On being the recipient of multiple Emmy awards for The Bay, he said, “A win always feels unreal. I am always so grateful. With the Emmy success of the show, some folks have asked me if an Emmy win is just another door stopper, and the answer to that is ‘certainly not’. Whenever the show receives an Emmy, it is like a new angel is brought into our lives. We never ever take it for granted.”
Martin continued, “I had a mentor, Gerald Kessler, who was also a father figure to me. He and I produced several indie films together. Jerry died a little over a month before The Bay received its first Emmy win and I always felt that Emmy win came from him, in another universe. He gave me that first angel. Any time the show wins an Emmy, it always feels like another angel has come to watch over us.”
In addition to the Emmy wins, each day, Martin is also motivated by his two children (son Dante and daughter Isabella) as well as his ability to love. The best advice he was ever given was to “remember to love.” “My mother was all about love, and she instilled that in me,” he said.
“Despite any challenges that are brought into my world, being good and remembering to love is key,” he continued. “Entertainment is such a challenging industry, and there are times when things get really rough. But you have to remember to roll with the punches. My children are my life. And having the love of my children and the love and support of the people around me, like my best friend and producing partner Kristos [Andrews], who is always there to help make me better. That is part of what truly motivates me every day.”
For aspiring writers, directors, and producers, Martin encourages them to “keep learning.” “It is important to constantly learn. Never think you have all the answers because when you close yourself off from learning, you stop growing,” he said. “As an artist, you should never stop growing and always strive to make your work better.”
Digital transformation of the entertainment industry
On the impact of technology and streaming on the entertainment business, Martin said, “I am so grateful for the new streaming technology because we wouldn’t be where we are today without it. These digital platforms have helped independent filmmakers like myself get our work out there. These days you don’t need a studio to make that happen for you. You can actually do it yourself. It’s one of the great things I love about the digital streaming platforms.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as a filmmaker, he said, “Everybody is glued to their phones these days, which is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because you can respond to any business deals right away and everything is at your fingertips. Technology, however, is also a major distraction and sometimes it makes it impossible to be in the moment, to be in the present.”
On balancing family with a full-time career in entertainment, Martin acknowledged that it is very difficult. “When I first moved out to Los Angeles (from New York), I moved away from my son, who was only four years old at the time. It was so tough because I was so attached to him but I had to move out in order to really pursue my career,” he said.
Martin continued, “It wasn’t until I got myself into a position of making a true living being in entertainment that things got easier. I was able to provide for my son and my daughter and it finally all began to have a true purpose.”
For Martin, the word success is two-fold: life success and career success. “Career success is about knowing that you can always be better at what you do. Once you have a stable sense of that, you’ve reached success. You will continually grow and achieve whatever goals you want to achieve. The same applies in life and I strongly believe in the laws of attraction,” he said.
“Success is not about the accolades and the awards, even though they are certainly amazing accomplishments. It’s more about when you feel complete in your goal as a career man or a family man,” Martin added. “Success is completion, in whatever it is you truly desire. It’s when you reach those goals you’ve set for yourself, whatever they may be.”
For the fans of The Bay, he concluded, “Thank you so much for your dedication and love of the show. I hope you enjoy it, and I will do my best to keep bringing it to you.”
To learn more about the digital drama series The Bay, check out its official homepage.
