His theatre endeavors soon brought him into the world of film with the help of award-winning actors and coaches including Tammy Gillis, Judah Katz, Onalee Ames, and Tony Alcantar. In a short amount of time, Jeff booked roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest names including Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Diane Kruger, Tom Ellis, Diane Neal, and Lauren German.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I'm an actor/performer with extensive training in acting, dancing, and singing. I was born in the Philippines but immigrated with my family to Canada at the age of twelve.
I've worked with Hollywood stars such as Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Diane Kruger, Tom Ellis, and Lauren German to name a few. I lived and worked in LA, Vancouver, and Toronto but now residing in Winnipeg where I create Youtube content while still pursuant to an acting career.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?
I was encouraged by my mother to join dance groups in Kindergarten and have since done it for more than ten years. All throughout high school, I was involved in a dance group where we competed with other highschool dance groups for about 4 years.
I didn't fully pursue dancing professionally until I was in University where I joined a dance company. Throughout more than a decade, I was able to learn a wide range of dance styles from hip-hop to contemporary to ballet.
The dance company was short-lived as I became more involved with acting for tv and film and since then dedicated my time and training to become an actor. It's been quite a journey, but I was interested in many different areas of entertainment so I tried a lot of things and eventually found where I am most passionate about.
3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an artist?
It definitely needs to start within yourself. Many artists have struggled and are still struggling with their confidence so it's definitely okay to have a sort of battle with self-confidence and getting out there.
We're in an industry where we need to put ourselves out there in front of the public to share our talents. It's not easy. But at the end of the day, your passion will fuel yourself to grow as a human being and an artist.
When struggling, remember why you love what you're doing. Watch a dance Youtube video, watch a movie, read a book, watch a musical. Be consistently inspired but others. That will allow you to push yourself to grow your confidence and in return, be a better artist.
4. Is vlogging and YouTube content creation a financially sustainable career?
Vlogging and Youtube content creation can definitely be a financially sustainable career. But the most important thing for you to do to be able to get there is to practice patience and have the determination to pursue this for a long time. It won't happen overnight.
Each content creator is different. Find what you're passionate about and make content with that in mind. People won't watch you if you are not passionate about your videos. Whether it's teaching people how to do something, or just talking about your daily life.
Find your niche. Be creative. Be inspired. Be consistent with your uploads. And more importantly, be kind to yourself. Having 20 views in one day is okay. Use numbers as a guide to making your content better. What can you do to get 40 views next time? And so on and so forth.
Apart from Youtube, it would also be best if you can manage an extension of your content outside of this platform. This could be through selling products, having a monthly subscription, etc.
For example, actors don't just earn money from doing movies/tv shows. They also seek out sponsorships and endorsements, teach other actors, hold workshops, etc. Youtube is just one platform that you can make money from. But definitely don't limit yourself to one platform.
5. How and where do you find inspiration to churn out content?
My channel is very niche. Reaction to kpop videos is a never-ending cycle as we are part of a massive industry that produces tons of content every day. There is always something to do.
But with my channel's niche -- analyzing the performance aspect of kpop -- I am able to select which videos I want to do and be strategic about it along with my genuine passion for the genre. I am inspired by great choreography and vocal performances.
With my niche and demographic in mind, I am picky with which kpop groups to follow as to build a brand that would benefit my channel and my audience in the future.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
Don't spread yourself thin. Meaning you can try everything -- from dancing to acting to making Youtube videos to photography, etc -- but allow yourself to be an expert at one-two things.
That's most likely going to be your main passion and what drives you forward. Your energy is priceless. And if you put your energy in 1-2 things instead of 6-10 different things, you will have a better chance of getting better at your craft and hence being able to monetize your creative outlets so you can pursue your passion for a living.
But with a lot of things in the world, creative endeavors take time. It's okay to be tired, and it's okay to take a rest when you need it. Your body and mind are important.
Work hard, but definitely take a rest when you need to. Your emotional and physical health is important. There's no shame in that. It will only benefit you in the future.
7. What are your upcoming projects?
As the pandemic hit, the entertainment industry slowed down quite a bit and opportunities became scarce. But as it slowly gets better, I have recently booked a movie that I will be shooting in the next several weeks to be released during the Christmas season.
While doing that, I'm running my Youtube channel and always thinking of different ways to get my audience excited.
8. Which is your favorite book and why?
I don't read a lot of books but one that has stuck with me ever since is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. My English teacher in high school recommended it to me and it's been such an important part of my journey as a creative.
The book is about finding your dream. The book also encourages us to follow our dream wherever it may lead us and be open to unexpected things life may present.
Youtube channel - @Jeff Avenue
Born in Batangas, Philippines, he and his family moved to Winnipeg, Canada at the age of twelve. His passion for the arts started out as a young kid when his mom put him in dance groups. Jeff has extensive training in contemporary dance, hip-hop, lyrical, and jazz.
That passion continued on to his time in high school where he booked back-to-back lead roles in their musical productions. Jeff immediately fell in love with the acting process and pursued it in university, taking on advanced theatre classes.
Before he can even graduate, he booked his first major theatre role in the world premiere of Empty, an original play by renowned Canadian playwright, Hope Mcintyre. He later joined his castmates on a tour after sold-out shows.
His theatre endeavors soon brought him into the world of film with the help of award-winning actors and coaches including Tammy Gillis, Judah Katz, Onalee Ames, and Tony Alcantar.
In a short amount of time, Jeff booked roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest names including Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Diane Kruger, Tom Ellis, Diane Neal, and Lauren German.
Jeff Reyes (Professional Film, Television, and Stage Actor)
Jeff’s Youtube channel (Jeff Avenue), was born out of his love for the performing arts and Kpop on January 9th, 2020. The genre’s use of competitive-level choreography hooked him into loving its unique culture.
With his strong knowledge of performing - from dancing to singing to acting, his specialty naturally leaned towards the analysis of kpop group performances. He has amassed a fast-growing subscriber count of 100,000 unique subscribers in less than 9 months.
In a short amount of time, he became a trusted go-to for Kpop fans who are interested in learning about the genre’s performing aspect. While running his Youtube Channel, Jeff is still actively working in the film and television industry.
Links:
Official Website: http://jeffavenue.com
Youtube Channel: http://youtube.com/c/jeffavenue
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jeffreyes__
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffreyes__
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1 Comments
Wonderful! Lots of great advice!
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