Rising Stars: Meet Evan Main of Highland Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Main.

Evan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was always really drawn to stories with rich worlds. Growing up in the middle of the woods in Washington State, it was a great backdrop for the imagination to spread. I did a little bit of community theater and wrote songs in high school on guitar, and then moved into screenwriting in my early twenties which I’ve done now for over a decade. Over the last few years that has expanded into fiction, short filmmaking and stop motion animation.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, there’s always been a lot of red tape both in art industries and the self. You’ve got to start by finding your voice which took me a long time to settle into mediums and formats that made sense to me. It’s aggrivating to know who you are and how you feel but choosing a camp in the art world is almost more difficult for someone like me. I wasnt sure where my voice fit in and where my thumbprint would be appreciated, and it took many years before the really good work began to show itself and as a young adult, I was not patient and was obsessed with finishing the coming of age arc into something more settled to build upon and I’m glad to finally be at this place.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a writer and director, not always exclusively or in that order. There’s something wonderful about sinking into the depths of worldbuilding and my characters. They say and do things I could never think of. That’s what I find so inspiring about them and the rest is what I bring to the table and how I represent them. Whether its stop motion or fiction writing. I’m always going to find a way to leave a smudge or a fingerprint in the way I meant to.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I never had a mentor, and couldn’t find anyone that directly influenced my career in person so I went directly to the information and wisdom from people who inspired me to create. In short, listen to artists that you look up to for advice and when there’s gaps, research those gaps to find out what you need because everyone’s career is different and some people are luckier than others when it comes to traditional success. There’s a lot online that can open up the world just by asking open ended questions and figuring out the rest while going along.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/evanmain