Meet Breea Janay | Film Director

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

Hi Breea, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
It is time consuming. There are often times that I fantasize about working a 40 hour work week, because I know it is easier and less work on my behalf. I absolutely love having a career in film, but there are some work hours that are a consecutive 48 hours. It is also as demanding as having a child because we are living in a micro-manageable generation that requires everything to be in the now. After working for so long, you have to work even longer to finish. To my surprise, I did not know how much media was just a facade. I’ve grown to learn who has real money, who has fake money, who is in control and who becomes the puppet.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
A huge life lesson, that I completely ignored, was to not do business with friends and family. As a film director, it is my responsibility to make the right decision and direct the film to its best potential, which means entrusting in the right team members to get the job done. I am able to see people in their best form, way before they have reached it, and because of my delusion, I will place a task upon them that they are not able to achieve. This, of course, back fires. I’ve learned my lesson, a valuable one, the hard way. I’ve gone thousands of dollars in debt trying to right the wrongs, and I’ve faced numerous accounts of being homeless. In the end, I believe it is important for all indie film directors to have some sort of contract with all members so that it does not back fire. Lastly, hire nothing but professionals. Family and friends may mean well, but when they back out last minute, the pain hurts ten times worse.

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.
My favorite spots to visit is lake shore drive. Especially during the summer, it is a complete vibe. It is the equivalent of Philadelphia’s South Street. Then of course, lots of food places, however my diet is light so I just require soups and salads. To wrap up the fun, I think nature walks are the best times to talk with another. I often bring tea on my trips through the forest preserves.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to Casey and Elias who has helped me along the way of my success. Without their support, none of this would be possible. I also would like to give a huge shoutout to Bill Crane who has introduced me to the industry. Without Bill, I would not be able to meet Heff, who has taken my career and pushed it to further heights. Last but not least, I give all credit to my mom. Without my mom encouraging me from the jump, I would not be the woman I am today.