We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brian McGrath. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brian below.

Brian, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

That’s tough. The real answer is all the time. I think it is tough to say whether starting sooner or later would have shaped you the same way when you are artist. It is really tough not to compare your path to those of others, but I know I do at times. I will say that one of my professors at University of Arizona, Harold Dixon, at one point told me I should just move to LA. I think he saw the path for me coming out here before I did. I spent a lot of time around the theater department there, wasn’t in the BFA program but got to experience shows, classes, being a TA and really grow in many elements of being an artist. I loved it. I was in kind of a Van Wilder situation where I had been at the school so long that I got a ton out of it. It was also a lot more comfortable in academia than facing the challenges of exploring LA. Once I got to LA, I started over with the similar journey of finding my self in the acting world out here, first in improv at Groundlings and performing around town, then auditioning, commercials, TV, the business side, etc. I don’t think I would trade any of my experiences for starting sooner per se, but maybe being able to act quicker to get to the next chapter. Your life lessons shape you as much as timing when you are a creative, so I would be sad to give anything up.

Brian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I consider myself first and foremost an actor though I have worked in multiple facets of the entertainment industry. My background in acting before I came to Los Angeles was more on the theater and improv side. I thought I was going to move New York and do independent theater and become a fight choreographer. I am really proud of that side of my artistic background. I think in a weird way the base of working independent theater gave me an overview in many elements that are now resurfacing now that I have an interest in producing and content creating side. I am a great collaborator. I have an analytical side and having been on the inside of many casting rooms I love the pre-production side. Casting, problems solving, thinking outside the box, connecting people are all strengths. What I was surprised about when I finally got to the editing process on a project was how my perspective can change, I am much more pliable to change a vision if it serves the project in post production than I thought I would be. Fight the hardest for stuff that really matters to you but be smart enough to know that not everything can matter the same amount.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

This seems like a very basic answer but to CREATE. That is actually the goal itself. The collaboration, the process, the learning, and ultimately any reward comes from that. If I audition for something and book the role maybe the reward is money, or qualifying for health insurance, or acclaim but doing a friend’s improv show after not being on stage for a while offers different rewards. The mission becomes the creating and it changes a bit for every project.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I feel like this answer often comes back to a monetary solution. Not everyone wants or can give money to crowd funding or art foundations, if that is how you like to contribute – DO! I think if you want to be supportive of artists one of the best ways is to be active and vocal about sharing artist works. Like a movie, tell be to go check it out. Share a crowd funding to your audience. Write a review, LIKE a post, follow and subscribe to content. If you enjoy watching the things people create, know that if you tear them down with negative comments and don’t show support more and more will go away. Be a cheerleader, be a fan, encourage art.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: brianpatmcg
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianmcgrathactor
• Youtube: youtu.be/1DtoLf30Kg8
• Other: imdb.me/brianmcgrath

Image Credits
Matt Kallish