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

Hi Parker, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
What really inspires me the most are the creative friends and peers I have in my life. Especially the actors I work with every week in my acting class. It’s located in Burbank and we mostly focus on self-tapes and on-camera techniques. It’s a small group, maybe 10-12 actors each week, but because of that, it feels super personal and close-knit. Honestly, I’m surrounded by some of the most exciting and inspiring performers out there.

There’s a real sense of camaraderie in class when someone puts up a scene. Whether it’s a comedy or drama, good or bad, there’s always an overwhelming amount of support from the other classmates. And even though an actor’s work can be more independent by nature, most of my motivation and growth actually comes from this group. I’m lucky to see these actors push boundaries and set a high bar for everyone in class. It’s like this fun, friendly competition where we’re all trying to one-up each other. But at the end of the day, we’re really tight and appreciate what everyone brings to the table. Their passion definitely pushes me to keep improving as an actor.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being an independent artist, I do feel that my career is just beginning. The number of credits I have may be small compared to others; however, what I lack in quantity I feel I make up for in quality. My most recent short film, Split Decision, is something I’m incredibly proud of for that very reason. The film was my directorial debut, made on a shoestring budget over the course of one weekend. Now it’s making its way to multiple film festivals across the Southern California area.

The plot of the film revolves around two police officers who are sent to defuse a bomb, but when one of the cops has split personality disorder, it’s up to the other to find the right personality before the time bomb blows them up. The concept allowed me to mix high-anxiety comedy with a psychological twist, making for a really fun and unexpected short film. Developing the film independently was also a wild ride that had me wearing many hats on set. The entire process was essentially a trial by fire, teaching me everything I needed to know about filmmaking in a short amount of time.

One of the most important things I learned on set was trusting the process. I feel this can apply to most things in life, but specifically on a set, it’s easy to become discouraged when things don’t work out as expected. Especially in my position, having a lot of investment as a director, writer, actor, and producer. And when it came to taking on a daunting project like this, nothing seemed to go right. Crew members got sick, unexpected rain cost us hours’ worth of filming, and possibly worst of all, we had no usable audio. Our filming location had loud and obnoxious background noises that were impossible to ignore in editing. Because of this, we dedicated months to recapturing audio and mixing the film perfectly until we finally had a usable cut. But even through the adversity, in “trusting the process” and taking our time to get it right, we ended up with a version of the film that we were incredibly proud of.

As I continue on this journey, I’m excited to bring more unconventional, thought-provoking, and unique stories to life. As I said before, I feel that my career is just beginning, and I can’t wait to see what it has in store.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
With it being Halloween time, I would definitely take my best friend to some of the spookiest spots in Los Angeles. Ever since I was a kid, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, and every year from September to October, I spend just about every weekend doing something in the spirit of the season. First stop would be Halloween Horror Nights – it’s one of the best haunts in California. The mazes are killer, with a great mix of old and new themes. This year they’ve got some awesome stuff like A Quiet Place, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and my personal favorite, The Weeknd.

Next, I’d take them to a movie night at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. They show films every weekend, and around Halloween, it’s the perfect spot to catch a classic horror movie. And finally, we’d hit up my favorite bar in Hollywood, Beetle House. It’s a Halloween-themed bar that’s open year-round with cool Tim Burton vibes, live performers, and great cocktails – plus it’s right on Hollywood Boulevard. All three of these spots are some of my favorite places to go in Los Angeles, and I would highly recommend them to anyone in the area.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shout out my incredible management team, Jon Simmons and Peter Smith. Ever since I met the dynamic duo back in 2018, their kindness and support have been unwavering. Both Jon and Peter have taught me everything I know about acting and are mentors in every sense of the word. Whether it’s taping an audition at ungodly hours of the night or just having someone to talk to, they are more than just a management team. Their dedication has been instrumental to my success as an actor, and I am incredibly grateful for their ongoing support.

Instagram: @parkergreen28

Image Credits
Blake Eiermann – Black and White Outdoor Photos
Ryan Interrante – Black and White Slate Photo
Esteban Huambachano – Split Decision Poster

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