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By night Brendon Green is a stand-up comedian and writer, skills that come in handy for his day job posting on social media about music 'in a funny way' for Universal Music NZ.

Brendon says he has a calendar system to juggle his work, "but if I look too far forward into the future I get dizzy and need to sit down."

In the latest interview in a series on creatives in New Zealand with multiple jobs, the 30-year-old from Auckland tells about his 'keep turning up' strategy to build his comedy career.

Qualifications:
Bachelor Of Communication Studies. (AUT)
Best Newcomer 2012 NZ Comedy Fest
Billy T Award Nominee 2014 NZ Comedy Fest
Best Marketing Award 2014 NZ Comedy Fest

Tell us about your day job?

It started off as a full time position about four years ago. I was ‘head hunted’ (at least that’s what my Mum likes to tell people) to be Universal Music NZ’s first full time social media manager. They wanted me to write about music in a funny way and help build their brand, and I thought it would be cool to be paid to Facebook all day.

Tell us about your creative work when you're NOT doing your day job?

I am now a self-employed stand-up comedian, which was a big and scary change. I am gigging a lot, and I have been writing for TV shows and websites. I try to do as many jobs where I can be ‘Brendon Green’, but you still have to be a hired gun sometimes. Universal Music NZ have been incredibly supportive of this, and they hire me for contract work whenever they can. So I’m basically still hanging around the offices, but my lunch breaks take days at a time now.

How do you manage juggling both?

Frantically and on the go. I have a calendar system in which I write down all my gigs and contract writing work when I book them in, and then each Sunday I look at it and wrap my head around the week ahead. If I look too far forward into the future I get dizzy and need to sit down.

Tell us about your creative background.

I’ve always loved creative writing, but in terms of stand-up comedy, I accidentally started doing it about seven years ago with my friend. Then I just kept turning up, which is one of my strongest characteristics. I can be a slow learner, but my goodness will I keep trying.

What has inspired you? Who or what keeps you going?

My peers are always keeping me inspired, either through their support of my work or through my jealousy of how good they are. It’s also cool to see NZ comedians break out worldwide. But having travelled through the comedy scenes around the world a bit, knowing that New Zealand is easily one of the best scenes to be part of is very inspiring.

Would you like your creative work to be full-time?

Yes, and technically I have, although the fun thing about being a newly self-employed comedian is all the non-comedy work you have to take up. So yeah, ideally I would love to be a true full time comedian where my income is all from my gigs, but the world will always need someone to anonymously write a pop stars online bio for their Facebook page.

What would help you achieve this?

Time and consistency. That’s my motto! ‘Keep turning up’. We should teach that in schools. “Don’t try hard, kids, try long.”

If you had the chance to start your creative career or path again, what would you do differently?

I would up my effort to learn the technical side of stand-up earlier, instead of treating it as a fun little hobby on the side. It’s never too early to ruin an art form by learning the technicalities behind it.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a similar creative career or pathway?

See above. ‘Keep Turning Up’, go at your own pace, don’t hurry too much, but never be too happy with the level you are at. Also hook me up with some gigs when you get them, thanks.

Tell us about your recent or upcoming creative projects.

Having had three super fun and successful NZ comedy festivals (culminating in a Billy T nomination last year), I’m having my biggest one yet in 2015! I’m doing two shows, a solo hour of stand up called It’s Not Easy Being Brendon, and I’m hosting a line up show called The Green Effect where comedians solve world issues with jokes.

What’s your big idea for 2015?

I’m very excited to be heading over to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the third time, and I plan on converting that experience to fun stuff back here in New Zealand. Because it’s always great to come home.

• NZ International Comedy Festival 2015 is on April 24 - May 17.