Meet Andris Braeuer | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andris Braeuer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andris, what do you attribute your success to?
The film world is immensely collaborative compared to other artistic avenues and that’s what I find most compelling about it. Collaboration has allowed me to meet some incredibly talented people who have helped me with all my past and future endeavors. My latest short film Bird of Paradise couldn’t have been done if it weren’t for the collaboration of so many people here in the Valley. From friends, fellow Arizona State University alumni, local film workers, musicians, local businesses, former professors and organizations, there wasn’t a single part of the project that could have been done if it weren’t for those who helped me bring this vision to life. I wanted to highlight what Arizona has to offer in its growing film industry, and was able to do that with this small independent project.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
While I dabble in photography and other art forms, filmmaking and storytelling is what I am most passionate about. I’m a writer and director and while in college I created several short films. My senior thesis film was selected at film festivals across the country and won Best Picture at the AFA Film Festival which allowed me to create my first project outside of school. This project became Bird of Paradise which I have been working on for the last year and a half and is something I’ve become incredibly proud of.

This film took an immense amount of work from my very talented crew and I, and while it still has a long way to go with its festival run, I am so proud of what we have already accomplished. Creating an independently made film has many difficulties. People often just see the finished product and not the months if not years of preparation and work that goes into conceiving, producing, directing, shooting and editing the film. Even though it was a small project, I feel the message of the film is very meaningful and the overall experience of bringing the story to life was really special. I’m happy that I was able to foster a creative environment for many local creatives and ASU alumni.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have lived in and around the Phoenix area all of my life and have watched the city continue to grow, especially in recent years. Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix is one of those areas that is really up-and-coming. There are so many really fun food and bar concepts popping up there and I would absolutely take someone who is visiting Phoenix there on a weekend. Some of my favorite restaurants are Bacanora, Farish House and Glai Baan. Ollie Vaughn’s is by far my favorite breakfast spot and they also have really delicious baked goods. As far as bars I think KLAH in downtown Phoenix is a really unique concept and their bartenders are super talented. Highball is also one of my go-to favorite cocktail bars. Casey Moore’s Oyster House in Tempe is a really fun spot to visit with a group of friends and has great outdoor seating. Dirty Drummer in Phoenix is one of my favorite dive bars and has been a part of the Phoenix community for a long time. Fun fact: we filmed parts of Bird of Paradise at the Dirty Drummer! There is no shortage of fun things to do in Phoenix but some of my favorites are visiting Canyon/Saguaro Lake, checking out the Heard Museum and Phoenix Art Museum and of course going to a movie (at Harkins of course).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had the pleasure to work with and learn from so many incredible people throughout my career, it would be impossible to list everyone who had some part in my success but I am forever grateful for those people. One person who I have to thank for being incredibly supportive, and even got me my first major production job on a movie set out of college, is my former professor Nita Blum. I had Nita for a few of my classes while I was a student at ASU and she was always motivating me and other students to take creative risks and encouraged us to step out of our comfort zone. I learned a lot from her in her classroom as well as working beside her on set. She is someone I look up to and have a great amount of respect for. Anyone is lucky to learn from Nita Blum.

A few others I’d like to mention are some of my fellow crew members from Bird of Paradise. Ruth Hesch is an incredibly talented and unique writer and even more incredible friend. Allorie Alexander is possibly the most talented and thoughtful cinematographer, photographer and artist I’ve ever met. Adrian Dennis is by far one of the most hardworking editors I’ve had the absolute pleasure to work with. These people have set a very high standard this early in my career and I would not be where I am without them and the rest of the Bird of Paradise crew.

Website: https://www.gofundme.com/manage/bird-of-paradise-short-film

Instagram: andybraeuer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andybraeuer106/featured

Image Credits
Camille Misty, Phillip Gabriel Steverson