Meet Leonard Bryan | Writer & Director

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

Hi Leonard, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve always taken risk. As an artist, everything I write and direct has a little bit of me in it. I call it the risky reward. Nobody ever changed the world by not taking risk, I learned that very on. When I wrote and directed my first short film “Subliminal”, I knew it was a risk. A silent film in this day and age is unheard of. The film examines modern day relationships, I just got out of a relationship and was in a dark place . I financed the film, and put it out independently. I risked my pride and turned pain into art. The film was well received and helped me to move on. The universe is funny like that. At some point caution becomes cowardice. No risk, no reward.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others is my need to be different. In cinema right now, to many people are telling the same story. I thrive on going against the grain and filming in unique ways to tell stories. Using different camera angles, different types of transitions, that what makes me stand out. Nothing is cookie cutter over here.

I’m most proud of setting a goal and achieving it. When I put my film “Subliminal out independently I was proud just to have done it. A year later the response I received from it are different everywhere I go. One person cried, another told me it helped bring them out of depression. I’m proud that I was able to help and inspire people through art.

The world should know that I love movies. Before any writing or directing I did, I was a fan and student of the craft. Still am till this day. I represent the kids who use their hands as camera lenses. My community is full of unheard stories, stories of coming of age, stories of loss & stories of love. I write stories of ordinary people thrown into extraordinary situations. I’ll never write or direct anything that perpetuates stereotype of people of color because representation matters. I represent the dreamers and those who want to change the world through art because those who believe they can are the ones that do.. I write relatable stories and film in unique ways. I’m a film maker.

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?
My parents, and my entire family. I knew I was going to be a director at a 6 years old. I knew it because, I watched movies different from other kids. I was in admiration of the use of colors, camera angles and shot selections. Not a typical kid. My parents recognized this and purchased a camera for me. I used my siblings and neighborhood kids to create short homemade films and hone my craft. I’d shoutout my whole family. No matter how crazy my ideas can be, they always support it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonardbryan_/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD4CCpU66LU_9u2HXldOwug

Image Credits
Photos taken by Seven43