Hellloooo! I’m back with another Spotlight interview, and I’m super excited for this one! Amy is an actor, producer, and wielder of swords; she’s also a co-creator of Trials of Ember with Jayme Wojciechowski, who we had in the prior spotlight!

She’s inspiring, has impressive work ethic, and is constantly pushing forward to bring her projects to fruition. Through her journey, she shares interesting perspectives on success, failure, focus, and the power of collaboration. Let’s get to it.

Actor, Producer: Amy Schumacher

Where are you from, and what was the journey like to Los Angeles?

I hail from Seattle, Washington.  While earning my BA in theatre at the University of Washington, I also competed on the National Championship Rowing Team. After a bad rowing injury changed my trajectory I found myself on a new path.  I traveled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to study at the prestigious Ilkhom Theatre School of Drama, a Russian acting conservatory, where I earned my MFA. Upon returning to Seattle, I bounced around the theatre circuit for a couple of years, earning a living by coaching and personal training.  It wasn’t until I transitioned into producing that I was able to move to Los Angeles.

How long ago did you move to Los Angeles? What was the transition like? A lot of people want to make the leap and move here, but it can be pretty intimidating.

I cannot believe I’ve been in LA for over 4 years.  I love it here! That was not always the case. My first year was hard.  Really hard. I went back to Seattle for several weeks and hit STOP for a moment.  I check in with myself and understood that I wanted to be in L.A., 100%. That commitment made everything feel so much better.  My approach was different, motivated, impassioned. I was ready.

Do you have any advice for others who plan on throwing risk to the wind and making the leap to a new city?

My first piece of advice is to try not to live in both places emotionally.  Of course I have people I love back home. I hold a very special place in my heart for Seattle.  I love my city, but it wasn’t until I stopped wanting to be in Seattle, while living in Los Angeles, that I was able to thrive here.  Once you are here you have to go all in. This is not a town to ‘sort of give it a try’. As actors we learn to make strong character choices.  Grey area just doesn’t work. Same goes for the commitment to live in L.A.

I heard from several people that it would take about 2 years to feel like you had footing in this town.  Honestly, that was true for me too. I accepted all the advice I could get, I studied other people’s paths, and went to workshops and meet ups.  This was all really great, but everyone’s path is really different. You just have to find what works for you. NOT because you think you should do it, but because it fulfills your soul.  Otherwise, I can’t imagine how one would stick around here.

Do you find that mentorship in the entertainment industry has been something that’s helped you along the way? Do you have any personal advice as to how one can go about finding a mentor for a new endeavor they’re wanting to embark on, whether it’s self producing, or something in a radically different field?

Yes! I joined a few groups like, Women In Film and We Make Movies.  These groups allowed me to meet new people, make friends and find like minded artists.  Taking classes in a field of your interest is really helpful as well.

However, above all, collaborating with other artists has been the most beneficial for me.  Not only do I get create my own work and learn a lot in the process, it’s fulfilling.

Finding your inner confidence, your voice, and loving yourself is definitely key in living a PermissionLESS life and feeling confident that you’ll find your way. Can you talk a little bit about any defining moments in your life where you started to realize and trust in your potential?

This is hard to answer because I do find myself in positions where I feel less confident.  Risk taking is part of what makes being a producer and actor so exhilarating. However, I do occasionally find myself wondering, “how did I get here!”, “what am I doing?!”.

I practice meditation and one of the best and most challenging elements is removing negative self reflection.  I really try to avoid that. Actually, let me say, I DO avoid that. When something feels vulnerable, scary, or new, I try to sit in those feelings and navigate the waters with a positive attitude.

This also goes back to why I love to collaborate.  I collaborate most often with people I absolutely trust and love.  I find when I can encourage my partner to believe in themselves, I find my strength as well.  We lift each other up. What’s better than that?!

What would you say has been your most challenging obstacles when it comes to blazing your own path in entertainment through self producing?

This is going to sound like one of those answers we’re told to say in an interview;

Interviewer: What would you say is your worst habit?  

Interviewee: I care too much.

I want to do it all!  I want to be an action actor!   I love big budget action flicks.  I also love really vulnerable, quiet, authentic indy film.  I also love comedy! I think I’m good at comedy. I do a lot of improv.  Wouldn’t it be cool to be a recurring on a sitcom? Yup!

The question is, where do I focus my energy and time.   What characters do I create for myself to best display my skills, while also making sure I am committing to projects that fulfill my soul.

One tough lesson I’ve had to learn is that I need to teach the industry how I want to be seen.  Long story short, my biggest challenge is deciding what to create.

A lot of people view our industry as difficult because of all the “gatekeepers.” I think gatekeepers are bullshit. Self producing is a form of living PermissionLESS, because we’re out there creating our own work and not letting anybody stop us. You have full control over your series right now. Where do you see the project going?

Please note that I did not mention one of my producing challenges is finding a team as passionate as I am.  Working with Jayme on Trials of Ember is awesome! We work very well together. Because of that I think this project can fly!

Did I ever see myself standing on a mountain in 100 degree weather, wielding swords with my good friend?  Well actually, maybe I did! But either way, “gatekeepers” are bullshit! Maybe I saw myself doing those things, but did this industry? Probably not.

Trials of Ember features a strong female character, who is a badass without question.  Among several amazing artists on this project, the choreography was created by Jan Bryant, a real life badass, without question!   If we let stereotypes, stigmas and “gatekeepers” stop us this project wouldn’t exist.

The goal is to create a 6 part series in both 2D and VR.  It’s very exciting and also a little scary. For me it’s entering a world that I am not sure I ever envisioned myself.  I am learning about VR and creating a fantasy series, both relatively new to me. Not only do we get to choose what happens with this project, we also get to create the world in which these characters live.  We are making up the rules and it is so fun! And a little scary. I am trying to enjoy the ride and learn as much as possible along the way.

Do you have any failures that you truly feel shaped and paved the way for your successes with Trials of Ember?

Here I am again with another “How To Nail An Interview For Dummies” type answer.

Can we fail in this industry? If we really try, commit to something and give it 100%, can it be failure?  I think it’s just a learning lesson.

As we’ve progressed with this project we’ve pivoted a little here and there. We’ve learned more and more about navigating this type genre, but I don’t think we’ve failed anywhere.

A Buddhist Nun, whom I respect immensely, once said, “Just because something is hard doesn’t mean you’re not good at it.” That has stuck with me.  I love it!

Okay, okay, I have one!  There was a migration of thousands of tiny, tiny flies when we were shooting Stage One out on the mountain, in the middle of nowhere.  Not one person had bug spray. That was an epic fail! So many bugs! Seriously, so many!

Most of our PermissionLESS readers and listeners are riding the lines between biz and creative, and carving their own paths without much guidance. When you’re self producing, sometimes you have to wear a few different hats, more so than someone who is coming in as purely an actor, or purely a producer. Any advice for juggling both sides of the biz?

It can be tough! As an actor it can be really hard to stand on set of a project you produced and not have your producer hat on.  This is where having a team of people you trust is extremely important.

Also, I get very wrapped up in projects..  I am passionate, dedicated and focused. When that happens it is challenging to still find time to commit to going to other auditions, checking in with my agent, and doing the day to day actor work.  I am still working on finding that balance.

Speaking of self producing , your latest release, Trials of Ember, has a VR component. Virtual Reality, for as mainstream as it might appear right now, is still relatively new and hasn’t been experienced by the majority. Have you found any challenges with working in a new medium and learning as you go? What has helped you overcome some of the obstacles?

VR is new for me too.  One of my challenges is sitting back, listening and learning, while also really wanting to contribute. Jayme and I are both very in tune with how we want the audience to feel.  This is a big factor in creating a successful VR experience.

We are also very thankful that we have a director, Steven LaMorte, who is very familiar with the world. He has been producing, directing and editing VR for years.   With his grasp of this type of content and the help of Selena Vidya, we have a very well rounded team!

You’re a trained swordsman and perform your own stunts, which a) is badass, because unfortunately as an industry it’s less common to see women actors with a weapons training background and 2) is such a unique sport to take up. What drew you to it originally? How long have you been doing it?

I have been saying I wanted to do stunts since I was about 10 years old.  I started creating obstacle courses in my backyard at a very young age. I wanted to create a character and then run and jump around like a badass!  Thankfully I have a little brother who humored this mischief.

I’ve been an athlete my whole life and movement has been a huge part of my career.  In undergrad I was drawn to movement and dance pieces. In Grad School I had a lot of training in swords, acrobatics, School of Lecoq.   When I got to L.A. and found Academy of Theatrical Combat, everything sort of dropped into place. I also met Jayme there!

I’ve been on this path my entire life, whether I knew it, or not.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What’s your underlying “theme” that’s followed you throughout your endeavors and basically lights a fire under you to keep you on the path that you’re on? (for instance, mine is storytelling and community – everything I do, work on, or build involves that in some way):

I like this question!  I want to think about this further.   Off the top of my head, I think mine is collaboration.

Rowing is a collaborative sport.  If you don’t move and work together, you can’t succeed.  My favorite quote from George Pocock (one of the “Gods” of rowing) is, “Harmony, Balance, Rhythm.  There you have it, that is what life is all about.” Rowing was one the first things in my life that lit a fire in me.  Where I sit today is all very reflective of that.

Producing, performing and collaborating with fellow creatives gives me harmony, balance and rhythm!  So there ya have it, that is my underlying theme!

Thank you for asking this question! (You’re welcome – It’s one of my faves too! – Selena)

What’s a fun ritual, activity, or thing you do when you need to pull yourself out of being heads down in work, or just a general funk?

MEDITATION!  Yes, I go to a center for guided meditation, but for me this can also be hiking, boxing, or even spending time with people I love.  I am surrounded by some really special people.

How do you deal with fear or uncertainty when you’re working on something that’s in unchartered waters?

That is Trials of Ember in a nutshell.  It’s exhilarating! I keep saying it, but having people around me to lift me up is very helpful.  I don’t always know what I am doing, but I do know I have to try.

Which of these PermissionLESS Mantra words do you feel got you where you are now, and which do you want to build upon? BOLDNESS, ADAPTABILITY, FEARLESSNESS, CONFIDENCE

Adaptability is a recurring theme in my life.  From moving overseas, to adjusting back in Seattle, to launching myself into L.A., adapting is a key to success.  I believe it to be a strong asset.

Fearlessness – Fear of success is a real thing. It’s scary to jump to the next tier in this industry.  Stakes get higher and that’s scary. I want to make sure I am not holding myself back because of this fear.  That requires and occasional gut check.

What are two badass songs that get you energized and vibing high?

Whoa! Tough one!  Music is so visceral, isn’t it?  A song plays and I am instantly back to where I first heard it, or a time where I played it on repeat. Music is very important in my life.

Grad school was a really tough time.  There are a few songs that I listened to pretty incessantly. They got me through standing backstage, about to go on and wondering what am I doing?! These songs have a special place in my soul. I’m going to keep them to myself.  Is that weird? Maybe. Still not gonna tell ya!

Who is someone that you feel truly lives PermissionLESS (it could be anyone – someone you don’t know, someone you do know, etc) and would love to see interviewed?

Another tough one!  I know many people who are making bold moves, working to change this industry and tackling tough issues.  I’m thankful to be surrounded by awesome people! However, I am going to take the easy way out and tell you that I think Helen Mirren is an incredible inspiration.

Where to find you, and any projects you’re currently working on?

I recently shot two new projects that are both in post production.  Exciting, action film pieces. Keep an eye out for updates at – amyschumacher.net and @amyroseschu – Across all social media. Trials of Ember can be found at @trialsofember on all social media, as well as  trialsofember.com.

Helllooooo everyone! While season 2 is currently in production, I’ve been digging in with some written interviews. Jayme Wojciechowski is an actor, filmmaker, stuntman and friend that I met many years ago. He’s not only an incredible human with unique perspectives, but he’s also had life experiences all over the map and has been pushing through challenges to grow his creative career on his own terms. I think you’re really going to love this interview with him, and be inspired to get out there and make sh*t happen!

Filmmaker, Actor, Stuntman: Jayme Wojciechowski

First off, where are you from, and what was the journey like to Los Angeles?

I am originally from Buffalo, NY, but since college I have been a bit of a vagabond. I  live in Chicago for 4 years and then moved overseas where I spent time living in Scotland and London. I then took the plunge and moved to Los Angeles a little over four years ago.

I know you lived and studied acting abroad (Scotland) for quite some time, which is something a lot of people wish they could do, but feel scared to take that leap. What was it like getting used to a different culture and going to school in another country?

Studying and living in the UK was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have always loved traveling and experiencing new cultures, so it felt very natural for me. I thrive and feel most at home in very diverse environments, and the best part of training overseas was being surrounded by people from a plethora of different countries and walks of life. It really forces you to open up your mind. I’d recommend spending time abroad to anyone who is contemplating. I also just started learning Japanese so I can eventually spend a year or two in Japan training in various Buddhist Martial Arts.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to make a major move somewhere that they’re unfamiliar with when pursuing a dream?

Do your research. Make sure to you have a basic understanding of the culture before you arrive. Make sure your economic situation allows you not only to move but to actually put your focus on pursuing the reasons you are moving. Familiarize yourself as much as possible before you get there. Social media and the internet make it quite easy. The quicker you can fully immerse yourself in your new environment, they faster you will adapt. This is particularly true for big cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. The people I know who did their research before moving thrived much quicker than those who did not.

Do you find that mentorship in the entertainment industry has been something that’s helped you along the way? Do you have any personal advice as to how one can go about finding a mentor for a new endeavor they’re wanting to embark on, whether it’s self producing, or something in a radically different field?

I’ve never really been a fan of “mentorships” in the traditional sense. Collaboration has personally been much more beneficial and educational in my experience. I think the problem with “mentorships,” for me, is that they often feel like one way relationships. I also find that most professionals in the industry are just too busy to mentor, unless they are also benefiting from the mentorship in some way.

My advice for anyone looking for mentors is to reflect on what you can bring to the table. This way the relationship is mutually beneficial and feels more like a collaboration between professionals, instead of an expert being asked to simply show a newbie the ropes. Once you understand what you are able to bring to the table, it’s amazing how easy it becomes to build relationships with people you once thought were completely out of reach. Relationships as professional collaborators instead of teacher/student.

Finding your inner confidence, your voice, and loving yourself is definitely key in living a PermissionLESS life and feeling confident that you’ll find your way. Can you talk a little bit about any defining moments in your life where you started to realize and trust in your potential?

This is a hard question for me because I do not view myself as overly confident. I have always been the type to feel incredibly insecure about my potential. As a kid I often wondered why I seemed to have a habit of putting myself in incredibly vulnerable situations (like performing) when my insecurities often made these situations feel excruciatingly painful. Then in college, I started a meditation practice that led me to realize there were two parts of my personality in constant conflict. The insecure side of me that lacked confidence was often challenged by a side of me that was desperate to prove myself and succeed. I then noticed that these insecurities were often fueling my drive to succeed. So, I guess I can say that in many ways it is my awareness of my insecurities that helps me trust my potential and drive.

That was a bit of a rant, but I guess a simpler answer to the question is that starting a Zen meditation practice in college was a defining moment in my life. It cultivated a practice of self reflection that allows me to trust in myself and use both my positive and negative traits to live PermissionLESS.

What would you say has been your most challenging obstacles when it comes to blazing your own path in entertainment through self producing?

My own self doubt has been the only obstacle when it comes to self-producing. I had always wanted to self produce, but spent years making excuses why I couldn’t. For awhile I convinced myself it was because it was impossible to find a team as dedicated as myself. Then I told myself it was financially impossible. Eventually my desire to make it happen overpowered my long list of excuses. That was also around the time that Amy asked If I was interested in writing and producing a short with her. So, I did.

A lot of people view our industry as difficult because of all the “gatekeepers.” I think gatekeepers are bullshit. Self producing is a form of living PermissionLESS, because we’re out there creating our own work and not letting anybody stop us. You have full control over your series right now.  Where do you see the project going?

The stigma around gatekeepers are bullshit. I think the problem with the idea of “gatekeepers” is that most people seem to think of “gatekeepers” as an enemy that is creating obstacles to success. “Gatekeepers” do exist, but they are actually here to help us succeed. But they are unable to help us until we stop seeing them as an enemy and start seeing them as a valuable resource.

When I self-producer, I in many ways become a gatekeeper. I am in charge of hiring my actors, crew, creatives, etc. Like every other industry professional I know, I always look through my network first. If I’m casting and I have a choice between an actor I have a relationship with versus an actor I have no experience with, I am almost always going to pick the actor I have a relationship with. Why? Because I know that they can do the job. Now, let’s say that two years down the road I’ve now had that other actor audition for me multiple time and he always deliver a killer audition. Then randomly one evening I hear that actor just worked on a film with a friend of mine. I ask my friend about that actor and my friend says the actor is both reliable and professional on set. Now I trust that actor I once was unsure about, and I’m eager to work with him on my next project. This is how the industry works and how gatekeepers can be used to our benefit. They are not here to stop us, they are hoping we build relationships with them through our consistent, solid and professional work. They want to have a relationship with professional and talented creatives! It makes their job so much easier!

As for ‘Trials of Ember,’ the goal is to complete a 6 episode webseries in both 2D and 3D VR formats, then produce a feature.

It’s funny because as a creator, I try to never have full control. It scares me. I thrive under restrictions, so having no set boundaries or people I’m accountable to makes me feel unfocused. I also feel sharing control feels more collaborative and creates better work. What’s nice about self-producing is that I am the one who gets to choose who I share control with.

Do you have any failures that you truly feel shaped and paved the way for your successes with Trials of Ember?

I don’t mean to sound overly woo woo, but I don’t really believe in failure. I think the problem with labeling things as failures and successes is that it’s based on current perception. Things I once considered failures, I so often later view as a success. I’ll give a quick example. I few years ago I tried to help get a new type of production company off the ground. For a year, I dedicated most of my time and energy to have the entire thing implode. I could have easily seen that as a failure, but instead I focused on how I could use the experience to keep moving forward. Without that experience, there is no way I would have taken the plunge to write and produce Trials of Ember. So, even though the company was falling apart felt like a fail at the time, when I look at it now, I see it as a huge success because of where it led me to.

Speaking of self producing , your latest release, Trials of Ember, has a VR component. Virtual Reality, for as mainstream as it might appear right now, is still relatively new and hasn’t been experienced by the majority. Have you found any challenges with working in a new medium and learning as you go? What has helped you overcome some of the obstacles?

Trials of Ember was originally meant to be exclusively a traditional 2D webseries. After we produced the first webisode, we thought it would be fun to incorporate a VR element since the story takes place in a VR world. We then produced a VR teaser that gave fans an immersive look at the sword fights from the first webisode.

I knew almost nothing about VR when we started Trials of Ember, but luckily our director, Stephen LaMorte, had been directing and producing VR content for years. We also brought the incredible host of PermissionLess, Selena Vidya, on as our VR producer. Making sure we collaborated with people who had worked in VR and understood the challenges made the process incredibly smooth. We basically told Steven and Selena what our ideas were and they came up with the ways to make it happen. In other words, I passed on all the challenges to people who knew how to execute them.

I think VR was also a natural fit for myself and Amy. We are both action actors with strong background is physical theatre, so we both tend to think in terms of movement and how movement affects an audience. That is critical when trying to create an immersive VR experience.

Our VR camera did decide to overheat during filming which resulted in us failing to get our last shot. But it worked out because instead the viewer now get that creepy moment where they stand face to face with Ember. Another example of a “failure” being a secret success.

You’re a swordsman and stuntman; one of things that sets Trials of Ember apart (to me) is that both you and Amy are doing your own swordfighting for the series, and the VR content, rather than actors trying to learn it as they go for the shot. What originally drew you to the swordfighting and stunt side? How long have you been doing it?

I’ve been doing martial arts (Aikido / Kempo Arnis) and fencing for over 20 years, and have been specifically doing stunt training for 12 years. As a kid, my favorite part of martial arts was when I was able to perform demos at competitions. For those who don’t know, demos are basically fight scenes that are choreographed and performed to showcase a martial artist at a competition. I was also obsessed with japanese anime and martial arts movies. I dreamed of becoming one of those actors who got to do all the crazy cool fights. When I decided to go to college for acting, I ended up picking Columbia College Chicago due to it having the best stage combat department in the world. I then continues my training in the UK and since moving to LA, I have been training and working with the Academy of Theatrical Combat. This is where Amy and I first met.

Most of our PermissionLESS readers and listeners are riding the lines between biz and creative, and carving their own paths without much guidance. When you’re self producing, sometimes you have to wear a few different hats, moreso than someone who is coming in as purely an actor, or purely a producer. Any advice for juggling both sides of the biz?

I learned very quickly that in order to create content I’m proud of, I can only wear one hat at a time. Of course I can switch to a different hat as often as I need, but as soon as I try to wear more than one hat at the same time, things become chaotic. This is why I always make sure to put together a team I trust and can rely on. This way I don’t need to be juggling wearing multiple hats at once.

This can be difficult for many creatives who want full control of their project. That is why trust is so important. Trying to control everything is a sure fire way to drive yourself crazy. Having a team of people you trust, that you can delegate responsibilities to will allow you to focus on what’s most important in each moment. This is the only way I remain sane through the process.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What’s your underlying “theme” that’s followed you throughout your endeavors and basically lights a fire under you to keep you on the path that you’re on? (for instance, mine is storytelling and community – everything I do, work on, or build involves that in some way)

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” This has always been a favorite quote of mine. Whenever I am acting, fighting, writing or producing, I always try to make the choices that most challenge and expand my comfort zone. There is something I find incredibly empowering about becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. It allows me to be constantly surprising myself, and I love surprises.

What’s a fun ritual, activity, or thing you do when you need to pull yourself out of being heads down in work, or just a general funk?

I kind of mentioned it a few times already, but I have a rule about constantly stepping outside my physical, intellectual and emotional comfort zone. Over the years I have developed multiple rituals and hobbies to help me accomplish this. These include meditation, crossfit, powerlifting, learning new languages, reading the latest scientific journals, watching the saddest movies I can find.

How do you deal with fear or uncertainty when you’re working on something that’s in uncharted waters?

Embrace it. Uncharted waters are supposed to be scary and fear inducing. That’s what makes successfully swimming in them so rewarding. I also make sure to collaborate with people who have swam the waters, or at the very least are interested in exploring them with me for the first time.

Which of these PermissionLESS Mantra words do you feel got you where you are now, and which do you want to build upon?-BOLDNESS, ADAPTABILITY, FEARLESSNESS, CONFIDENCE

All those years being overly concerned about what others thought of me caused me to develop on incredibly beneficial skill; adaptability. Adaptability is also the most important skill I look for when I am looking for people to collaborate with. The entertainment industry is all about collaboration, and collaboration only works when those involved are adaptable. I can easily collaborate with artists who lack boldness, fearlessness or confidence, but collaborating with someone who is not adaptable never works.

I think working on my confidence will be my life’s work. And I’m okay with that.

What are two badass songs that get you energized and vibing high?

Wow, this is a hard one. I’m going to cheat a bit on this question. The first song is actually the entire Bjork album, Vespertine. It’s really just one epically long love song. There is something about the intricate beats Bjork produced for the album that instantly brings me to a state of energized curiosity.

Lately, I find myself also listening to Dog Years, by Maggie Rogers, on repeat for hours at a time.

Who is someone that you feel truly lives PermissionLESS (it could be anyone – someone you don’t know, someone you do know, etc) and would love to see interviewed?

Wow, just one? I know so many incredible people who truly live PermissionLESS. If I have to pick just one, then I’d say Cat LaCohie (aka Vixen DeVille). She is an actor, burlesque dancer, creator, and all around badass who’s dedicated to empowering others to love themselves, their bodies, and life itself. Interview her immediately! (ON IT! – Selena)

Where to find you, and any projects you’re currently working on?

I’m on most social media at @jaymewoj. Trials of Ember can be found on all major social media platforms at @trialsofember and at trialsofember.com.