Hanna Huguet’s dreams of becoming a professional actor will take her to New York immediately upon graduation from Surrey Christian Secondary next summer.
“I’m planning to move there and become part of the show business there, and grow in my acting and development there,” said the 17-year-old. “I’m going there by myself and (will) put myself out of my comfort zone and find my way through, without the need of support always.”
Huguet, a Fleetwood-area resident who also uses the name Hanna Darlene, is a relative newcomer to the world of acting, with only a few years of experience, but she’s quickly and confidently making the leap from dance to TV and film work.
Her work on social media has helped – so much, she’s now teaching others how to harness the power of Instagram, Twitter and other platforms.
On Wednesday (Aug. 30), Hanna and her mother, Tammy, will do a self-help podcast on the smartsocial.com website.
For the officialpremiere.com website, which showcases young actors, models, dancers and singers, she’s in charge of the company’s Vancouver-area social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Huguet is a firm believer in the reach of social media, especially Instagram.
“Social media has been so important for me so far, and I’ve had so many people reach out to me that way,” Huguet said. “They’re looking for talent, they see my photos, and casting directors see that, for a certain look. Having a clean and professional-looking account is important, and that really helps.”
Her work on social media has become a job in itself, to a point.
“There are certain times that you should post for the most people to see it, so I spend probably about two hours for Instagram, aside from leisure and fun time on it – that’s me just working and putting myself out there, networking with other users and followers,” she explained. “Usually in the morning while I have breakfast – 8 or 8:30 is prime time for that, I find. You’re thinking worldwide, right.”
To avoid potential dangers of social media, Huguet’s advice is simple.
“People ask about that, about harassment and that kind of thing, unkind words, but it’s best just to leave that aside,” she said. “I have people making fan pages for me, and I don’t know who they are, and the anonymous followers. They somehow glean information without you understanding how, so I am just cautious. The best thing is to have parents kind of watch what you’re posting, not adding too much (personal) detail about yourself, because the whole world sees what you post.”
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
