We recently connected with Brady Jacquin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brady, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I recently quit my job of four years at Walmart. It was an okay job to pay the bills, but after a while it became clear that God had given me a passion and talent for film (and art in general) to the extent that if I really wanted it, I’d have to have faith and go all in. It’s honestly terrifying, as I’ve also just bought a house and now have a mortgage to deal with, but I knew that if I didn’t take the risk, I’d never be satisfied.
Brady, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am, more than anything else, an artist. I focus mainly on writing/directing films (feature and short) and music videos. I pride myself on staying focused on the emotional core of a story and it’s characters more than anything else. As much as I love creating beautiful and striking images, they’re nothing without a resonant story at the heart. I believe this focus on story-based emotion is what sets me apart from other filmmakers. Whether it’s a drama, horror, or action film, I believe that EVERYTHING without exception, is there to support the emotion and story, and if it’s not, then it shouldn’t be there. I don’t direct to show off, rather, I hope I completely disappear behind the camera in a way that allows the audience to be fully immersed in the world of the film. I also achieve this by being well-versed in almost all aspects of filmmaking including: cinematography, editing, color grading, and musical composition.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I can speak to resilience in a more general sense (and I’m sure many artists will relate). I have been attempting to make a career out of my art for over 12 years now, with very little success. Sure, my short films have all done well in festivals and won awards, but I’ve never really been able to break into that elusive world of professional filmmaking. It has been the most difficult and demoralizing thing I have ever done, but I believe that (to some degree) that suffering is necessary. So many people are striving to make a living from art, and yet I believe that talent is not enough. You have to love the art so much, that 12 years of hitting a brick wall wouldn’t even slow you down. There is a shift happening in my life right now, where I’ve begun to look at filmmaking differently. Not as an unconquerable giant, but as something that I am already doing, and WILL be successful at. I’m currently working on getting support for my first feature film, and I think that a mindset of confidence, passion, and faith in God is what will lead me to success!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The most important thing that any person can do to support artists, is to support PASSION. As consumers, we often want things as fast and conveniently as possible, but that mindset is exactly how you get art that was made for profit, rather than out of a burning passion of the artist. This art is shallow, patreonizing, and ultimately forgotten. Let me be clear, I’m not saying to only support GOOD art, but rather that you take the time to seek out the artists who are clearly giving EVERYTHING they have to what they’re creating. The passion is evident, and you can feel it in every aspect of the film, song, or video game. You vote with your time and with your dollar, and every person has a profound responsibility to support art that has been made with care and love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13737424/?ref_=tt_cl_dr_1
- Instagram: @bradyjacquin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brady.jacquin.3/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-jacquin-4a6523241/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/bradyjacquin