Interview with Poet/Actor: Sam Spade

I met Sam at Writer's Boot Camp, Santa Monica. His honest eyes and goofy grin made me smile. 


Sam and I sat next to each other for almost two years. We bounced script ideas, character quirks, and zombie scenes off of each other. (His zombie scenes - which I am waiting to see on the big screen because his idea is so new, so unique...) I learned a lot about Sam during that time of discovery for both of us. 


Sam, once married, now divorced, is still such good friends with his X that they met my husband and I for a double date. He supports himself appraising homes, but feeds his soul with poetry. He's easy going, loves life, and is thankful for the little joys most take for granted. 


While taking writing classes, Sam started going to a small acting class and invited me along. He was amazing, a natural in front of the camera. Since then, his acting has taken off. He has been in many small theatre productions, and landed some amazing commercials along with minor movie roles. Go Sam!


Sam has a gentle soul that spews pure honesty. His poetry touches thousands of Facebook friends. Fear flees when his pen touches paper, and people respond. His bravery translates to live audiences as well. He's funny. He's pure. He's Sam I am. 


Quote from Sam about this interview, "I think your questions moved my POV back to a time before I knew."

You are a person with many creative hats – which one do you wear often?   

Poet hat is the hat that can feel the world whisper, gifting me the abilities to write and act. 

What is your experience in the field of professional acting?

Limited so far, I have been in a few movies now, minor roles.  But just to be able to say that, I have been in a few movies now is soooo coool.

What is your best quality as an actor?

Being a poet.  I feel the other person and can directly react off of their emotions. It makes it seem as if the audience has stumbled upon something they should not have. Something private. 

How does acting help you with writing? 

I will act out the scene I am writing and just follow, writing and typing as fast as I can hoping to capture the "moments" that Brando coveted.  Writing is best when done from that place in the heart, from the body.  It can be exhausting, and at times shocking because I was not expecting my character to do what they did, in the "moment."

Do you have weak points as a writer? 

Self doubt. Second guessing. The only cure for this is to write through it. 

When you compose a poem, do you think of a specific person? Place?

It depends on the poem.  If it is about or for the person yes.  If it is about a scene, I like to write a poem about a scene before I write the scene, so...yeah even then it is about a specific person and place. Maybe not real, but absolutely specific. I do the same with the acting.  I will compose a little poem from the script about the scene, so that it becomes "real".

  

What time do you eat breakfast in the morning? What do you eat?

My natural clock is 5 am. I am still and ole farm boy having to feed the cows.  I like grape nuts and a protein drink.

Please describe a typical creative writing day in 5 words.

It becomes my total focus. 

Who is your favorite poet? Actor? Writer?

Sounds narcissistic, my favorite poet and writer is me...


...because I can write and make up stories that please and move me.  When I am feeling the emotion I know my audience will feel the emotion, when I am truly crying or laughing at the keyboard.  


In Acting I like  Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Micky Rourke, Robert Downey Jr, George Clooney, people people always say he looks a lot like me.

What makes you believe in your work and keeps you on track?

How it moves me, my poetry is spot on.  Script writing is almost there. I can write a scene  that moves me like a poem now, almost at that point with the whole script. 
...It is something I must do. 


How can you help Sam achieve his creative goals?
Friend him on FB at www.facebook.com/spadesamspade
He sends out original poetry there and announces his next acting gigs.