Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Brown.
Hi Patrick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an Army veteran and moved to Atlanta with my wife when I got out in October, 2013. I had no clue what I was going to do when starting a new career, I started to lose hope quickly, structure, and a support system to lean on when I needed help. I was starting to spin out of control mentally not thinking I would be able to establish myself again. I wanted to gain that sense of purpose that I had while serving. I was looking for jobs online one day and took a break, did the typical scroll down the rabbit hole on Facebook when I saw a post about a film that was looking for military veterans to play extras and I thought I had nothing else to do, why not apply? The movie was called Thank You For Your Service and it was being filmed all around Atlanta.
The first day on set, I was given a military uniform that was all too familiar and then looked over by the military advisor on set. He told me I was good to go and to head to set. He quickly stopped me as I was starting to walk away and asked me if I could help him check out the rest of the other extra’s uniforms. Later that day he asked if I could help run the 21-gun salute for a memorial scene the following week. I quickly accepted and when that following week came up, we were on set and I was asked to go see the sound techs to get mic’d up because I was given a line during the memorial scene we rehearsed for. My second day stepping on a film set. I am getting asked to speak, I didn’t know what to think while everyone else is telling me how lucky I am that this is happening when I’m just thinking to myself, if it’s this easy then maybe I should stick with acting…… A couple of months go by after filming that scene in 2015, finally I get a job in South Alabama teaching survival techniques to soldiers who are at high risk of being captured while overseas. Eight months go by, my phone rings and on the other line is the production supervisor for Pitch Perfect 3, asking me to come interview to be their military advisor. I am thinking, wait a minute. Pitch Perfect 3 is a movie about singing girls, what in the world would they do with me? Little did I know what the movie would be about… Once I proved my worth on Pitch Perfect 3, I was finally using all the knowledge again that I have gained over the almost nine years while serving. I was starting to feel that sense of purpose again being able to give back and teach others some fairly basic military stuff and help these productions in the littlest ways by making sure these minute details are accurate.
Things quickly started to pick up mid-way through Pitch Perfect 3 and I was getting asked to come in and interview for MacGyver, SEAL Team 6, then finally Rampage.
In between PP3 and Rampage, I was able to assist on The Darkest Minds with training their extras and actors with basic military movements, walking in a formation and weapon techniques. That production wrapped and that very next Monday I had my first production meeting with Rampage. The producers had me on the moon with excitement. I was being able to REALLY get to use what I learned in the military with all my training in the courses I’ve gone through over the years. I was asked to run a mini boot camp and weapons familiarization for the actors who are hunting one of the beasts in the film. It went as smooth as possible from training UFC legend Urijah Faber to Joe Manganiello and The Rock. Work exploded from wrapping up Rampage, flying to LA to a movie premier then having to get back to ATL and head right to the set of Avengers Endgame. I was asked to advise on a flashback scene within the film. Between takes I was able to talk with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr about my military experience, little did Chris Evans know the unit in the comic books that Captain America served in was the same unit at my first duty station in Germany. The 1-26 Blue Spaders. After Avengers, I was quickly making a name for myself. I was getting asked to do on the side with training actors outside of productions that were currently filming. A lot of the time while not filming, I would be going to the shooting range with others because they wanted to make sure they were giving their role everything they had. Not long after Avengers I was brought onto Godzilla King of Monsters running the bootcamp, then onto Son of Shaft, The Watchmen, The Passage and Stranger Things. I got to see all sides of production from being on camera, being behind the camera, preparing actors to play their roles, working with writers when going over military lingo, to the production meetings and planning. It is a career I never thought I would fall into, but it’s fast pace, fun, exciting and pretty draining.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are struggles with everything in the industry. It is very competitive and with my role as a military advisor there are 1, not a lot of films need advisors. 2, once people learn about this role, everyone wants the IN and 3, asking never hurts. I would go weeks without work, so trying to keep that ball rolling and finding the motivation to keep going was difficult. I was still dealing with my own mental health issues with PTSD from previous combat deployments and now the new anxiety of having to find work to provide for my family. I would get excited about a potential job for it to fall through and not have the need for an advisor or for them to hire someone else. I would ask myself, how do I make myself stand out among others? I knew I already had had the knowledge, the skill and experience. Having to establish myself in a whole different career path I knew I had to work on my self-confidence and make sure those producers know that I AM the guy they want, no question about it. I would get offers to work the whole length of the film going to exotic locations and all of this other stuff to end up working two weeks and not going anywhere with production because a producer was friends with another guy who knew a guy and the story goes on. Nothing is promised, I learned that real quick.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work full time for a non- profit called The Warrior Alliance. Working across multiple organizations with a set of shared outcomes, The Warrior Alliance (TWA) serves as Georgia’s “backbone” organization to connect veterans and their families to the services they need. Our mission is to drive collaboration of veteran services that enable veterans and their families to achieve transition success and fulfill a life of purpose within their communities. We focus on all eras of military veterans and their families that require assistance to reintegrate into a civilian lifestyle successfully. Our unique collaboration model works to simplify, accelerate, and streamline the process for veterans seeking help in all areas relating to their health and wellness, finance, housing, recreating, volunteering, employment, community, education, spiritual, legal, and benefits needs. TWA’s collaboration model and wraparound methodology empower us to solve big problems. We leverage our approach to understand the root cause, take preventative action, and improve veterans’ lives. We are also addressing the highest risk Veteran population by going into combat to fight instability and purpose loss. The on the side, I am a self-employed tactical trainer/survival specialist who brings realism to film by teaching actors, stuntmen and women and background actors’ real-life techniques that I was taught while serving. From picking out of handcuffs, defeating camera systems, to teaching an actor how to walk and talk like a soldier. I think I set myself apart from others by my demeanor. I try not to come off as this tough military guy, but rather have a softer approach than your typical drill sergeant. I am training people who have never done this stuff before so bringing it down to a fun and enjoyable training method makes it fun.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Diversity, choice, opportunity! No matter what set I am on there are always people who are from different backgrounds, religions, demographics, who have different degrees who all came together for a common goal. For the movie to be made and for their work to be recognized. Atlanta is full of dreamers, creatives, athletes, and we all want to see our city strive. Film brings people together and Atlanta is the hub for diversity. What I do NOT like is the TRAFFIC! Well, pre 2020 traffic. It was awful to get anywhere without hitting the dreaded stop and go no matter where you are.
Pricing:
- Training, $100/hour
Contact Info:
- Email: brownpatrick125@gmail.com
- Instagram: @patrick__brown
