Today we’d like to introduce you to Blaire Erskine.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Someone told the kid version of me that I was okay at stringing words together, so I’ve really leaned into that. I still have notebooks full of stories I started writing as a kid, only to immediately abandon. The most notable of these unfinished stories is called “The Haunting at Magnolia Manor,” a story about– surprisingly– a haunting at Magnolia Manor. If the book form of cover bands existed, this would be my Nancy Drew cover book.
I moved to Atlanta from my tiny hometown of Ellaville, GA in 2011 to focus on acting and making it big, of course. I landed my first agent in 2013, but when two years of auditioning yielded zero booked roles and about ten-thousand embarrassing self-tapes, I was like, “Maybe it’s time to reevaluate things.” That’s when I started writing again. This time around, I traded in the Nancy Drew cover books for television. I will forever be the kid who was constantly glued to the TV. We didn’t get cable in my neck of the Georgia backwoods–only ABC, NBC, and PBS– so I consumed a whole lot of TGIF, SNL, and Anne of Green Gables. The latter of which is the direct cause of my puffed sleeve obsession.
So in 2015, I was working in jewelry sales during the day, taking improv classes at the Village Theatre at night, and writing whenever and wherever I could. The Village Theatre opened the door to a world full of unconditionally supportive weirdos who inspired me to make things happen for myself, which was exactly what I needed. I wrote the pilot episode of a web series about my experiences as a “working” actor in Atlanta, hired the twin sisters of J&J Productions to assemble a crew of like-minded creatives, and asked some of the most talented actors and improvisers I know if they would plllleeeeease be in my weird little show…and they said yes!
SIDES follows roommates Heidi (played by me) and Jo (played by my effervescent dear friend, Lauren Schmuck) as they struggle to find their way in the midst of the Atlanta film boom. Atkins Estimond (Atlanta’s own national treasure) is in the show, as well as the talents of people like Mike Schatz, Ian Covell, Kenzie Rowland, Ravikash Saini, and Cayla Priest Willis. We wrapped production in October and were picked up for distribution on Amazon Video by GK Studio Productions, as well as the brand new digital video platform from ChooseATL called THEA. This experience prompted me to open my own production company, King George Productions (named after my giant puppy dog, George). Along with Season Two of SIDES, we’re in the pre-production process for our first ever short film, Greta and the Space Queen, written by Erica Anthony and myself. Crowdfunding begins next week and we’ll begin shooting in January!
When I’m not writing for the screen, I’m writing literally anything else under the umbrella of my one-woman copywriting business, Robocopy, founded in May of 2017. My work includes pieces for Joanna Vargas Skincare, The Bolde, Your WordPress Guy, numerous fashion and lifestyle websites, as well as a number of ghostwriting clients. Both Robocopy and King George Productions are less than a year old, but they’re growing up so fast!
Great, 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?
I definitely have been more successful in the baby stages of my businesses than I ever thought possible, but the road has been anything but smooth. If you’re currently working a 9-5 job and thinking about quitting to become a freelancer in the field that you love– great! Do it! Just know that you’re going to be working harder than you have EVER worked at your 9-5. As a freelancer, I’ve had trouble turning off. I knew nothing of boundaries when I first began working for myself, and I honestly still struggle with setting limits. I’ve only recently stopped carrying my MacBook with me into restaurants. People were staring. And not because my backpack is cat shaped with cat ears and a print featuring tiny cats floating in space. Okay, maybe that. But also–I was THAT jerk carrying her MacBook to dinner. No one wants to be that jerk. No one wants to have dinner with that jerk.
Working around the clock was seriously impacting my sleep schedule, so I had to learn how to say no to that workaholic urge which often appears when I’m winding down for bed and watching Forensic Files reruns.
Also, if any beginning freelancers take nothing else from this interview, please remember this: ALWAYS have a contract for your clients. Always be clear on your payment terms. You have to look out for yourself when you’re in business for yourself. You are your own Susan from Human Resources.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about King George Productions – what should we know?
King George Productions specializes in bringing creative and motivated people together to give written words a new life on screen. We’re known for SIDES, a show about two struggling Atlanta actors and their misadventures in trying to make it to Hollywood. Season One of SIDES is currently streaming on both Amazon Video and THEA, and Season Two begins production soon.
We won the Audience Choice Award in the ATL 48 Hour Film Festival for our weird little short “A Sock in Our Stars.” We shot it on an iPhone, edited it in iMovie, and had a story featuring a sock puppet family and forbidden love. We’re pretty proud of that one.
Greta and the Space Queen is our newest project & very first short film! Set against the backdrop of starry skies and open fields in rural Georgia, Greta, and the Space Queen is a Southern Gothic tale about life, death, and the magic of everything that happens in between. It’s funny, it’s heartfelt, and it’s a story that means a lot to my co-writer, Erica Anthony, and myself. Our Indiegogo campaign starts December 2nd!
Robocopy is a one-woman copywriting show run by yours truly. I specialize in writing for comedy, fashion, skincare, lifestyle, and marketing websites, but I’m willing to take on most any topic. I love my clients and I’m always looking to expand the Robocopy fam!
In both of these companies, I am most proud of the success we’ve worked for and attained in such a short period of time. Ira Glass has a great speech about creative work and how most people never get past the disappointment that comes when you realize your art isn’t perfect. It’s flawed. Maybe it even sucks. I’ve definitely had my moments of thinking “AHHHH! I’m terrible at everything! What am I even doing?! I should have been a cowboy!” I STILL have those moments….all…the…time. The difference in the writer I am now versus the writer I was years ago is that I no longer let these thoughts stop me from moving forward.
Ira Glass says, “Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this….It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.” I love Ira Glass. And that’s why I’m going to finish what is sure to be a NYT Bestseller, “The Haunting at Magnolia Manor.”
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have two that I swear by stubbornness and kindness. Stubbornness is what allows me to use my failures and shortcomings as inspiration to take over the world, and kindness is necessary throughout any venture in life, especially in days like these. It’s important to build one another up and be beacons of support rather than tearing each other down. Everything I know about copywriting, producing, and owning a business has been taught to me by people who were kind enough to take the time and show me the ropes. The power of positivity is REAL, Y’all,
Oh! And a third– humor. Gotta laugh to keep from crying tears of sleep deprivation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amazon.com/Sides/dp/B077PNN4DQ
- Email: blaire@robocopy.co
- Instagram: kinggeorgeproductions
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kinggeorgeproductionsatl
- Other: www.robocopy.co
Image Credit:
Lola Scott
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