Latest / We Built This Brand / LA Trip Ep. 4: Resilience, Storytelling & the Art of Reinvention with Lesley Paterson
Transcript
- Chris: Um, well welcome to b We built this brand. I'm your host Chris Hill, and with me today is my co-host is Adhrucia. Adhrucia: Hi. I am the host of Conversations with Curiosity. I'm so happy to be on. We build this, we we build that brand. Chris: There you go. We built brand's. That's brand a twist brand. Well, thank you. Um, and today our guest is Lesley Patterson of Brave Art. And Lesley, you've got quite the career. Quite just, I was looking over everything you've done and where you're at and I'm just like, that is just so many different things all in one that is possible. I know I'm Lesley: a desperate overachiever, what can I tell you? I am like that Horrible A type personality. Yeah. Chris: Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, so, so you, I mean, you have a background in, um, triathlons. You are a world champion at that as well, which is fascinating. Tell me, tell me. 'cause it's not just normal like Iron Man, it's something else too, isn't it? No, it's Lesley: completely different. I was a five time world champion in off-road triathlon, so that's swimming in an ocean or a lake. It's then mountain biking on trails and then trail running. Mm-hmm. So, um, and there was a, a kind of World series or there currently is a World Series. Races all over the world, culminates in a world championship and yeah, got to travel the world, do crazy shit, uh, be out in nature, which I love, love, love. Chris: Yeah. That, that makes it so fun. And, um, yeah, I was always like, I always told people like, I could do a triathlon if it wasn't for the running, like I'm flatfooted. Lesley: Terrible. You could just walk it. You see, this is the thing. You could just walk it and plenty of triathletes do. Really? Yeah. Oh, big time. Big time. Yeah. You need to reconsider you. You do. And there's shorter triathlons as well, so I bet you I could train you to be able to run a 5K. Wow. Bet you this just Chris: took a turn. This is a i I. I would love to take you up on that honestly. Done, done, Lesley: done, done. Chris: I need to get in better shape myself anyway. I've got a bum knee so that, that makes it a little better. We'll figure it out. But we figure it out. There's a way. There's a Lesley: will, there's a way. Chris: Absolutely. Um, but yeah, no, I swam growing up and um, yeah, I was a big swimmer and um, I noticed you played rugby too. Lesley: I did. I know I was, um, actually the only girl on an all boys team. That's awesome. So it was wicked. It was great. Chris: Yeah. I Lesley: played from the age of, um, seven to 12. Chris: Okay. Lesley: And just loved to get dirty basically, and then beat up in boys. Chris: Yeah. Lesley: So, and the thing is, is I wasn't actually that much smaller now than I, sorry, then than I am now. It is. So, you know, I was actually comparable to the boys. Chris: Gotcha. Lesley: Um, but I just didn't grow that much. So, but it set really set me up actually to be incredibly tough and resilient. Yeah. And then, you know, sort of get used to standing out, being laughed at and being pointed at and, and, and d digging in and, and mastering what I loved about it and being part of a team. Yeah. Rather than worrying about sort of what people were thinking about me. Chris: Yeah. Yeah. One of my, one of my mentalities in businesses. Rucking mall like that is very much how I think of like, anytime I go through something difficult, it's like I'm in the ruck in the mall. I just gotta keep it going. That's it. Keep that ball moving forward. So Lesley: it's true. It's true. That's, oh, that's a great one. Yeah, that's, that's a T-shirt. Okay. That's my T, that's my new T-shirt. That's a brave art t-shirt. Rock and mall. Awesome. I love it. Yeah. Adhrucia: And now you, you run a film and television company, brave Art Entertainment. Yes. Tell us how that happened. Tell us the journey to becoming a founder. So, Lesley: yeah, so I studied my undergraduate and graduate in theater and film at the same time as being a, a professional athlete. Mm-hmm. And so it's always been, you know, in my DNA and so I was kind of producing and writing and developing my skills at the same time. Um. But had optioned the rights to a big book all quiet in the Western front. Mm-hmm. And that took about 16 years to get off the ground. And uh, luckily it got off the ground right at the same time as I was kind of retiring from sport and 16 years, 16 years long body time. Wow. But, you know, we stuck with it and that has kind of helped us to really, uh, launch the company with a great team. And I started it actually with my husband. Been who's since passed away. Um, but we were writing partners and had some sort of content in there already. And then I've brought in this amazing team and yeah, we're just, we're building it out really quickly. We're doing incredible things. We've got a wonderful slate and a great mission, and it's, it's, it's incredibly exciting times. Tell us about Adhrucia: building the Brave Art brand. Lesley: Yeah. So really the stories that we tell, um, I'd say they're ones of resilience and of, uh, muscular, poetic, um, and at the heart of our company. Is a writing story first. Mm-hmm. So we have a writer's room within the company. So almost like this brain trust that comes together to really develop and shepherd the story from start to finish. 'cause what we found personally and within the team is that this intersection between creativity and the business side is kind of broken. Um, and so we are wanting to be that conduit. Tween amazing storytelling and the business side. Mm-hmm. Um, and so really offering that as a service to other companies in terms of script writing and, you know, story shepherding through the entire process. And at the same time developing our own IP as well. Um, because everybody knows that it starts with a great script, Chris: right? Lesley: And yet nobody's willing. To really do the development behind it. Mm. Because they see that as the riskiest part. Mm-hmm. And yet that's a part that starts everything. And is the genesis of it being a success? Chris: Yeah. Lesley: So we feel as a company that's our special sauce. And, um, we're tapping into something I think that is missing. Um, so yeah, we're building it out like that. It's, it's kind of exciting. Chris: Yeah. I, I think original stories are. One of the hardest things to find these days, like finding original creative work, finding original, um, stories to still tell it. It's, it's a, there's a plethora of them out there, right? But everybody wants the, the, the hottest young adult fiction series to become the next movie series or the next, the. Lesley: Which is, which is fine, right? I think it's like you want original stories, but at the same time, it doesn't matter, whatever the genre is or whatever the story is or whatever the IP is. At Braver, what we focus on is why are we telling this story? Mm-hmm. What's our why and why are we telling it now? And so if that sort of is your orientation for creating something great, um, then it's always gonna be relevant and it's always gonna have purpose. Um, and therefore it's always gonna land no matter what that story is and what that genre is. And that's a difference. So it's all about excellence of the craft. Chris: Mm-hmm. Lesley: At the heart of it. Um, and that's what's gonna set us apart from other people. Chris: Yeah. Because Lesley: what you find is in the industry is there's a lot of industry people that are maybe on the business side and not on the craft side. Mm-hmm. They wouldn't know what a good story is or what a good script is if it slapped him on the face. You know, because they're not, that's not their, that's not their, um, specialty. Right. And, but unfortunately they don't know. It's not their specialty, they think it is. Mm-hmm. So I feel like that is our specialty. So if we can marry that with a business side, then we're off to a winner. Adhrucia: When you're building those original pieces of IP versus established pieces of ip, as someone who's specifically focusing on the development, what is the, or is there a secret sauce or a way that you are approaching, uh, building that IP up so that those people who do, who do sit on the business side, uh, find it attractive? Is there a special sauce? I'm sure many people who are listening are gonna say yes. Great when you have the best selling novel, but what happens when it is an original story that you guys really believe in? How are we kind of forming that and, and helping build that up for the market? Lesley: Right. So I think at the heart of it, certainly for me, and I think for the rest of my team is, um. Having a story that says something mm-hmm. About what is going on in today's society, and that's at the heart of it. And then building around that, uh, the craft of that screenplay of that story. So that means, uh, an amazing concept that means, uh, a genre that fits that concept and that is marketable. Uh, that means creating incredible characters. Mm-hmm. That means having compelling, compelling conflict drive your story. So there's like, there's so many parts that come together. It's like this mathematical problem that you have to solve, but you can't have the audience see it, and then you have to do it in a way that is original and unique. Mm-hmm. Um, so. All of that to say, um, I think it's, it's gotta say something about what's going on in today in some fashion, and that, that, that peppers every scene, every character, every arc, uh, and, and the arc of the story as well. Adhrucia: What are the greatest issues that you've found as a development team taking stories into the market right now for, uh, filmmakers who are watching or storytellers who might be interested in working with you? What are the issues of the pitfalls that you see with the current industry that, um. That you Yeah. That really are things that you're working around and working towards solving. Lesley: Totally. So maybe I'll, I'll, I'll chat about a few stories that, that we're currently working on. We're doing a great project, uh, set in Ghana, uh, with, with Idris Elba, and it's about, uh, it's a true story mm-hmm. Um, about an African queen mother that raises an army of 5,000 warriors to fight off the British. But at the heart of it, it's all about, um, standing up when no one else will. Mm-hmm. I love that. So that's a really powerful story, right? Then we're doing this amazing other story about, uh, uh, actually an African, um, runner, um, a true story. Uh, and he was a Sudanese lost boy that ended up coming to America and running in the Olympics. And at the heart of it, it really is. The, the American dream in all its glory, and it's also one of identity and, uh, responsibility. So again, really potent issues. Um, gosh. I mean, then we're doing some sports movies in the genetic modification space, which is all about identity. Then we're, I mean, there's, there's so many different. Things, you know, we're doing a big TV series about the Navy Seals and the history of the Navy Seals and what has made them who they are, which at the heart of it is Maverick is, and, you know, continually reinventing themselves in order to have relevant. And why is that important? And that's such I potent message. You know, if you're a maverick, uh, you're always kind of thinking outside the box about how to progress and how to move things forward. And sometimes that doesn't look good to the outside or you're pushed down because of that. But that's how we actually get progress in a system that is maybe broken, is pushing against it. So like, yeah, there's so, there's so many issues, I guess. Um, yeah. Yeah. Chris: And those all sound like really cool stories too. I mean, just, um, I'm fascinated to hear more about the, the Navy Seal one that sounds really cool for the future. Oh, it's like a Lesley: man. Oh my gosh. Um, uh, it's based on a book called By Water Beneath the Walls, written by a Navy Seal. Um, and it kind of is a, is a history of the NA Navy Seals starting right back at the origin of them. Yeah. And the most unlikely figure that. That kind of started it to overcome the issues of obstacles on the beach. And they needed, you know, at Normandy and they needed underwater demolition to fix it. It's, it's just madness and how hell weak came about and how NFL players were a part of it. It's like, oh my god, it's so crazy. Chris: Yeah, that is, that is fascinating. It's cool. Well, Lesley, thank you so much for taking the time, pleasure to join us today. Pleasure. It's been awesome. Um, before we go, I always like to ask this question, which is, um, you know, if you could think of any brand that. That, that has been really influential on you or, um, that you would say like you really admire right now? What brand would that be? Lesley: Oh my God. Brand. Oh gosh. Uh, um, Hey, listen, I'm a Braveheart queen, so maybe it's a brand of Braveheart. Okay. Um, because it's the underdog fighting and never giving up. Mm-hmm. Um, and I think that that brand is, is beyond just say the film. Yeah. And that's kind of at the heart of who I am. I Adhrucia: love that. Um, Lesley: that's great. So it's not really a thing. Guess a good answer. Is that okay? Adhrucia: Let's go. It's definitely one of the films that stood the test of time. Yes, exactly. Lesley: Well, Mel Gibson wasn't exactly Scottish, but that's all right. We'll forgive him for that. Chris: He still did a pretty good job. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He doing good job. That's great. Well, thank you so much for coming on. Lesley: Pleasure. And we're going running tomorrow, just so you know. Adhrucia: Yeah. She's gonna be on your door. Well, I issues with. Thing. We'll see. We'll see. You better be ready. You sign up. That's Lesley: right. Chris: Triathlon. Lesley: Here they come. Chris: You, you may be walking. I'll just warn you. Lesley: That's okay. I may be running. We start somewhere. One step at a time. Chris: Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you so much, um, for coming on. We built this brand. Where can people find out more about you and connect with you? Lesley: Yeah, so you know, online, you know LinkedIn, um, you know, uh, we're gonna have a website up for the company pretty soon, which will be braveheart entertainment.com. Um, you can sort of go on IMDB, Google Search Me. There's plenty of ways to get in touch. Excellent. Chris: Sounds great. Well, thank you so much. Lesley: Thank you. All righty. Cheer guys. Thank you. Thank you, Lesley.