Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Chambers.
Hi Heather, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I moved to Texas in 2009. We came for his job and decided I’d spend a few years at home starting the family we’d been planning. Being able to afford to stay home was a blessing, and it was grateful, but I was finding myself more and more isolated. Glen’s job called for more and more travel, and I was often alone. I had a very supportive group of friends, who I adore, but my social interactions were limited. I missed being part of a team and the achievement that comes from a job well done. I missed my independence. I looked into getting a work visa, but I wasn’t eligible. If I wanted to study, I’d need to pay for a student visa, and even volunteering wasn’t allowed, to ensure I couldn’t take work from American citizens. I felt powerless and completely useless. Solace came in the unlikely form of extra work. As independent movies are, essentially, art projects, I was able to take non-speaking parts that weren’t paid. My first gig was on the set of Osprey, and that day was life-changing. I felt like I’d found my people! The roles weren’t important, but being able to get out of the house and do something I loved gave me something to focus on and look forward to.
Years later, I finally got my work visa and was able to move into commercial work and bigger budget productions. I got an agent and found all kinds of fun projects, from modeling work to playing the victim in a Virtual Reality gun training video for police officers. Having seen both sides, I have found that even when finance allows for a bigger crew, on-set catering and professional hair and make up, it’s still the people who are the best thing about being on set. There’s a joy to experiencing a disparate group come together and use their combined talents to create something amazing. That joy is the same, whether it’s a micro-budget independent movie or a TV commercial for a big brand. I still love it all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As for many people, 2020 was a challenge for me. All the work I had lined up fell away, and I had the children home needing constant attention once again. While I was happy to be safe and isolated from the virus, it still felt like the walls were closing in some days. To my great relief, I was able to land a couple of lockdown jobs that kept me sane; a socially distanced outdoor photoshoot for a safety visor and one filmed on Zoom to promote a law firm’s transition to online depositions. One Saturday, as I headed downtown to collect take-out, I heard Alex James’ anti-lockdown really going on at the Capitol Building. I parked up to watch. It was fascinating. Like outdoor theater, but this wasn’t a play. It was history happening in front of me. It was clear at this point that covid-19 was going to seriously limit my opportunities. Now I wondered if I needed a change of direction. After a lot of online research, I found a master’s in Digital Journalism course I can do entirely from home. With these new skills, I’ll be able to use my on-camera experience to tell real stories about the world we live in.
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?
Early on in my career, I had no work visa, so every job I did was unpaid. This limited my options but also stopped me from doing endless, meaningless commercials. Instead, I played a reporter in Red All Over (https://www.amazon.com/Red-All-Over-Victor-Love/dp/B07QYXFG37), a film that raises important issues about how gun control affects real people. I worked with HUE TV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh0QjBIZoAw), a start-up with a mission to bring more talented people of color into the entertainment industry. Both were worthy projects, but as budgets were tight, they relied heavily on people bringing their best. I learned so much from so many talented artists during that time. Later on, I got an agent who taught me that models are needed to represent all walks of life. I got my first professional modeling gig in my mid-thirties on a stock photography shoot.
Later on, my work as a model scout for the same agency allowed me to preach a clear message of body positivity and inclusivity. It’s a popular myth that models have to look a certain way. That may be the case in major cities that need runway models but, here in Austin, the demand is for talent that represents real people.
Moving forward, I’d like to use my Masters to do more journalism. Particularly to highlight the effects of immigration policy on real people. My visa system experience has made me realize it can be problematic and detrimental to mental health. I want to follow that story and see where it goes.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have to give a shout out to my agent, Tiffany, at TL Modeling https://tlmodelingagency.com/women/ She is a strong, inspirational woman who taught me a lot about how the industry works and how to be confident in my own skin.
John Wayne S. III of London Town Pictures deserves mention for offering me my first speaking role in a movie. Still, my best day ever on set. He really knows how to put a good show together. I’m working with him on a new project now, the movie Ebony Hustle, and I’m excited to see what he does next!
Patrick Thornton was an inspiration at HUE and so patient on the days I didn’t get it! He was a great director and so supportive of my writing, encouraging me to keep at it. He’s also one of the best things to happen to community theater ever!
My husband Glen spent whole days on kid-duty so I could be on set, rehearsing, or an acting class. I needed to be more than just Mommy, and his support has been crucial to everything I’ve done.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: facebook.com/heathersactorpage
- Other: https://tlmodelingagency.com/
Image Credits
Nival Photography (images 2,3,7) Melissa Hay (4) Anthem in Art (5) Still from Red All Over, Londyn Town Pictures All other photos are mine.
Ebony Hustle movie shoot (last 3 photos)
