Scott Brignac, a native of Houma, La., and resident of Houston, earned a degree in communication from LSU in 2002. His first feature film, Playing God, was released in theaters and digital platforms on Aug. 6. Written and directed by Brignac, the movie stars Michael McKean (Better Call Saul, This Is Spinal Tap) and Alan Tudyk (Arrested Development, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Luke Benward, and Hannah Kasulka. The movie is about sibling con artists – a brother and sister – who try to pull off the swindle of their lives by promising a grieving, eccentric billionaire (Tudyk) a face-to-face meeting with God. Learn more about Scott and how LSU paved the way for his career below.
Scott – Playing God is a con-man/heist movie that delves into some deep waters regarding grief & suffering. Two sibling fraternal twins attempt to pull off a “spiritual con” where they scam a grieving billionaire in search of answers to why his young daughter died. They convince him they know god, and recruit their old mentor to play the role of “god”. We wanted to make something that paid homage to the tropes of the genre but break through the genre with some thought-provoking theological concepts. We want people to walk away from the film being entertained by a good story, but also to have a discussion about grief, suffering… how it shapes our lives and our faith… or our lack of faith. It’s a timeless universal discussion… the “great question” of if there is a God, and he if is good, how do bad things happen? All that wrapped inside a con-man/heist movie. It’s different, but we tried to make it fun. And hopefully inspiring in some way.
Scott – I discovered I wanted to make films during my senior year and instead of going to a graduate film school program, I decided to jump in with both feet and just start making stuff. I was fortunate enough to make films for a large church in Houston, and that’s where I learned how to tell stories both in documentary and narrative form. I also did a lot of work for non-profits and in the commercial space where I got to tell stories and continue to grow in my craft. We formed our production company, Watershed Motion Pictures, a few years ago, and Playing God was our first feature.
Scott – Ever since I was a kid, I had always dreamed of somehow being involved in movies. I had a video store at the front of my street, and I would rob my dad’s change jar to rent movies all the time. I focused on the arts at LSU and got passionate about music, but I knew it wasn’t my calling. I soon discovered by goofing off with my roommates, that I loved the fun of making little movies with a camcorder. I was hooked. I’ve never stopped since then.
Scott - Being creative every day, working with great collaborators, and having a flexible schedule.
Scott - I miss the people and the culture, but one thing I often think about is waking up on a Saturday and all hanging out before a home game. There is just something about LSU football and home games that is incredibly special. There is nothing like it. Geaux Tigers.
Scott - I think LSU alums are diverse, cultured, hard-working, and creative. I have many friends in Houston that graduated from LSU, and there isn’t one bad apple in the bunch. LSU is good people.
To learn more about Scott Brignac and his work, click here.