Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett David Stelter
Hi Brett David , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Long Beach, CA but moved to Beavercreek, Ohio when I was 6. There wasn’t much to do so I grew up going to the theatre with my family and riding my bike to the local cinema as a kid watching multiple movies a day. I started making films in 8th grade when I did my video yearbook and since then I haven’t wanted to stop. I graduated from Ohio University with a degree in political science and moved to Charlotte, NC to do some IT consulting for the banks but ended up quitting my job and moving to Los Angeles with $276, three boxes and a one-way ticket. After almost 8 years in LA, I decided to check out the creative community in Austin since I’ve heard good things and have been here almost 3 years now and I’ve enjoyed getting to know Austin’s creative community
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If you’ve been to LA/Hollywood you know how bad the roads are, metaphorically and literally. Every road has its peaks, valleys, bumps, twists and turns, but they say anything worth it isn’t easy and anything easy isn’t worth it, right? A week before my first play opened in LA, I broke my foot and was on crutches but since I’m stubborn and wouldn’t quit we wrote it into the character, and to my surprise it actually turned out to be an interesting aspect the crowd really enjoyed. My mentor and co-star, Michael J Pollard, passed away during production of my film ‘Bobby Bishop’, but I refused to let his final performance on film go to waste so we slightly modified the final version and the film was accepted into the Beverly Hills Film festival the following year. I like to look at it as a gift from Michael as a thank you. When Los Angeles shut down during COVID I couldn’t just sit around so I published a book of photography highlighting the events in LA during COVID/BLM protests that’s now copyright in the Library of Congress and available om Amazon, with the proceeds going to charity. There’s nothing you can do when life throws obstacles in your way except lean into it and try to find the silver creative lining in it all. The obstacles tend to test your faith and passion for what you’re doing but the only option is to keep going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an independent filmmaker, member of the Screen Actors Guild, published photographer and producer. All of the films and projects I’ve created have all added value to my life in different ways and taught me lessons I would’ve never learned had I not completed those projects. However, the film I’m most proud of is a little 2-minute experimental film called ‘244 Years Later…’ on a $50 budget that ended up screening in 8 different countries and winning best experimental film at the Screen Power Film Festival in London. Personally, I prefer black and white photography and try to shoot in black and white as much as possible. There’s something about the moodiness and timeless nature of black and white that resonates with my soul.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think most people in my industry, or the world in general, would agree that luck plays a big role in everything we do. Bad luck challenges you to keep going and good luck rewards you when you do. I’m grateful for all the luck I’ve had, both good and bad, for adding some sort of value to my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brettdavidstelter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eyeseemoonlight & https://www.instagram.com/bdstelter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bdstelter/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU-FgspHpPDwULkhmdFQqAQ
- Other: IMDB https://www.imdb.me/brettdavidstelter
Image Credits
Claudia Pinotti; Greg McNeal; Michael Bezjian; Brett David Stelter
