[The Conversation] Stacy Hall

The Conversation is a segment of www.TheBlackBoxOffice.com where we turn the spotlight on the community of movie makers and movie lovers. Everyone from movers and shakers in the financial world to bloggers. From mommies to moguls. The conversation is about YOU. It’s about every film lover. It’s about the real people that build the film industry.

Today our conversation is with Stacy Hall, an actor/comedian. Get to know him the way we did…Enjoy the conversation!

1. What movie influenced you most? The Color Purple…
2. Who would play you in a biographical role? Forest Whitaker…
3. What movie would you love to star in? Batman…
4. What is worst movie you ever saw? I can’t say that I know of any.
5. Favorite piece of modern technology? The IPhone…

The conversation continues…

TBBO: When did you realize that you wanted to get into the entertainment business?

Stacy: I realized I wanted to be an entertainer at the age of 19 years old. Growing up I was always into to building things and playing sports since the early age of 4 years old. Up until I was 9 years old, my Mom worked very hard to take care of three boys on her own. So before my stepfather came into my life, my mom couldn’t always afford to get us toys, so I had to build my own to entertain myself, anything from making my own Hot Wheel cars to building clubhouses and basketball goals. No matter what, I had to be creative. From then on becoming an artist just came natural to me.

TBBO: Tell us about the start of your career as a stand up comedian.
Stacy: Well, I started stand up at the age of 21 in Atlanta, GA. I was always funny coming up in school and around my family. So one day after moving to Atlanta,GA from Madison, Mississippi, my cousin said “man you so funny”, you should become a comedian. So I showed up at a local night club in Atlanta called 559 where they had an open mic night. 559 was known as the toughest place to do stand-up in the country. A comedian by the name, Bruce Bruce was the first comic to hand me the mic. I went on stage and the crowd booed me so bad, it seemed like the walls was just vibrating. I mean it was a horrible first time on stage. I remember it was these guys throwing coins at me on stage at very high speeds. So I was dodging coins and getting booed at the same time. My cousin was with me that night and he said “that’s alright cuz, just keep coming back”. From then on, I just never gave up. I would go to Club 559 every Tuesday night and get booed off stage every Tuesday night, until one day months later, I got my first laugh and it’s been on ever since.

TBBO: Is it as easy as it looks getting the audience to laugh on BET’s Comicview?
Stacy: Let me put to you like this, even though it’s a TV audience you are performing in front of, you still have to be funny in order for them to laugh. I don’t care how many laugh tracks the production could add, you still have to come across funny on television in order for people to come see your shows on the road, but there is a feeling that I can’t totally explain how it feels to perform stand-up comedy on a television stage. You have to be there to know what I’m talking about.

TBBO: You were once homeless living out of your truck in Los Angeles. How has that experience changed you?
Stacy: It made me have even more trust in God, because I knew if he could bring through a storm like that, there is nothing he couldn’t do for me. You have to understand, when I was living in my truck, my back was against the wall. I couldn’t give up. I didn’t even have enough money to leave LA. So I had no choice but to keep going. My motto was as long as I get a chance to see another day, God could change something for the better, and he did.

TBBO: You recently played Vince on TNT’s hit series “Raising the Bar.” How was that experience working with Emmy Award Winning Producer Steven Bochco?
Stacy: To be Blessed to work with someone as respected as Steven Bochco have been the best thing that has happen in my career to this date. I remember going to the audition, thinking “I wonder will Steven Bochco be there”. I walked into the audition room and there he was, standing up up out of his chair to shake my hands and welcome me to the audition. In fact, it was Steven Bochco and David Fiege who hired me for the show, after the casting directors were nice enough to bring me in to audition for the part. Raising The Bar is a big break for me, and I thank GOD for it.

TBBO: What do you like most/least about the industry?
Stacy: The thing I like most about the industry is that every day is different and a big break can come when you least expect it. The least I like about the industry is when I see artists give up and stop believing in themselves. I want to see everyone succeed, because we might be able to be there for eachother more often.

TBBO: You have appeared in many commercials and on television shows, what advice would you give to someone who wanted to take that same career path?
Stacy: First of all, PUT GOD FIRST. Let him lead the way. Also, you have to have a passion for acting/stand-up. If you want to do it to just get on TV, your wasting your time and everyone elses. Remember this is Sho-Business. Time and time again I really stress to artists that you have to be about your business. Be willing to invest in yourself as for as getting great headshots, resumes, eating right, being on time for meetings, auditions, set calls,etc, and bringing your A game to work everyday. Work on self confidence, meaning believing that your the greatest at what you do. You have to ask yourself, what am I willing to endure? Sometimes you will have to work for free for the love of acting and honing your craft. Study,study,study….Take acting classes for the rest of your life. Never think you know enough. Some of the biggest stars today still have acting coaches. If you don’t believe me, ask Will Smith. Last but not least never give up, no matter what…

TBBO: You are also the Co- Founder of gbtvonline.com which features some of the hottest music artist interviews in the world such as Akon and Ray Lavender. How do you manage to balance the acting, comedy, and the music?

Stacy: I’m a business man… Point blank…LOL… Really, that’s what it takes. If you love and have a passion for different avenues, you will make time for them. Besides acting and stand-up, I love music. Somehow I found a way to connect with music artists through my journalism skills, and that’s what I call, knowing my place in music.As entertainers, we are all connected in some kind of way.

TBBO: You are a pretty wise man. Can you leave us with a quote?

“THANK GOD FOR BLESSING YOU WITH A DAY YOU NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND A DAY YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN…”