Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Edward Dorsey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Edward, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I had a variety of education that all played their part in becoming an artist. When I began filmmaking, I was self-taught, then I went to college and could take all my wild self-education and hone it into a complete artistic work. Much of that had to do with my teachers and mentors and the driving idea that I could continuously improve.

Edward, 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?

It’s interesting what got me into filmmaking. I was randomly put into a Film/TV class during my first year of high school. As soon as I got to editing, my mind was blown, and I knew this was what I wanted to do as a career. From then on, I went to school for Film/TV and found myself interested in numerous subjects within the arts. I took everything I learned from teachers and friends to improve my artistry in filmmaking.

What’s ironic is that one of the classrooms I teach in is the same in that I found my love for filmmaking. For a while, I created independent films and eventually branched into screenwriting. Earlier this year, I found another interest in teaching Film and Television, and I consider that one of the best choices I’ve made.

My versatility and how I use it consistently sets me apart from most filmmakers. I’ve practiced martial arts for over six years and am creating an entire franchise that utilizes martial arts, Hip-Hop culture, and Japanese mythology. When I was a teenager, I had a few events where I was involved with public speaking. That has now been useful within my classrooms whenever I want to engage my students. Another example was that I had a lot of potential as a writer, and here I am, writing screenplays, short stories, novellas, and poetry.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been two essential pivots in my life, and they have brought me a wave of fulfillment and love in not only what I do but who I am.

The first was how I was driven to be a film and television director. All I did was make short films, hoping to be one of the few filmmakers a studio would notice in a sea of other creatives. Then in the summer of 2019, I sat there and thought about why I wanted to be a big-time director. I had been releasing several projects that I directed myself to, but why was it so important to do that in the film industry when I could do it myself?

The conclusion I came to was that I loved to direct, but I didn’t need anyone to permit me to do so, but I wanted to be a part of the film industry. This then brought me to a second conclusion the one thing I always had fun with during filmmaking was screenwriting. That was the first summer in years I decided not to travel and spent the entire summer writing.

The second was when I was working in the public school system, and an opportunity to become a Film Production teacher occurred. Initially, I was very reluctant as I did not want to be in the classroom. But with encouragement from my colleagues, I leaped and accepted a job that I not only feel proud of but happy to do.

What’s best about all that is that I told myself as a teenager that I just wanted to make films and pay bills. Not only am I doing that now, but I also have the additional opportunity to teach and inspire future filmmakers by guiding them along the path they will want and need to be professional and creative in their own right.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I’m always looking at several resources that can help me improve my craft and improve my projects. One thing that I tell my students is that you should look beyond just filmmaking for inspiration. Look at paintings and see how colors and compositions are used; look at comic books and see how shot design and pacing are used. I encourage them to feed their brains with as many art genres as possible to find their inspirations.

There are several things I could list, whether video essays from Overly Sarcastic Productions or worldbuilding in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Specifically, I listen to podcasts such as Double Toasted (which do movie reviews) to examine what works in films and what doesn’t. Another is Pod Meets World (which stars three child stars from the tv show Boy Meets World), as all three hosts have branched off into roles outside of sitcoms and become (respectively) writers, directors, and voice artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alverseent.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/east_sidewarriors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-dorsey-8001ba51/