 |
| Bruce Nachsin, photo by Francesco Cura |
La Libertad: Where were you born?
Bruce: I was brought into this world in a small, little hamlet called Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I spent my youth and most of my teen years in the northeast section of town, which at the time was like a small piece of suburban tranquility that was almost but not quite a separate town from Philly proper. These days, it has become one large expanse of a strip mall, but I guess a lot of places have.
La Libertad: Where do you currently reside?
Bruce: About ten years ago, I left the east coast to move myself about as far away from winter as I could get, which brought me to Los Angeles. I currently live up in the Hollywood Hills, somewhere behind the Hollywood Bowl, which is great because any time there are fireworks, they are at eye level from my lawn, it makes for a great and very personal 4th of July.
La Libertad: What is your occupation?
Bruce: I am an independent film producer and an actor. I also write and do some editing. My latest project is called "Dark Specter" which can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2adWBBwcas
I have a few others in the pipeline, but that one is out there for everyone to enjoy.
La Libertad: What do you love most about your work?
Bruce: My favorite part is the creative problem solving. Making films is basically setting up a series of hopeful and well planned expectations that will then go horribly wrong in ways you had no earthly idea could happen. You then scramble and make very creative calls to get the result you want. While it can make you want to rip your own hair out, I love the act of solving the high stakes puzzle it presents. There is also the joy of taking something you have written and then seeing it come to life. It is a very singular thrill.
La Libertad: What talents and hobbies do you have?
Bruce: I’m not really a multi-talented person. The truth is, I only have one real talent and that is adaptability. Having only one talent might seem like a bad thing, but the good thing about adaptability is that it can masquerade itself as many talents. By being adaptable, I’ve been able to learn many things, and give the appearance of being skilled and diverse, but none of it is any actual talent. My hobbies are a reflection of this as well. I fall into and out of many hobbies at a given time. I basically love to try new things and have fun. For a while, I was a bass player, and while it has been a long time since I’ve played in a band, I still pick it up and noodle around with it from time to time. Despite living in some of the worst traffic America has to offer, I love to go on road trips and visit new places; most recently, a buddy of mine came in from back east and we went to the Grand Canyon to hike to the bottom. I have enjoyed, at various times, archery, bowling, amusement park hopping, model building, Jujitsu and shooting pool. Show me something a little interesting and different, and I am in.
La Libertad: What inspires you?
Bruce: Inspiration can be found all around, if only you have your eyes and mind open to it. Basic people watching can lead to the creation of interesting characters, and once you have characters, it makes you wonder what kind of life they are leading and what stories they have to tell. The most personal inspiration you can find is by picking at your own personal scars. The trick is to do it in an honest and open way, without delving into self-pity and wallowing.
La Libertad: What is the hardest part of your work?
Bruce: Finding the funding to complete my projects. Even the smallest of things can cost you greatly on a film shoot, and money runs out fast. You have to be very careful about the planning of your film, and really know what everything is going to cost, because in the end, it will still cost more anyway. I have been lucky in that people I have worked with have been both supportive and generous with their time, so my projects have cost me far less than they would have otherwise, but each one still put a serious crimp on my wallet.
La Libertad: What foreign languages, if any, do you read, write, and/or speak?
Bruce: Sadly, none. I had been learning Japanese for a moment, but then I was booked into two plays as the lead, and the entire language just fell out of the back of my head because I had so much to memorize and put in there. I just hadn’t been at my language studies enough that it has a strong enough toe hold in my mind to remain. I’m still sad about it.
La Libertad: Where have you traveled?
Bruce: I’ve driven across America several times, so I’ve been in about half the States in the Union. I particularly enjoyed the Route 66 aspect of the drive as you get further west. I think either the Grand Canyon or Carlsbad Caverns have been my favorite places to see on these trips. Carlsbad especially is like stepping into a prehistoric and foreign environment. It was beautiful and serene. I haven’t been fortunate enough to travel outside the country much. I did go on a cruise of the Mediterranean and visited parts of Italy, including Rome, Florence, and Pompeii. It was such a beautiful trip, and I’d love to go back, but most of my money goes into my projects and makes it difficult to schedule such trips.
La Libertad: What are your career goals?
Bruce: The dream is to be... successful, as in working enough to live well, actor and producer. I am a little bit of a unique type, so it really rests in my hand to make people see how I am as a performer, and what I am capable of pulling off. I am also not too enthused with the idea of leaving my fate in the hands of others, which is why I am doing all this producing work; I want to have some control over my success; otherwise I’m sure I will just slip through the cracks and fail.
La Libertad: What projects are you working on?
Bruce: I just finished the "Dark Specter," which can be linked to here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2adWBBwcas
I am looking to expand "Dark Specter" into an actual series, but I am just starting to write it.
Besides "Dark Specter," I currently have another two projects going through their post-production process, and will hopefully be releasing them sometime in the near future.
I am also part of Fred Willard’s Mohos sketch comedy team, and appear live whenever we have a show, as well as part of my own improv troupe that appears around Los Angeles. You can find more info about that project here:
https://www.facebook.com/BizarreLoveTriangleLA
La Libertad: What links would you like to share?
Bruce: Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/brucenachsin
Subscribe to my Youtube:
https://t.co/O8TsCezMgK
My personal Website:
www.brucenachsin.com
My Facebook fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/brucenachsinfanpage
Watch my series "Under The Doghouse":
www.underthedoghouse.com
La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?
Bruce: Take the occasional risk and see what the other options in your life are open to you. You need to enjoy what you have now. I can help with that, just a little, by making you laugh.
Interview by Libertad Green
Introduction by William Mortensen Vaughan
No comments:
Post a Comment