We recently connected with Brayden DeMorest-Purdy and have shared our conversation below.
Brayden, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I have had the opportunity to work on a lot of films that are meaningful to me. But one that comes to mind is my film Compulsion. Which is about someone who lives with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I based some of it off my own experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
This film was recognized by the International OCD Foundation, and I was given the opportunity to speak on their panel about the film with them. Since then I have become an official advocate for the International OCD Foundation.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been in love with Cinema my whole life. Going to the movies, and escaping into worlds told on the big screen was and is something I always look forward to. The ability to tell stories through film has a magic to it. Growing up I ran around town with my friends making movies. Looking back, I can’t remember a time I wasn’t making a movie… Every family outing would be the premiere of the next one…
I now have my own production company The Nerdy Kid Productions, which is named after the title of my first movie. I love all genres of film, but my favourites are psychological thrillers, sci-fi, and horror. I love to make movies that make an audience think. I am known for my slow takes/ oners in my films.
I am also an advocate for mental health, specifically Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I am an official advocate for the International OCD Foundation. Bringing awareness to the disorder. Supporting this community is very important to me. Whether that be with film, or other endeavours.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Big dreams come with a long road of hard work. You will face challenges and obstacles that at times feel impossible to overcome. But you must be resilient. Keep following your dreams. Filmmaking is an organic process, an on-going puzzle. You plan for one thing, and at the last minute things can shift. You must keep moving forward. A good example of this is when we were very close to day one of filming our movie, and one of our locations had something come up and could no longer accommodate our shoot. These things happen, but it brings a lot of logistics into play when you need to change a location last minute. How scenes will be shot, actors blocking, scheduling for the shoot itself, travel, etc… But you must stay calm and keep moving forward. We found a new location that ended up being even better for our film.
We are all human, so we all face our own challenges in life. Mental Health is something to always be aware of. And the word “resilience” is key when dealing with it. My battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is something I am vocal about, as I want others to know they are not alone. Having this disorder brings it’s fair share of challenges in my day to day life. And the reality is it can be quite debilitating at times…. Regardless of how it is commonly portrayed in the media. Some days are better than others, but resilience is the key word to those better days. To your readers, know that if you are struggling with mental illness, you are not alone, and there are better days ahead.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My love for Cinema and Storytelling has and always will be my drive. Being able to tell stories visually on the big screen, and creating a world in which people can escape into and experience is something I cherish. Movies bring people together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7912623/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/braydendpurdy