Bryan S – Los Angeles
Photo by David Miller
Bryan’s a nice guy. And he makes nice films. A spoof he made of Michael Jackson was so well liked that Jackson called Bryan to ask for a copy, sparking a friendship that lasted 20 years.
Bryan, 52, hails from Eastern Canada, but moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Film Institute. He worked as a temp for a few months, but in his own polite way schmoozed into a job working for Johnny Carson. His career really took off when TV’s “Bloopers & Practical Jokes” hired him to produce, write, and direct a series of short films called “Undershorts.”
“I’ve been an independent filmmaker the last 28 years or so. I’ve been self-sufficient. I work out of my three-level home. I write produce, edit and direct my movies. Even though I’m connected to the industry, I’m an outsider. I don’t go to Hollywood parties. I’m not the see-and-be-seen [type]. I make films, but I’m not being governed by someone else. Someone asked me what’s the definition of success, and I said, “The freedom to do what you want when you want. So I guess I’m successful.”
Bryan loves to read and he loves the outdoors. “I especially like to go for walks. I like to go to coffee shops, even though I’m not a big coffee drinker. It’s just nice to get out of the house and talk to people. I like to people watch. I’m a huge dog lover.” His dog actually stars in his latest film—a family friendly movie called “First Dog,” about a foster boy who finds a lost dog belonging to the President of the United States. Bryan got the idea after a friend gave him a dog that used to belong to President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. After Bryan got a call from Nancy Reagan inviting him to their Bel Air home, he got the idea for the movie.
“The movie’s done close to half-a-million rentals on Redbox; it’s had over 50,000 ratings on Netflix, and it’s at all the outlets. Overseas, it sold out 80 percent of the market and so a lot of the buyers are interested in the sequel. I’ve never done a sequel before, but this was so popular… and my dog’s been bothering me to get another job. You know how actors are.” He says it so dry it takes me a second to laugh.
When it comes to dating, Bryan is much less confident than with filmmaking. “If I get the date, I’m good at the date I think. It’s just getting the date. Because I don’t get out much, I don’t meet people. I’ve dated many attractive women, but you can only look at a beautiful painting for so long—there needs to be substance to that painting. Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, so maybe someone doesn’t see them as a 10, but they may be my 10. I like strong women; I like intelligent women; I like successful women. I’m kind of a homebody, which is why I’m still single. I’m kind of shy, too. I’m more the Canadian polite. I saw [Canadian] Martin Short a few weeks ago, and the first thing we said to each other was, ‘Sorry’.
“I think what I miss the most is I’ve had a lot of great adventures in my life, but I have no one to enjoy them with. I believe that you grow from each other so there are things they can teach me and I can teach them. I’ve had a saying for many years—and this goes for relationships and writing partners and business partnerships: If the two of you always agree, one of you is unnecessary.”
If you dig my peep, leave a comment below and send an email to Single Peeps.
