Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
I’m a SAG actor, writer, digital content creator and podcaster who loves all things comedy. I specialize in creating original digital content that highlights the comedic side of unrealistic societal and beauty trends. I also have a Spotify original podcast called POPSPIRACY! that I host every Monday night with my partner, Erin Darling. In it, we break down all of the most controversial and over-the-top pop culture conspiracy theories.
I’ve worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade and love all aspects of filmmaking. Originally starting as an actor, I quickly discovered my love for writing, producing and directing, which led me to create my own production company, Wake and Make Media. My company has worked with artists of all kinds to create music videos, series, short films and feature films as well as corporate content for businesses. We’ve worked with brands such as Miss Universe, PBR, Spotify, MTV, and more! Overall, I just love the process of creating content and whether that be a stand up set, a short film or a podcast episode, I’m all in!
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
To be honest, when I first got into the entertainment industry I was told by almost everyone that my focus was way too wide and I needed to just focus on one thing. However, that didn’t align with my gut and I knew that I wanted to learn all aspects of filmmaking so I could eventually make my own productions. If I’d listened to everyone telling me “no”, I never would have branched out and learned a lot of other skill sets that has led me to run my own company and have my own podcast.
Therefore, I’d have to pride myself on my innovation and adaptability. When Instagram expanded to video, I immediately jumped into creating digital content. From there, I was able to learn all aspects of filming and continue to grow my career in more than one way.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
I’ve had many moments throughout my career that I’ve caught myself looking around and thinking, “wow, I can’t believe that I’m here right now when I always dreamed of this”. However, there was a moment in time when I was filming a series that is currently on Amazon Prime called Verified. I had wanted to share my story about a bad relationship I had been in and Verified was a super meaningful and close project. It took me months to get the courage to finish writing the series and then assemble a crew of people to bring this project to life. Thanks to a lot of hard work, great friends and super talented creators, we were officially filming Verified.
The first day of filming, we were in my apartment and I looked around and remember thinking, “this is so freaking cool.” The people I had cast in the project I had always wanted to work with and the team of people that had come together to make this happen were so amazing. I knew I was in the right place and I was supposed to be sharing my story this way. It felt like an out of body experience and I’ll always remember it.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
I could probably write a novel about this because being in the entertainment industry isn’t exactly a cake walk. I entered the industry completely naive and pretty much unaware of what I was getting myself into so this was a recipe for disaster in the sense that I really got taken advantage of the first couple of years I was in Hollywood. One of the biggest challenges for me throughout my time in the industry was learning to not give up. I’ve had SO many days where I wanted to throw the towel in or just go to law school (my original plan b) because of the struggle of trying to “make it”.
It’s really easy to give up when so many doors are closed and you’re told “no” so many times. However, I was lucky enough to have a few mentors who were really encouraging and always reminded me of why I started and why I would be upset if I quit. I look back at all the days I struggled with the anxiety of knowing when my next gig would pop up or how I’d establish myself and think of how proud of myself that I didn’t quit.
If you had to pick the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could take your career (or business) to the next level…who would those 3 people be?
I love all things comedy so a few comedians I would be dying to work with and meet would be Adam Sandler, Vince Vaughn and Chris Lilly (Australian comedian).
Follow Megan Nager on her social media profiles:
Instagram: @meganagercomedy
Tiktok: @itsconspiracyseriously
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChsqmSKcrs9aHpoLV2jUMiQ