Jan 31, 20203 min read

Angela White's Entertainment Wisdom

Updated: Feb 1, 2020

CALGARY STAR SHARES HER WISDOM TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Photography by Andras Schram

Working in the entertainment industries such as film, television and music is not for the faint of heart. So, meet Angela White, far from ‘faint-hearted.’ Hard-working, integral and successful in acting, film, and music she knows what it takes to have a thriving career; “It’s a lifetime of honing one’s craft to prove oneself a master at that craft. If it was easy everyone would do it.” The greatest craft of all is learning about oneself. It can take years for some, others not as long. "Life teaches us all we need to know if we are aware, listen and pay attention."

With twenty two years’ experience, she’s says it’s important to understand what your principles and values are and above all, love what you do.” She states one needs to be open to learning new skills, and “…to be able to take constructive criticism. This is how I learn. I am open to acquiring new knowledge and love helping others and they, in turn, love helping me.”

The principles that Angela believes in are simple and straightforward, starting with hard work. “There are no short cuts; ‘the universe’ knows and will teach you to start all over again when short cuts are taken. There is no simple solution.” She says personality, patience and the ability to socialize and hold an interesting conversation says more about you than any other skill. A good sense of humour adds some depth as well. "All this allows someone to get to like you, know you, trust you and want to work with you.”

ANGELA HAS A ROCKING VOICE

Any business, especially the ones in the entertainment industries, is a constant learning curve says Angela. “Yes, we finish projects, series, films, TV shows… all another stepping stone along the journey, but there really is no destination. It’s the beauty of enjoying the journey, facing the challenges, learning, and making good connections along the way that we must appreciate.”

Angela also thinks that ‘show business’ is not just about the show. “There is no show without the business aspect of it. Newcomers to our industry need to make sure they quickly move out of the stereotypical ‘indie world’ and do not do their shows for free or for exposure all the time. This is the number one thing that kills the industry and sets a bad precedent.”

CALGARY FAMOUS DOUG WONG

One of her personal and professional values that Angela enjoys most is being of service to others. She says; “The best relationships in any industry are reciprocal ones. It is a joy when you really help someone else out and then when they succeed they include you or help you out later on down the road.” But she adds to beware of the person who is always asking you for something with nothing in return because basically they are ‘users’. “Be grateful for opportunities offered to you.

Always try to pay it forward, but only with those who are genuine and have sincere intentions with no nasty hidden agendas.”

When thinking about ‘keys to success’, Angela believes there are four things to consider: dedication, commitment, perseverance, and faith. “There’s a force that will keep you going even when dealing with rejection. But you have to get used to being rejected, it’s just part of the industry. Sometimes things are not meant to be, accept it, and move forward.”

Northlander Actors

When asked, another piece of industry advice Angela has for newcomers is; “Do your research before working with people. Check them out on IMDb, check out their sources, their resume, their experience, what others say, their habits, listen to what they speak, their stories. These will all indicate to you whether they have a solid reputation or a diseased mind and if they are legitimate or not.”

Finally, Angela has some sage advice, whether you are new or seasoned in the entertainment industry, “Be persistent, dedicated, and have faith. Do not lose sight of the goal, but do not get attached to it either. This industry is a never-ending process until your last breath. It is a long journey of many golden nuggets, and moldy cheese sometimes too. Learn from the best, keep your head up high, but stay humble, listen, and trust me things will happen and things will work out.”

For Angela White, they obviously have.