Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Brice.
Hi Zachary, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Mount Airy, Maryland, a small town 40 minutes west of Baltimore. Growing up Homeschooled I was given a lot of freedom by my parents to exercise my creativity and not feel trapped by any molds. This freedom really helped me discover and refine my artistic pursuits. It also helped me appreciate art and artists from a genuine place of wonder as opposed from just another subject to check off a list for school. Having the freedom to discover for myself which kind of art I was interested in really helped shape my unique voice. I have loved film for as long as I can remember. I used to watch my older brother and cousins make funny short films and those memories really inspired me to make my own shorts with my friends. In high school I joined a theater troupe and got very involved with stage acting. After high school I didn’t know what to do with my life. I had not yet comprehended the fact that my passion for film and acting was a calling instead of a hobby. I attempted to get a business degree from a local community college but quickly realized the world of business simply wasn’t for me. As a christian I then pivoted to working as a youth ministry intern for my church but after awhile I decided that wasn’t for me either. After another attempt at community college I came to the crystal clear realization that my love for film was the thing I wanted to spend the rest of my life exploring. Quickly after I came to that realization I discovered full sail university and within a few months I packed my bags and moved. I have been here for a little over 7 months and already I feel more satisfied with what Im doing than ever before. Ive not only been given the opportunity to act but also write, direct, and produce my own shorts. I was also able to start working for SPARK an organization within full sail that shoots professional videos for non-profits in the local area. I am really pleased with all that ive already accomplished and cannot wait for what else is in store.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ive struggled with anxiety and existentialism almost my whole life. Before I knew what I wanted to do with my life I had very little self confidence and felt as if I would never do anything special with my life. While from time to time those challenges reoccur I am strongly fastened to my desire to create and bring to life my unique vision and express myself to the world in order to help others like me discover their passions.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always loved story telling whether it be through writing or visual storytelling. I also love acting and performing. I try to be a jack of all trades but what I love the most is writing for the screen and crafting my vision through directing. I love working with actors and crew on discovering new layers to projects. I love how intimate and personal creating a film can be. I really enjoy getting the perspective of everyone involved and using everyones unique voice to create a totally original work of art. So far I have been known more so for my acting than filmmaking but I have been trying to steer myself behind the camera. I am very proud of the acting work ive done, whether it be from the stage or some short films ive had the pleasure to be apart of. What sets me apart from others is my pure desire to create art and to express my humanity. For a time I spent my life only focused on getting money and being successful and those years were the worst in my life. I came to the conclusion that I would never let my life be dictated by a desire for money and fame. I want to create art for the sake of art and I would rather stay true to that goal and be broke than betray myself and be rich.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The only advice I have is to be available. Be available to do the odd jobs or take the small parts. When people in this industry see that you are committed to your craft not for notoriety or money they will remember you and keep giving you more opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Email: zacharyjbrice@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Zacharybrice_
- Facebook: Zachary Brice
Image Credits
SPARK
