We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Barry Levy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Barry thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

I originally started writing in order to make my first feature film, and then stopped because I thought it was bad for me to be spending so much time in isolation. it turns out I’m mostly an introvert by nature, and working alone in a quiet room is one of my favorite things to do. When I’ve had enough of it, I go out and socialize. I guess this is just one of those things that happens when you don’t fully know yourself, and getting to know yourself is what life’s all about. I now find that writing is such a wonderful and therapeutic experience for me, and one where everyone gets a lot out of it. I learn more about myself, so do my readers, and they’re also entertained. Having said that, I’m pretty sure everything happens for a reason, and at the perfect time, but hindsight is 20/20.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Acting was something I wasn’t sure I could pull off. I only wanted to work on camera but there weren’t any on camera only schools where I lived in Canada so I ended up with a BFA degree in Acting mainly focused on theater. I took over a theater company but I was frustrated that once the final curtain dropped, it was gone forever. So I adjusted the mandate of the to include all media and wrote and directed my first feature film.

The bulk of my income now comes from acting, then writing, and directing. I’ve written and directed two feature films, ‘Spook’ (2003) and ‘The Shasta Triangle’ (2019). During covid I wrote my first novel, a historical-fiction spy thriller called ‘The War Machine’, that will debut on March 28 on all major book platforms, and I’m working on the sequel.

As an actor I show up well prepared and help the director and producers tell their story. As a screenwriter my job is essentially to tell an entertaining story that, in most cases, now needs to be told in a very cost effective way. When it comes to novels I structure structure structure – and then as I write just let the characters do their own thing inside that structure.

The thing that sets me apart from others is I’m the only person who can possibly be myself. I’m fortunate that I’ve already had a very interesting life, and it all goes into my work. I just write what I know.

Even though my work is always genre-based, the main thread is about having my characters find a way to better understand themselves through what they experience. I put them through hell, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I read and watch entertainment for fun, but the things I love the most inspire me. That’s the number one thing I want fans of mine to know.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I had a fantastic childhood, and grew up in a privileged part to the world as a white person, so I don’t want the next thing I’m about to say come off as any kind of a ‘poor me’ thing. For a couple of weeks during that great childhood, in a great family, with great siblings and friends, I experienced some severe trauma. There’s no need to go into it. I’ve been blessed with great counselling and processing it has made me a much better person. It toughened me and enlightened me, and I try to pass those lessons on through my work as an actor, writer, and director. My beliefs teach me that learning how to work through adversity is the biggest reason we’re here, and we are not supposed to deal with the big things alone. Our family, friends, and community are around us for very good reasons. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and they are ours. I am overjoyed that I learned that.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After I’d been acting for a few years I was frustrated that the parts I was getting were still not as significant as I wanted. That lead me to write and direct a feature film, ‘Spook’ (2003) that featured me in the lead. Don’t ask me why I thought overdoing it right off the bat was a good idea, but I did. Through this process I realized that I like writing, and I was floored by seeing people moved by the production in real time by sitting at the back of the theater and observing them during festivals. That experience showed me the power of story telling, and I’ve never forgotten it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barrywlevy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrywlevy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-levy-3b9b536/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrywlevy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzsRl9WbsWQrQbapOO55zMw

Image Credits
Photos by Helenna Santos, and Ben Blair. Shasta Triangle poster by Dog and Pony.