Taylor Blackwell's Music and path to directing

Taylor Blackwell shares her journey from child actor mentored by Burt Reynolds to multi-talented creator writing, directing, and starring in her own projects. She discusses the creative freedom that comes with having more control over her artistic vision and the excitement of bringing stories to life.

• Started acting at age 5, later incorporating music into her career
• Met Burt Reynolds at age 10 and became his student until his passing
• Values the creative control of developing her own projects
• Recently completed "It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story," where she wrote, directed, and starred
• Chose Judy Tenuta's story partly because both play accordion
• Found similarities between Judy's journey to find her voice and her own artistic development
• Creating a comfortable environment for cast and crew brings out their best performances
• Currently working on a second album described as an "indie rock musical"
• Aspires to become a showrunner and tour as a musician
• Passionate about animal rights and works with Mercy for Animals

Find Taylor on Instagram and YouTube @themusicalmushroom or email tayblackwell@gmail.com to connect about film festival opportunities.