Meet Victoria Schneider of THD Productions in Valley Village

Victoria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I NEVER thought I was going to be an actress living in Los Angeles. I grew up playing volleyball & softball. I live, breathed, and bled for it. Summers were filled with long practices, bruises, and exhaustion. I was always a good student who loved school, so playing for a college team was always the dream… until I took my first acting class.

I had NO idea this kind of world existed. Emotions? What are those? Crying on cue? No thanks. Expressing yourself and being totally vulnerable was TERRIFYING but also extremely freeing. There was something enticing about it & although I loved sports, my heart was pulling at something else.

I’m a strong three on the enneagram (if you don’t know your number, do the test) which means that I am either 100% or nothing. Once I decided in my mind that I was going to pursue acting, that was it. I packed my car, moved to Los Angeles, and enrolled in college. I had NO idea what I was doing. I was TERRIFIED. I’m from a super small farm town, where everyone knows everyone, and I moved to a huge city where I knew NO ONE.

When I got here, I hit the ground running & honestly haven’t stopped since. I think it stems from a place of feeling like I needed to “catch up.” When I got here, everyone had the same story. “I’ve wanted to be an actress all my life,” “I’ve been acting since I was three years old,” “I just booked a lead role, what have you booked?”. NOTHING. The answer was nothing. I didn’t know ANYTHING about the industry, but I was hell-bent on figuring it out.

So even though I was in school full time, three semesters a year, I was doing an internship every single semester. Unpaid. I did internships is casting offices, management companies, agencies, and production companies. I shadowed directors and took every role I could get. I was HUNGRY for knowledge & I truly think that is what sets me apart.

Fast forward 6 years later & I have a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting, developing a feature film with a production company at Universal, signed commercially with one of the top agencies in Los Angeles, created my own production company, produced over 10 films, made my directing debut last year, and launched my own online course tackling the business side of acting.

I’m still pushing every single day & know that one day all of this hard work will pay off. Make the sacrifices now that most people are not willing to make, to have lived later than most people wish they had.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but ‘we’ve spoken with enough people to know that ‘it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This road has been anything but easy. There were times I seriously thought about quitting, wondering if I made a huge mistake giving up my sports career. I invested in projects that never saw the light of day, people burned me in ways I would have never predicted, and moments of ugly crying on the floor because I didn’t get the role I THOUGHT I wanted.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
THD Productions was created by me and a few other actors who were sick of waiting around for roles. I always knew that I wanted to have my own production company because I saw how important it was for actors. Even famous actors need new scripts, new projects. They were just smart enough to create a company that provided them with options.

My company specializes in low budget short and feature films. I have always enjoyed working with a smaller budget. Big budget movies are just not my style. I like problem-solving & when the funding is short, it forces you to get creative.

THD Productions is different because we take the actors approach to each film. Not only do we know how important each element is for a successful film, but we know how to emphasize the acting. Being an actor myself, I know how easy it is for actors to get pushed aside in the bigger picture of filmmaking, but we don’t lose sight of that. If you’re an actor & have a vision, we execute it. We are true creatives at heart who are not worried about making “big Hollywood movies.” We are focused on meaningful stories, beautiful visuals, and solid acting.

What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a hard worker. I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew whatever it was that I was going to be successful. I was never the girl dreaming about getting married and having kids. I always pictured myself as the CEO leading a team full of people.

Although I am an actor, I am actually quite introverted. I’m a homebody that enjoys cuddling up on the couch watching movies. I was never a big party person & didn’t enjoy social events. It’s always been about work for me. Get good grades and be the best in whatever I do.

It’s safe to say I’m highly competitive, but I’m obsessed with knowledge. Books, documentaries, interviews, whatever I can get my hands onto, which obviously stems from wanting to be the best.

I know it can seem a little egotistical to want to be the best in everything I do, but I never want a handout. I want to work for my achievements. I know that hard work pays off, and I am willing to do whatever I need to get to the top.