Advice to Young Artists

by Cedric Hill '90

Scores of Gray Bee graduates, from the 1950s to present day, have forged a path from The Hive to successful and rewarding careers in the performing arts. Award-winning filmmaker Cedric Hill ’90 shares valuable guidance on how to get there.

I remember the day someone said to me, “This is what you were put on the earth to do.” A career in the arts is a calling. You do it because you don’t really have a choice. You keep going because you love it. Being on the red carpet and socializing with famous actors and actresses is fun, but these moments are the rare gems mined from long days and a lot of hard work. I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and learned a few things. So here is my advice to you, the young artist with big passion and bigger dreams.

Befriend failure

Fail often. Fail big. There is no GPA in life, there are only chances taken, and it’s okay to fail as long as you’re trying to get better. When I first started out, I broke a movie or two — to the point where we pretend they don’t exist. But that’s OK. Because you keep doing, keep trying, keep failing, keep getting better until one day you get to the place where you can say to yourself, “Okay, I got this.” You don’t learn anything if you don’t take chances. And, if you’re not learning, you’re not growing.

Fight for your excellence

Do not be OK with just OK. When I was at St. Benedict’s I learned that you don’t walk away until you get it right. Study, train, manage your expectations. If this is something you want to do, go out there and find out how to do it. Once you’re done with the training, with your degree, that’s when you’re actually going to start learning. Get off social media and focus on your craft. Your brand should be what you do, not what you make up. If you’re going to sign your name to something, you should be proud of it.

Do things the St. Benedict’s way

This industry is cutthroat and you can’t be soft, but you also want to be someone that people want to work with. Whatever hurts my brother, hurts me? That’s still the truth. Every day I strive for excellence by uplifting the people around me. Your talent may get you hired at first, but who you are as a person and how you show up in the world will get you every job after that. The friends I made and the bonds I forged during my time at St. Benedict’s are still with me today. Stay connected to your Gray Bee family.

There is no quick fix

TikTok will not make you a career in the arts. If you’re looking to make money, go find something else to do. These days are long — 14-16 hours. There is pressure and there is hard work, both physically and emotionally. You are playing the long game to become a professional, not a flash in the pan overnight sensation who everyone forgets about two days later. I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and am able to financially support myself because I work hard and don’t give up.

Don’t have a backup plan

Go for it with all you’ve got. Genius is usually stumped by fear of failure. Should you have a backup plan? Kind of. Whatever creative field you’re in, always find something within that art that you love doing. Diversify your interests so that you can pivot, be valuable and still be doing something you love.

The bottom line.

In this industry, the odds are not in your favor — everyone is replaceable. So what? You keep going because you love it. You stick it out because it’s the only thing you can imagine doing. And, remember, Gray Bees don’t give up.

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Cedric Hill ’90 is a director, producer, writer and proud Gray Bee. His short film Noisy won the American Pavilion’s Best Short Film Award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2022. When Mr. Hill is not traveling for film shoots or film festivals, he lives in Pennsylvania, where he is a professor of film at Harrisburg Area Community College.