Meet Brian Cutler | Actor, Producer, Director & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Cutler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, how do you define success?
In the film industry most people consider success money and/or stardom. I believe success is a much simpler concept. Struggle, commitment and perseverance in doing something you love and attaining happiness & victory on the journey is what I consider success. Joseph Campbell said, “Find your bliss and you will never work a day in your life.”. If one is fortunate enough to acquire their bliss and enjoy the journey, that is success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I was five years old I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor. I auditioned for a repertory company in Los Angeles and was cast in my first role as a baby grasshopper in a fabulous children’s play called “Once Upon a Closeline”. The entertainment industry is not for the weak. It takes perseverence determination and continuous work. You must be a long distance runner not a sprinter. It’s necessary that you not fall into the trap of only making money or wanting to be a star. Nothing will destroy you, your goals or your ambition faster. What then do you do? You must become as committed to you craft as a professional athlete or Olympian. I have been blessed to be a working actor singer & musician for over seventy years and honored to be carrying on the acting process and style developed by my dear friend and mentor for forty years Charles Erich Conrad. What sets our studio apart from others is the simple fact that our classes are small, every class is on camera and all of our material is original material. Our team works synergistically in order for our students to not only learn the process of working on camera but to develop an understanding of the entertainment industry and a workable path to follow.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting and hadn’t been to la before, the first thing that I would do would be to invite then to sit in on a class at the studio and see what we do. I would then take them to the original Farmers Market at Fairfax and Third in LA and treat them to the best and freshest peanut butter in the world at Magees. After walking around the Farmers Market and checking out all the vendors I would take them to the amazing La Brea Tar Pits and go through the museum. As for dining out I would take them to two of the oldest and best restaurants in Los Angeles; Musso and Frank’s and Lawry’s Prime Rib. For breakfast the next day I would take them for a wonderful old style breakfast at the Talleyrand in Burbank. On the third or fourth day we would have the best chopped salad in the world at Emilios Restaurante in Encino. Depending on whether or not they were familiar with the beautiful Pacific Coast I would then drop the top on my new convertible and take a long, beautiful drive up the PCH from Malibu to Monterrey stopping in favorite spots along the way. We would then get back into LA just in time to drop them off at the easily accessible Burbank Airport and send them on their merry way home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am extremely grateful to two specific mentors in my life: the wonderful Viola Spolin and my long time coach, friend and mentor Charles Erich Conrad. Without their influence & guidance I would not be the person I am today nor would I have achieved the personal growth & success that I have been blessed with.

Website: actorsstudio.com

Instagram: @briancutleractorsstudio

Twitter: @bcactorsstudio

Youtube: @briancutleractorsstudio

Image Credits
Single photo Headshot in suit: David Chan. All others: Kobe Levi (www.kobelevi.com).