Meet Drew Burnett Gregory | Filmmaker & Senior Editor at Autostraddle

We had the good fortune of connecting with Drew Burnett Gregory and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Drew Burnett, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
While it’s true that some artists reach a point where they give up their work altogether, I think it’s helpful to discover the myriad of options between “keep going” and “give up.” Often the best work — and even financial success — can be found within that gap. I wanted to make movies from my earliest childhood memories. I made short films with my friends as a teenager. I got into a celebrated film school. And then I transitioned and whatever resources I had right after college when toward building my new life. I got pulled away from filmmaking due to circumstance and when I wanted to return I found myself with an identity less palatable to my industry. I never considering giving up. But there also was no point to continue along the same path. I needed to figure out a way to make money that I didn’t hate while continuing to write screenplays and try to produce my work. Since film was what I knew, I began writing criticism. That has now been my job for more than half a decade and all of the connections I’ve made that have encouraged me to keep creating were found through that job. Working in the arts is hard. I do think there’s value to “giving up” if it’s no longer bringing you joy. But I also think it’s worth continuing to do your work while opening yourself up to other possibilities. They might just make your original goals feel more attainable.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Spend enough time living in LA and you learn to pitch yourself. After years of people asking what kind of movies I wrote and stumbling through, “Um I don’t know. All types. Mostly about trans people,” I figured out how to turn my creative work into a logline. Now I say, “I write romcoms that are serious and horror movies that are funny.” I say this because it’s largely true and because I hope it captures a desire for my work to transcend genre lines, to exist as stories outside of this exact kind of pithy logline. I have a deep knowledge of film — hence my day job as a critic — and the filmmakers who inspire me like Pedro Almodóvar and Agnès Varda and Cheryl Dunye encourage me to have no limits beyond my imagination. I still feel very early in my career. I feel really proud of the work I’ve done as a critic — analyzing film and TV history, asking for more from our media — and I feel ready to step into the world I’ve tried to help create.

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.
Living in LA for five years, I obviously found favorite restaurants and movie theatres and gay bars. But my first priority is the people. There is such a vibrant group of queer artists living in LA who are so genuine and so kind and so hot and so interesting and I’d want any friend of mine visiting to meet all these other friends.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friend Gabe Shane Dunn became my older brother when I moved to LA. He supported me materially by getting my meals and cars when I was low on money and emotionally by helping me navigate this new world. It was a weird time for me and he showed me what true friendship and mentorship looks like.

Instagram: @drewburnettgregory

Twitter: @draw_gregory

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/drewburnettgregory