all figured out. Here’s a question I’m completely unsure about…

    How long will I be able to keep this lifestyle up? 

    The bravado response is AS LONG AS IT TAKES!! But that’s not honest. 

    The truth is I HAVE NO IDEA. 

    Maybe my passions will take me in a different direction. Maybe I’ll never be able to fully support myself with acting or writing. Maybe I’ll become a “working actor.” Maybe I’ll sell a screenplay. WHO THE HELL KNOWS! That’s what’s so great and terrifying about being an artist. 

    The goal of my creative pursuits is not to make money – it’s to be happy. Now don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to be able to financially support myself with work that I love – I think we all would. But wealth is not the destination – happiness is. 

    That’s why I haven’t given myself an arbitrary time limit. I’m not sitting here thinking, “If I don’t make it in 2 years, I’ll give in and go get a real job.” FUCK THAT. If I thought like that, I’d be done for. I definitely wouldn’t “make it,” whatever that means, and I definitely wouldn’t be happy. 

    Instead, I’m not in a rush. I’m taking my time.  

    Who knows how long I’ll be happy being a broke artist. 1 year? 5 years? 20 years? Forever? I have no clue. Will things change? I don’t know, maybe? 

    All I know is that I’m happy now pursuing what I love. 

    Cheers. 

  • 5 Things You Learn Working In Retail

    5 Things You Learn Working In Retail

    I’ve worked at Lululemon for several years. I first started working at the Annapolis store when I was still in Law School and have worked, off and on, over the past 5 years.  In my tenure, I’ve learned quite a few things. Some good. Some bad. Some random. Thought I’d share my thoughts. Here are 5 things I learned while working in retail…

    1. Most People Are Nice

    They really are. The vast majority of guests are kind. They smile. They make small talk. They laugh at my jokes. Some I even become friends with. Only a small percentage of guests are rude and ugly. If you’ve ever worked retail, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For starters, you’ve got the guests who try to return a worn pair of pants with no tag or receipt. If you refuse, they absolutely EXPLODE and demand to see your manager. Fun stuff. Other guests will simply ignore you and refuse to acknowledge your existence.  The ignorers don’t really bother me though. They’ve probably just had a bad day. You then have those guests that we call, in the biz, “high touch.” These are the guests that expect you to be at their beck and call every second they spend in the store. They suck you into their needy vortexes and before you know it you’ve been following them around the store for an hour and a half. But, like I said, these problem guests are the MINORITY. Most are nice!!

    2. Caffeine is Key

    Caffeine is a necessity for retail workers.  Folding clothes and dealing with people is infinitely easier and MORE FUN if you’re running on 300 mg of caffeine – trust me.  My store recently installed a Nespresso in our backroom and everyone’s efficiency levels skyrocketed!!!

    3. If You’re Going To Try on Clothes, Please Wear CLEAR Deodorant

    This is a biggie. I can’t tell you how many shirts and bras I’ve had to clean over the years that have been stained white with deodorant. It’s gross. BUT I take comfort in knowing that these guests were at least wearing deodorant!! Better they leave their deodorant on the product than their actually STANK. Some guests do leave their stank on products though. It’s not pleasant. Have some respek people!!!

    14. Your Co-Workers Become Great Friends

    Not sure if this is a universal truth but it’s been the case at every store I’ve ever worked. I still call every single person I’ve worked with a friend. Major shout out to Lululemon for hiring awesome people! 

    5. Busy Is Better Than Slow

    Retail shifts are so much better when things are busy. The energy is higher and you have more fun. One minute you’ll be helping a guest find a size, the next you’ll be ringing someone up, the next you’ll be grabbing something from the back, and the next you’ll be cranking out some pushups (I do this a lot). There is never a dull moment. This is why I actually like working during the holiday season!! I’m crazy — I know. But when shit gets crazy, shifts absolutely fly by!

    Working retail is a great side gig that I have thoroughly enjoyed over the years. I could easily think of 5 additional things I’ve learned. But for the sake of time, I’ll keep it to 5! 

    Cheers to an upcoming holiday season at the lemon here in Nashville, TN! Let’s get it!

  • The Key to Happiness: Find Joy In Where You’re at RIGHT NOW

    The Key to Happiness: Find Joy In Where You’re at RIGHT NOW

    Here’s a lesson that I only learned recently in life. 

    Find joy in where you’re at RIGHT NOW. 

    For far too long I put off happiness while in pursuit of my goals. 

    When I was in Law School, I completely put my life on hold.

    I remember telling myself, “just put your head down and accept being miserable for three years. You can be happy after.” 

    So that’s what I did.

    I focused all of my attention on my studies. In all fairness, Law School is extremely hard work and given my course load, a lot of my attitude was warranted. But I was constantly thinking about the future.

    I NEEDED to graduate and pass the bar in order to start my life and be happy. 

    I actually performed well in Law School. Graduated with a 3.5 GPA. Passed the Maryland Bar on my first try. Despite this success, nothing changed. 

    I was still obsessed with the future.

    I remember thinking…

    How could I start my life when I don’t have the PERFECT job?

    I couldn’t be “happy” until I was making at least six figures, right?

    I never gave much thought to what I ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO – especially outside of the law. 

    So now officially in the working world, I put my head down and started to grind. I started with my father’s law firm, then at a judicial clerkship, then an investment bank, then another law firm, until finally two years later I circled back with my father’s firm. 

    Why did I jump around so much? Because I started to follow my gut.

    I wasn’t happy in any of the jobs I had. I didn’t enjoy the work, the subject matter, none of it. Something just wasn’t right. 

    During my time practicing law, practicality ruled my life.

    Leaving the law wasn’t an option. You can’t just casually walk away from a legal career after taking the LSATs, being admitted into Law School, spending three years studying, graduating, and then passing the bar – right?  

    It wasn’t until I started working at my father’s firm for the second time that I started to think about what I ACTUALLY wanted to do. 

    I’d always had a passion for film and entertainment.

    I’d always wanted to be an actor.

    I’d always wanted to write creatively.

    But these passions had been suffocated by PRACTICALITY.

    At this point, I had also just gone through a breakup.

    Although difficult at the time, it helped me put things into perspective. It opened up my eyes and forced me to focus on myself. And that’s when I finally said fuck practicality…

    I moved to Nashville and dramatically changed careers!!

    Did anything change? Did I break my habit of putting happiness on hold until I reach some hypothetical goal? 

    NOPE!

    When I first moved to Nashville, I set goals and put my happiness on hold until I achieved them.

    I immediately signed up for acting and improv classed. I got headshots. I started auditioning.

    After I gain success, I thought, only THEN will I allow myself to be happy. 

    And that’s how I lived my first six months in Nashville.

    I was considerably in a better mental state, having made the career change. BUT something was still off.

    It wasn’t until recently that I realized my mindset wasn’t conducive to the life I wanted.

    I no longer wanted to put off happiness.

    So I changed.

    I didn’t stop setting goals. I didn’t work any less. But I did switch my mindset.

    I started enjoying the little things. I started finding joy in my journey. I started finding joy in my study of acting, in my writing, in my side jobs, in my social life, in everything.

    This tiny switch dramatically improved my well-being. 

    I now no longer feel as if my life is on hold. I’m more motivated to pursue my goals. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. I am happier than I’ve ever been. Why? 

    Because even though I have BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS goals, I understand that my happiness is not determined by whether or not I achieve them. Instead, my happiness is derived from whether or not I try. 

    Do yourself a favor and find joy in where you’re at RIGHT NOW – this second.

    If you do that, I promise you, you’ll be infinitely happier because of it.