“It’s okay to look at others and say, that’s not my path.”
– Richard Sanchez
As creative professionals in the gig economy, it’s virtually impossible for all of us to follow a single path that leads to success. We are not doctors and lawyers. Even if we put in the work and do as we’re told, we can end up miserable on the same projects year after year after year as opposed to working on projects that creatively fulfill us. Heck, we can seemingly do all the right things (and even invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in advanced education and degrees) and still end up fetching people’s coffee!
So what’s the difference between those working consistently on dream projects they love versus those who spin on the hamster wheel of projects and dead-end jobs that go nowhere?
There are those who wait for opportunities to come to them, and then there are those who create their own opportunities.
Assistant editor (and co-creator of the Master the Workflow program) Richard Sanchez has belonged to both camps. In the past he found himself taking the same jobs over and over that didn’t really move him forwards. But after listening to my podcast interview with the creators of Cobra Kai where I systematically broke down my process to create my own dream job, something inside Richard changed.
Richard realized the only thing standing between him and his dream project was himself. This realization was step one in a series of steps that slowly changed the direction of his career and led him to working on his dream project, ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music.’
Listen to learn more about what specific steps Richard took to open the right door at the right time and create his own opportunities so that you can follow the same steps to create your own path to a more fulfilling career.
NOTE: This interview was conducted shortly before the pandemic struck (early March, 2020), so as you’re listening keep that in mind as we discuss things like going out for lunches, meetings, etc.
Richard became interested in editing while majoring in theatre at the University of California Irvine. Getting his start in unscripted television, he eventually worked his way into scripted television and feature films.
Richard’s television work include The Good Place and I’m Dying Up Here, having recently finished VFX editing on Catch-22 for Hulu, and is currently working on the upcoming feature film: Bill & Ted Face the Music.
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Glen McNiel.
The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).
Want to know what conversations really happen in the edit suite of major television shows like Cobra Kai? Get an honest look in this interview with the Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg.
