We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brendan Arnett. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brendan below.
Hi Brendan, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Success is a difficult word to define. Not only does it differ from person to person, but it’s something that continues to evolve as you grow as a person. In order to be successful, one must first decide what success means to them. It can be as simple as finding joy in small moments of your day, or as extensive as building a company from the ground up. Regardless of what the definition may be, one thing is certain: a concentrated, intentional effort towards a specific goal will be required. It is often said that success comes when preparation meets opportunity. That being said, the hard work will come before the opportunity even presents itself. By doing so, one can be prepared for when that knock on the door comes and know that success is within reach.
Brendan, 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 believe that images have the ability to change the world.
When I first picked up my dad’s camera at a young age, I developed an affinity for capturing moments that will stand the test of time. I took this discovery to heart and went out to make it my mission to continue to do this as a career.
Luckily I have found myself in a position where I get to work with other amazing artists that share a very similar purpose. At Aether Films, we pride ourselves in telling unique stories that can help people see the world in new ways. With backgrounds in documentary storytelling, we have positioned ourselves to tell stories in all kinds of content. From short form commercials to feature length films, we have experience in adapting stories to all forms of visual media.
As we continue to push forward, Aether Films will look to find unique stories that deserve to be told. We feel it is our duty to seek out these stories and share them with the world.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson that I am still continuing to unlearn is the fear of being perceived.
An unfortunate reality that I’ve had to face is that I really have a hard time being the center of attention. I usually prefer to sit in the corner and avoid bothering anyone. For a while this was great, I could do my own thing and be confident that no one had a problem with me. But after a while I realized that in order to tell the stories that I want to tell, I would have to get my hands dirty and raise my voice a bit.
Telling stories that the world needs to hear is not a passive activity. And for some reason I had to wrestle with this – I enjoyed doing my own thing and avoiding confrontation. However, the stark reality was that I would never accomplish what I was trying to do with this approach. So, each day I push myself more and more to be an active participant in my industry. To call myself a director or editor or whatever term I can think of would be a lie if I sit in my corner and play it safe.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being an artist is knowing I am being true to myself. While this lifestyle comes with its own unique challenges, I can’t imagine living any other way. By pushing myself to continue this journey, there is a confidence inside of me that feels natural as I go deeper into my craft. I would advise anyone searching for their purpose to look for this feeling in their day to day life – what is it that your body naturally aligns with? Once you discover that and begin to seek it out, your purpose comes into focus more and more each day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brendanarnett.com
- Instagram: arnettt
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@aether_films
