Why Am I?

I’ve been acting and doing voice overs for twenty years. For the most part, the voice overs consist of thirty or fifteen second ads for clients that may include an acting role, but often it’s an announcer read designed to convey information or sell a product or service.

Never, have I ever been asked to portray a river otter. Until this year.

Why Am I? is a new animated series for children, streaming now on City TV.

I play Otis the Otter, who–along with his friend Lily the Bison–go on animal adventures trying to answer such questions as, Why Am I so Fishy? Or Why Am I so Chompy?

If you have children, make sure to check it out.

Ryder Storm: The Green Cafe Book 2

I’m very excited to announce that the second book in The Green Cafe Series is available for pre-order on Amazon! The first book, The Green Cafe: A Universe is Waiting is also available for purchase or through Kindle Unlimited. Ryder Storm is out March 5th, so you have a month to get caught up.

A wormhole in a coffee shop took them to another planet. A powerful family. Temptation. Revenge. Will it bring them together or tear them apart?

The Green Cafe Series continues with Book 2, Ryder Storm.

Brandon and Kaya escape Grayson’s attack through a wormhole back to Earth. On Crestfield, Kaitlin, Lucan, Hailey and Madison must leave Paxton behind, so they venture into a dangerous forest.

Hidden in the shadows, a plot emerges that could destroy Kaya’s entire family. Brandon and Kaitlin are caught up in events they cannot control, on a planet that may consume them. Family betrayal, painful loss, and unrelenting forces are determined to keep them apart.

Sex will distract, power will tempt, revenge will guide.

Will it save them? Or destroy them all?

Immediately following the events of The Green Cafe: A Universe is Waiting, Ryder Storm continues the adventure of Brandon and Kaitlin, two teenagers caught up in a world that both fascinates and terrifies them.

The Green Cafe: A Universe is Waiting

I wrote a book. It’s available worldwide on Amazon.

18-year-old Brandon Fanning works at his parents’ coffee shop, The Green Cafe.
Kaitlin Miller, a shy photographer, has never acted on her feelings for Brandon and now that they’re about to graduate from high school, time is running out.
They are destined to live regular lives, in a normal town with ordinary people.
The universe has other ideas.
A routine visit to the storage room in the basement of the cafe will change their lives forever.
Brandon discovers a portal to another planet.
A wormhole through space that sends him light years away. In an act of bravery and love, Kaitlin jumps in after him.
What they find is a planet very similar to Earth, only several hundred years more advanced.
A budding romance, in the shadow of relentless change.
Will temptation, power, drugs and technology bring them closer together, or tear them apart?
What Brandon discovers there, about himself, his new friends, and Kaitlin will alter his life forever.
What he chooses will determine his destiny.

This is part one in a three part trilogy, work has begun on book two. I invite you to download a preview. You can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited. It’s available for purchase on Amazon Kindle and on the Kindle App for iOS and Android.

Corner Gas Enters It’s Final Season

When production on the sixth season of CTV’s Corner Gas begins in a few weeks, it will be the last. The show will officially end it’s run in Spring 2009. Show star and creator Brent Butt made the announcement today. Coverage here.

I was on the set (in the background) on the very first day of filming back in 2003. No one knew what sort of success the show would have, but I remember talking with Josh (the cook) and telling him I think we’re a part of something big. Turns out I was right.

Brent wants to leave with the show on top. That’s graceful and classy. Thanks for all the laughs. And to all the friends in the cast and crew that I’ve met over the years, thank you. May this final year of production be full of fun and great memories.

Cheers Dog River!

The Englishman’s Boy Unveiled

A mini-series I worked on, The Englishman’s Boy, makes it’s television debut Sunday on CBC. There is a great write-up in the Globe & Mail.

It’s based on the Governor General Award winning book by Guy Vanderhaeghe. From the cover…

The Englishman’s Boy brilliantly links together Hollywood in the 1920’s with one of the bloodiest, most brutal events of the nineteenth-century Canadian West – the Cypress Hills Massacre.

Many of the extras used were actual descendants of those involved.

I worked as an extra for the 1873 scenes, and as a stand-in for Michael Therriault and Nicholas Campbell for the 1920’s. I saw some amazing sunsets and spent a lot of time hanging out with horses. Here I am (left) with Josh Strait (right).

Jason Bryant Josh Strait.jpg

I read the book when it came out in 1996, but never imagined I’d be on set years later, working on the movie, chatting with the author.

The journey of getting this film made has taken 8 years, and is a stunning achievement. I’m proud to have been a small part of an important and moving piece of work.

Ferris Wheel Wraps Production

I’ve been on a tear today. All kinds of new releases. Episode 22 of the New Human Podcast is now available for download. I talk all about my experience on Ferris Wheel (UPDATE…Ferris Wheel is now called Sleepwalking), a movie starring Charlize Theron, Nick Stahl, AnnaSofia Robb, Dennis Hopper and Woody Harrelson. I was a stand-in and photo double for Nick. It was amazing to watch these incredible actors work. I will cherish the memories forever. The cold weather caught us a few times, but we did have some amazing sunrises and sunsets. I will always remember how gracious the cast and crew were. Be sure to catch this movie when it comes out next year.