Interviews
Interview by: Christian Moger
www.college-film.com
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1.What is your favorite film?
That’s a very hard question to answer. So many films speak to me on different and equally valid levels that I couldn’t possibly give the award of “Favorite” to just one. But what I will do is give you a list of movies I’ve watched the most, and all for disparate reasons: Blade Runner; Twelve Monkeys; Fight Club; Vertigo; Psycho; The Abyss; The Perfect Storm; Frankenstein (1931); The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; Metropolis; Barefoot In The Park; and still there are so many others.

2. Where did you go to school?
I never attended film school, although I did take several seminar courses at AFI here in Hollywood before I made my first short, “Scream For Me”.

3. What is your opinion on film school?
My opinion on film school is purely from the perspective of an outsider. I think those who would like to be filmmakers should take a look at their desires and goals in relation to their options. If going to film school is what you feel will help you get to the next level in your creative and/or technical cinematic career then you should absolutely do it. But just as with any other profession, the bottom line is this: You’ll either have a talent for the career you’ve chosen or you won’t. You’ll also be hard pressed to find a film producer or studio that will give you a directing or writing job based solely on the fact that you graduated from film school. They want to see what you’ve done in a practical sense – in other words, if you still haven’t made a film you can show them that demonstrates you have vision and the ability to achieve a certain level of professionalism (whether that be technical or creative) then you’re still going to have to prove yourself. Of course, if you’re an outgoing personality that has a knack for milking academic and political systems, you can use film school to network your way into some solid industry connections and even create a buzz that says, “Hey, everybody, I’m the up and coming new kid on the block!” Sadly, I don’t possess that knack.

4. What was your first film job?
Never had a first film job. I just went from being a lifelong movie fanatic and filmic autodidact to making my first short. But in a way you could say that my first film job happened way back when I started trying to write my own short stories, and then finally completed one. That’s really where all my cinematic sensibility comes from: my writing and story telling –– which in turn is an extension of my personal observations, frustrations, and philosophies of life.

5. What did you learn, if anything, from it?
I learned more than I could possibly say here by just going out there and jumping in and making my first film. I learned something new everyday about what it’s like to be completely independent. When you don’t have audio, cameras, lighting, editing stations, instructors, or even equipment and production insurance available to you through film school, moviemaking can become severely onerous to any indie filmmaker. You also have to seek out and hope you find caring and talented people to work with. As well, you have to do an immense amount of thinking for yourself, which can be very daunting at times –– especially on the set. Because if you’ve never made a film before, how can you know when to trust yourself? The answer, of course, is that you have to dig deep and get in touch with your instincts. And that’s one of the most important lessons I learned: Trust your instincts. Because if you have a vision, then you’ll know in your heart that what you’re doing is the right thing to do. Others with more experience might disagree with your decisions, but you have to be strong and remain true to the film you want to make and the story you want to tell. But that’s not to suggest you shouldn’t listen to what others have to say –– especially when they’re on your crew. You should definitely pay close attention to what they advise, weigh it against your vision of your film, and then do whatever your guts tell you to do. At the end of the day, especially if you’re the director, you’ll be the one who receives praise for your film’s brilliance, or absolute blame for its failings.

6. What are your current or future projects?
For the last several months I’ve been spending a lot of time promoting my last two films, “My Skin”, which won Best Horror Short (2nd Place) in September at A.K.A Shriekfest 2003 here in Los Angeles, as well as Best Of The Best right here on College-Film.com; and “Scream For Me”, which won Best Short Film in October at The New York City Horror Film Festival. I am, however, finally starting editing and post on my third short film, which I shot over last Labor Day weekend. I’m also publishing my first horror novel, “Puzzleman”, which should be available by the end of March this year.

7. What can you tell us about them?
The name of my new short is “Human No More”, and again stars actor Tony Simmons. This time Tony is a film noir detective who is consumed by an irreconcilable murder case. That’s all I’ll say right now –– don’t want to give too much away. Even so, there’s a lot more in my production diary at www.blackcabproductions.com, if anyone is interested. But do let it be said that Tony gave another fantastic performance. Also, thanks to my art director, Danilo Montejo, and my set designer, Wendy Broadstone, my vision of the film is well on its way to being realized. For all you techies, “Human No More” was shot on Mini DV (as was my previous film, “My Skin”) with a Sony TRV-900. All editing will be done in Final Cut Pro 3 on a Mac G4 with Dual 1Gig processors. The sound track will be built using Bias Peak DV and Deck 3.5, which will be a new experience for me, being that both of the soundtracks for my two previous films were built by Post Sound Supervisor Enzo Treppa in Pro Tools and then mixed in studio by veteran Re-recoding Mixer Marty Hutcherson. I again hope to have Brian Sussman, who also scored “My Skin”, compose the score for “Human No More”.

8. What do you feel is your most important professional achievement?
Finishing my first short, “Scream For Me”. It was something I believed I could do, but didn’t know until I tried. And then when the film won Best Short Film at last year’s NYCHFF, I felt like I had finally completed (and successfully survived) my first journey down the mad and uncertain road of filmmaking.

9. What would be the one thing you would change about the industry?
Everything. Does that count as one thing? In all honesty, I just wish there were more opportunities to be had, and that the film industry as a whole would take more creative risks. But I’m afraid that’s a pipedream. Films just cost too much money to make. And most producers have no imagination beyond the almighty dollar.

10. If you could make or remake any film what would it be?
I can’t truthfully say I would like to remake any film, but if I could “make” one, I’d like to shoot a feature I wrote called “Love Me”. It’s an erotic, supernatural, body-switch tale that would take horror into a realm of unexplored artistry, intelligence, and sexual ambiguity. I just need to find an investor that can appreciate all of that and still believe me when I say it will be a very entertaining and evocative film in the end. Not to vacillate, but I also really want to direct a feature I wrote with actor/writer John Franklin, who played Isaac in the original “Children Of The Corn” film, and co-wrote and reprised his Isaac role in “Children Of The Corn 666”. Our script is titled “Retard”, and John would star as the mentally retarded man who actually knows the truth behind the mechanical and spiritual workings of the universe. Essentially, though, it’s a supernatural crime thriller.


11. What one piece of advice would you give filmmakers that are starting out?
Wish for everything, but expect nothing. You have to dream and dream and dream to want to be a filmmaker, and you have to work and work and work and then keep working even when you think all is lost. The only filmmakers that are true failures are the ones that give up on their projects too soon, or hatch them too early.
http://www.college-film.com/11questionsblackcab.htm