Meet Bruce Edwin

Hi Bruce, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was a teenage punk rocker, so I was very influenced by that whole scene growing up, as well as other genres of music, film, and art in general. In the punk movement, we had an ethos called DIY (Do It Yourself) which meant that most anything anyone else in the world was doing that we admired, we knew we could do ourselves if we wanted to, whether it was start a band, start a talent agency, a record label, a festival, an art gallery, or whatever. It was an attitude that no one was better than us, and we were fearless to do whatever we wanted. The word “No” meant nothing when it came to our artistic goals. It was also very pure in the sense that we put our ethical standards and our values above profit. We were very reactionary and vocal against injustices we’d see in society, whether it was racism, sexism, homophobia, war, or whatever. We reflected those ideals in our art and the way we dressed. For us, protest was every day. It was a way of life.

So, in that spirit, I started self-publishing a rock music magazine when I was a teenager, which eventually led me to working with most every major record label and most indie record labels in existence at that time, interviewing and photographing many of my favorite music stars. I then got press credentials to publish material from Miramax Films, which was my start in dealing with the movie industry. I then booked some bands and booked some nationwide tours of artists I loved and went on the road as a tour and road manager, doing some cross-country tours.

I studied music in college briefly, then went to film school at Columbia College of Chicago. There I studied film history and aesthetics, editing, directing, cinematography, and ultimately producing. I made some film shorts including one in NYC and then did my last semester for producing on lot at CBS Studio City. I hustled non-stop. My first week in Hollywood I met many people I greatly admired including David Lynch, and later Matt Dillon, Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray, Kirk Douglas, and Martin Atkins. I then got credentialed to photograph Michael Jackson for his 45th birthday party where we shook hands which was surreal. I then attended my first Oscar Party where I was having drinks with Judd Nelson, which was amazing to me because I was obsessed with “The Breakfast Club” when I was a kid. I then met Mel Gibson, Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, even Olivia de Havilland from “Gone with the Wind!” Every day in Hollywood was just a dream come true to me.

I worked free for a year in L.A. doing internships, and then I crashed literally over a hundred film, TV, and commercial sets including Spider Man, Charlies Angels, CSI, and more. I’d just get so excited seeing a film being shot; those big cranes, jibs, cameras, guys holding the bounce, the big rigs, star wagons, the craft service tables, the P.A’s running around with their headsets and walkie-talkies on. Most of the time, they’d all just let me stay there on set. So, I’d watch, observe, and learn a few things. I passed out resumes. I shadowed people. I’d be on the sets so long everyone assumed I belonged there! So many times they’d even feed me which was nice when I was starting out and hungry and poor. A famous casting director on set asked me into her trailer one time and said she liked my look and wanted me to act. But I told her I wanted to be behind the scenes which was true.

Then I interned as a PA (production assistant) for Extra! and learned a lot there—namely, how vulnerable stars are and how I wanted to learn how to alleviate that for ones I’d want to work with. I then got my first paid gig as a Reader. Next, I got hired as a model and talent scout and worked my way up to receptionist, agent assistant, agent, and then model and talent booker. I worked for a couple more agencies and then worked for a talent management company becoming a talent manager, then left and started my own management company. So that’s the short version.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Unless you are a nepo baby, born into the industry benefiting from nepotism, or born rich, a life in the arts is rarely ever smooth. I think most anyone that pursues a career in the arts and in Hollywood is at least at the beginning, a bit masochistic to put themselves through what we go through. So much struggle. So much hustle. So much rejection. And the roller coaster of very high highs and extremely low lows. It takes an incredible obsession and a somewhat addictive personality. We’re not normal people for sure. But who wants to be normal?! That’s boring.

To be halfway healthy in Hollywood, you have to have a very good sense of who you are as an individual, which most people don’t have, and you have to have a strong sense of self-esteem and not take things too personally. Unfortunately, this is the total opposite of what most actors, models, and musicians have! Most of them take everything personally and have a huge ego that is masking a very fragile sense of self-worth.

For myself, the greatest challenge was overcoming my own obstacles that I created based on past trauma. It took over fifteen years of conscious, deliberate self-help, self-care, and hard work. And I don’t think that work ever gets done, but it’s been quite a journey, and I’m thankful I did it.

So what I’d like to tell your readers who want to pursue any passion, including a career in entertainment, is this; find out what you stand for, what you believe in. And don’t deviate from that. Don’t sell out your morals or values for a career move. Work on yourself first. As silly and cliché as it sounds, happiness really does come from within. Every other thing outside of yourself can make you happy, but it fades. When you are secure and confident in who you are, as a human being, and I would suggest—as a spiritual being, then no one can break you.

I’ve walked away from many multi-million dollar deals if I felt disrespected or thought the person was doing things I thought were harmful. Money is secondary to me. Moral standards and integrity are the most important to me, then talent and artistic merit, and lastly, commercial success. Don’t give your power over to anyone. Living this way in a society and industry that tries to force conformity is a major challenge, but it’s worth it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a multi-media artist as a writer, producer, talent manager, publisher, and entrepreneur. I’m CEO of Starpower Management, a multi-million dollar company which owns an array of entertainment businesses and represents many more. I specialize in elevating artists careers, taking them to the next level, and making dreams come true.

With Hollywood Sentinel dot com, we publish only the good news, feature exclusive interviews with stars, and give free advice on How to Succeed In Hollywood without selling one’s soul.

With Hollywood Sentinel Public Relations for example, we can credential our top clients to walk some of the biggest red carpet events in the world and credential them to elite Hollywood parties attended by A-list stars among more.

As a production company, we have 4 films now in pre-production.

What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Feeling proud of things is not really a feeling I want to get lost in as it can lead to arrogance or complacency. Any pride I feel about anything I do usually lasts at most only a few minutes and then I’m on to the next thing wanting to reach a new goal. I do like a lot of my own writing. My poetry, some songs, screenplays, and some articles I put some time into I like. Sometimes I’ll go back years later and read something I created, and I’m like, “wow, who wrote that?!” LOL. So I feel happy when I look back at some of those things.

What sets me apart from others I would say would be my writing, my ability to reach anyone who is anyone, and my perseverance. You can’t really reject me. After what I’ve been through, rejection means nothing. I kind of laugh at it. It’s like a game to me. When I get in my certain state, if I want something enough I will generally make it happen “if” it’s meant to be. If I get rejected and give up on it, it’s usually because I got bored with trying or didn’t want it enough. Fortunately, there are not that many things left I really want that much like I “have to have it.” I’m very content right now in many ways. I owe thanks to a lot of my spiritual work for some of that, but also, I’ve lived a pretty wild and exciting life several times over.

On the flipside, I still get incredibly obsessed, passionate, and excited about things every day. I always get excited about cool people, great art in any form, and about great talent. It’s healthy to always want more. I believe we are created to always want to achieve at a greater level. It’s the nature of physics. We are either expanding or contracting. There is no in-between. So that state of constant dissatisfaction with the status quo is a healthy thing. It drives the spirit, mind, and body of a person to progress and achieve great things. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have peace with where we are at and not be thankful. I believe we need to be thankful for everything all the time and be happy here and now.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
There are a lot of broken, sad, lonely, insecure people in Hollywood who are desperate for fame because they didn’t get enough love and attention as a child, or because they got too much attention, and now they think the world owes them fame and fortune.  And so, these wounded, lost souls are all running around with their big fragile ego, and if it gets wounded—well then you better watch out! They will go crazy on you and do or say all kinds of irrational stuff that can hurt you and maybe even greatly damage you.

So, the most important thing I learned in Hollywood was to learn how to be a good judge of character. If you see red flags from someone, don’t ignore those warnings. Trust your instincts and walk away. If you do get stuck dealing with angry or bad people, don’t attack back. Cut your losses and get away fast.

Another thing is, don’t take a short team gain when the long-term result will cause greater harm. This is hard to those starting out who may be struggling financially, but you have to make those tough decisions and look long-term.

Another thing is frantic work is not a sign of success, it’s a sign of weakness. The most super successful are not a slave to their work. They do it because they love it, and they do so in a healthy manner. It’s not admirable if someone says they are too busy to do something. That means they are either lying or they are a slave to their job. We make time for the things we want. And it’s crucial to make time for your health. That includes your mental health, your physical self, your loved ones, your financial health, and a spiritual path if you believe in that. Then Hollywood should come after all that. Too many people put it the other way around and then they wonder why they are burned out in a few years and have nothing to show for it, and no one will return their calls.

Don’t stress over anything. Stress happens to us all, but it is a sign of weakness and being reactive to things you think you can’t control or are unsure about. Be calm. Meditate! Learning TM (Transcendental Meditation) and doing that practice 20 minutes twice a day greatly improved my life and I recommend it to anyone. Also, when I started working out regularly; hiking, doing weights, and martial arts—that all changed my life in great ways. I see so many people whose problems of stress, fatigue, etc. could be fixed instantly if they just meditated and worked out on a regular basis.

Break any bad addiction you have. Avoid drugs of all types including pharmaceutical drugs and indulgence in alcohol. I know so many musicians that died young from drug overdoeses–it’s sad. Most drug users are trying to escape their feelings of emotional pain because they are spiritually and emotionally broken people.

Ultimately, I’ve learned that none of this really matters. Chasing dreams. Chasing goals. What really does it all matter in the end? Look at the true icons of the ages. Marilyn Monroe. James Dean. Shakespeare. Who cares? Well, a lot of people cared when they were alive. And a lot of people still get happiness from these stars’ decades or ages later. But for some, it’s a means to an end. I think the artist is as important, if not more important than any other career because we help remind people how to feel. We help them feel their soul. And to me, that’s the most important thing. Feeling deeply. Feeling our soul. Our connection to the divine. I say thanks for that every day. This crazy world and life are a gift. It’s a brief, temporary gift and then we’re gone. So, what are you going to do with it? I say follow your dreams. Treat yourself well. And spread that love to others. That’s what matters most. If being a superstar is a part of that plan for you, then that’s great, just please be careful about what messages you are putting out there into the world, and be a good example to others when you make it.