Today we’d like to introduce you to Teddy Margas.
Teddy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I arrived in Hollywood with huge dreams and ambitions as we all do. Fresh out of college with a degree in Radio/Television/Film I planned on ruling the land. Oh, how wrong I was. If I had been told all those years ago that I would work every odd job imaginable, from dog sitting a blind, one-legged overweight dog who refused to go “pee-tee” to phone sex operator, that I would struggle to pay my bills, have my car break down regularly on Laurel Canyon & Mulholland (at rush hour) more than once a month and have to explain to my parents that “the career” was going well, I would have given the most severe eye roll and replied with an ‘oh, please…not me”.
I persisted. I learned the ins and outs of the business, never saying no to whomever would hire me. I have done everything in the field. I have loaded the camera, ran the camera, set the lights, designed the set, wrote the script, wardrobed myself, did my own hair & makeup, played the lead, played an extra, I even clapped in the audience all with a smile and a willingness to learn.
Persistence pays off. My father always told me if you do what you love, it’s not work. Oh, how right he was. Although it was a struggle, it never felt like work. The odd jobs felt like work, but the jobs within the field never did. I persisted and I learned and I didn’t give up.
Through the magic of stand-up comedy, I met people, I networked and I kept working. I’m a firm believer in work begets work. No matter what the job, how small or how little it pays, it tells the universe that you are that. You are what you are doing. You don’t ‘want’ to be an actor, you ‘are’ an actor. You don’t ‘want’ to be a comic, you ‘are’ a comic, you don’t want to be a ‘star’…you get my point.
Little by little, bit by bit I started to make my way in the business. People started to notice what I did. I wrote, produced and directed my own projects. Projects that showcased what I do. One after another, year after year, slowly but surely it all started to connect.
Small jobs that I did for free started to pay a little. The small pay led to more jobs that found its way to more pay. Life is a ladder, start at the bottom, focus and rung by rung you can climb your way to the top.
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?
Life is never smooth. The obstacles that stand in the way are actually learning experiences. Nothing has taught me this lesson more than stand-up comedy. I believe every individual should try stand-up. Whether you want to be a comic or not, it is a perfect road map to navigate life. Stand-up teaches you how to tell a room full of strangers who you are within 30 seconds. Imagine how handy that can come on an important job interview. Stand-up builds confidence, but it also teaches you how to “fail.” When a comic doesn’t do well, or ‘bombs’ as they say the work really begins. We spend hours perfecting what went wrong and we keep trying until we fix it. When a comic does well, or ‘kills’ as they say, the work is over, you’ve achieved what you set out to do. So in essence, the ‘bomb’ becomes the ‘kill’ for we learn and grow from it. I see obstacles in life the very same way. And when you step outside of yourself and recognize that it will pass and learn from it…you’ve won.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a stand-up comic, actor, producer, writer. That’s a lot of monikers, but they’re all real and I have used each of them to enhance the others. What I am most proud of is the confidence that I’ve built over the years to go into whatever I’m needed for, whether it be to take the stage, wait for the director to yell action, or put together a tech sheet for a production. I believe what sets me apart from others is I do it with a smile, with passion & kindness, and with a true excitement to be there.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck always plays a role in whatever we do. When I think of luck, I think of gambling and as with gambling, there are ways to beat the odds. The longer you play the game, the more likely the tides will turn and luck will come your way. Good luck, bad luck, it doesn’t make a difference, stay the course eventually it all pays off.
Image Credit:
Personal Photo courtesy of Trenton Ducati
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