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

Brian, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

As a filmmaker and film lover, I always felt that there was something missing in the world of film podcasting. Whenever I looked for coverage on some of my favorite movies, there wasn’t any. That’s when I realized I needed to fill the gap I saw in the industry, and thus Mostly Arthouse was born.

Mostly Arthouse is a worldwide movie club podcast dedicated to discussing independent and arthouse cinema from around the world. I often joke that there won’t be any Oscar nominated films on the discussion list, although that is not entirely true. As a podcast, I wanted to fulfill a niche audience, but as a business it is something different.

Mostly Arthouse LLC is based on these same principles, celebrating independent art worldwide, but is open to different mediums and expressions outside of film. The goal is to grow into a multifaceted media production company out of the Mojave Desert in Southern California, working with independent artists of every medium to reach their potential and grow as human beings.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a filmmaker and creative director, not to mention a poet and musician at heart. Over the last eight years, I have worked in the film industry in just about every position imaginable, below and above the line, from preproduction all the way to post.

I have written and directed five short films, five music videos, and just released an EP playing drums in Bone’Chip, an indie alt band based in Los Angeles. Plus I’ve assisted productions for hundreds of music videos, commercials, narrative films, and web content. With all of this industry experience, both creative and in production, I knew I wanted to start a business that reflected my values, my sensibilities, and my vision.

My first endeavor with Mostly Arthouse is the Mostly Arthouse Podcast. It is a worldwide movie club focusing on independent and arthouse cinema from around the globe. You can join the club on Patreon to have exclusive access and make movie recommendations for future episodes. The first eight episodes are out now wherever you listen to podcasts, and the next phase of the podcast is coming soon. We will feature independent filmmakers and artists and talk about the movies we make and the movies that influence us. If you’d like to be featured on Mostly Arthouse, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram @mostlyarthouse.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Like many other creatives and small business owners, the Covid-19 Pandemic was a shock to the system. At the time, I was one month sober and had just completed my first short film as a writer, director, and producer. I felt as though the momentum that had built up over years of working in the industry and the limitations I put on myself because of my addiction both came crashing down. For a moment, I was hopeless.

But after trying and failing to make films the old way while in isolation, I found a new way to express myself creatively despite the fear, limits, and solitude that the Pandemic brought on. During that time, I self-published my first poetry collection titled Bleeding Palms, I wrote, directed, produced, and starred in two short films made with a total cast and crew of three people, and I directed four music videos for Los Angeles based musicians (three of which were made in my apartment!). It was an inspiring time to be an artist in Los Angeles. We were experiencing what we’d hope to be a once in a lifetime phenomenon while trying to learn new skills, philosophies, and a whole new way of doing things. A whole new way of creating.

Without the Pandemic, Mostly Arthouse would still just be an idea. I learned about myself in ways I didn’t know existed and because of this massive shift in consciousness and sobriety, I am able to be a small business owner and creative today.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of creating something, anything, is connecting with others. I feel like I am often pulled in so many directions as an artist, be it writing, directing, acting, drawing, podcasting, drumming, photography, poetry, and tattooing. But in every facet of creativity, there is a new way of connecting with the audience. In all art forms, what I think is most important is holding up the mirror. In some instances, that means a mirror to myself, while in others, it’s holding up the mirror to the audience, to society, to the outside world. All art has the power to strike a nerve and generate change. And it starts with a mirror.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @mostlyarthouse @bigfatbaustin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mostlyarthouse/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaustinfilms/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bigfatbaustin

Image Credits
– Stills from If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say, a short film by Brian Austin. Cinematography by Allen Chodakowski. Additional Photography by Richard P. Hilton. – BTS by Sunny Strader from If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say – Movie poster design by Mark Wadley for If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say