Today we’d like to introduce you to Rafael Lozano.
Rafael, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I suppose my story starts early 2019 but my passion comes from back in the old days when I was still a kid. I’ve always been drawn to the arts, whether it was drawing, music, or performing. Something about how free you can be while singing or acting has always stuck with me. I feel that if I explain the feeling I would ramble but just know that when I’m acting I feel a surreal feeling that makes me want to do my best so that I can entertain and make others feel passionate, happy, angry, or sad and all sorts of emotions. The bonus is that I can also make a career that shows people my skill and everyone has a skill, once you figure out what skill you have you feel driven to be the best at that skill and that’s me right now. My clarity of where I want to go with this skill is what drives me. I want to be able to come back a year from now and say “I just booked my first lead in a major network” or “I landed a lead role in a new Netflix movie!” heck maybe even “Catch me Friday nights on TheCW!”. I guess you can say that I want to be the very best there ever was.
Early 2019, February to be a bit more exact, my birthday is in February and I believe this was a reason I decided to get up and audition for a local theater. Mind you the last time I auditioned for anything was back in 2013/2014. I wanted to attend AMDA, a college for the performing arts in Los Angeles but I didn’t pass the audition and I felt discourage. I felt I couldn’t rely on many people to help me boost myself up because I was a kid, naïve, unaware and inexperienced. Sometimes you just need someone that you can relate to or truly knows what you’re feeling to be able to share the feeling of discouragement. I feel I was instilled a certain perception of what a “good life” is, that being you go to college pick out a boring science or math degree and find a boring office job. That’s not me. I’ve never been the type of person to be satisfied with the “norm”. That being said I am a very carefree and passive person and that fits well with my creative side. I feel I’ve always been somewhat of a trendsetter and I like putting my own spin to things, so being limited to a 9-5 job was never an option for me but it did take sometimes for me to understand that.
During my first auditions back in early 2019 I realized how much I needed to learn all the ins and outs of the business and find a way to better my skill. I know I completely bombed the auditions; I was terrified. I even had to sing a brief song and mind you I didn’t expect that nor did I have any practice going in. The important take away that moment was that I wasn’t going to give up and I was going to find a coach learn to audition and learn anything and everything I could to be better. Flash forward a few months to the summer of 2019 and I was attending an acting class on a regular basis. OGAC with Crystal Martinez was the first team that thought me many of the things I know. Flash forward again to the Fall, during the month of October I took a trip with friends to Los Angeles and met with a group build from the bottom up by Valorie Hubbard, Actor’s Fast Track. This team has helped me understand the acting industry in a business sense and now I feel like a new person with all the knowledge I’ve gained from all the people that have come in to my life.
One more flash forward to February 2020, one full year after I decided to get up and just do it, begin my acting career. I now have an acting demo reel, on set experience, knowledge of how to approach casting director, producers, and writers. How to pitch myself, what branding means to an actor, selling your product which is you and your skill. I know how to approach agents and manager, and if any is checking this article out, I hope to hear from you and talk with you about representation.
I can’t forget about all the friends I’ve made along the way and all the people that have supported me. I thank them for taking a moment to listen and watch me when I post new material. All the support I get from my friends and family is the heart to all this. I don’t plan on losing steam even during this epidemic. I have set my sights to new horizons and I’m currently planning ideas to pitch myself, I call it planting a seed, to casting directors involved with Marvel, Disney, and Hashbro/Saban casting. I’m even looking at live action adaptations like Avatar, Pokémon and Anime.
Has it been a smooth road?
No road is easy. I’m a very logical person, but I am open to change. One of the things that have come from my acting journey is the discovery of self-growth/development. I feel I used to brushed off self-growth as a comical trope before I met a person that completely changed my perception of it. Ever since I’ve come to understand that being logical has its moments but it’s not always the correct action. I have a quote “Smiling doesn’t mean you are always happy, it means you understand that there are bad and goods days, yet you choose to smile past the bad days through the good days.”
Yes. It’s been a rough road, like I said before I used to feel bad telling people I was an actor because I had nothing to show. No credits, no shows, no training, no head shots, nothing., but it was okay. My friends were the first one to always tell people I was an actor, I guess you can say that their belief in me is what got me past those moments, I thank them for that. Slowly as time passed, I gained training, I learned there’s more to it than just acting.
I also had to overcome my shy nature; I know what you’re thinking. A shy actor, how is that possible? Trust me when I say that’s not the oddest things you’ll learn about an actor. I knew my shy nature wouldn’t get me very far, especially considering there is a lot of networking that an actor has to do to be recognized. In a way I feel I’m coming full circle. See my mom often times reminisces about the days when I was still a toddler. I was a rowdy one, very talkative, curious and well a ticking time bomb with no filter. At some point I just gained my passive nature and that was that, but it’s nice being social. You learn so much about people when you just stop to say hello, I feel people should consider talking to one new person a day as nice social practice.
Then there’s also the struggle of being your own worst critique. I think many artists start off like this, some may even feel this way even with an impressive resume. I think this comes from the belief of perfection and not wanting to look silly. We are human and the thing about being human is that we’re not perfect. I have one more quote. “Whoever said practice makes perfect was an idiot. Humans can’t be perfect because we’re not machines. The best thing you can say about practice is that it makes…better.” this is quote from one of my favorite shows, Atypical on Netflix. We all have different traits but being able to understand these traits are what make us unique, one of a kind, is when the idea of perfection and the fears that come with it won’t affect you anymore. This is the point where you will feel free to explore your unique skill without worrying about looking silly or worrying about what people will think. Remember that you are doing this for yourself.
Please tell us about your work.
Acting is my career/business. I’m mainly focused on TV, Film, and Commercials. I have done theater but I’m not fully equipped with theater skills. If you’ve ever heard that theater acting is different from TV/Film you are right. There are different techniques you have to learn and stage movement/directions that you have to pay attention to. I have starred in a local theater production. Cone Man Running Production’s play Inherit the Wind was my first play and gig. I was lucky enough to have an amazing cast of actors and an amazing director in Christine Weems. I managed to land a role in another Cone Man Running Production this year. Sadly, due to the pandemic we had to reschedule which was a huge bummer considering I really enjoyed the script and theme.
As far as how it works, it’s like you’re an entrepreneur. As I mentioned before your actor’s branding is very important, consistency, reaching an audience, pitching your brand to important industry figures. You are your own business and you are the product. I know it may sound weird at first but it’s fact. Either you get the lead role or someone else does. From someone that used to work in the retail industry I can easily say that it’s no different than being able to sell a new game system to a customer. Although just like a career, you have to be passionate about acting.
Improving your skill is also important as well as your marketing material. Surprise, actors need to know how to act thus you need to invest in coaching, professional head shots, management, etc. This means just like an entrepreneur you need to be careful in what you invest in and the purpose. If I wasn’t to pitch myself to Marvel/Sony I would probably try to show case skill they want or need. I can tell them about how I joined a gym and learned gymnastic skills thus making me a perfect candidate to be an alternate Spider-Man since spider man is a very athletic character. It’s things like these that get you those auditions and then eventually a role.
Just keep in mind just like any other business, acting requires you to have a positive mindset where you are consistent, dedicated and you don’t falter when you get a no. One thing I learned in retail is that 1 out of 10 people will say “yes” but you won’t know when that “yes” will come if you don’t try your best every time you get a chance.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I would say the diversity hands down! I was lucky enough to go to Harmony Science Academy High School, a little back story of my school is that it was established by Turkish educators. They made their dreams a reality and I think I appreciate my school so much because of how they instilled the same drive in me. Usually I’m a lone wolf but while in college and even after getting a job I just kept meeting new people with backgrounds from all parts of the world. and I always welcomed with open “paws” in to a new “pack”. Again, I can’t thank my friends enough for being there for me.
I would say that due to Houston and overall Texas being more in the oil industry there is little opportunity for creatives. Austin is the best place to be if you want anything to do with the arts. Houston has been my home for around 25 years. If I want to level up my career I need to think about the future and sadly that means moving to a place better suited for this kind of business. It’s sometimes hard for me to let go, I’m a very nostalgic individual as well so as excited as I am to start up again in a new city I am also equally as sad to know I’ll have to leave my home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/RafaelLozano
- Phone: 8325960212
- Email: rafaellozano245@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rafaellozano24/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RafaelLozanoActor/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RafaelLozano245
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/
Image Credit:
REELARC
Pin Lim
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