Meet Justin Brand | Content creator/ fight choreographer

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

Hi Justin, why did you pursue a creative career?
I didn’t always have the idea to pursue an artistic career. One of my main goals was to find something that I could help people, whether it be from motivation, wisdom, inspiration, anything that could leave a positive impact on their lives. It didn’t hit me until I started dancing how much art and media can have a lasting impression on someone, and when I saw the impact I had on people’s outlook on art and life, it motivated me to continue down a creative career path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’’s an interesting story because before I did any of martial arts or fight scenes, I was actually getting ready to teach ballroom dance! I had been dancing for 8 years at that point doing hip hop and just got trained to teach ballroom dance at an institution. I think I got to work for two weeks and then the world was hit with the pandemic and we were locked in our houses for months on end. During that time I gained a good bit of Covid weight, so when places started to open back up I looked for gyms to go to. I ended up going to a gym to try a kickboxing class and by the end of it when I was about to pass out, I thought to myself “this is just what I need”, and signed up the same day. Going to that gym sparked a new admiration of all things martial arts including martial arts fight scenes. I remember watching a fight scene on Instagram by this group called “Martial Club”and posted something saying I would love to do something like this. I didn’t think anything of it until my sensei at the gym who was teaching me goju-ryu and isshin-ryu karate at the time,
Replied and said he’d do one with me. After that it lit a spark in me to want to make fight scenes all the time. At this point I didn’t even have a thought about dancing, and was completely in a new phase in my life. This was interesting, because everyone knew me as the dancer, and it was pretty much my identity up until that point, but it never felt like I was giving up who I was or that I lost a piece of me. To me it I was still expressing art through movement, just in a different way. Being open to the idea of finding a new passion doesn’t have to mean that you gave up on your dream, it just means that you’ve moved into a new phase in your life and have a new dream. So after posting a couple of video online, one of them went viral and we’ve been at for four years now.

I think the hardest part when starting out was finding a style that fit me. My sensei would help with the basics but the rest of it was through a lot of research and a lot of trial and error. I started to develop a thought process of asking do, why, what, and how. Do I like what I saw? Why do I like it? What did they do to make it? How can I do that or something like that? That thought process helped me grow tremendously and help me formulate the style that I have today.

There were definitely challenges along the way. Just like any creator, there’s always gonna be highs and lows, especially with how today’s media works. You can be the talk of the town one day, and feel like everyone’s forgotten about you the next. I think what keeps me going is my goal. I always wanted highlight and showcase black fantasy. I want to inspire the young and old and show them that there can be a hero that looks like them who can slay dragons, fight with swords, and go on adventures with his crew. To show that it can be cool to be into what you’re into and be proud of it. So when I got messages from people saying how they watch my content with their kids, or how they were going through a really hard time in their life but watching my stuff got them through it, or meeting people in person and them telling me they started doing martial arts because of me, it lets me know all the trials and tribulations are worth it.

What I would want the world to take away from you is to be proud of who you are and dare to be different. I’ve been doing things different since as far as I can remember. Being from the small country town Rome Georgia, I didn’t fit the mold of a your average person, but I never wavered from who I was, and stay true to me to this day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well I’m a pretty active person so we’re gonna be moving a majority of it! Monday night gotta take them to controllerise for some of the best music, games, and dancing you’ll get on a Monday. Definitely got to take them to jinya ramen for the best ramen in Georgia no debate about it. Have to take a drive to berry college in Rome and hike up to the house of dreams. Get the crew together and go to activate to play some really physical and tiring interactive games. Can’t go wrong with a night out at the battery to hit some line dances at PBR, and got to take them on the long hike up to see the beautiful waterfall at Amicalola falls.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Most definitely! I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my friends and my lovely girlfriend. I think in whatever creative field you do, you must have people in your corner who will support you in whatever you do. Without them to go along with all the wacky ideas I have (for better or for worse), forming a group together called “The Cherry Bomb Guild” and my girlfriend willing to learn and record the videos for me, I wouldn’t be here today. So Shout’s out to them!

Instagram: Sage_brandu

Youtube: Officialsagebrandu

Image Credits
Miyaou.art