Danny Bristol is passionate about acting.
“There is something about that instant satisfaction from acting and acting with a partner and the unpredictably of acting that I like. It’s also a lot of fun,” said Bristol.
Since he was a child growing up in Nanaimo he has been pursuing the art form.
It started in elementary school when he became inspired by his babysitter, Brett Dier, to take acting lessons. Dier went on to pursue a career in acting and currently stars in Jane the Virgin.
“He inspired me to start, and inspired me as a kid to find something I was really passionate about. I was always really passionate about acting, ever since I was a little boy,” said Bristol.
He joined Spotlight Academy, led by artistic director Jacqui Kaese, and started to go for auditions on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver.
“Being exposed to that at a young age really inspired me,” said Bristol.
Bristol said Nanaimo has a strong acting and filmmaking community. After he graduated from Wellington Secondary School he wrote, directed and starred in his short film called Identical Faces.
“I am still in the middle of working on that. I am in the last few editing stages and that film is about two twin brothers. It is ultimately about their relationship. I play both twins, which was an exciting challenge. I wanted to see if I could pull it off,” said Bristol.
Bristol recently won a Joey Award in the monologue category and was nominated for the Young Actor in a Short Film Award for a leading role in His First Time, written by Duncan’s Angie Hawes, who goes by Angel Violet, which garnered her the Young Filmmaker Award.
Bristol’s monologue was from the play House, written by Daniel MacIvor.
“It’s a comedy piece about me talking about how cool engineers are and it’s pretty unique, but the trick for me was to find the serious moments as well. Trying to play a clever monologue in a down-to-earth serious way and finding the balance in that,” said Bristol.
He said it was thrilling to receive the award.
“I didn’t quite realize how big of a deal it was until I was walking up to the stage to accept the award then it all clicked when I was up there staring at everyone with my award,” said Bristol.
The Joey Awards were created to recognize young actors and actresses in Canada for their dedication to the craft.
Bristol returned to Nanaimo to spend the holidays at home with family after finishing his first semester at Studio 58.
Studio 58 is the professional theatre training program offered by Langara College and Bristol is completing the three-year acting program.
“Studio 58 is professional theatre training, which I believe is a good base to have,” said Bristol. “There is something very raw and personal about actors being onstage and there is no cutting. It’s you and your acting partners and that’s it. So I feel that’s a very good base to have acting-wise.”
Bristol decided to attend to program after taking a year off after high school.
During that year, Bristol soul searched and asked himself whether he wanted to go to school for acting or for filmmaking.
“I realized why I was making these films, writing all these things is ultimately so I could be in them, which isn’t always true, but ever since I was a little kid acting was my first impulse, and then everything else came because of acting,” said Bristol.
Bristol also wrote a feature film script while attending Studio 58, which he hopes to make after he graduates from the program.
“I’m never going to give up my other passions like filmmaking or writing either. I feel like they are all connected and they are all sort of the same thing. They are all storytelling," said Bristol.
To view videos by Bristol, please visit his YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/2iggtB5.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com