Today we’d like to introduce you to Asante Bates.
Hi Asante, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a young, Black creative trying to find my path in the entertainment industry. I truly believe in the phrase, “You learn something new every day,” because there is so much to learn about the world. At Fisk University, I majored in Elective Studies and minored in Film. However, when people ask me what my major was I say film because it is easier to explain than a major where I pick classes that are geared towards the major I want that does not exist at the school. In addition to film, I am a huge theatre girl; I am a part of Alpha Psi Omega which is the national Greek theatre organization. I held the title of President of our school’s theatre organization, Stagecrafters, for two years. Currently, I am working at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park as a ride operator and at guest relations. I really enjoy acting so when I’m at home I’ll do self-tapes and watch specific forms of television and movies to learn from other actors, especially the ones who have been doing this for a long time. What I enjoy most is reading and writing. I always tell my friends that you cannot be a good writer if you do not like to read. At the beginning of this year, I made a bucket list with my mom and one of the items I wrote was to read 6 books by the end of the year. I am happy to say that by the end of July I was able to read 20 books! With my writing my main focus is scripts, although I am currently working on a book, and this year I have written 3. One of them was my feature film project that took me a total of two years but it was worth it to see my vision on the page. The others were a combination of television scripts and stageplays. Something I’ve learned since graduating college and trying to find a path in this industry is that it can feel impossible, confusing, and lonely. That does not mean you should stop fighting for what you are meant to do. Even though I have my bad days, the good days shine brighter. Right now I am in a one-act theatre production that I am super excited for. Overall, I hope that anyone reading my story understands that even if it feels like there is no light today, the sun will always come out tomorrow.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For a while I did have a smooth road in the entertainment industry. All before my college years, my mom was the one who kept my siblings and I in the industry. We all have various national commercials, my mom has tv appearances, and we all starred in my mom and aunt’s YouTube series. Now that I am grown, I’ve had to take on the burden of making my own road. My mom will always be there for me but there is only so much people can do for others. Since graduating college, it has been hard to try and find long term jobs related to writing and acting. I have applied to numerous jobs and programs to help strengthen my skills, but those doors keep closing. One of my favorite “pick-me-up” songs is “Get Back Up Again” by Anna Kendrick from “Trolls’’; the song tells you that no matter how hard life knocks you down, you can always get back up again. No journey is ever smooth, everyone works hard for everything that they have accomplished and that is not different for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
For theatre, I am most proud of producing my own show. I wrote, cast, directed, and produced not only my own show but a friend of mine during our student-led production. Watching your work come to life on stage is indescribable because it is not only my work but it was the cast, crew, all my friends who volunteered, and fellow Stagecrafters. The best part of my production “Communicated Love” was that some of my family from Chicago made the drive all the way down to Tennessee to come see the show! For film, I am most proud of my film “A Fisk Love Story” that once again I did almost everything except hold the camera; I even ended up acting in it as one of our members dropped out at the last minute. What sets me apart is that I am very meticulous and enjoy having a thorough plan for my projects. Even then I know that if something can go wrong it will go wrong, so I also prepare a fail-safe plan. I love being organized because it allows the big picture to be seen in its entirety.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, my personality shone from the start. My Grandaddy told me that he had taken a different route to bring us home and I told him that was not the street we usually take, and I was no more than five. Being the eldest daughter, I always held myself to a standard that honestly no one else was holding me to. I wanted to be perfect at any and everything that I did which personally I succeeded in most aspects. Then by the time I got to college I was starting to learn that there is not a collective decision on what the word perfect means. Everyone can define perfection in their own way. In addition, my family and friends describe me as a type A person; that is incredibly true because I’m a little extreme when it comes to time urgency, ambitious to anything I put my mind to, and as stated before a drive for perfection.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prynsetta04/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asante-bates-029ab72a2/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrynsettasPOV
