Tom Kilgallen

Life has taken me on a great adventure and with the support of my family I am now able to focus on creative endeavors. Having started in the professional world as a technology and management consultant, I gained an appreciation for the success of the whole project and not just for my personal experience. If there was one lesson I could pass on to anyone it would be to see the bigger picture, more than yourself, and figure out how you can help it be a success. That is what drives me in my pursuit of acting and why I am a supporter of people who take chances.

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My acting started with the theater and a few musicals. This progressed into some dramatic roles and some classical roles. My work in film has primarily been in Independent films and series. Some of the films I have been a part of have gone on to successfully show in respected festivals. I will help students when I am available to. Students need to create and develop their craft and I have worked on fun projects with great schools in the area. This experience lead me to the understanding that I wanted to learn more about developing a character such that it is transparent for the audience.

 

Wynn Handman was my primary character teacher in NYC and I am thankful for the 2-3 years spent with him in his classes. He was amazing and a true pioneer and supporter of the Theater and of Actors. Training as an actor has also been one of the greatest joys of my life. The things I have learned during that process have directly affected my peronal life. The skills needed to bring reality to imaginary circumstances are often rooted in how we conduct ourselves and how we can bring that to a character. I have been very fortunate to study with some other great teachers who I keep in touch with and still work with for practice, preparation, and advice.  

 

Professionalism assumes many characteristics and there are a few traits (and more) that I bring to any job. To my work I bring respect for all people on the team. Successful projects start with understanding that every role has an importance to getting the job done. All of the people working together and communicating and pushing through challenges results in something, maybe with some great editing, that can be outstanding. Preparedness for any role regardless of the size is another way of being respectful. To my roles, I do my work ahead of time and show up prepared. The team can only move forward when everyone is there and ready to work. A strict adherence to schedules and timelines is important. I would rather be 10 minutes early and wait for everyone than be 10 minutes late and have everyone waiting on me. I've heard it said that you should start your day with a smile because the world will wear you down during the day. As much as I can, I bring with me a friendly demeanor. Everyone has their own challenges they carry with them and my hope is to bring a smile and great energy to any setting and keep the joy of creating alive. 

 

Proudly, I am a supporter of people looking to create something new. The challenge and risk of creating something new is at the core of telling stories and creating entertainment. My respect for everyone who takes on that challenge is great and if there is a way I can support them I will try. My house has been used for filming, I have contributed my pay to the project, and even when not cast will volunteer for other roles to help a project move forward. While resources are usually an issue for projects, having supporters, even just spoken words, can help greatly.

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All My Best,
Tom