Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valerie Brandy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Valerie, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
The imagination is a powerful thing, especially for people in creative career fields who are always flexing that particular muscle. I’ve learned that our imagination can bring us either the best or worst case scenarios— and it’s better for us to put it to good work imagining possibilities over roadblocks. My optimism comes from my faith and belief that God has a plan that I can’t see as clearly from my own perspective. I try really hard to remember that— if there’s something you’re hoping or praying for— there’s a million possible ways for that thing to be brought into your life. And the way it happens might be better than the way you imagined.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a filmmaker and screenwriter who’s written for studios like Walt Disney and networks like Disney Channel. My first feature film, “Lola’s Last Letter,” was released by Sony’s indie label to major streamers after a successful festival run, i just wrapped shooting my second feature film , “A Unified Theory of Love,” which I wrote, directed and starred in. The film follows a woman who uses AI to try and explain the way in which we love, and stars Richard Karn (Home Improvement) and Eric Isenhower (Parks & Recreation).
To find out more about the movie and its festival run and release in 2024, readers can visit our instagram at:
www.instagram.com/aunifiedtheoryoflove
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Number one is being willing to fail. I think the only way to succeed is to actually allow yourself the freedom to fail as you learn and then to continue to grow as you make more work.
The second would be a sense of faith and the ability to tune out unhelpful input. When I first came to LA, I was surprised by how many negative comments I heard about artists in relation to age, looks, money, odds— you name it. I won’t repeat those comments here because I purposefully choose not to remember them. I just ignored them because they weren’t helpful to me. So, area two is the ability to ignore what’s not useful, and live in faith with what is. A piece of this is maybe also self love. You have to love yourself enough that you’re able to protect your heart and mind. This ties into number one above. It’s easier to make big plays and risk failing when you ‘ll still love yourself no matter how it goes. Faith, spirituality, and belief in something bigger than yourself can help with this.
The third and final area people sometimes overlook is actually becoming an expert in your craft. You don’t need a formal education, but it’s surprising to me how many people don’t take the time to become very skilled in the craft they want to pursue. Becoming proficient enough that you can do great work under almost any conditions, any timeline, any pressure is essential. Being in entertainment at a high level is like being an Olympian as an athlete, you have to always being getting better, pushing harder, and growing/ training. People who sit back and think they’re “good enough” miss the chance to break new barriers.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I think it’s more important to grow in areas you aren’t strong in rather than only sticking to what you know you’re good at. Film is a multimedia art form, and I love that it forces me to always be learning. In my most recent feature “A Unified Theory of Love,” I worked with some practical and visual effects. In the past, my stories have mainly focused on character and narrative, so adding in effects presented a whole new area for me to grow into. The end result is something I really love— it combines my experience focusing on character and narrative with this added layer of effects helping us suspend disbelief. This experience taught me that learning new skill sets can help you apply what you already know in unexpected ways, making art that stands out and is unique to you and where you’re at on your journey. Overall, I’ve always thought a growth mindset with a broad focus is important because learning you achieve in one area can help you in another area in ways you didn’t expect.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.valeriebrandy.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/valeriebrandywriter
