Justin Berti On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career in TV and Film
You don’t need an agent: You can use the numerous acting websites to submit to jobs. And get possible reels from student films or industrial. I am a living example of this.
As a part of our series about creating a successful career in TV and Film, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Justin Berti.
Justin Berti is meant to entertain and inspire. Well-traveled, he was born in Connecticut and spent time in Texas and New York City, with his last major stint of 12 years being in Tokyo, Japan. Creating a name for himself, Justin was acting, dancing, and modeling in almost all major entertainment genres you can think of in the Land of the Rising Sun. Leaving Japan and moving to L.A. in 2015, he has been on stage, on TV, and in film, making the most of his ambitions. The role of Elliot in the Showtime series Submission was the highlight of his first year back in the States and is what most of his fans know him from. But hopefully, this December, that will change, and his lead role playing Marco Laguna, in his first romantic comedy, “Divorce Bait,” will be getting him some new recognition. Tapping into his comedic skills and diving into this character has been such a breath of fresh air from his malicious deeds on the Lifetime channel. Justin has played the villain in over six Lifetime dramas in the past two years. Most notable are “Secret Lives of Housewives,” “Deadly Cheers,” and soon-to-be-released “Secrets in the Building.” Justin also starred in the independent film Frontera, which won over nine film festival awards, four of them for Best Picture, since its release in 2018.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was born in Connecticut, but due to divorce, the family moved to Houston, Texas, and I had my longest stint in Laguna Beach, California. Laguna is where I attended middle school and high school. I have no complaints about how much I moved; one, I didn’t have a choice, and two, I was blessed to be raised in such safe and creative communities. Also, the support I received from my parents and other family members is what any kid dreams of. I was raised a New York Yankee and Boston Celtic fan, and with all the different places I lived as a kid, I never changed my sports teams to avoid being made fun of at school. So as a kid, I learned to stand my ground and not allow peer pressure to persuade me in any way. I use this mentality to this day in my life and acting career.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was a talented baseball player in high school and college. My high school didn’t have incredible school spirit with certain sports because the school wasn’t that strong in the most commonly played sports, such as baseball, basketball, and football, at that time. So not many people would show up to my baseball games. Close to the end of my sophomore year, I was in a Video Production class taught by Mark Dressler, the head of the drama department at Laguna High. Mr. Dressler had always wanted me to be a part of the drama productions since I was in middle school because Mr. Dressler was also the head of the drama department at Thurston Middle School in Laguna. But I didn’t have time because I played baseball all year long in sunny California. So a requirement in the Video Production class was to film the annual school musical. That year’s musical was “Bye Bye Birdie.” For three nights, I would press record on the school’s camcorder, take a seat and watch the show. And every night, I heard the audience laugh, clap and give the actors a standing ovation after each performance. I thought to myself, “I’m out on the ball field, making great plays, having amazing at-bats; I’m an exciting player to watch. But no one is coming to my games. I swear to God, by next year, I will be on that stage.” So at the beginning of my junior year, I performed in my first play, “You Can’t Take it With You,” in the role of Tony, one of the leads. The acting bug attacked me with such ferocity that I am doing this interview for you about my acting career years later.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I officially started my career in NYC during my time attending Columbia University. But the most interesting story would be that my career took off during my 12-year stay in Tokyo, Japan. Most actors can’t say that they had a successful career in a foreign country. Though the projects I did in Japan didn’t translate as major jobs here in the United States, I did play a very small role in the movie Ramen Girl with the late Brittany Murphy. You can see me at the end of the film as one of the waiters at the ramen shop, where I have two lines with Brittany.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I pride myself on being a consummate professional when it comes to acting. Showing up on time, knowing my lines, hitting my marks, and truly not wasting anyone’s time because, in Showbiz, time is literally money. So one of my most embarrassing moments happens much later on in my career. I was hired to do a stage reading of a musical. This performance was solely to get investors interested in the production. I had a substantial role with one comedic duet I had to sing. One must understand that during a stage reading, the actors have the script in their hands, so there is no excuse for not knowing your lines. But I wanted to put some real pizzazz into my one song and felt that if I didn’t look at the lyrics, I could really sell the performance. In the middle of the song, I completely blanked on the words and made up my own lyrics while frantically looking at the script, trying to find my place. As I walked back to my seat on the stage, I felt the daggers coming from the other actors, who knew I had just made a huge rookie mistake. So what did I learn from this moment? If you’re going to show off, make sure you know what you’re doing and have your lines down 100%!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Right now, my number one focus is the release of my first romantic comedy, Divorce Bait, which comes out in theaters, digital, V.O.D. on December 9th. It is the most entertaining film I have been a part of, and I’m hoping to get as many eyes on it as possible. The premise of the film is a happily married woman posts on Social Media that she and her husband are getting a divorce just to see which of her friends will reach out to him to try and hook up. Who will take the BAIT? If you liked the raunchy comedy of “Girls Trip” and “Brides Maids” you’ll love this movie.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
If failure is your first concern, find another career path as soon as possible. I consider myself the Terminator of auditions. There is a scene in the original Terminator where the character of Reese says to Sarah Connor, “Listen and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear, and it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!” Now some auditions can feel like tiny deaths, but I took these lines and used them as motivation for my approach to auditions. You must keep going, destroying audition after audition without taking anything personally until you book the job. Once an audition is over, onto the next, don’t think about what you could’ve done better or how much you want the part, a Terminator doesn’t have any feelings. Its main objective is to give the best damn audition until the job is booked.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. You don’t need an agent: You can use the numerous acting websites to submit to jobs. And get possible reels from student films or industrials. I am a living example of this.
2. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on headshots: You have an iPhone with the portrait setting? You have a blank backdrop? Well, you now have a headshot studio. Use a self-timer or a friend, and you don’t need to spend a dime on headshots.
3. Have a slate shot on Actors Access: Actors Access is a website where you can submit for jobs. If you have a headshot, with a slate shot and reel to go with it, you will be on the first tier of talent to be looked at during the submission process.
4. Treat this like a business, not a high school play with your friends: Know what you are worth. Know when you book out for an extra role, you might miss out on a commercial audition that will pay your rent for the next three months, but also remember a big audition is not guaranteed money. All this means is you need to know what your risk to reward is with each project you take. A student film that pays you nothing but you are the lead and it will give you three amazing reels showing off your talent might be worth more to you than getting paid $1000 a day to be a hand model. It’s a business.
5. No matter what, find a side hustle: I’ve done everything from being an Uber driver to working in packaging to getting certified as a massage therapist to now doing day trading almost every day. All these jobs gave me the freedom to do auditions and take off days when I booked out for roles. A side hustle gives you more skills and gets your mind out of a state of desperation that you need to book acting jobs to survive.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Every audition is a win. Someone saw your headshot and your reel and thought this actor could be right for my project. Even if you don’t book the job, the more “no’s” you hear, the better chance a “yes” will pop up in between the “no’s.”
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Live an active and healthy lifestyle; that’s all I’ve ever promoted. You have to take care of your body because that is your tool in acting. Doesn’t get any more direct than that. I taught yoga for seven years in Tokyo and continue to exercise and eat right daily. Because there are so many setbacks in this industry that having a healthy body and mind when you encounter these trials and tribulations will only help you to overcome them, trust me on this!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mom and dad both supported me from the moment I stepped onto that stage at Laguna Beach High. More so my mom than my dad, but my dad has come a long way and now has the utmost respect for me, putting my neck out there every day, getting rejected, and still coming back for more.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
At 8th grade graduation, my Uncle Frank gave me a t-shirt that had that old school iron print letters with the quote, “There are no victims, only volunteers.” Had no clue what that meant at the time because I took it too literally. But now know what it means. You can think you are a victim of your life choices, but you did volunteer to choose that life path. It’s a quote of empowerment. You have control of your destiny!
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Patrick Bet David! He is an amazing speaker and has mastered the art of the interview. I would love to pick his brain on how he formulates his questions, how he plays devil’s advocate, and how he created his wealth.
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram @JustinBerti
Twitter @berti_justin
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
