Biography
Bryan A McBrien took a break from the film industry just before the pandemic and opened an interior plant shop, Green P.S., across from Trilith Film Studios in Fayetteville, GA (the home of Marvel Studios) After selling his interest in Cinema Greens in the fall of 2020, a plant and fabrication company he helped found in 2014 and sold in 2020. Bryan entered the world of filmmaking, in Hollywood, when he was hired as a Greensman on the 1997 Robert Zemeckis film, Contact. As he began working on short films to hone his skills in Production Design, he continued moving up as an I.A.T.S.E. Greens Foreman in order to work with the best directors and designers in the world. His third film was an epic job on Disney's Mighty Joe Young as a Key on the 1997 Oscar Nominated Visual Effects Crew. Bryan soon began to be recognized as a craftsman known for detail, which led to a career highlight when he was hired for the 1998 Oscar Nominated Visual Effects Crew for Stuart Little. This gave Bryan the opportunity to work directly under the tutelage of Visual Effects wizard, John Dykstra of Star Wars infamy. As Bryan's Production Design career was gaining momentum on short films and experimental projects, he continued to work with the elite in Hollywood: The Coen Brothers, Ed Zwick, Ridley Scott, J.J. Abrams, Mike Nichols, Sam Raimi, Christopher Nolan, Andrew Stanton, Todd Phillips, and most notably, Steven Spielberg. While working on Minority Report, he studied and designed Hydroponic plant propagation for the futuristic Green House sequence starring Tom Cruise and was integral in creating and fabricating the entire Interior with P.D. Alex McDowell. He then began Designing sets for Herzog/Cowen Entertainment for sequences on the DVDs for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean and Aladdin. This led to his introduction to writer/director Adam Green and their collaboration on the Award winning "old school horror" films, Hatchet and Hatchet II. Green and McBrien partnered up again on the Feature Film, Frozen, shot 8,000 feet up in the frigid, Wasatch Mountain Ranges of Central Utah where Bryan applied his logistical skills at moving and hiding an entire film crew and equipment on the side of a mountain; while also creating artificial exteriors and a forced perspective Ski Lift; something never before attempted by any Film Production. Bryan continues to develop his talents while working for prolific Production Designers such as Bill Breszki, (Stuart Little, Flipped, Hangover's 1 & 2, Due Date, and the upcoming Iron Man 3) and Nathan Crowley (John Carter and The Dark Knight Returns), where he was given great latitude to lend his skills as a Local 800 Art Director, while acting as an Art Department HOD/Greens Coordinator. With over 20 years as an I.A.T.S.E. member in Local 44, and his induction into The Art Directors Guild in 2011, 40 plus features, numerous commercials and Television shows. Designing the Mini-Series, It's a Mall World, and National Commercial Spots for Actor/Director, Milo Ventimiglia....Bryan A. McBrien continues to be one of the names that come to mind when Directors and Producers are looking for a Production Designer who can not only create unique Designs for a Feature Film, but also continue to think outside the box on ways to streamline budgets, assist with production needs, and everything else that comes along with making a successful Film.
