Why wasn't I In The Room? (Part 2)

Part 2: Why Wasn’t I in the Room? (Featuring Brandon Boruch)

In Part 2 of Why Wasn’t I in the Room?, I sit down with special guest Brandon Boruch for an honest and unfiltered Q&A about the creative journey, chasing opportunities, and dealing with the feeling that everyone else seems to be getting invited into rooms you’ve spent years trying to enter.

We talk about networking, rejection, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and the reality of building a career when success feels just out of reach. Brandon shares his experiences, lessons learned, and perspective on staying motivated when the industry doesn't always recognize your hard work.

If you've ever looked at an award show, a film premiere, a major event, or someone else's success and wondered, "Why wasn't I in the room?"—this conversation is for you.

A candid discussion about perseverance, purpose, and understanding that sometimes the journey is preparing you for a room bigger than the one you thought you wanted.

Topics Include:

• The psychology behind feeling left out
• Imposter syndrome and self-worth
• Building meaningful connections
• Staying creative through rejection
• Success, timing, and patience
• Advice for filmmakers, artists, and dreamers

Because sometimes the most important question isn't why weren't you in the room? It's what are you doing to make sure you're ready when the door finally opens?

🎙️ That’s So Random with Doc Anthony Bravo – where the conversations are random, but the lessons are real.

Follow Us on Instagram @TheRealDoC1sOfficial & @bbrandoactgr8

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Here's your host, Doc One.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to part two of That's All Random with my boy Brandon. We're gonna step into the QA section, which I didn't realize. We might have to do a part three next week. But uh stay tuned. I've been I've been waiting for this. So I got uh a few questions. I'm gonna probably ask you. I'm gonna say like seven. I'm gonna pick the number seven, right? I'm gonna pick something random.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

It's a good lucky number. Yeah, I'll take it.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

I'm gonna open it up with out of every character that you've played in in my films, in my films, so far has been what three? Four?

SPEAKER_03 0:59

At least three, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

Four. Haystack, you played um the boyfriend that you know showed up. Um then you played um Jay in Hold My Hand. Yes, and then most recently Owen in Throw Ride. So that's four. So out of every character you played in my films, which one is the closest to the real you?

SPEAKER_03 1:21

Oh that's so hard because uh I definitely uh relate to all of them. I'd say Oh god, I really had fun with QTPI. It really was some slapstick yet dry humor for me, which is I guess I guess I'd I'll push that one down. I'd say, um, it's gotta be Jay. Because I was I was actually I'd be exactly like that in a cop, you know, in a in a shop, giving you that advice, being that person who's your uplifter, and also like good, you gotta take your shop.

SPEAKER_02 1:53

So playing my best friend.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

Yeah, basically. Yeah, that's that's gotta be the closest, but they're all so good and close together. Um and even and even in the next roles, I know there's gonna be even more of me that's gonna come up. Um, but yeah, let's stick with Jay as the closest as a best friend.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

It's funny because I was watching Haystack the other day and I was laughing just as hard as I did that first day. It's so great. I just you know what? I just realized we could do a sequel. No, technically, in a different dimension, we did do a sequel because Leva, Jennifer, you and I weren't in Haystack and we're all in Thrill Ride.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

Yeah. That's pretty funny. Yeah, he'll he'll show up.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

Yeah, right. Okay, um, let's see. What other question? I'm gonna ask you one more question about our film stuff that we've done together. If our film set had a reality show, who would cause the most drama?

SPEAKER_03 2:44

Oh, I don't want to name names. I know there's there's me. I'm the I'd say I'm the goof goofy clown guy of uh which can you know be read as like, oh, that's cute. Oh, he's funny or he's maybe a little annoying. That's probably the drama I could bring out of it uh from my standpoint, but I know there's some people I could we're gonna follow it up with another question.

SPEAKER_02 3:09

If one of our films got a ridiculous Hollywood budget tomorrow, what's the first thing you'd want to upgrade? Any of the films that we've done together.

SPEAKER_03 3:19

I mean, they all deserve great money because they're all great. I'd say Thrill Ride has got to be the one that could use that money because we want that big budget effect. Yeah, we're it's a really because we're we're kind of doing that little like knock parody at some at some big names here, and I think it'd be ironic to have that big budget movie to really show them off theme park.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

Alright, let's see, let's see. Next question. We're gonna do a random funny one. If your life had a background music 24-7, what genre would follow you around?

unknown 3:53

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_03 3:54

Uh oh god, I sometimes love that sad music stuff. Uh but I couldn't tell you if that's like if that goes into a certain soundtrack mode or like um like in like piano like Ludovigo and Yaudi is like a like a form of like classical instrumental with no words.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

So that would be like your 24 hours. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:13

No, no, it's gotta be instrumental, no, no lyrics, and it's gotta be between like you know, that sort of like, oh, it's it's Hans Zimmer from Lion King meets like Ludovigo and Yadi, where it can go wild, but it can also go really sad and somber and touching, moving.

SPEAKER_02 4:28

Good to know. Yeah. So the next time, maybe in the next one, small violin. I'll put a little a little background track. Hell yeah. You know, in subtle background. Okay. Okay, here's a good one. And this one, you obviously don't have to name the person, but you can definitely name what it is. What's one thing directors do that secretly annoys you?

SPEAKER_03 4:56

Gosh, uh it's so funny because I've been a director, so I I'm thinking of things that I've done more than others, but I'd say I think it's it's when people uh when they're directing, they they say they're they're trying to pull out uh somebody to act differently instead of just stating, okay, you're doing this, I need this. Just try it. Like I think like when you're having to explain and over-explain and explain again how to get the actor to act the way you want.

SPEAKER_02 5:32

Yeah. And that that that right there, that particular thing, it's not something that annoys me, but as a director myself, I feel like you need you need to close the gap so they can get to the other side faster. And that's something that I feel, I guess in today's world, they don't want to push it or be too strong and whatever. Just listen, we're here. I need you to do this. Okay? Give them a good example, do something like that. Use that as inspiration. Obviously, these questions are for you, but I'm gonna answer this question also. The one thing that annoys me is when you're not in the scene, right? And you're you're watching, and then okay, action. Boom, they do it, do it again.

SPEAKER_03 6:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:14

And then you you see them do it again, and it's almost like an exact replica of what they did the first time. Yeah. Oh, I don't like it. Do it again. And it's like, I don't like in my mind, I'm like, what what did they do wrong? Like, like, what is it that you want? Because like I'm looking at it, I'm like, I don't see anything.

SPEAKER_03 6:30

I agree with that one. I agree with that one because it needs variation for that second, it's the same words, but you're like, okay, it was great. Now I need just a little bit sadder or angrier or something. I know sometimes that always isn't always great to add another emotion or color on it, but if you're looking for that same thing with a different reaction, then say what the reaction is, not just go, okay, again, and again.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

Yeah, and not not just with like the delivery of the lines, but also with like the movement. Let's say it's a small choreography or like the blocking, and they're hitting the the spots, and the blocking is exactly what they want, and they're like, Wait, do it again, and then they do it exactly the same way one more time, and then they do it again, this the exact same way, all three times. Yeah, there it is. That's what I wanted. Like, what did I miss? Well, like, what were you?

SPEAKER_03 7:15

I think I'm one of those that actually prefers every take to be a little different, which sometimes I think annoys some editors because you have that flavor.

SPEAKER_02 7:23

See, you want it to be different. I do like bitch taking. I I've seen directors make them do something multiple times, and I I'm watching the whole thing and I don't see a difference.

SPEAKER_03 7:35

They're getting tired, maybe.

SPEAKER_02 7:36

Yeah, I'm like, is that what you wanted? That look of exhaustion. Exhaustion. Then I can see what you wanted it from there. I'm gonna move on to the creative deep dive questions. Not too deep of a dive. What's the hardest part about chasing that creative dream nobody talks about?

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Oh, that's the greatest question. That is a billion-dollar question. I have to say, because I've been thinking about it lately, it's playing safe. It's literally just trying to live day to day. That is the grind that is destroying us. And I think when people don't don't understand that fake it make it, is because we are playing it so safe. We're worried about our finances, we're worrying about everything but the project and the creativity. That is what eats us alive and and and makes us hollow and and sad. And and that's I gotta say, that's my answer right there.

SPEAKER_02 8:32

And I I I can definitely agree to that. I don't think that that's the hardest part, but it's close to for me because obviously I got this house, I got my kids, and I'm trying to tread the line of not blowing it all on a project, but at the same time, not being too cheap with a project. Like I can agree, no, but luckily for me, I've been able to balance it fairly.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Um, you have. I'm impressed.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

I don't know how you do that. Yeah. Um I need to learn from you. I think that's also uh maybe I'll change it to also not feeling learned enough and confident because I didn't have the background to write or to talk about cinematography or to guide people for actors or for directing or for producing, the lack of what you think it has to take. And then people say, But you have to do, you have to know what this is, is that's what the job is. But it's like, but if I don't know it, so that I feel insecure, so it's that insecurity and level of lack of experience that scares people.

SPEAKER_02 9:30

And this is what I love about the show's title, that's so random. Because even though I'm asking you questions, there's certain things that you're saying, and I'm like, oh, it sparks something else, and we jump off to like a little side quest. But that that right there, the insecurity part. I guess my advice for anybody dealing with insecurities, I've had actors on set be afraid to go to that to that point to hit that emotion because they're insecure. I was having a discussion with a parent of an actress that I worked with, and we were discussing about how we know they can do it. I said maybe they overthink it, it messes with their psyche, and then the insecurity is what makes them crumble, like oh, like they see it play out, they see themselves looking silly, and they get insecure about that because nobody wants to look silly trying to accomplish a certain emotion. And one thing that I I told the this particular parent, and I don't know if they had a conversation with their child about it, but I want to just say it out loud. One thing about being a performer is that the audience doesn't know the destination you're trying to reach. So, however far you make it with the emotion that they're asking you to express, the audience is gonna see it and accept it because they don't know where that feel you know, where that goalpost is at. That's right. They don't see it. So I've always learned I'm gonna go all out. Okay, if my if the director is saying, hey, I need this from you, and the best I can give them is like 75 yards, not the whole hundred. I hope they accept it because the audience is not gonna know where the hundred or the 75 was the the the the real goal, you know? So that's definitely one thing. Insecurities are gonna come, but as a performer, your job is to entertain and captivate. You do it to your best ability. If obviously you had to settle for that 75 and not that hundred, when you guys rap and you go home, you you you ask, you pick the brain, like pick the brain of the director, like what is it? Show me the bar that you wanted me to reach so the next time I can reach it. You know, and get examples. I I've always been a student of the game for everything that I've been a part of, whether it was writing, directing, producing, baseball, you know, chess, like everything that I've done in my life, I've always tried to be the student of the game. If I didn't know something, if I wasn't sure about it, I would always ask, how can I be better? How can I do something better to improve than like tomorrow? Because I've always lived by the phrase knowledge is power. Yeah. And if you don't acquire the knowledge, then you do not have the power. In this film community, whether you're an actor, a writer, a director, the goal is to elevate to the next level with every project. And that's one thing that I'm glad I've heard from like the first film I ever did in OIF to like probably not my latest, because the the latest I I kind of dropped the ball because I was trying to take on too much at once. But I want to say like the latest in regards to like hold my hand. From the first film I ever done to the latest film, which is Hold My Hand, you can see a world of difference in how I write, how I edit, how I just tell a story. Yeah. So it's always about learning.

SPEAKER_03 13:05

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Um, so yeah, sorry. Hey, like I said, this is that's so random.

SPEAKER_03 13:09

And we just I'd say, even just to add, the there is like you said, the 50s, the 75%, the 100%, they are acceptable. Because again, we're in a we're also in a community that isn't, you know, like England or some other country that has lived off hundreds of years of culture based on art and performance. So I think we have to give ourselves a little bit more room of growth because we're so sure that if we do it once, we're gonna struggle. We're not gonna we're gonna we're gonna insecurity. We're gonna fail. You know what I mean? We're we're just a little too tight on everything. And I think that we shouldn't apologize for how people are gonna learn or they're gonna struggle or they're gonna give only that 75%. We should never apologize for how that first film was to that last film was. So that's I just wanted to add that like you should never feel sorry. They shouldn't feel sorry and feel bad. We you know what I mean? Because that's where we can only stay in the positive to ever grow. Negative will never help us grow.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

Um, one thing I want to add, because I want to jump into more questions, you know, just to wrap up with the whole one thing that I do in my personal time is I'll film myself and I'll do editing techniques with the footage I've shot myself. Whether I'm doing my own stuff or I'm playing multiple roles, uh my kids get involved, or I use my little action figures. I I do things to test out my color grading, my angles, my blocking, and I do this all on my personal time. So when the time comes and I'm actually editing a film, I've already done certain techniques and I ooh, this would work. So that's one thing that I want to add on to the whole knowledge is power, just practice your craft. Yeah. Um, alright, let's see. We're gonna go to some behind the scenes questions. What's your funniest moment from any one of our shoots? I think oh, but there's so many good ones.

SPEAKER_03 15:04

I think the funniest was there was a really good funny moment with Juan where nobody was expecting me to come out, like in the timing of the doorway, and so it was really awkward and silly. I think uh that was a real funny one. I um I definitely know with with Haystack, we definitely hit several funny moments that were unexpected um from the outside shoots and the inside shoots uh on different days. Yeah, no, I I there's so many. Uh what about you?

SPEAKER_02 15:31

Um well when it comes to me, I think the one that stands out the most because I've been editing the film was in sorry in it was so funny because it was one of those moments. Um, matter of fact, in regards to our films, I'm gonna name this one, but there's some funny ones from uh an another film that I did. Matter of fact, the film that's in the film festival next week, Rosa's Thorn. But let me talk about this one. So there's a scene when Leva is, you know, just showing her face, and Ashley has said, oh, you know, we've been looking everywhere for you. And then Leva's like, oh, I'm just saying in character, and she approaches her, like, rah. And the camera pans over to, you know, to where Ashley's at, following Leva, and we're all in the walkway. And everybody's like, we're in the like shit, we're in the shot. Like, just just call cut at that point. We're not gonna be able to fix this. We're all in the shot. I remember that. That was hysterical. Because like the camera fans were all there just watching, observing, and then we all noticed it was like deer in the headlights, raccoons, like oh, we're in the shot, we gotta go, and everybody just runs away. And it's like, why are you running, bro? Like the shot's over, like it's ruined. You guys ruined it. So that was definitely one thing. Yeah, um, one funny one, and it's actually in the bloopers, and I'll I'll show you once we're done. Um, it's in the bloopers of Rose's Thorn. Kareem and I were having a fight team, we're coming down the hallway right here, and I kind of like barter kick him, and he's supposed to fall on the floor, but he slid and banged his head on the stove. And I go from tough, right? Ah, oh, oh my oh, you okay, like real fast. And I'm like, wow. The the switch was hysterical. Yeah. But I'll show you that.

SPEAKER_03 17:25

Oh man, it's funny.

SPEAKER_02 17:26

Alright, so I'm gonna ask you one more question from like the behind the scenes questions. Cool. Without spoilers, what can you tell people what to expect in your upcoming roles? And I'm like, it's crazy because you're in three more films.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

That's right, yeah. Um what can I what can people expect? Well, they're gonna get they're gonna get a lot of heart. I think at least two out of three definitely have that heart feeling.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

Well, there's another one there with heart, but yeah, literally.

SPEAKER_03 17:58

But I'm saying like each one of them is definitely have that sort of you're gonna feel a lot. Like, I I definitely am prone to finding uh morals of stories, but that philosophy of that moral is to hit the emotional center for people. And I definitely know these upcoming films are gonna hit some of that.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

And it's funny because I've been working on the score too, even though we we don't have a scene yet, but in my mind, the way I see the scenes playing out, the score's gonna fit.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

Yeah, I don't know, man. That's what I'm saying. It's like you you definitely I gotta compliment again. That blending of how you hit like Hollywood level music, and we're just at this level, uh you know what I mean? And then you're gonna you're gonna like I said, you're gonna hit, you're gonna find those new emotions that are gonna be not all comedies. This is not all comedies, that's another thing I'll spoil it, but it's gonna hit, as you said, with that emotional heart with your score. Oh man.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

And oh man. And see, and that and that's the beauty, because I went to school originally for you know audio engineering, sound design, stuff like that. You know, I never knew that. I'm surprised. So I went to school to learn how to do this, but I also wanted to be the person like on the microphone in front of the camera instead of behind the scenes. But I have acquired skills over the years to do other things. This is why I do so many things. Music being one of my passions, the original thing that I wanted to do my whole life, all of it is coming together at this moment. For a moment in my life, it was all music. I started performing when I was like five. So acting, then music, then acting again or writing, then acting, and now music, acting, and all of it is coming together, and I think it's definitely elevating the product a lot more. Yeah, we'll do a part three next week.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

Stay tuned. Turn it down, let it flip. Crackle in the free one more glitch. Late night brains in the paper cut. Okay, I'll throw it air. We're wound up.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

That's all right, go off, leg, leg, leg, let it, let it, let it, let's go. Here's your host, Doc One.