rian Hooks is a prolific actor, writer, and producer just coming off of his latest movie, ADAM + EVE. He’s also the head of the production company, Left of Bang Entertainment, whose incredible work gives at-risk youth the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. We recently caught up with him to discuss his new movie and how he navigates his career amidst the ongoing pandemic.
The Knockturnal: Could you talk a little bit more about Left of Bang Entertainment? What is your mission statement? What kind of projects do you work on?
Brian Hooks: Left Of Bang Entertainment is an entertainment company focused on creating positive social impact through entertainment. We do that by reaching out to at-risk inner-city youth, providing them with the opportunity to be a part of the ever so coveted Hollywood magic. The BANG in our name represents that action moment in a child’s life where they pick up a gun, join a gang, commit a crime… anything that puts them on the wrong side of the law. A lot of these youth are born into situations where they’re forced to choose between bad and worse. We provide them another option to choose from. The main reason that youth join gangs is because they want a sense of family and belonging. This is a natural need that every human must have to survive, and these kids are no different. They will seek out and find this sense of belonging even if it’s with gangs. However, given the chance to choose between shooting a movie and shooting a gun, these kids will choose movies every time. That’s what we provide for them. We will give them a sense of family and allow them to learn skills that push them forward in life. No longer am I interested in making entertainment that doesn’t somehow positively affect the world in some way. We are set to produce a number of independent projects, film, and television.
