Everyday I'm Hustling

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘overnight success,’ where the hot new celebrity seems to burst out of obscurity to take over pop culture. The brutal truth is that there is no such thing, it takes years of blood, sweat, and tears to mold and shape a career in the entertainment industry. For those who bust their butt, like Shane Dean, they know what it takes to make dreams a reality.

Dean might not be a household name just yet, but that doesn’t mean his work ethic has faltered in any way. He has crafted his career from an early age to be the budding action star he is, and he’s not about to let it go. The way he does this is not only by determination, but by bouncing between day jobs and his career. This shift between creativity and normality not only is a necessity as he awaits his future big break, but it helps him stay grounded.

“I do still work very hard for a living in between screen time in Phoenix. I have worked for many years at Classic Delivery and Moving, out of necessity and also for training purposes. Working at a moving company in the Arizona summer is not only character building but it also gives me a very competitive edge in the training department,” Dean explains. “It surely keeps me in soldier condition so I am always ready for action on screen or in any other arena. I tell the young men that I train in the company that, ‘working in the AZ summer will either make you a soldier or break you to bits.’”

The support he receives from the owners of Classic Delivery, the Scotts, is something Dean is beyond grateful for. It’s important to have the confidence in your own goals, but having support from others is priceless. “They have kept me busy for many years and have been flexible for me when needed. So I am very thankful for that,“ Dean adds

There’s a freedom that comes along with the hustling between worlds. At times it may be exhausting, but with limitations come the greatest opportunity for innovation. For example, Dean handles all that comes with an entertainment career: website, social media, auditions, anything that will get him closer to his goal. Besides, with a job as traverse as a moving company, Dean never knows who he might run into. 

“Needless to say I have business cards in my pocket with my website included at all times.  You just never know who you may run into,” Dean says. “I have been on the cusp of some more and bigger projects in the works due to the extreme amounts of hustle I put out there. It is difficult juggling all that I do to keep my ship afloat but I manage to pull it off.”

There’s a benefit to being able to control your career, from when and where you insert yourself into the rat race. The industry can be hard, lessons sometimes are learned in unexacting way, and sometimes separation from that allows one to grow into who they are meant to be. Dean has had that opportunity, tested out the waters throughout his run, and found the exact place that would benefit most from the talent he possesses.

“In the most recent times I have been overwhelmed with everything so I am learning to better keep up with the seemingly accelerated metamorphosis that my career is moving at and doing my best to stay AHEAD of the game,” Dean adds.

In the last decade or so of the entertainment industry, the idea of making the big break in Hollywood has faded. The move to LA is not a necessity anymore, which has helped Dean find his place in the industry. He first made his bid for stardom when Arizona was the “back lot of LA,” as he put it. This allowed him to gain experience without being one of the herd that made their pilgrimage to LA. At the time it might have been strategic, finding the secret way into the film industry, but in turn it turned out to be exactly what he was made for.

“There was a market in Phoenix for a guy of my skill and mind set to make a bit of a mark in a smaller market while warming up to the Hollywood market,” Dean adds. “There has now emerged a prominent indie film market in the Phoenix area that is becoming competitive with LA and has indeed shown me some love throughout this journey I am on.”

While Dean is on track to dominate the action genre, with recent films like Slaves (a IDTVAF 2017 Officially Selected Film) and Coyotaje, Dean’s acting ability transcends all genres. A seasoned Shakespearean actor, Dean has also had his hand in the comedy, horror, and sci-fi genres, all requiring a subtle intensity to meld into the roles he embodies. The fact that he can separate himself from the sometimes imposing business aspect of the entertainment industry, he can focus on his craft and the true dream at hand. It’s obvious when meeting Dean that his love for action is beyond anything else, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up dominating in the action genre.

“Overall dominance as an Action Star, that does have a nice ring to it. So I guess I had better lace my boots on tighter because from my perspective…there is a lot more ACTION coming my way,” Dean teases.

It’ll be interesting witnessing Dean’s future journey through his career, and no matter where he ends up, he’ll always be the grounded, hard-working actor he was in the very beginning.

For more information on the projects Shane Dean (AKA Shark) is involved in, please head to his plethora of media platforms: website, IMDb page [make sure it’s Shane Dean (I)], Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

You can also contact him through his representation, Ford-Robert Black Agency.

Written by Lisa Mejia
Images provided by Ford-Robert Black