Conversations with Forest Kinsey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Forest Kinsey

Hi Forest, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Since I was a little kid, I’ve loved jokes and stories. My parents decided to support this, and so I wrote little tales and made intentionally funny artwork throughout my childhood, a good deal at the weirdest bookstore KC ever had, The Reading Reptile (which has evolved into the immersive children’s museum, The Rabbit hOle). In high school, I developed an interest in comedy theater and filmmaking, and success there lead me to continuing my creative pursuits at the University of Kansas. There, I fostered skills in improv comedy and a love for underground cinema, which continued me into the KC comedy scene. Thereafter, I produced works for the KC Fringe Festival, KC Underground Film Festival, and with The Bird Comedy Theater. Currently, I produce films and theatrical productions with The Bird Comedy Theater, Mana Shark Productions, IX Film Productions, and artists Cody Lindenberger and Jamie Campbell (among many others).

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In my first semester of film school, I didn’t quite fit in. I found it difficult to speak up or fight for ideas; subsequently, I was told I probably was’t cut out for this field. As harsh as it felt to be told this, it was, in its own way, motivating. I learned early on that, while I knew how to write, it doesn’t matter as much what I say than how I say it. I’m still not much of a forceful voice, but I feel like my work tends to speak for itself.
I formally joined the film production scene in August of 2019, and so had a good half a year investing myself in an industry that nearly went away in March 2020; it’s difficult to produce commercials and movies when close proximity to others is barred federally (for good reason). I’ve moved around a bit, and it’s taken me a long time to find stability between work and art.
I’m chagrined to say I’ve reached a point where my biggest obstacle is the amount of time I put into my work. Overall, I’ve embraced many of my limitations and enjoy the chaos and improvisation of no-budget, short schedule filmmaking. There’s an incredibly supportive and talented community of comedians, showrunners, and filmmakers in KC, and I’m fortunate to have found close friends amongst them.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Concisely, I’m a comedian.
More specifically, I’m a writer, filmmaker, performance artist, actor, digital effects designer, educator, social media manager, and comedy theorist. But that’s all blathering, isn’t it?
I’m co-director and head writer for The Bird Comedy Theater’s Anarchy Fun Time Show, the only monthly sketch show in KC; for that, I organize, write, act, develop props and special effects, and produce videos. I suppose I’m best known for my featurette “DramaUrge” (Audience Choice Award, KC Fringe 2021), short film “Keith’s Bread Saga” (Best Local Film, KCUFF 2020), and stage play “Sketches from the Fourth Dimension” (Best Original Script, KC Fringe 2024).
Specifically, things I’ve done that I’m proud of include “The April Fools Show,” a deviation of the Neo-Futurist form “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” where I lead a group of improvisors in performing random, insane bits and sketches for hours nonstop until the audience leaves (approximately 3 hours under increasingly more chaotic atmosphere). I was in “2124,” comedian Jamie Campbell’s speculative future science fiction revue, wherein I played Zap Radical, a social media star whose rapid-fire incoherent references and jokes could last no longer than 2 seconds apiece- the performance was described as “poetry.” I’ve also got a sketch wherein I pour baked beans all over myself as part of a ritualistic sacrifice, and that always seems to go over inexplicably well, so there’s that.
My style celebrates the weird. I look for the melodies in nonsense, the tropes inherent in subversion, and construct narratives that encapsulate those moments; essentially, it’s absurdism. I do recognize that comedy has a reputation of being considered less of an art form than dramatic or fine arts, a conception I push back against. Consider the theory housed in filmmaking’s Kuleshov effect: an emotionless expression juxtaposed against any image can yield a profound, dramatic statement- but can this action make an audience laugh? Comedy is complicated, and its art can only be expanded by experimentation and dedicated, hard work. I intend to be a part of that.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Oh, I don’t know, I’m just happy to be here! Feel free to reach out if I need to fill in any details. Thanks for this opportunity!

Pricing:

• Bird Comedy Theater Tickets: $10-$20 each
• Bird Theater Classes: $175-$225 (8 weeks)
• Script Consulting: Free (15 min chat + 1 script read)
• Videography: $25 per hour
• Editing: $200 per day

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.forestkinsey.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestkinsey/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forest-kinsey/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3SKyVmBMaEu8x9yzdrO_OA
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@forestkinseyshow