Conversations with Daniel Greer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Greer.

Hi Daniel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia. I graduated high school and swiftly moved out to Pittsburgh to study at the University of Pittsburgh. I always found a home in information science, which is what I ultimately ended up studying and graduating in. I visited California back in 2010 as part of Spring Break with some college buddies and then visited again in 2011, where I just fell in love with the place. The entire state. I set my eyesight on moving out to SoCal after college, which I did about a year after graduating in 2011.

I have spent the better part of the last 12 years building a solid career foundation in information science, working for large and small firms as a consultant and engineer. Being that I had this figured out, it never felt like this was my “end state”. Back in 2016, while working and living in San Diego, I rediscovered my want and will to give acting a shot. I know, very stereotypical, another early 30’s male trying to break into the acting scene. I ended up not giving it a shot, as I had no clue where to start, which was a common theme in the industry as I found out some years later.

Fast forward to 2022 and I finally found the courage to just give it a shot. I audited a class at the LA Acting Studio in Miramar (north of San Diego city proper). I had no clue what I was getting into. What was Meisner? What are all these methods? What makes this school so special amongst so many located in San Diego and even Los Angeles? I almost did not get out of my car to go into the audit. I almost left. I am sure glad I didn’t.

I have been enrolled in acting classes at the same studio for about a year now, where I have steadily grown my craft, learning from more seasoned actors, and studying under the excellent acting coaches at that studio, Andrew Benne and Irene Muzzy. It takes time as a young actor to discover yourself, to figure out what makes you tick, and to figure out your pride and passion. You get overwhelmed so quickly with different avenues to travel down as you explore yourself, inside and out. The challenge other actors put upon you, and the acting coaches, really help push you to your deepest limits, to figure out what makes you so unique, as an individual.

Over this past year, I have found my passion for this craft. It’s a long game. This is not one of those situations where you come in with the desire to “make it big and be the next Tom Cruise”. The odds are astronomically against you to become that A-list type actor, and that should never be on the short list of things to accomplish as an actor (although it is perfectly okay to want that for yourself!).

The most humbling experience of all is getting on set, building that character that is a part of you, inside and out, and seeing that come to life. You build this character’s back story, their history, and it does become a part of you. In fact, for each character you craft, that mark is left on you. You can call upon them at any minute, as they sort of become a part of your personality, for better or for worse.

In essence, on a final note, this was an exploratory exercise for me. I always struggled to get in touch with my inner self and inner emotions. I had problems looking people in the eyes… This was not just about being on set and getting acting work, as much as it was an emotional maturing in my adulthood and being able to get in touch with everything inside my heart and mind. With that being said, I certainly have achieved that so far. Each day is a new activity, a new learning experience, and I would not trade this feeling of passion, motivation, and excitement for anything else. I 110% believe I will do this ’til the day I die.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say it has been pretty smooth so far, but it has not been without its bumps. When you first start, you have no guidance and no real understanding of the challenge of acting. Not only are you tasked with discovering yourself all over again, really getting in touch with what is on the side, but you must understand this is almost more of a business than it is a craft. That may or may not be true, but in the 21st century, it sure is a challenge. If you ask one person a question, another person may have a totally different answer… It is super subjective and confusing, and I can only imagine most actors, and anyone who might read this, would share in that grief.

What order do I need to do things in? Do I get headshots first? A paid reel, or not? When will I get good enough material for a reel? Am I “good enough” to start working on set and in front of the camera? < I hate that question. How do I market myself? Do I need a website?
These are just some of the questions I would ask myself. I had no clue where to turn. I ended up getting a local San Diego manager who assisted in getting me off the ground, pointing me to where I should start and in what order I needed to execute these items. I did a lot of self-research as well, searching high and wide for answers, and just carving my path. I found VERY quickly that not every actor has the same path. We all walk a similar but different line. What works for me may very well not work for another.

I was lucky enough to get my first headshots with a lady who is married to an actor, who took a very similar approach in his acting career. He worked as an engineer for the first decade of his life and then discovered acting. He left his job to focus on this full-time, where he has a largely successful career going for himself. Getting yourself someone you can lean on, get some advice, and help point you in the right direction is a must in my opinion. Lots of actors like to call this networking, but I feel that it is too brief and broad. Networking fashions itself as acquaintances getting to know one another just enough to share mutual benefits. In this, I would say what we actors must capitalize on is building our family. Show a TRUE interest in others, and they will reciprocate. You should want to do that. Really understand why someone else would take this journey, learn about their passions, and discover what it takes to make this your future.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Granted, my career thus far in acting is quite short, having only been doing this for a year. I have been lucky enough to connect with some extremely talented individuals, via building my acting family out, or in general working on different film sets. The guidance I received led me down a few different paths and having been lucky enough to work on some major sets, even in a background role, has opened my eyes to the world of chaos that is acting.

I would say my most proud moment, where I feel like a team effort was had, was during the Inland Empire 48-hour film project in 2022. Myself, a team of other talented actors, and a wonderful crew, put together a film that made “best of show” and won an award for best use of character. It goes to show that if you have the right team, anything is possible. You should have no time to be around others with egos or some who have the “me” mentality. This is a team effort, from the writers to the directors and producers, to the sound engineers and editors, to the other actors. It is a true team effort up and down that totem pole.

Another moment would be getting gifted a featured background role on 9-1-1 this past season. I found myself in a position to gain 2 SAG vouchers, as Central Casting gave me a call asking me to be on set within 24 hours. I then found myself right alongside seasoned acting veterans Angeles Bassett and Danny Nucci. Needless to say, being able to work alongside some of the most talented actors in the business today was one of the most humbling and satisfying experiences of my entire life. If you do not get on set and get super excited about being there and super bummed about leaving, then you are in the wrong field. I didn’t want to leave, and lucky enough, I was able to spend two days being pampered, fed well, and working with Hollywood talent and crew. It was quite frankly, the most amazing experience of my life, acting or not.

I think the passion and drive you need to succeed in this industry are unparalleled… You need to focus not only on your training and craft, but you need to grow your brand, market yourself in the 21st century, have a press kit, and be able to break down social barriers and just be yourself. Not everyone is going to like you and care about your success. Everyone has their battles they are fighting each day. This much is true. You just need to be centered, present, and focused.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you are reading this, and are just starting out, or are seasoned, just believe in yourself. This industry is tough. It is built upon a mountain of “NOs”. You must have tough skin and you must be dedicated. Don’t let anything get in your way to success. It is an incredibly long journey and one that has many bumps in the road. Get yourself a solid acting family, a crew family, and people that you trust and can lean on. Also, don’t be scared to be bold and take a dive into the deep end of the pool. You honestly never know what you might find, but to do so, you must take risks, you must have passion, drive, and motivation, and you have to invest in yourself. Nobody is going to do that for you.