Benjamin Bryant (born 1977) is a Germany-born

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

writer, broadcaster, and filmmaker. Serving as a government official in the Obama and Biden Administrations, he also works as an artist and actor. During the Afghan evacuation in 2021, Bryant coordinated the emergency evacuation of Afghan allies and families, and served as a spokesperson for the "Digital Dunkirk" coalition. Bryant wrote and directed the feature film ''

Station to Station ''Station to Station'' is the tenth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 23 January 1976 through RCA Records. Regarded as one of his most significant works, the album was the vehicle for Bowie's performance persona, ...

,'' and sitcom "Aidy Kane (Really Wants You to Love Him)." He co-executive produced the drama ''

Anacostia Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is nam ...

'', and hosts “The Brink with Benjamin Bryant.” As an actor, Bryant portrays "Gregory Marshall" on the serial ''Forever and a Day,'' a role for which he received a 2022

Indie Series Award The Indie Series Awards (formerly the Indie Soap Awards) is an annual event hosted by ''We Love Soaps'', based in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Internet. The ceremony ...

. Bryant served on the

Pentagon In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagon may be simpl ...

’s Fort Hood Shooting Task Force, “ Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Repeal Working Group, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, and the United States Vietnam War Commemoration. In 2011, the

Dolph Briscoe Center for American History The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History is an organized research unit and public service component of the University of Texas at Austin named for Dolph Briscoe, the 41st governor of Texas. The center collects and preserves documents and ar ...

at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

announced the formal acquisition of several of Bryant's papers, notes, and recordings. He has led Washington D.C.-based Bryant Zamberlan Group (and its media projects division, BZ/MP) since 2010.

Early life and education

Bryant was born in

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

to American parents in a military family. His father is

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Albert Bryant Jr. He is also the nephew of writer and speaker

Lori Bryant-Woolridge Lori Anne Bryant-Woolridge (born May 25, 1958) is an African-American/Chinese-American author and speaker, known for contributions to the chick-lit genre. Early life Bryant-Woolridge was born in the San Francisco Bay Area to a biracial father, ...

. Bryant graduated from Giessen American High School in

Giessen Giessen, spelled Gießen in German (), is a town in the German state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of both the district of Giessen and the administrative region of Giessen. The population is approximately 90,000, with roughly 37,000 univers ...

in 1994, commencing study at the

, that same year. At Texas, he studied journalism and communication studies from 1994 to 1998, when an extended illness led to medical withdrawal prior to graduation. Bryant completed his

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree at

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

’s

Excelsior University Excelsior University is a private online university in Albany, New York. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and comprises three schools: the School of Undergraduate Studies, the School of Graduate Studies, and the School of Nursing. I ...

. In 2015, Bryant graduated with both a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

Organization development Organization development (OD) is the study and implementation of practices, systems, and techniques that affect organizational change, the goal of which is to modify an organization's performance and/or culture. The organizational changes are ...

and

Leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...

, and a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in Administration, from the

University of the Incarnate Word The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is a private, Catholic university with its main campus in San Antonio and Alamo Heights, Texas. Founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the university's main campus is located o ...

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Career

In 1996, Bryant was serving as a

radio news News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or televis ...

intern at

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

radio station

KKMJ KKMJ-FM (95.5 MHz "Majic 95.5") is a commercial radio station in Austin, Texas. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an adult contemporary radio format. The station has studios and offices on Westbank Drive, off Loop 360, near Westlake High Sch ...

when the Atlanta Olympic Bombing occurred. Following coverage of his impromptu overnight reporting by

Austin American-Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is owned by Gannett. The paper prints Associated Press, ''New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and ''Los Angeles Times'' internation ...

columnist Jane Grieg, he was offered a regular on-air role at KKMJ and named Program Director for sister station,

KJCE KJCE (1370 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Rollingwood, Texas, and serving the Greater Austin radio market. The station airs a talk radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The radio studios and offices are on Westbank Drive, ...

. Bryant later worked as a freelance journalist and columnist before focusing on public relations and crisis communications consulting. He was a writer and editor for the ''Deepwater News'' and ''FHP&R: Force Health Protection & Readiness'' magazine. He returned to broadcasting as the host of the “BZCast” podcast in 2017, including an exploration of leaking and whistleblowing in the federal government, and in 2018 with “The Brink with Benjamin Bryant,” a series of one-on-one interviews focusing on

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

notables, and its spin-off serialized investigative podcast. In 2018, Bryant also appeared in a non-partisan public service announcement entitled "The One Place Everyone is Equal." In 2005, Bryant served as a speechwriter for Rear Admiral Patrick Stillman of the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

, Ellen Embrey, then-Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness, and communications advisor for James Finley, then-Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology during the

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

administration. Bryant worked on the Pentagon's Fort Hood Shooting Task Force, “ Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Working Group, and the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, for which he was the agency's final

spokesperson A spokesperson, spokesman, or spokeswoman, is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others. Duties and function In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have receiv ...

. In the 2010s, Bryant made multiple appearances on ''

America Tonight ''America Tonight'' was Al Jazeera America's flagship news show, airing at 9:30 p.m. EST. It was a showcase for thought-provoking and insightful in-depth reporting and programming with a focus on investigative reporting. Its mission is to tell ...

'' speaking to military issues in the news. Since 2010, Bryant has served as an auxiliarist in the

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA, USCGAUX, CGAux, or USCG Aux) is the civilian uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coast Guard Reserve ...

, including as a Flotilla Staff Officer. Since 2010, Bryant has been the Managing Partner of the Bryant Zamberlan Group of companies, which include a global communications and organizational development consultancy, TV/film production capability, and BZ/MP, a non-profit news/information and media distribution endeavor. In 2011, news reports covered Bryant and Thomas Zamberlan's donation of their original editor's copies from several Presidential and DoD task forces to the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

. That same year, the

at Bryant's alma mater

, acquired Bryant's personal notes, papers, and recorded recollections related to his work on the Fort Hood investigation and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeals. In 2022, Bryant returned to government task force and commission work, joining The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration as Chief of Staff for Task Force 23/Operation Welcome Home, the task force within the commission charged with planning and executing a three-day 50th anniversary commemoration in May 2023 – including ceremonies, historical displays, and a multi-media concert on the

National Mall The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institut ...

– in recognition of the service and sacrifices of Vietnam War-era veterans and their families.

Task forces and commissions

Digital Dunkirk

In 2021, during the weeks leading up to the withdrawal of American troops and international presence from Afghanistan, Bryant facilitated the emergency evacuation of Afghan allies and their families and served as a planner and spokesperson for the "Digital Dunkirk" coalition of former and current military, diplomatic personnel, and government civilians working to coordinate evacuations.

Film, television and radio

Bryant began producing narrative television and film projects in 2016, first joining the digital series ''

'' at the start of its fifth season, as a supervising producer. Beginning with episode five, Bryant was named co-

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

of the series, a role he continued until September 2019. He occasionally recurred on the series in the role of news anchor "James Vance," an homage to Washington D.C. news anchor

Jim Vance James Howard Vance III (January 10, 1942 – July 22, 2017) was an American television news presenter in Washington, D.C. Early life Born on January 10, 1942,Heil, Emily, "5 minutes with Jim Vance", ''The Washington Post'', January 11, 201 ...

. In 2019, the Bryant Zamberlan Group partnered with Gemelli Films and writer-director Candice Cain to produce the first three entries in the "Candy Cain" series of holiday films, ''Ivy & Mistletoe'', starring

Cody Calafiore Cody Christopher Calafiore (born December 13, 1990) is an American reality television personality. He was the runner up on the reality television series '' Big Brother 16'' in 2014. He was later crowned the winner of '' Big Brother 22: All-Stars ...

Carrie Genzel Carrie Genzel (born 18 September 1971) is a Canadian actress and film producer.(9 August 2007)"'Flash Gordon' more than space filler" New York Daily News. Retrieved 30 September 2015.Cristina Kinon (15 April 2008)"'More than Flavor of the Month'" ...

, and

Cynthia Gibb Cynthia Gibb (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress and former model who has starred in film and on television. She began her career as a cast member on the musical television drama '' Fame'', based on the movie of the same name. She ...

; ''The Maltese Holiday'', starring Calafiore,

Clayton Snyder Clayton Travis Snyder (born September 9, 1987) is an American actor who played Ethan Craft on the Disney Channel series ''Lizzie McGuire'' and in its film adaptation, ''The Lizzie McGuire Movie''. Biography Clayton Snyder was born in Los Angeles ...

, and

Abigail Hawk Abigail Hawk (born Abigail Diane Gustafson; April 18, 1982) is an American actress known for playing Samantha Bonner in the 1995 television series '' Reality Check'', Detective Abigail Baker in '' Blue Bloods'' (2010–present), and Ellie in '' ...

; and ''Magic in Mount Holly'', starring Calafiore, Genzel,

Patrick Muldoon Patrick Muldoon (born September 27, 1968) is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Early life and education Muldoon was born in San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna, a homemaker, and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury ...

Frank Whaley Frank Joseph Whaley (born July 20, 1963) is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and comedian. His roles include Brett in ''Pulp Fiction'', Robby Krieger in ''The Doors'', young Archie "Moonlight" Graham in ''Field of Dreams'', and Guy ...

Terri Garber Terri is an alternative spelling of Terry. It is a common feminine given name and is also a diminutive for Teresa. Notable people with the name include: *Terri Allard (born 1962), American country/folk singer/songwriter * Terri S. Armstrong, Ame ...

, and

Jennifer Bassey Jennifer Bassey (born July 22, 1942) is an American actress who has worked on both stage and screen. She is perhaps best known for her role as Marian Colby in the ABC soap opera ''All My Children'' which she played on and off from 1983 until the ...

. Bryant was also an associate producer on Cain's ''Joy & Hope'' a western-themed romance co-starring

Vivica A. Fox Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and television host. Fox began her career on ''Soul Train'' (19821983). She eventually continued her career with roles on the daytime television soap operas ''Days of O ...

. In 2020, Bryant began production on the sports comedy ''Aidy Kane,'' but suspended filming in March 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic. He later repackaged the existing footage with newly shot scenes into the four-time

ISA Isa or ISA may refer to: Places * Isa, Amur Oblast, Russia * Isa, Kagoshima, Japan * Isa, Nigeria * Isa District, Kagoshima, former district in Japan * Isa Town, middle class town located in Bahrain * Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia * Mount Is ...

-nominated sitcom, "Aidy Kane (Really Wants You to Love Him." That year, Bryant also debuted in the series regular role of troubled businessman "Gregory Marshall" on the dramatic serial '' Forever and a Day''. Bryant has appeared in three of writer-director Brooke B's "Script Out Loud" audio feature productions, ''Birthday Blues,'' ''Selling the Act'', and ''All I Want for Christmas is Drew'', and the Brooke B audio series "Dirty Laundry", in supporting roles, and portrayed "Nolan," the Nutcracker Prince, in JLJ Media's podcast special ''The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker'' from Molina Productions, a role he reprised as a series regular on "The New Adventures of the Tooth Fairy" series from the same team.

''Station to Station''

During the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, Bryant began writing the psychological drama, ''

,'' directing the film on location in September, keeping cast and crew in an isolated "bubble" to adhere to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. In 2021, the film began its festival run, marking Bryant's official debut as a feature film writer and director. Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal called the film "compelling" and "bold," and K.P. Smith of We Are Entertainment News called it "deeply satisfying." Both reviewers compared Bryant's work to that of writer-directors

Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. He made his feature-film debut with ''Hard Eight (film), Hard Eight'' (1996). He found critical and commercial success with ''Boogie Nights'' ( ...

and

Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies '' ...

. ''Station to Station'' won "Best Narrative Feature," "Best Actor," and "Best Ensemble" in June 2021 at the IndieEye Film Awards and received multiple honors from IndieFEST and FILMHAUS Berlin in the following months. Bryant was specifically recognized by FILMHAUS with "first-time director" and "original concept" nominations. In October 2021, the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival announced ''Station to Station'' as both an Official Selection and the festival's opening night feature. The film premiered in competition, earning eight jury nominations, including as a finalist for the festival's Best

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

Feature, winning two, and was selected by attendees to receive the 2021 "Audience Award." On January 8, 2022, ''Station to Station'' was released via

virtual cinema Virtual cinema is a video-on-demand streaming service facilitated by independent film distributors and art-house theaters to release new films and share profits. Under the service, part of the admission price supports a physically located theater. ...

in the United States.

Awards and honors

In December 1996, Bryant was named by the ''

'' as one of its year's "most memorable." Bryant received a 2010 Platinum MarCom "Special Category" Award for his work as the Managing Editor of the report of the Fort Hood Task Force, 2012 Davey Award for his appearances on "America Tonight," 2019 Communicator Award of Distinction for "The Brink with Benjamin Bryant" interview specials; and multiple Platinum AVA and Hermes Creative Awards for "The Brink with Benjamin Bryant: INTERSECTIONS" podcast. Bryant won a 2020 Hermes Creative Award for the trailer for "Journeys Beyond." In 2022, Bryant received six nominations (the second highest of any individual nominee that year) for the 12th Annual

Indie Series Awards The Indie Series Awards (formerly the Indie Soap Awards) is an annual event hosted by ''We Love Soaps'', based in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Internet. The ceremony ...

, including nominations for "Best Comedy Series" and "Best Supporting Actor - Comedy" nominations for "Aidy Kane (Really Wants You to Love Him)" and "Best Actor - Audio Fiction" for his second season performance as "Gregory Marshall" in "Forever and a Day." At the ceremony on April 9, 2022, Bryant and his "Forever and a Day" season two castmates won the awards program's inaugural "Best Ensemble - Audio Fiction" award.

Filmography

Film

Television and streaming

Radio and podcasts

References

External links

* * (official repository of clips and reels of Bryant's professional video and multimedia work) * *
''Bryant Zamberlan Group''
* *Lyon, Lacretia (2020-09-16)
Benjamin Bryant, pt. 1
and (2020-09-23)
Benjamin Bryant, pt. 2
BLEAV Podcast Network. Retrieved 2020-11-09. * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bryant, Benjamin American television news anchors American television reporters and correspondents 1977 births Living people African-American journalists African-American television hosts African-American television personalities American male journalists Moody College of Communication alumni Excelsior College alumni University of the Incarnate Word alumni American civil servants 20th-century American journalists 21st-century American journalists United States Army civilians United States Department of Defense officials American journalists of Chinese descent American radio DJs American radio news anchors American television producers American painters American press secretaries American podcasters 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people African-American Catholics