MY STORY
Brandon is a global citizen to American military parents, openly gay and University of Georgia alumnus. He is active within the Queer community focusing on rights, representation, and exploring its diversity.
Brandon is a mental health and wellness advocate having had first-hand experience with trauma, sexual abuse, and healing. He is also a supporter of the Trevor Project, which aims “to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people.”
He has sought to help people within his industry and beyond by questioning, understanding and correcting the narrative through showcasing stories that speak of the human experience and the struggles we all face.
PERSONAL
From humble beginnings, Brandon was born on Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 28, 1980, the second son to military parents who split shortly after his birth. For the first six years he was raised in low-income housing in Massachusetts before his stepfather, who worked for the US Government, relocated the family to Southern Italy. Brandon spent the majority of his youth toggling between Massachusetts, Connecticut, Italy, and New Zealand. Upon the remarriage of his mother, Brandon gained two stepsisters and one half sister making him the middle child of five. His experience growing up around the world in the military has opened him up to many cultures, backgrounds, and experiences which he infuses into his daily life.
While the travel and exposure to the world was nothing short of amazing, it was marred by frequent physical, mental, emotional, and verbal abuse by his stepfather.
Brandon moved to the United States in 1998 to pursue a degree in Media from Georgia State University. After a number of setbacks that paused his college career until 2001, including a short two month stint in 2000 in San Antonio, TX with the United States Air Force where he was honorably discharged for having asthma, he attended University of Georgia focusing on a degree in theater. He graduated with his first degree in 2003 and went on to work in theater as an actor as well as modeling and some commercials while simultaneously producing for photo and video shoots.
In 2009 tragedy struck again, this time in the form of the loss of his stepfather who passed away from cancer. Several years before his death, Brandon and his step-father had reconciled their relationship. That loss, coupled with terminating a seven year relationship plus having been drugged at a bar and sexually assaulted by two strangers, his mental health slipped and he found solace in his work. He began attending Georgia State University for his Master’s in Film Production, however, due to a job offer in New York City he ended his degree a thesis dissertation shy of graduation.
From 2009-2019 he moved to Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles, toggling between the cities for over a decade, relocating to wherever the next job took him. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he returned to school to finish a second degree in Business Management from the University of Georgia in 2021 while working on his companies, and launching new projects.
His personal philosophy and life mantra can be summed up in one quote:
"As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."
- Carl Jung
PROFESSIONAL
Brandon has produced, directed, acted and created shows for syndicated networks and independent films with a focus on causes he is passionate about, and knows will drive a change in the human collective through open dialogue, honesty and kindness.
With a strong background in storytelling as well as production strategy, Brandon has built a career spanning almost 30 years starting in broadcast news and currently working in film, television, and new media.
He is a consummate student of the world and is constantly learning new methods and approaches to making his productions run more efficiently and effectively without compromising the quality of services and products.
Brandon has produced TV, film, commercials, and photography since 2003 for The Home Depot, Ebony, TLC, Kohl’s, Target, JC Penney, CBS, Showtime, and many others. He was also Segment Producer for OWN’s Ladies Who List Atlanta Season 1, VH1’s Love and Hip Hop Miami Season 2 and Coordinating Producer for VH1’s Black Ink Crew Season 8.
Brandon’s directorial debut, Proxy, was screened at a dozen film festivals including a World Premiere at the OUTShine: Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The film won multiple awards including Festival Favorite at Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBT Film Festival, Audience Award Best First-Time Director at Qflix Philadelphia, and Runner- Up Jury Award Best Feature at Springfield LGBT Film Festival. It is currently available on Amazon Prime.
His second film, Latter-Day Glory, a documentary about the high rise in suicide among LGBT Mormon youth is set to be re-released in Fall 2022. Brandon’s company Social Evolution Media recently began pre-production for his third feature Kitty about homeless queer youth in Atlanta. He holds an MA in film from Georgia State University, a BA in Theatre and a BBA in Business Management both from the University of Georgia.
He began his career as a production assistant at AFN (Armed Forces Network) in Vicenza, Italy in 1994. Upon moving to the United States to attend the University of Georgia, he began working at Channel 13 WMAZ as a production assistant and audio technician.
While his production career was blossoming Brandon also took his talents to the stage acting professionally for Equity playhouses in the southeast such as Aurora Theatre, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, and the Regional Tony Award winning Alliance Theatre Company. Brandon’s social activism took center stage from 2006-2010 when he founded the non-profit Uzupis Theatre Company in Athens, GA, which produced plays for social change, focusing on issues such as poverty and suicide. The company embraced stories and issues that affect a community as a whole. After acting in a few national commercials Brandon turned his focus upon producing photography, commercials, and videos. Brandon kept steady during the 00s and 10s working in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta producing for major clients like PopSugar, H&M, Broadway, Harper’s Bizarre, Seventeen Magazine, InStyle Magazine, Michael Strahan, SkinnyGirl Brands, Anthropologie, and many more.
In 2015 Brandon produced and directed his first feature film Proxy and has gone on to produce television, documentaries, and films. His company, Social Evolution Media, was founded in 2019. Social Evolution Media creates quality, socially-conscious media that inspires, educates, and entertains while shining light on the real stories of marginalized people.
He is currently in development for a new show, Young Bless America which features Young Bae from Black Ink Crew. The series follows Young as she travels across America to tattoo her biggest fans, learn about the nation’s history, and confront the biggest challenges that everyday Americans face today.
Brandon is also in development for an upcoming feature film, Kitty, which tells the story of a trans black girl’s journey back home juxtaposed to a homeless, gay teen’s fall into a downward spiral. More than a sordid story about homeless youth, it is a dark fairytale with monsters lurking in the shadows and princesses becoming warriors. Kitty shines an honest light on the lives of homeless queer youth while giving them hope, inspiration, and redemption.
Brandon is also involved in tech start-ups as well as expanding his existing company, Social Evolution Media.
