Meet Andrew Burn | Film Director & Cinematographer

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

Hi Andrew, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve been passionate about music and film for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was fascinated by the unique sounds each instrument could create, and I naturally gravitated toward experimenting with my guitar whenever the opportunity arose. Similarly to music, films captivated my imagination as a child. Classics like Close Encounters, Jurassic Park, Twister, The Lord of the Rings, and The Matrix captured my mind at a young age and inspired me to explore storytelling through visuals. My friends and I even made our own films with my parent’s home video camera, using a handful of props to create our cinematic adventures. My love for music sent me into the creative career path, where I now find myself on the battlefield of the film industry.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My early love for music eventually led me to a fulfilling career as a touring musician, music producer, and voting member of the Grammys (The Recording Academy). Producing music in the studio is where I found my opportunity to start producing music videos. Over time, these experiences intertwined, guiding my journey from music to ultimately focusing my pursuit on the film industry, working my way up the camera department ladder from BTS, camera assistant, camera operator, and finally, DP.

Now, through my odyssey of directing and producing films, I ambitiously set out to create my form of the “indie blockbuster”. Last year, in 2024, I was honored to have my directorial debut feature film, Venus Effect, premiere at Atlanta’s historic Plaza Theatre and subsequently released on Prime Video, Tubi, and other major streaming platforms. Today, I’m excited about my next feature “blockbuster” which is currently in the development stage.

Adding to my journey within the film industry, I serve as the festival director for the Atlanta Global Film Festival, and I’m a founding member of the Atlanta-based Title Frame Film Collective, which allows me to continue nurturing my creative passion while strengthening the local film community. My advice for newcomers to the creative industries is to uphold high standards for kindness, respect for others, and the ongoing pursuit of mastering your craft. Knowledge is power, but character is everything.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you’re new to Atlanta or just stopping through, you must experience the Beltline and all of its offerings: amazing restaurants, shopping, experiences, all walkable. If you’re a science nerd like me, you might also want to consider visiting The Dr. Ralph L. Buice, Jr. Observatory at Fernbank Science Center, get a glimpse of the planets!

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 would be amiss if I didn’t give thanks and gratitude to my dad and my mom (rest in peace mom!), they gave me the support and encouragement that launched me into my creative journey. And second, I would like to give a shout out to my close filmmaker friends and colleagues that helped create and currently maintain the Title Frame Film Collective.

Website: https://www.apexfilmatl.com/

Instagram: @andrewburnfilm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theapexfilmcollective

Other: https://filmfreeway.com/AtlantaGlobalFilmFestival
https://www.facebook.com/andaction.music/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0diGQdMZbXz4MlMf5DwL9Z