Meet D.J. Hale

Today we’d like to introduce you to D.J. Hale. 

Hi D.J., please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It’s actually very interesting because this was never my intended route! It started in Community college where I decided to take the Intro to Acting class, simply because I figured it would be an easy A for my GPA to play Football. It’s wild to think, but that class changed my life and brought out a passion I didn’t know I had! It felt like it was my destiny to embark on this quest as a performer, so that’s exactly what I did. Back home in Sacramento, I found an acting studio called Studio 24, which taught me the craft and business side of acting. I used Craigslist to find short film auditions and booked everyone I auditioned for, compiling enough material to create a demo reel of my work. I sent that demo reel and my headshot and resume to every single agency in San Francisco, eventually signing with Tonry Talent where I kicked ass in the commercial world and shot my first national commercial that made me Sag-Eligible and also gave me the biggest paycheck I’ve ever had that I used to move to Los Angeles! Here in LA, it’s the real deal. It’s what we dreamed of. The beauty, the success, the heartbreak, the failure. But you keep going! I’ve been in films and tv and am actively auditioning while also writing, producing, and directing, with my latest short film “Lionheart” having a really successful film festival that will carry into 2023 with plans for a feature film adaptation in the future. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This road is the furthest thing from smooth! First of all, when you decide to sign up for a career in the film industry, you decide to sign up for a career of rejection, failure, and heartbreak. You will no doubt have many pitfalls, meltdowns and experience rock bottom spiritually, financially, emotionally, and professionally. There is nothing like auditioning for life-changing roles, and then seeing the billboards of that film or tv show spring up months later or catching the trailer and seeing the actor who got the part say the same lines you auditioned with. There’s no other way to describe that feeling except hell. But through all that turmoil, you keep your head high and your feet moving, never forgetting why you came out here. You’re here because you feel it’s what you were born to do. There is nothing else! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I started out as an Actor and nothing more. I always had an interest in writing and storytelling ever since I was little, and after learning about the free scriptwriting software, Celtx, I started writing short film screenplays using the scripts I had from the projects I’ve acted in as a template. That led to me deciding to produce and direct the script into a short film, which was a monumental task in itself as I had no idea what the hell I was doing! I didn’t understand the terminology, crew positions, I overpaid for much of the production, it was hell on earth. But through all that mess, we were able to pump out a short film that won awards and nominations and premiered all across the U.S.! That has to be the experience that means the most to me because it was literally strapping up your boots and marching into the fire with a gasoline vest. To come out of the flame with victory and a few scars ready to do it all over again…it’s an amazing feeling and sense of purpose. Line up the biggest flame you can, we’re marching through it! 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I wouldn’t be doing this today without my business partner and one of my best friends, Dominique R. Smith. We met on set of a short film back when we first started our acting careers around 2012-2013. There was immediate chemistry on set, and it carried over into brotherhood. Dom is always ready for the next film project, which is major because at this stage we are only making short films, which have no financial incentives or return on investment. It’s YOUR money. He usually matches whatever I put in or comes close, and there have been several projects that were shelved during postproduction solely from my decision not wanting to put it out. For someone that didn’t write or direct, that’s thousands of dollars that just went down the drain. But Dom was always ready to march back through the fires with me out of faith that this next one will be great. I admire that, am thankful, and truly blessed to have a friend that has my back like that and believes in the future of our production company as much as I do. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.starshooterent.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/djhalesupreme
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/actordjhale
• Twitter: www.Twitter.com/djhalesupreme
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCIPlGFiLt1I3intpt2bKYgA