Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Emond.
Hi Brian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After NOT following in my siblings footsteps, I decided attend an arts magnet highschool. Due to the discrepancy between men and women at schools like this, boys tend to get placed everywhere they can, so I was quickly thrust into acting, singing, and dancing. While this imbalance is definitely unfair for young women, it gave me the chance to get a lot of experience very quickly.
Though I specialized in singing, I quickly found that my passion was more so in Acting. Once I graduated, I attended The University of Cincinnati – College Conservatory for Dramatic Performance.
During my senior year, I discovered stand-up, and, on a dare, decided to try it. I was immediately bitten by the bug, and dove head first into stand-up. For the next 8-9 years, I focused almost solely on that. I moved back home to Atlanta with it’s newly growing stand-up scene, and quickly became a regular on local showcases, and at the Laughing Skull Lounge.
While doing stand-up, I had always had acting – particularly film acting, as something of an end-goal. When I found a few collaborators around town, we decided took note of the number of filmmaker friends we had and created a monthly video sketch showcase/competition called “Ladie’s Night” (yes, spelled wrong, yes, we meant to) The show ran for several years over which we created around 75 different sketches.
Stand-up, as most know, is very difficult. Not just to do, but also to stick with. Around the 9 year mark, I found myself falling out of love with it. Given the success of our sketch showcase, I decided to pivot to focus again on writing, producing, and my main passion, acting.
While the showcase gave us plenty of good times and great exposure, it was a TON of work to get done, and we were beginning to burn out. Given that, we handed the show off, and one of the Directors and I decided to put our focus on creating our own feature.
After about a year writing, shooting, and editing, we came back with our first feature – 15 THINGS YOU DIDN”T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT. It’s a riff on VICE news and the hipster reporters who worked there, with a little bit of the horror genre thrown in.
We ended up getting distribution for our feature, so feel free to check it out online. Or don’t. I understand. There’s maybe too much content out there now!
Since then, I’ve focuses on some less comedic work, including my own directorial debut, “MALLET”, a decidedly non-comedic short film focused film about a sadistic masseuse.
I’m gearing up now to write my next short, which will likely stick within the horror genre.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all.
I was born with FSDH Muscular Dystrophy. While I could go on about the effects of the disease, it’s probably best to simply google it – explaining it over and over can become tiresome, especially when people start to become all “oh that’s so sad…” I just don’t feel like re-hashing it in detail when there’s plenty of resources to read up on it.
It’s presented persistent challenges throughout my life – acting, socially, physically.
I’ve had to also accept, no matter how much I may hate it, that’s it’s formed my identity. Having a disability forces you to see the world very differently than others. Many (especially the rich and able-bodied) see this world as a friendly place. I see this world as something of a curse that we, as people, must work to undo.
I don’t believe in Heaven, but I do think that we could turn this place into that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Acting, writing, producing, directing.
I think what sets me apart is my perspective. A lot of filmmakers are coming from a more similar background than they realize, which results in something of a homogenized collective body of work.
I’m proud that I’ve overcome my personal limitations to not only be a filmmaker, but to be one who’s seen some level of success. It’s not a lot, but it counts for a lot to me when it’s so hard won.
I’m also known for being pretty funny, despite my very dour outlook on things. I did spend 9 years in comedy!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I don’t. I found myself frequently without Mentors or anyone “seeing themself” in me.
What I have found worked is “just doing it”. Just fail. Stop thinking that you’re going to nail on the first take, or even the 100th take. Just go out there and start shooting. Write the script and get it submit. Don’t wait for funding – strip down the budget and produce it yourself.
Given how many folks in the film industry are waiting on someone else to give them the greenlight, being a person who just gets it done is going to draw people to you. It’s impressive, and it shows that you’re something of a doer – which makes you stand out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianemond/
