INTERVIEW with Bernard Mina || Actor & Writer
SD: Hi Bernard. Can you please introduce yourself to my readers who don’t know you yet?
BM: Firstly, I just wanted to say thank you so much, Suzanne, for this opportunity, it means a lot to me. I'm a Screenwriter and Actor based in Brisbane.
SD: What is your ‘day job,’ or complimentary career? Give a few details about your day to day activities and how you got started.
BM: My 'day job' is that I'm a Clinical Nurse in Mental Health. I do shift work but in most circumstances, but typically my day will start at 4 AM, I'll do some exercise, mostly running as of late due to the whole COVID 19, I'll go to work and start from 7 AM and finish around 3:30 PM. In the afternoons will vary, but that will be dependant on what day. Usually Tuesdays I'll have an acting class, but in the afternoons I'll work on either craft. I usually try and make arrangements if I just want to do acting stuff with fellow actors in advance but if I'm writing something I'll probably stick to doing that.
SD: What inspired you to take on writing and acting?
BM: Acting was something that I did mostly in primary in high school before I was encouraged by my parents to do nursing. The writing part came several months after being in acting school. At the time it was hard to get any kind of roles and after not seeing a lot of options for 'diverse castings' that had no preference I decided to start writing and creating my own work.
SD: Tell us some of your acting/writing highlights.
BM: Being on set of a local independent film that had over 150 local talent in one film all take in one shot. That was an interesting and big day. Graduating from the Australian Performing Arts Conservatory with a Diploma of Screen and Stage Acting. Doing a few theatre stage plays as part of "Anywhere Theatre Festival" ( I love being on stage! ) Being on the sets for San Andreas which starred Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and various episodes of the crime drama series "Harrow". A few commercials as well too.
As a writer, I guess completing the whole 1st season of my Medical Drama series "Practise Patience" and then also filming the Pilot episode for it, then screening it last year.
I don't pick which is better or worse off than the other, I'm equally passionate about both.
SD: Can you share the most important thing you discovered about yourself or the world in your years of acting?
BM: Although this may be closely related to my work life as a nurse, I've become a better listener overall, and I've found that I've connected better by doing this overall with people, so that's what I've discovered.
SD: If you could give other actors and writers advice about getting started in their career, what would you say?
BM: Do the necessary learning for either craft, whether through proper tertiaries or universities. You can find multiple places that will help you do it, but also don't disregard any online opportunities and other resources that give you an opportunity to learn about them.
Actually do them! some people get involved in this and you find they're nothing more than academics to their craft.
Be nice to people ALWAYS in this industry! You don't know who will be who in the future.
Don't be afraid to create your own work.
Don't be outcome dependant and realise that it's not you and that there's a reason.
SD: What were the most interesting scenes for you to film?
BM: Any kind of action scenes can be interesting, like running or physical type sort of scenes. Or sometimes doing something simple can be complicated because it's like if the director wants a particular look to film and you just have to go with it.
Intimate types of scenes can also be interesting, whether it's kissing or physical intimacy. Everyone has to be really supportive of each other on set but also respecting and trusting your scene partner is really important.
SD: How long ago did you start your IG and FB profiles?
BM: Facebook started in 2007... Could have been earlier?... I just saw when my first profile picture was! hahaha! Instagram started in early 2017! A little bit late to the game, when I really learned what its purpose was.
SD: Where do you gain inspiration for your IG posts?
BM: Inspiration usually occurs in the moment. Or something that I'm going through which has been ruminating in my head for a good several days, but it's the photo that usually is the harder part to find. Trying to find the time to take one can be fun and exciting but also arduous. Making it count in some way is important to me because followers want to know "why" they're following you and making sure that you're still relatable to them.
SD: Whom do you most admire?
BM: Hands down! My parents. They worked super hard for us to come here to Australia. I wasn't exactly the best of us 4 kids, and I went to school for fun, girls and friends. I slowly learned that after high school, when I realised I really should have applied myself, but now I'm here! hahaha! But most definitely my parents. I feel like I owe them the world. I wished I'd worked a lot harder for them.
SD: What is your favourite thing to do outside of your life as an actor, writer and in social media?
BM: A few things in no specific order. I like fashion so from time to time I like to see what trends are happening. Doesn't really pertain to particular brands or anything like that. Essentially its the idea of fashion of style. What's in i.e. certain design styles etc, flowy and loose like in the style of the Japanese, but noticing things like vintage wear making a come back etc. also I'm really into street fashion/style, I sometimes play around in my wardrobe hahaha!
I buy way too many shoes! Sneakers mostly, though I haven't made a new purchase this year as of yet! Haha!
I play with a Japanese skill toy called "Kendama" it's a lot of fun, I don't think I'll ever stop playing. It helps with stress and also helps with my mental health.
Going out with friends to social gatherings, and family of course!
SD: Favourite quote?
BM: "When you want to succeed, as bad as you wanna breathe, then you'll be successful"- Eric Thomas
SD: Do you have any upcoming events or announcements you wish to share?
BM: I'm slowly working into pre-production for Practise Patience episode 2 and also working on a feature film in the thriller genre. it's about a newly engaged woman who starts a new job in a law firm who becomes entangled in an affair with a hotshot lawyer, where she risks to lose everything to save her fiance who is being accused of murder.
Follow Bernard on:
Practise Patience Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/practisepatienceseries/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bernard_that_actor_guy/
StarNow: https://www.starnow.com.au/bernardmina