Inspiring Conversations with Aaron Beelner of Mann Robinson Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Beelner

Hi Aaron, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Where I am at this moment compared to where I thought I wanted to be when I started are polar opposites. After college, I was utterly directionless. I enjoyed performing on stage and in front of the camera, but I didn’t have any form of a plan on how to pursue life as a working actor. My undergraduate degree was in communication. I decided to move from Iowa to Atlanta in mid 1996 because of my significant other at that time. She was from Georgia, and I wanted to live closer to her. I found jobs that had nothing to do with performance which quickly grew old. In the spring of 2002, I applied to graduate school for an M.F.A. in acting. I earned my master’s degree in 2005. I bumbled around for a few years after graduation, taking whatever gigs I could. It wasn’t until August 2009 I realized if I was going to be serious about my career, then almost everything about my life had to change. I did just that, both personally and professionally. I formed a network of people pursuing a similar path, and we created, produced, and shot our first film. With $120,ooo, we shot for 18 days in NYC, and produced a film titled The Little Tin Man. It did well in the festival circuit and, eventually, found homes on many of the streaming formats. Currently, it’s being repackaged and is now titled Long Story Short. It stars Kay Cannon (Pitch Perfect) and Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) and will be available via streaming very soon. I started a film production company and have been working alongside independent companies ever since. Mann Robinson Studios and Rose Bucket Productions have a full slate for 2024, 2025, and beyond.

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?
No, nothing is ever smooth in this industry. There is always a bump at some point. It took a considerable amount of time to build credibility and trust. I had to prove that the products I was creating were marketable and lucrative. It doesn’t matter how great your project is if doesn’t sell.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are advocating for the disabled community in order to have adequate representation in the entertainment industry. The U.S. has a population of over 333 million people 20% has some form of disability; yet, there is only 2% representation in our industry. We have made it our mission to promote and advocate for this community. We are proud to have started with this brand and to never falter from our objective.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I was raised on a farm in northwest Iowa, and I spent a lot of my childhood creating stories and acting them out on my parents’ homestead. I would watch my favorite shows on television then re-enact them. I also tried to create original stories. If only I had a camera, who knows what really horribly written, poorly lit, and ridiculously directed productions could have been captured.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mannrobinsonstudios.com
• Instagram: mannrobinsonstudios
• Other: aaronbeelner@gmail.com