Surviving As A Working Creative: Takeaways from Tribeca

Sebastian Martinez
Jun 16
5 min read

By Sebastian Martinez - Current Creative, Former Assistant at Paradigm

Last week, I attended the Tribeca panel “Surviving as a Working Creative,” a topic that had been on my mind lately. I was an assistant at Paradigm Talent Agency until the start of 2025, when I left to focus on my creative pursuits as a comedian, performer, writer, and producer. Needless to say… While I love what I do and have no regrets, it’s been a rough road since then without the insurance, consistent paycheck, and guaranteed hours. In a world where it’s rare to make a living as a creative, the panel promised to share "strategies working creatives are using to build financial freedom, tangible advice, fresh ideas, and solidarity in the hustle," which was exactly what I needed.

The speakers, Tamarra Campbell (Founder, Tmedia Impact Solutions LLC), Princess A. Hairston (director, Emmy-nominated editor), and Michèle Stephenson (Emmy-winning artist and filmmaker), talked about their own journeys to being full time creatives, what worked best for them, things they wish they had known, and offered advice to people like myself who are just starting out. By the end, I was more confident in myself, in my decision to leave my day job, and confident that I need to trust the process and continue my creative work as much as I can.

The topic, “surviving as a working creative” in our current industry, is a brutal but serious one - something the moderator, Kitty Hu, immediately acknowledged. She began by leading the audience in a collective deep breath, in and out. Any tension in the room seemed to disappear as we exhaled, and we were ready to dive in.

One of the first questions Kitty asked was for the panelists to recall the moment in their lives where they were debating continuing as a creative. Tamarra Campbell’s answer struck me. She recalled a moment when she had little-to-nothing in her bank account after dedicating so much time to working on a film with friends. She was scared for a moment, but it was a turning point for her when she quickly realized: “This is a business. I don’t have a Plan-B and I never will.”

I thought of the times during my assistant job when I would consider whether or not I was going to be able to write and perform comedy professionally. Even after handing in my two weeks notice, I still had doubts. I would ask myself all the time, “What are you doing!? Wouldn’t it be easier to get that consistent paycheck while still getting to work in entertainment, then go home and play video games after?” I still ask myself that sometimes, but now, after reflecting on Tamarra’s story, I have an answer:

The easier route (the paycheck and video games) isn’t always the “right” one, when the other option is following your dreams. Both routes will have struggles - either the struggle to be happy or the struggle to “make it” - but only one of them will allow me to find out if the struggle is worth it. I was also reminded that, for better or for worse, so much of what we do in entertainment requires an all-or-nothing mindset. We do what we can, not because it’s the “right” choice, but because it’s the only choice that will provide us with results.

Michèle Stephenson advised we consider a different perspective than Tamarra’s - that sometimes it’s better to not think of your art as a business, so you don’t forget that this is all for a higher purpose. I believe both Tamarra and Michèle’s points can be true at the same time. Together, they made me consider: While it is important to continue to look out for yourself as a business and product in the industry, we cannot forget the purpose for the art that we create. Our art is another way for us to communicate a message, so if we keep a 100% business-oriented mindset, that purpose can get lost. When we look at the larger topic of trying to survive as a working creative, we often search for the balance of selling our art while also being truthful to the stories we want to tell. Is it possible? I believe it is.

Another powerful takeaway was shared by Princess A. Hairston: “How you move now will dictate how you move in the future.” We embrace living in the present, but we also need to look out for tomorrow. In a time when the industry is arguably at one of its lowest points for employment and paid work, it’s not the worst thing to begin developing habits for our future-self to have in the years to come.

Taking control of the steering wheel of my career and saying “I’m going to leave my job and bet on myself” was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Normally, I’m afraid of quitting ANYTHING. I hate having tough conversations and potentially being the reason for a setback, a cancellation, or worse…trauma. Handing in my notice allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and to remind myself that I’m in charge of my life and career. This is a habit I must develop within an industry famous for its bullying, power dynamics, and other ethical issues.

Amidst the awful headlines, cut DEI programs, slashed art funding, layoffs, and an industry that’s generally struggling, the panelists provided wonderful solutions for when our creative juices aren’t flowing and we’re just not mentally doing well. Finding paid and sustainable work as a creative is a surefire hellscape at the moment, so I, and many others like me, have been facing a lot more doubt than optimism lately. Even in these moments of doubt, it’s important to find light in the darkest of places. Specifically, Princess suggested we go out and consume art when we’re down and need inspiration. Michèle reminded us to connect with friends we haven’t seen in awhile.

Tamarra closed out the panel with her choice of words that she’d like the audience to take away: “be patient.” And she’s right: We must have patience in this dark time. We must have patience that jobs will open up. We MUST have patience that everything will be better soon. So in the meantime, let’s develop that wondrous skill of patience. I mean, after all, how we move now will dictate how we move in the future.

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Sebastian Martinez is an NYC-based comedian/writer/actor/producer. He got his start in the entertainment industry as a child-reporter for the YouTube channel, iKidsnowdotcom. There, he and his brother would interview many young celebrities such as Selena Gomez, The Jonas Brothers, and Ariana Grande. This led him to becoming a working actor and amassing credits in projects such as Last O.G, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Blue Bloods. Upon graduating from the Tisch School of the Arts, where he focused on writing/directing episodic television, Sebastian dove into studying improv & sketch at the Upright Citizens Brigade & Brooklyn Comedy Collective. He can currently be seen either producing/performing in the UCB-monthly show, THEATRE THE IMPROVISED PLAY or on the PIT house sketch-team, PEOPLE’S SKETCH REVUE. In the future, Sebastian hopes to continue in the comedy realm in a variety of roles and eventually, create his own original comedy series.