Hello and Welcome to the End of the World
Hello and Welcome to my blog "The Artist's Survival Guide for the End of the World." My name is Kodi Lynn Milburn, and I will be your guide through this creative journey. Within this blog you will find all a mortal could possibly need when facing the wild NYC artistic frontier. Before we get started I want to tell you a little bit about myself, and what this heavily themed blog is all about!
As I mentioned before my name is Kodi, and I am a Nebraska born multifaceted Native American artist based in Brooklyn, New York. My alma mater is the New York Film Academy where I studied musical theater and tv/film from some the industries biggest names. Now, I dabble in many mediums including: Musical Theater, Photography, Film/TV, Theater and Film Production, Fine Art, Writing, and Composing. During my time studying at NYFA, I sang at 54 Below in Ewalt and Walker's “The Making of Madeleine Moore", belted in NYFA’s production of “Chess”, and worked with the effervescent Bobby Cronin and Crystal Skillman on a musical adaption of the claymation film “Mary and Max.” Before leaving school, I wrote a dance on film script called “Could you Dance in my Shoes” that was brought to its feet and directed by Deidre Goodwin. Some of my post graduation credits include assistant directing readings at the New York Film Academy ("Joni" by David Reiser, and "Anne of Green Gables" adapted by Matt and Matte) and a short silent film by Patrick Karambizi entitled “Je l’aime a Mourir.” I worked costumes on a production of “Urinetown” and celebrated a film I appeared in entitled "Seeking Alice" that won Best Movie Musical at the 2017 NOVA Film Festival. I just completed a Tween Course at NYFA teaching ages 9-13 musical theater technique. I am now gigging around Brooklyn with my band "Requiem for a Butterfly". The band performs my original music. Finally, I am over the moon about my immersive multimedia musical "Chrysalis" being produced by THE CREATORS COLLECTIVE. The show went up August 5th, 2017. More dates are in the works! I promise I'm done talking about myself now 😉.
Now that you know a little bit more about meh, let's talk about this blog. I wanted to chronicle my experiences as well as share what I have learned with artists wanting to follow in the footsteps of someone who has already failed and succeeded. The title of this blog isn't just a cheap playoff of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I really feel like I am in an unknown world just trying not to loose what's left of my mind (if you weren't aware a lot of artists suffer from mental illness, and I'm not immune). I compare an artist's journey in NYC to that of a protagonist in a zombie movie. Things will always come to eat your brains, but the hero somehow finds others to help pone the zombies. Within this blog, I will talk about what I have experienced in the industry, how to put up your own work, how to survive in this cutthroat world, and more. Soooooooooooooooo... without further adieu, lets get to our first topic, Survival basics.
How do I not just survive but thrive in the vast abyss that is the NYC art field? How do you get your name out there? Why is rent so bleeping insane, and how do I make a living as an artist when no one pays me for my work?!!?! Okay, breathe. Here are my top 5 tips for anyone feeling like wave number 17 of zombies are coming.
1) Be your own biggest fan.
-I know this sounds cheesy and falsely motivational, but its the best advice I could give to anyone. There will ALWAYS be people out there, in the art world and the real world, trying to tell you that you're not good enough, or skinny enough, or you look too much like a villain in a t.v. show they have been binge watching recently. You have to believe in your own work. This means you should pick work you can get behind. If you hate what you're doing how can you possibly cheer yourself on or expect your audience to believe in you? If you don't believe in you, why would any casting director, writer, or agent believe in you?
2) Make sure your survival job is something that you don't hate.
- Let's be honest, its not easy to be a young adult living in NYC. Rent is astronomical, healthy food is expensive, travel is overpriced, and I don't know about you, but my social life is just as important and drinks cost MONEY. All of this adds up and there is no shame in having a survival job (Waiting tables, nannying, etc.) to pay the bills. This enables you to continue your work, but not rely on your art to provide for you while you're developing. Personally I found that I enjoy working with kids so I am a nanny part time and an artist the rest of the time. I feel like I am helping another human being and my time and energy is valued and well spent. I put in place healthy boundaries so I feel like I can still pursue my art when an opportunity presents itself. Then once you start getting paid for your art or you move up the ladder you can slowly reduce hours until your art is your sole provider. However, survival jobs can start to feel like a trap and you don't want to be stuck doing something you hate. Trust me, that will seep into your art and overall mental wellness.
3) Surround yourself with likeminded, positive people that want the best for you.
- Our industry is so special because you really form a bond with the people you are working with. We all understand the way our art enriches and heals our lives. Those people become your family, your home away from home. However, this amazing industry comes at a price. It also attracts some hateful people that thrive on breaking others down to make up for their own shortcomings. Those people are toxic. You want to spend your time in your career and in your social life with people that want nothing but success for you. Furthermore, Your success should have nothing to do with how "good" of friends you are.
4) This is a job, take it seriously.
- I think the quickest way to ruin a career no matter how talented you are is to not take it as seriously as you should. This means a lot of things. I think the most important is to show up on time and to show up prepared. Its hard to reach a piece's full potential when the material hasn't been learned or you're simply not there. It's just ridiculous to me that someone with amazing potential throws it away over stupid things like showing up on time. Okay, rant over. Another thing to keep in mind is to show respect for the people you are working with. This means put your phone away (unless you're recording) and regardless of the age or perceived relevance of the project or person you should always give them/it 100 % of your attention and creative juice. Those are the people I hire again, not those who can sing high, or act well (Not saying talent isn't important, just saying that everyone is talented and I personally would rather work with someone responsible).
5) Share your gift without fear.
- We have been given a gift as artists to do what we love, and it's our obligation to share our gift. People need to hear what we have to say, and we truly do help people escape their everyday problems with a song or a dance. We also put things out there that others are afraid to say. We need that now more than ever in today's world. We can't be afraid to share what we have been given out of fear of rejection or ridicule. It will get easier to put yourself out there and you will be so surprised how many people will admire your bravery and courage or will tell you that you have touched their lives somehow. That is what makes our jobs worth it. Keep in mind, however, that you can't please everyone and that's okay too. You just live your life.
Okay, that may have seemed like a lot, but if you take anything from my blog I hope it is this: Trust yourself and be loving to others. Everything else will fall into place. Next time your out of ammo and don't know what to do, have faith that these tips will guide you through the tough times and dry spells.
If you would like to learn more about me and the people I work with you can check out my website at kodilynnmilburn.com or my instagram @kodilmilburn. If you liked this post keep an eye out for my next blog: "The putting up your own work checklist"
As I mentioned before my name is Kodi, and I am a Nebraska born multifaceted Native American artist based in Brooklyn, New York. My alma mater is the New York Film Academy where I studied musical theater and tv/film from some the industries biggest names. Now, I dabble in many mediums including: Musical Theater, Photography, Film/TV, Theater and Film Production, Fine Art, Writing, and Composing. During my time studying at NYFA, I sang at 54 Below in Ewalt and Walker's “The Making of Madeleine Moore", belted in NYFA’s production of “Chess”, and worked with the effervescent Bobby Cronin and Crystal Skillman on a musical adaption of the claymation film “Mary and Max.” Before leaving school, I wrote a dance on film script called “Could you Dance in my Shoes” that was brought to its feet and directed by Deidre Goodwin. Some of my post graduation credits include assistant directing readings at the New York Film Academy ("Joni" by David Reiser, and "Anne of Green Gables" adapted by Matt and Matte) and a short silent film by Patrick Karambizi entitled “Je l’aime a Mourir.” I worked costumes on a production of “Urinetown” and celebrated a film I appeared in entitled "Seeking Alice" that won Best Movie Musical at the 2017 NOVA Film Festival. I just completed a Tween Course at NYFA teaching ages 9-13 musical theater technique. I am now gigging around Brooklyn with my band "Requiem for a Butterfly". The band performs my original music. Finally, I am over the moon about my immersive multimedia musical "Chrysalis" being produced by THE CREATORS COLLECTIVE. The show went up August 5th, 2017. More dates are in the works! I promise I'm done talking about myself now 😉.
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| Self Portrait of Kodi Lynn Milburn |
Now that you know a little bit more about meh, let's talk about this blog. I wanted to chronicle my experiences as well as share what I have learned with artists wanting to follow in the footsteps of someone who has already failed and succeeded. The title of this blog isn't just a cheap playoff of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I really feel like I am in an unknown world just trying not to loose what's left of my mind (if you weren't aware a lot of artists suffer from mental illness, and I'm not immune). I compare an artist's journey in NYC to that of a protagonist in a zombie movie. Things will always come to eat your brains, but the hero somehow finds others to help pone the zombies. Within this blog, I will talk about what I have experienced in the industry, how to put up your own work, how to survive in this cutthroat world, and more. Soooooooooooooooo... without further adieu, lets get to our first topic, Survival basics.
How do I not just survive but thrive in the vast abyss that is the NYC art field? How do you get your name out there? Why is rent so bleeping insane, and how do I make a living as an artist when no one pays me for my work?!!?! Okay, breathe. Here are my top 5 tips for anyone feeling like wave number 17 of zombies are coming.
1) Be your own biggest fan.
-I know this sounds cheesy and falsely motivational, but its the best advice I could give to anyone. There will ALWAYS be people out there, in the art world and the real world, trying to tell you that you're not good enough, or skinny enough, or you look too much like a villain in a t.v. show they have been binge watching recently. You have to believe in your own work. This means you should pick work you can get behind. If you hate what you're doing how can you possibly cheer yourself on or expect your audience to believe in you? If you don't believe in you, why would any casting director, writer, or agent believe in you?
2) Make sure your survival job is something that you don't hate.
- Let's be honest, its not easy to be a young adult living in NYC. Rent is astronomical, healthy food is expensive, travel is overpriced, and I don't know about you, but my social life is just as important and drinks cost MONEY. All of this adds up and there is no shame in having a survival job (Waiting tables, nannying, etc.) to pay the bills. This enables you to continue your work, but not rely on your art to provide for you while you're developing. Personally I found that I enjoy working with kids so I am a nanny part time and an artist the rest of the time. I feel like I am helping another human being and my time and energy is valued and well spent. I put in place healthy boundaries so I feel like I can still pursue my art when an opportunity presents itself. Then once you start getting paid for your art or you move up the ladder you can slowly reduce hours until your art is your sole provider. However, survival jobs can start to feel like a trap and you don't want to be stuck doing something you hate. Trust me, that will seep into your art and overall mental wellness.
3) Surround yourself with likeminded, positive people that want the best for you.
- Our industry is so special because you really form a bond with the people you are working with. We all understand the way our art enriches and heals our lives. Those people become your family, your home away from home. However, this amazing industry comes at a price. It also attracts some hateful people that thrive on breaking others down to make up for their own shortcomings. Those people are toxic. You want to spend your time in your career and in your social life with people that want nothing but success for you. Furthermore, Your success should have nothing to do with how "good" of friends you are.
4) This is a job, take it seriously.
- I think the quickest way to ruin a career no matter how talented you are is to not take it as seriously as you should. This means a lot of things. I think the most important is to show up on time and to show up prepared. Its hard to reach a piece's full potential when the material hasn't been learned or you're simply not there. It's just ridiculous to me that someone with amazing potential throws it away over stupid things like showing up on time. Okay, rant over. Another thing to keep in mind is to show respect for the people you are working with. This means put your phone away (unless you're recording) and regardless of the age or perceived relevance of the project or person you should always give them/it 100 % of your attention and creative juice. Those are the people I hire again, not those who can sing high, or act well (Not saying talent isn't important, just saying that everyone is talented and I personally would rather work with someone responsible).
5) Share your gift without fear.
- We have been given a gift as artists to do what we love, and it's our obligation to share our gift. People need to hear what we have to say, and we truly do help people escape their everyday problems with a song or a dance. We also put things out there that others are afraid to say. We need that now more than ever in today's world. We can't be afraid to share what we have been given out of fear of rejection or ridicule. It will get easier to put yourself out there and you will be so surprised how many people will admire your bravery and courage or will tell you that you have touched their lives somehow. That is what makes our jobs worth it. Keep in mind, however, that you can't please everyone and that's okay too. You just live your life.
Okay, that may have seemed like a lot, but if you take anything from my blog I hope it is this: Trust yourself and be loving to others. Everything else will fall into place. Next time your out of ammo and don't know what to do, have faith that these tips will guide you through the tough times and dry spells.
If you would like to learn more about me and the people I work with you can check out my website at kodilynnmilburn.com or my instagram @kodilmilburn. If you liked this post keep an eye out for my next blog: "The putting up your own work checklist"
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