Meet Melissa Johnson: Actress, Photographer, Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I definitely have. A few times actually. In hindsight, I think each time I had to ask myself two questions. One, Do you want to give up or keep going? If I know I want to keep going then I keep going. But, if I still want to give up then I move on to the second question. Two, if money didn’t matter and fame wasn’t a thing, would you still do it? In other words, if we lived in a society where all of our needs and most wants were met and I could do anything to fill my days, but wouldn’t earn money or accolades, would I still do it? If the answer is yes then I  should probably stop entertaining the idea of giving up and keep doing what I love. And stop accepting excuses of why I can’t. When it comes to my art, my answer to this question is always yes. But, everyone’s path is different. If, for example, your answer was no, I’d say then find what you love and do that. If you love stability more than you love your art, go find yourself some stability and do art in your free time. Not having enough free time is just an excuse. You make time for what matters.   

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I don’t know how to interact with the world without art. One of my favorite quotes is, “Earth without art is just ‘Eh’.” For as long as I can remember creativity has been my main language. I have always loved the visual arts, drawing, painting, and photographs, since I was young. But, it took me a couple decades to realize that storytelling was at the heart of every art form that I loved. Though I had my first camera in my hand when I was eight or so, it wasn’t until college that my love of photography really gained its own platform. I began as a black and white, 35mm film photographer, (as was the tradition in the photography department at Yale.) I fell in love with everything about it. Loading film canisters in a darkroom, seeing images slowly reveal themselves in a tub of solution, learning to be intentional about each shot because you only had one roll of film. I think in this golden age of digital mediums, people may have forgotten the quiet stories of black and white film. I often think fondly back on that time. It was also in college that I worked on my first short and feature length film, I shot a few in art classes and acted in a few school productions. I think to the outward eye, it may have seemed like chaotic leaps, going from art to film (to psychology, my other major), but there were two commonalities I saw between them all -storytelling and me. Through photography, writing, and acting in movies, even studying the human mind, there were so many stories to be told and so many ways to tell them. It may have been a bit crazy of me to try to tackle so many different mediums, but I guess when it comes to creatives “we’re all (bit) mad here.” Somewhere between adding that second major at the end of my junior year and graduating, I hit rock bottom. I decided to give up my ideations of becoming a neurosurgeon or psychiatrist and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. However, it definitely wasn’t as easy as it may sound. I really was at rock bottom. I struggled with depression and suicidal ideation. I went on meds. I became withdrawn. But, I never gave up. Because in my mind, laying down and giving up was no different than failing. Both options would leave me miserable, but at least trying gave me a chance. So I kept going. And I still keep going. I am definitely still the master of chaotic leaps from one project or medium to another. But now there are three commonalities amongst all of my work- storytelling, myself and all that encompasses- and resilience. If I do have a distinct ‘brand,’ it’s that I will always keep going.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am definitely an “it’s the people you are with” kind of a person, so quality time with friends is great no matter where we are! But, there are a few things that I enjoy no matter who I am with or just alone. For me, in LA, everything begins and ends with the beach. Just like there is every kind of person in the city, there is a beach for each one. When family or friends visit for the first time, I will definitely take them to the hotspots like Muscle Beach down in Venice to take in the bustle of people or a Ferris wheel ride on the Santa Monica Pier. When the chaos crescendos though and we need a quiet moment Ill always head to one of the beaches with a nice Bluff! I love good midweek day at Malibu State beach or Point Dume. OR, if one doesn’t mind a bit more of a drive, nothing resets the soul quite like wading into the tide pool at Laguna Beach.  As far as food goes, I love fried chicken and beignets at Maple at Descanso gardens, vegan milkshakes at Monty’s burgers, and gluten free red velvet cupcakes at Sprinkles.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It really does take a village! There are so many I could shout out because teamwork really does make the dream work! I am so grateful for my mentors, church groups, and friends, but for the sake of brevity, I’d just like to focus on my friend who first shared this publication with me, Bart Mastronardi. There are few people that I could gush about more than Bart. Bart is one of the most talented, humble, kind, and loyal men I have ever met! He is such a champion of the people in his life, and I am so grateful for him! Bart is also an insanely talented photographer and teacher. Be sure to check out the article on him! I love being able to say I knew him when!

Website: www.melliejohnson.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/melissamelliej
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/melissadawnj
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaMellieJ

Image Credits
Wonder Woman Shots by Bart Mastronardi Film Stills from my Short Yearning for Santorini, DP: Marc Sangsanga All other images were taken by me.