Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Haselden.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alison. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been performing for as long as I can remember. My parents have told me stories about all the movies I’d memorize the lines to, and the countless “productions” I’d direct (read: boss my poor siblings around in) as a small child. I started working professionally when I was around six years old and for the next decade or so worked in commercials, print ads, professional theatre, film/TV, and recorded music. I was lucky enough to travel between my hometown of Orlando, Nashville, and LA. I truly loved every minute of my experiences in the entertainment industry growing up and learned so much about the business.
At a certain point, near the end of my high school years, I began to feel a bit lost in my purpose and my grounding as a person. As an actor, we have to relate to and draw from some deep emotions, often rooted in personal experiences. I realized that my “emotional toolbox” was actually pretty empty. So I quit acting and decided to finish my college degree and start a career in marketing. As hard as I tried to put acting behind me, I realized that I was seriously missing an artistic release that I just couldn’t get when cooped up in an office all day. The creator in me just couldn’t stay away, and after a 6-year hiatus, I returned to performing, with Atlanta as my base. I reentered the world of acting with a much heftier emotional toolbox and a greater sense of self.
One of the things I realized in my time away from the business is that many of us in this industry (and the rest of the world too!) spend most of our time focused on the craft itself without taking enough time to work on and talk openly about the many mental, emotional, and social considerations involved with making a career out of acting. There’s a heavy expectation (often from our egos) to keep up appearances and look busy/happy/whatever. Maintaining each of those internal pieces of the puzzle is just as important to a lifelong career as keeping the acting chops up to par. With “what I wish my younger self knew” in mind, I created the It’s a Slate of Mind podcast with the hopes of sparking more unfiltered, positive conversation around the issues that all actors face but don’t talk about enough.
Has it been a smooth road?
Anyone who tells you that the road is smooth is lying or has their head buried deep in the sand. This past year has certainly come with its struggles. As an actor, I’ve had to rebuild my career from the ground up and find my footing as an adult actor. It takes time. Even though I often feel restless and ready to jump right back where I left off, I’ve had to learn to enjoy the journey even when it’s slow.
The podcast involved a steep learning curve to figure out the process that works best for me while sharpening my hosting and editing skills. I love learning new things, so these were (and continue to be) exciting challenges to work on.
We’d love to hear more about your podcast.
My podcast is called It’s a Slate of Mind! – the pun is very intended…
The show is all about sparking honest and actionable conversations about struggles we all face in the entertainment industry, but don’t talk about openly enough. The hope is that these conversations will help us realize that we’re not alone in the challenges we face and provide ideas for handling tough situations in healthy and positive ways.
While many episodes cover subjects that can be applicable to folks in any industry, the focus is on actors and members of the entertainment industry community.
It’s important to note that unlike other acting podcasts, I am not an acting coach/agent/manager/etc. and don’t presume to tell you how to become a celebrity. My focus is on helping actors maintain balanced lifestyles, level heads, and peaceful hearts so that they can be their very best both on and off set.
I’m most proud of the transparency and sense of community that I’ve been able to create with the help of the listeners of the show. In an industry that often feels like its built on smoke and mirrors, I hope that the show can be a reminder that being real and grounded is possible and preferable.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta has truly become my home this past year. I can genuinely say that the Atlanta film community is hands down the friendliest and most supportive group I’ve ever been involved with. As we continue to rise and grow on the world stage, it will be harder for newer folks to break in here as competition becomes more stiff, but it’s certainly more ideal than heading straight to LA or NYC.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://alisonhaselden.com/
- Email: slateofmindpodcast@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsaslateofmind/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisondhaselden/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/alison_haselden/
Image Credit:
Chase Anderson, EMvision, Thang Ho, Kerbi Slusser
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