Today we’d like to introduce you to David Haack.
David, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
First off, thank you so much for having me. My story creatively starts back in Iowa, where I grew up, and participated in pretty much every known avenue to perform and be on stage available to me. I luckily went to a high school that had a respected and established music and theater program, so I was in all the available activities there – choir, band, jazz band, marching band, show choir, plays, drama competitions, musicals… if there was a stage and they’d have me, I was there!
My first real experience as a somewhat professional artist or creative was fronting my first bands while in high school and college. Those experiences without a teacher or someone else providing what to do really helped me find my voice as a writer and performer, and also established my love of performing in general. While I started my musical journey as a drummer and singer, I quickly found guitar to be a transformative instrument for me. Being able to play a show with just my voice and an acoustic guitar was a game-changer, and I fell in love with it.
Growing up in a place so far removed from Hollywood or professional sets, it took a little push while in college to get me to move my life out of Iowa and west to California, where I’ve made my home since 2005. My first big gigs in LA landed me on Hannah Montana, where I played her guitar player for the first music videos that accompanied the show. I became quick friends with Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley both and ended up touring and playing some gigs with Billy. I was also invited back to the show multiple times to secure my first lines in a project out here. That led to more on-camera work, along with a whole lot of voice-over work as well, and things have just progressed from there.
I’ve had a lot of “almosts” while on my journey, but they’ve all led me to where I am now, which I’m grateful for.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I guess that’s all relative, but there have certainly been ups and downs in my personal and professional journey. I’ve been able to do a lot of things that I thought were just the stuff of my dreams – play a lead in a movie, be a voice in a game and commercial, play music with legends, write and direct my own project, plus a lot more… but I’ve also had more close calls than I could count to things that, at least on paper, seemed to be life-changing opportunities.
One of the hardest things to come to grips with in this profession is how many incredibly talented people there are competing for a small handful of opportunities and then also how many people truly get lucky to find themselves in positions of opportunity. Rejection is a part of the game for most all of us, and learning how to deal with that is a journey in and of itself.
There was a year when I let that rejection beat me, and I moved back home to sort some things out. I still kinda kick myself for doing that, but at the time, it was the only way I saw for me to make it out in one piece. I had 3 massive opportunities for large roles in different projects where I was testing for the shows/movies all within two weeks of each other. When you test as an actor, you see the contract you would be signing, and it was life-changing money for me. Each opportunity was down to me and one other actor, and none of them went my way, and it crushed me. I was not at the time ready to deal with those crushing blows, and I had to go back to my support system of family and friends (and my band) who were still in Iowa to figure out where I wanted to be.
It didn’t take long to figure out that LA was the place still, and after a year and a new album I self-produced and engineered, I came back out west and picked up where I left off. And as with all the challenges we face in life, I brought the lessons and scars I earned with me into the 2nd wave of my career here, and it’s helped me face all the new hurdles I’ve faced since.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve worn many different hats in my creative career… from musician/songwriter to actor to writer to director to producer to content creator…
While I moved to LA mainly to pursue acting work – both on camera and in voice-over – I’ve found the more time I’ve spent here, the more I desire to do a whole lot more than “just” that…
My proudest accomplishments as a creative have happened in the last few years, as I was able to realize a vision I had for a television series by writing a pilot, along with a series bible, for a show I dreamed up. Taking that a step further, my fiancé and partner decided to put up our own money, along with two friends who are also producers, to shoot a proof of concept for the pilot to accompany a pitch for the series. To dream things in your mind and be able to clearly see the pictures moving in my head, and then translate that into a film shoot was a dream come true. Then, to score the proof myself, along with editing it, were incredible experiences in which I learned more lessons than I can count. I also learned to trust my gut with my creative expression in ways I hadn’t before. We are still in the phase of trying to pitch the show, so I hope this story is just beginning, but it is easily the greatest creative achievement to date.
Also, recently, I developed a character I’ve been performing on social media that combines all my loves – writing, acting, sports, filmmaking, editing, and music – into one as I perform a new generation of the Bears Superfans from SNL, Dave Swerski. Dave is my creation and spin-off of a new generation of Chicago Bears Superfan and the nephew of Bob and Bill Swerski from the original sketches. I went to George Wendt, who I had met before, to get his blessing before diving in too deep, and once I had that, I went for it. I started making videos to accompany the 2023 season, and things blew up when I started writing and performing parody songs to go along with the action of the season. So far, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, giving me the chance to be my own boss, create my own content, and play in a world that was incredibly influential for me growing up, which was 90s SNL. I’m actually getting ready as I answer this to head to Chicago to perform with the creator of the skit from SNL, Robert Smigel, which is beyond a “pinch me” moment. For my heroes to shine a light on this work that I’m doing is just beyond a feeling that I could put into words. I’m a huge Bears fan out of character, and in character, it just allows me to be my most outward version of that Superfan. I idolized Adam Sandler and Weird Al Yankovic growing up, so doing parody songs is something I absolutely love. My version of the character has a little Ted Lasso thrown in as well, as Dave’s hopeful (sometimes ridiculous) optimism is a feature, not a bug, or his Superfandom and belief that “this is our year” for DA BEARS.
The past few years also saw me write multiple full-length feature film scripts, a handful of pilots, some spec scripts (one for Ted Lasso that I’m quite proud of!), and a bunch more. I also started a stop motion project where I wrote, shot, and voiced everything as well, called The Alien Donkey, which also taught me so much.
These self-paced projects happening while also chasing opportunity in the acting world have just kept my creative juices flowing and have also opened my eyes to a world of opportunity beyond the Hollywood system of audition, wait, hope, and repeat.
In terms of what sets me apart from others, I think those closest to me might say my work ethic and ability to pick up new skills as I go, along with having somewhat of an endless supply of ideas bouncing around in my head. I tend to have more ideas floating around in there than I know what to do with, so the only way I know how to deal with that is to keep on creating and continue to mine those ideas I have into more possible opportunity. Beyond that, I also have tried throughout my career to always treat everyone with kindness and respect, as I feel like that’s something everyone deserves. It has served me well so far, and I have no intention to ever change that part of me!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Just keep going. It’s something that is easier said than done, but you’ve just gotta keep going.
I thought at first that things would happen for me on a certain timeline and that I’d be to a certain place by whatever time… and that wasn’t exactly the way it worked for me. And I think that’s true of life in general. You do your best to control what you can control, and then let rest sort itself out. You’ll have ups, you’ll have downs, and the most important thing is that you keep them both in perspective and just keeping putting one foot in front of the other.
And creatively, some days you’ll feel like everything you make is incredible, and on others like you’re an imposter and have no place trying to make anything. But either way the day went, you just have to keep on going and try again the next day to do better.
If you work hard, show up on time, treat people right, and don’t give up, you’re gonna have a pretty good shot at being successful. You just can’t give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: davidhaack.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/davidjhaack
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@DavidHaack
Image Credits
Stephanie Girard Photography
