Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Binford.
Emily, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my journey in the arts as a little entrepreneur playing at home with a video camera. Writing and directing siblings for holiday plays and filming our own little “short films.” I didn’t begin to learn from other artists until my parents put me into dance class. It was one thing leading to the next. Studio dance leads me to the love of hip-hop and contemporary movement.
The dance world leads the connecting path to the theatre which introduced singing and acting. Theatre led me to meeting great people. I never could see myself doing anything else but telling the stories out on the stage or on screen for people to learn and enjoy. My acting world and dance world continuously crisscross and collide with one another throughout my life from studying theatre performance in college while also performing with two dance companies.
Then after college, my two loves led me to Homestead FL to help plant a performance group down there. We showed those kids a new skill to develop with dance and acting how to have a voice and stand up in what you believe in with your art. After being there for three years, I came back to Memphis. I leaped to be who I always saw me to be. I studied with AMTC summer 2017 met so many other artists that are striving and some that gave up. I refuse to give up on the career that I want.
Starting Jan 2018, I never struggled so hard. Everything that came easily to me was out of reach. But with closed doors new and unfamiliar ones opened. I was able to work on my photography more this year, I directed my first production in Arkansas for delta arts, then collaborated with many artists including Jeneka (who I’ve known since college) to photograph her new line of “All Queens Stand Up” clothing line, was a Director of Photography on her upcoming short film “Breathe.”
2019, I hope to continue collaborating with artists from all over the united states from ATL to MIA to NY to LA. One thing I’ve learned about artists they never settle but wherever they are they learn how to strive. I am in Memphis may not be my ideal situation, but I intend to strive. Welcome, 2019.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road. But you have to stay positive and accept the tough. Buying groceries can be a luxury so sometimes I had it where I ate what I could. Fast food was definitely not the cheapest route its a luxury to buy premade food.
When I moved to Miami I stayed in the house with my boss and her family for one year then I had to find a place because a new intern was coming down to take my living quarters. I rented a room in an old country house behind a church for missionaries then added a job. Connections and Networking can help you out of a bind more than money sometimes. Staying connected with people and being genuine and kind to everyone is key.
Moving back to Memphis, I moved without a place to go until my mom made my older brother let me stay in a room until my next acting job. A great story of a struggle on a job was being a costume character. What an experience! However, the living quarters they provided ended up not being so nice. I got bitten up by baby spiders, and they set me and my roommates up in a hotel instead. I was not so fond of that job experience, but I connected with quite a few great performers.
Recently in 2018, when I settled in my own place, and things started looking up, a car decided to run a red light and totaled my car. After acquiring a full-time day job (because being an unmarried single woman we have to take care of ourselves and work really hard about doing both striving for your career and taking care of yourself making sure your healthy and alive and well) I started to get my head above water. I continuously auditioned but no after no after no after no.
Started to question maybe I’ve been delusional. This caused me to look at myself more intently, and I decided to get a Mammogram for a weird swollen skin under my arm. They found a benign tumor in my left breast which can psychologically hit you in some kind of way. This medical struggle positively helping me fight harder and work harder in my career as a performer and artist.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Performers that have worked with me before introduce me as the DANCER. I am a Performer. (dance, actor, videographer, director, writer, and photographer) It is a lot of talents under the umbrella of the performer. I am currently focusing on my Acting career and my own company, Counter Perspectives.
A production company that focuses in multimedia art, from photography (with telling peoples stories through capturing their moments), to Producing short films, short episodes (to tell stories in a perspective that may not have been seen before). I have projects in the works for 2019.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have made less mistakes in relationships that distracted from my career. I also would have worked on the fear that held me back from reaching my potential earlier. Be more confident and outgoing in auditions I psyched myself out on.
However, I don’t think I wouldn’t be the same grounded person I am today without going through the hardships and bad decisions and mistakes I went through. So I don’t really know if I would change anything I’ve done. Our mistakes can make the greatest stories.
Pricing:
- Acting Coaching $40 for 60-minutes
- Counter Perspective Photoshoot $125 for 60-minute session plus edits
Contact Info:
- Email: emilynbinford@gmail.com
- Instagram: @emily_nicole_performer
- Facebook: @emilynbinford
- Twitter: @emily_performer
Image Credit:
2020sheepproductions
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