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

Erynn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My first project lined up for outside of graduate school came to me when my long-time friend and collaborator, Rob Bowen. Rob, a powerhouse director based in Colorado Springs, self-produces all his work under his production company WHATSABUDGET Films. He contacted me earlier this year to discuss the Steven King Dollar Baby program and explained that he had gotten permission to adapt the short story Luckey Quarter. Rob’s adaptation is called E is for Expiation. It’s a sharp and slightly surreal Colorado take on the original story. We just discovered that the program is being discontinued after 2023, and I feel so lucky to work with one of the films accepted for the program’s final year. Rob and I met in 2015 during undergrad at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. We bonded in the film club and quickly became frequent collaborators. Seeing our growth as artists over the last eight years in our shared and individual work means so much. To spend so much time making your films for the silly student film festivals and then years later to be lucky enough to work on a film adaptation like this is truly a dream come true. One of the best things about being an artist is having a creative community that grows alongside you and supports you. The most meaningful projects always come from long-term creative love and collaboration. We shoot next year and I can’t wait to share more.

Erynn, 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?

My name is Erynn, and I am a film director and actress originally from Colorado. I moved to Los Angeles right before the pandemic began to attend USC School of Cinematic Arts for my M.F.A. I just graduated from my program, and I’m transitioning into working on my films full-time. My work is extremely influenced by classical Hollywood. While at school, I directed a short historical epic titled The Death of Socrates. I adore cinema because it allows us to explore the world through fantastical extremes. When done right, the pretend in a film gives us something that represents more authentically what we feel as we navigate the world around us. Film is still a new art form with so much to explore. It’s estimated that 75% of all silent films and half of American sound films before 1950 are lost. With that tragic lack of information about early storytellers, it’s interesting to think about what we must rediscover about the art form.

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

It sounds cheesy, but the most rewarding part of being creative is helping people feel seen. Artists have a privilege. They can display all parts of themselves for the whole world to see. They can be honest about how they think, good or bad, and show these complexities to the world around them. Not everyone has the life circumstances, support systems, or ability to express all parts of themselves so freely. When an artist shows themselves raw and honest, it can alleviate the suffering of others. I know that when I can’t speak or express myself, I turn to film (my chosen art form) to clarify my existence. While it’s not always that serious to be an artist, at the end of the day, we are all going through different versions of the same problems, and we can find out what is similar about us through art. As an artist, I create that connective tissue by being open about all parts of my existence, and it is so rewarding when someone feels seen by that.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The only goal and mission I have is to express myself honestly. When I sit down to write a story, it’s always about clarifying my own experiences and feelings. I have one obligation during that process: to be painfully honest about how I feel. Sometimes, making art is extremely embarrassing in that way. However, I always understand myself better. I am getting closer to who I am with each film and story. Art, done at any level or caliber, is a way to dive deep and understand yourself, and my only goal is to express myself more honestly each time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://erynnerynnerynn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erynnerynnerynn/
• Other: https://www.whatsabudget.com

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Rob Bowen