Today we’d like to introduce you to Reece Putinas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Reece. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Acting has always been in my blood, it coursed through my veins, that very essence, and passion to perform, the addiction to the adrenaline rush you receive from a thunderous round of applause and the challenges you face when trying to tell these intricate stories. It was instilled in me from a young age when I first saw a James Bond movie, and I knew in that very moment, acting was what I was put on this planet to do, my true purpose in life.
Although this story begins like a fairy-tale, it was anything but. As I ventured into adulthood, I realized that there were expectations placed on me, things I was expected to live up to in order to please others that didn’t understand me or my dreams to act. I was told that acting isn’t defined as a “good job”, it lacks financial security, there are no guarantees and I was given a long list of many other reasons why I should simply push this dream to the back of my subconscious and forget it ever existed.
Unfortunately, when we are told something enough times, it can become our truth, so this is exactly what I did. For many years I ignored the magnetic pull to acting and tried to simply fit in and please everyone else. I worked in finance, recruitment, security, construction, administration, sales, telecommunications, even professional wrestling but there was always something missing, I just didn’t feel whole. Whenever I spoke to about wanting to be an actor, peoples mindsets were just programmed a different way. It seemed like my dreams were meant to be just that, dreams!!! Something that I would never attain but would spend my life wishing that I had. I was always talked out of it, what if you don’t make it? Do you have a plan B? Isn’t there a lot of competition? Aren’t most actors not working? These were things I was frequently asked whenever I spoke of my desire to chase my dreams. They seeped into my subconscious like a poison, destroying any belief I had that my dream was possible.
One day I got a phone call and was told that one of my childhood friends had died in a car crash, a few years later I was told another one had died of skin cancer. In these moments, I realized how short life really is and that it can be taken away from us in an instant. I knew that I had spent my life trying to make other people happy at the expense of my own happiness but I figured it was now too late. It was only when I suffered heartbreak and spiraled into depression that I found myself in a place I thought I would never come back from. However after months of battling through this dark period I came out the other side and knew in the moment, I NEED TO DO THIS NOW, NO EXCUSES!!!!!!
I went and signed up to several agencies, got my headshots done and I started doing background work to get a feel of what it’s like to be on set and learn as much as I could about the industry. I took acting courses, joined a drama school and started studying the laws of attraction. With this new found knowledge I began saying positive affirmations and believing with every ounce of my soul that this was indeed possible. It started off slow at first but then momentum picked up and just a few years later I found myself here in Los Angeles. Since being here I have booked several feature films, short films, web series and as a result I have expanded my resume and acquired new footage to give me a more powerful demo reel. Its been an absolutely incredible journey and I am eternally grateful for every opportunity I have had.
It really is never too late to change your life and do something that makes you happy. I still get the negative outlook towards acting and questions, but I have developed a strong mindset that is able to simply push them aside and power forward in my newfound career. I have always said we spend two-thirds of our lives at work, so why not at least spend it doing something that you enjoy waking up for everyday.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road by any means. There’s been periods where I haven’t had an audition for months and months, especially in the beginning. This can be extremely demotivating and can very easily lead you into self-pity territory where you think life’s not fair. I’ve also had a few agents that just haven’t delivered what they promise. It easy to be told everything you want to hear in this industry but you have to learn to figure stuff out and know what’s best for you.
Acting requires you to develop thick skin and FAST!!!! If you don’t then the industry is just going to swallow you up and spit you out. Some actors will face more rejection in a single year than most people will in an entire lifetime. A lot of actors take this really personally like its a direct statement of “Your not good enough” when in actuality it could just be that you want right for the role. You have to be able to walk into an audition, give it everything you’ve got and walk out and own what you did. If you don’t get the job then you have to move on to the next one, every no that you receive brings you one step closer to that yes.
Any path you choose to take in life is never easy, it just doesn’t work like that. It takes hard work, persistence, and belief to get to your destination. No matter the obstacles you just have to keep going and never give up.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
As an actor, we are all unique and always fighting to stand out from the crowd. Because of my extensive background in multiple different careers, I feel it gives me life experiences most don’t have. Plus I have consistently added skills to my wheelhouse that I feel will help me in castings such as firearms training, horse riding and pro wrestling.
I would say my specialty is definitely Drama and Action roles. I’m British but because of my heritage I have a Russian gangster look to me. This means that more often than not, I find myself playing a serial killer, psychopath or some kind of bad guy role. I do enjoy them though, when something is so against your normal personality then it makes them more fun to play.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is very different for everybody. Some people see having children as success or getting married, even becoming the CEO of a big company. Everybody’s version is unique and mine is no different.
I define success as being able to do the things I want in life without worry or restrictions, most importantly though is to be happy. That is probably the greatest success anyone could ask for, we spend our lives in the elusive pursuit of happiness, where and how we find it is unknown until we get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8850465/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/reeceputinas
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/reeceputinas01
- Twitter: twitter.com/reeceputinas
Image Credit:
Bjoern Kommerell
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