Jonathan Schiefer Interview

 

Jonathan Schiefer has writing screenplays since 2003, he has since gone on to direct everything from feature-length movies, to music videos. He also does most of the editing for Spiritus Vult.

What is the current project you are working on?

I've had an idea in the back of my head for a while: movies are too short a medium to adapt novels. In order to fully capture a novel, the depth of character, the intricacies of the plot, the occasional poetry in the language, another medium must be used. The two alternatives we've got in the U.S. are movies and TV. However, most TV shows go on and on until there's no longer an audience for them. By the time many good shows actually gets canceled, it's because no one's watching them anymore; That's sad.

Japanese TV works a little different; this is specifically true for Anime. An Anime will have 12-20 episodes and everyone will be loving it. But, often after 20 episodes, the story is over, and so the show ends, with the fans truly in love with it and hungry for more by the same artists.

Now, before I chose to make movies, I wrote novels, one of which was a near-future dystopian Sci-fi called "Worth". I've decided it would make a pretty amazing series. I'm adapting, starting with a short story from the WORTH universe called A GROWING CITY. We'll be shooting it live-action and converting it to animation.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

When I was a kid I wanted to be a theoretical physicist. I mean, before that I wanted to be a truck driver, a pilot, a navy SEAL, normal kid stuff. For some reason, my brain doesn't like to memorize things, and a key aspect of physics is math, aka, A LOT of memorization. So, I settled for the next best thing, a Sci-fi writer. After a few years of research, I came to the conclusion that filmmaking is actually a higher art, requiring more varied artistic abilities, so much so that, unlike novels, movies MUST be a collaborative medium; they're just too big and complex for one person to do well.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

A friend of mine named Earl Newton, a fellow filmmaker and creator of Stranger Things series, wrote a blog post. The way I read it was that a lot of people wait on others to make their dreams come true. But, the people who actually live their dreams make them happen.

With that blog post, I realized no one was going to show up at my door with a big check and a sack full of my life's goals. If I wanted them to ever become a reality, I was going to have to get up and make them happen.

Later that year, I had written, directed, and edited my first feature-length movie.

What is the best thing about being one?

Never having worked on a studio film, I can only guess here. But, I would say it's the freedom. The only limitations I have with the kind of story I can tell are my imagination, my drive to see that translated into film, and my endurance to see each project to completion.

What is the worst thing about being one?

My amazing wife works full-time, taking care of the daily expenses (we've agreed that all moviemaking budgets must come from somewhere else). We've basically taken the standard male/female social roles and reversed them. But, when other people see our life, they often think I just sit at home and play World of Warcraft or watch Netflix. That social pressure is probably the worst thing. If it wasn't for the support of my wife, there is no way I could keep going.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I've probably worked on twenty to thirty, including the freelance stuff.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

That's kind of tough because I admire different filmmakers for different things. But, if I had to choose one, I'd say Ridley Scott consistently blows me away.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I spend A LOT more money-making movies than I did writing novels and short stories.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Give up. If you can't, never give up!

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I'd either go back to writing novels, or go back to school, defeat math and get a PhD in physics.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

Oh yeah! The reason I became a novelist was because it was the one of the few jobs I hadn't already tried.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

My favorite American films are: Never Cry Wolf; The Razor's Edge (Bill Murray's version); and Blade Runner. For foreign: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Pan's Labyrinth; and Ghost in the Shell.

How would you describe your film education?

I mentioned I was a novelist. My first novel is THE ACADEMY. I submitted it to tons of publishers and got tons of rejections. One morning, while walking to my day-job, I realized THE ACADEMY would make a better movie than it did a book. I converted it, knowing next to nothing about screenwriting.

I went to nearest Borders and bought WIlliam Goldman's "Which Lie Did I Tell" and a few other books and read them as fast as I could. Then I wrote the script. I sent it to the only friend I had in Hollywood. She said it was an amazing idea, but that I needed to work on learning how to write and recommended I read Lew Hunter's "Screenwriting 434", along with a few others.

I sent her the new version of the script. She was so blown away that she basically dropped everything and wanted to produce it. We almost sold it, but the deal fell apart for various reasons.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Orange County, California is where more than half the countries infomercials are made.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

For the indie filmmaker making the no-budget to low-budget film, social opens all kinds of doors that used to be locked and gilded with gold. But, with DSLR cameras, Final Cut Studio and Adobe Creative Suites, the barriers to entry for an unknown artist to make a living at art have been lowered. It still takes some climbing, but at least it's surmountable now.

What's your opinion on crowd funding?

I think crowd funding is awesome. It's a way to get money for a project while creating and connecting with a devoted group of fans. I mean, how awesome is that?

However, most Kickstarter projects don't reach their funding goals. Making it work takes a lot of preparation. People have to know about you, or your project has to have something that makes it stand out.

What is the casting process like?

The problem I've got is that I want everyone to succeed. Casting is about finding the perfect person for each role, to the exclusion of other, very talented people who were almost perfect. I don't really like that. It's one of the places in filmmaking that I'd really like to shift most of the burden to someone else better suited for it.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

Aside from the money? Indie films explore ideas too risky for the mainstream. My wife and I just watched THE SEA WITHIN starring Javier Bardem. It's about a quadriplegic man who is fighting for the right to commit suicide. It was brilliantly written and shot, and Bardem blew me away! But, with that plot, there's no chance a major studio would touch it. It's too controversial, but that's the point!

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

Blade Runner.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

"In the end there were no easy answers. No heroes, no villains. Only silence."

-- NEVER CRY WOLF

Sometimes we like to make the world black and white with clear lines of morality, where everyone is on one side or the other. Most of the time that's not the case.

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

Well, THE RAZOR'S EDGE is a remake, and the original was an adaptation, so I can't be too down on them. That being said, I think it's happening way too often now in Hollywood. I get that at the budgets that the studios work with, they need market assurance. But, that has to have a limit, otherwise they risk diluting the market to the point where people aren't interested in movies anymore.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I'm a huge Sci-fi fan. And there are some amazing books out that might make good movies if done right. But, I don't really see a need to tell a story twice, unless the retelling is going to better illustrate the original point, or bring out something new.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

No. Your questions are quite thorough. Thank you again for this opportunity, and good luck with the blog!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for doing the interview Jonathan. Keep me posted on the progress of "A GROWING CITY".

Jeremy Bell Writer/Director of "Reunion"

Jeremy Bell was born and raised in Centralia, Washington. After an aborted attempt at an anthropology degree he began writing full-time. His script Hope Springs Eternal was a 2005 semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Reunion is his directorial debut. Jeremy lives in Seattle with his wife Jennifer and a fat gray cat, who shall remain nameless.

What is the current project you are working on? 

Jeremy Bell (writer-director): I’m currently prepared to direct a no-budget horror movie from a script I wrote called Reunion. It’s about four old friends on the weekend of their ten-year reunion. They end up trapped in a house by a man who claims they assaulted him in high school. It gets ugly from there.

 Did you always want to be a filmmaker? 

Jeremy: I actually did not. I grew up being creative – as a kid and teenager it was mostly drawing and then painting. But, being from a smaller, blue-collar community, it never occurred to me that this was something I could do career-wise. After an aborted attempt at majoring in anthropology at the University of Washington I realized writing – telling stories – was my passion. I started writing and that eventually led to screenplays.  And then the next step was to take the decision as to whether something was going to get produced out of Hollywood’s hands.

 What inspired you to become filmmaker? 

Jeremy: I took a roundabout path to it, only arriving here in my mid-to-late thirties.  I became a filmmaker out of necessity really – I wanted control of my own scripts. I was lucky to have Matt Ralston (full disclosure – we’re cousins), who has similar tastes in movies, ready to take the leap with me. He’d been producing for a Seattle ad agency so he had a leg up on that side of it. It’s been a learning experience for both us, and always will be. There’s always more to learn.

 What is the best thing about being one? 

Jeremy:  I just enjoy the creative process, the way it ebbs and flows. It never ends really, even after the end credits you’ll still always be thinking about what you could have done differently. It’s exhilarating. And exhausting.

What is the worst thing about being one? 

Jeremy: On this current project the worst times have been where Matt and I have been overwhelmed doing the little things that you never really give much thought to being part of this whole process. That might be anything from breaking down the script, scheduling actors, acquiring props. The kind of things on a bigger production we’d be paying someone else to worry about. All necessary parts of the process, but mind-numbing sometimes.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on? 

Jeremy: I shot one short before film school (unfinished – we’d love to finish it for the DVD release of Reunion) called Ewok Assault. All of my other projects were in school, probably ten in all. After school we went straight into pre-production on Reunion. That’s eaten up the last year.

 Who  is your favorite filmmaker? 

Jeremy: Toughy. Since he has a film in theaters right now, I’ll say Terrence Malick. Beautiful films and he does his own thing. The trailer for The Tree Of Life made my wife cry.

 How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker? 

Jeremy:  I’ve gone insane.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business? 

Jeremy: Make films for yourself. And because film is a collaborative medium, pick your collaborators well.  Also – and I cannot stress this enough – a supportive spouse can make your life infinitely easier.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking? 

Jeremy: I hang out with my beautiful wife, watch movies, read. I’m a homebody. Very boring.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker? 

Jeremy: I meandered around trying to figure out what I was doing with myself. I worked at a video store in Seattle briefly. After that I worked for the Seattle Public Library at the Rainier Beach branch checking in and shelving books. Very sexy stuff. And then my wife suggested I go to film school. That made sense.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows? 

Jeremy: American Films: Days of Heaven, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Foreign: La Dolce Vita, The 400 Blows, Wild Strawberries, Seven Samurai.

Television: Lost, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Arrested Development, The Sopranos, Deadwood, Rome, Battlestar Galactica, Fringe.

 How would you describe your film education? 

Jeremy: I watch movies, any way I can. And I try to see a variety of stuff, not limit myself to a few genres. I’ll give pretty much anything a chance if it doesn’t star Paris Hilton.

 How would you describe the film "scene" where you live? 

Jeremy: Small. I live in Seattle and even if you haven’t met someone working locally, you probably know someone who knows that someone. Or something. How many times can I use someone in one sentence? It’s small, but very supportive.

 How has social media changed the independent film industry? 

Jeremy: It’s allowing us as filmmakers to grow awareness of our little indie movies before we shoot frame one. And it allows a conversation to take place between filmmakers and fans. For us, on Reunion, we’re still trying to figure out how best to utilize those tools. Others have figured that  out faster than we have, but it’s something we’re always thinking about.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding and recent crowdfunding scandals? 

Jeremy: We raised our first $10,000 on Kickstarter and are currently trying to fill in the rest of our budget with an Indiegogo campaign so we’re fans. I’m not aware of the scandals you’re referring to, but like anything online, it’s a system that could be abused. We feel a deep devotion to our donors – these were the first people to show a commitment to us as filmmakers. It’s not easy, in the midst of a hectic pre-production schedule to get rewards out quickly sometimes (if you’re waiting for a T-shirt from us, my wife is on it!), but we’re trying our best.

What is the casting process like? 

Jeremy: For a no-budget feature your actors are your biggest assets, so you want to get this right. Because it was just Matt and I throughout most of our casting process we had to be a little creative. I wanted to see a lot of actors, but it wasn't feasible for us to bring in hundreds of people for a big casting call. So for our first round of casting I asked actors to submit videos, either of their prior work, their reels, or I would send them script sides and they could use those to make an audition tape. Once the cutoff date for those submissions came and went we went through the videos and decided which actors we wanted to bring in for in-person auditions. It’s probably not a perfect system and I’m sure we made more than our share of mistakes, but it did yield us an amazing group of actors. We couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out.

 How does independent film differ from the mainstream? 

Jeremy: It should be more original. Without the need to hit $100 million on your opening weekend you can get away from remakes and reboots and sequel number seven and tell original stories in original ways.

 You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why? 

Jeremy: Star Wars. I’d be curious to see how much attention Lucas gave his actors on that first film compared to what he did on the prequels.

 What's your favorite movie quote and why? 

Jeremy: “I know” from The Empire Strikes Back. Because, you know.

You could have any super power. What would it be? 

Jeremy: The power to dodge questions.

 What is your opinion on movie remakes? 

Jeremy: If you’re remaking a movie that underwhelmed the first time that’s one thing, but an American remake of Let The Right One In was completely unnecessary. And now they’re remaking Old Boy? I’ll see it, but I won’t be happy about it!

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions? 

Jeremy: I’d like to try one.

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Jeremy: Go make your movie, if that’s what you want to do, but keep in mind that 90% of the work you’ll be doing will take place before you even turn on the camera. Plan, plan, plan. And then plan some more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for doing the interview Jeremy.  I wish you the best of luck with "Reunion".

Interview with Boston Filmmaker Nick Di Bella

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Nick Di Bella has been writing and working in film and television since 2004. Having worked for The Late Show with David Letterman, The Yankee Candle Corporation, and Hasbro Toys as an Assistant Director, Nick is well versed in all facets of production. In 2006 Nick joined the team at Films Royale and has written, shot, and directed films for the production house. He is currently working the final draft his pet project, a feature length screenplay, as well as his first novel.

What is the current project you are working on?

My current project is "In The Deathroom: Based on a Story by Stephen King". It, as the title suggests, is based on a short story that I read a number of years ago, and quickly fell in love with. In reaching out to the author, I managed to gain the rights to adapt his original work into a screenplay, and finally into a short film.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I have wanted to work in media production since a very young age. My mom worked in radio when I was a child, so the creative realm was always one that inspired me.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

As I grew up, I was fortunate to take broadcast classes in High school. At which time I met a guy around my age who also had an interest in film named Chris Goff. We became fast (and best) friends, and I'm lucky enough to have him as my Director of Photography today. He is not only extremely well versed from a technical standpoint, he has a fantastic sense of story telling. From there it was a sure thing.

What is the best thing about being one?

The notion of "the narrative" has always been a source of real excitement for me. The idea that everyone who has ever lived has their own perception of the world, has their own actions they've taken, and consequences to those actions has really been a staple in my fandom and work. And to get to experiment with it everyday is a dream come true.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Unless you've made it to Hollywood and are working massive projects, budgets are small or non-existent, which leaves you to do the work of several (hundred) people.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Between professional and independent work, I'd say I've worked on around 15 projects.

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

Hmm. Favorite film maker. Of course there are the greats, Spielberg, Scorcese, Lucas, Cameron. But I like the lesser-knowns, or perhaps, the non-box office titans. Robert Rodriguez (a pioneer of independent creation), Quentin Tarantino. My front-runner now, would have to be Chris Nolan. With the exception of Insomnia, I don't think he's had a single miss.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I've come into my own as it pertains to having a so-called "identity". I know what I am, even if there isn't a great word for it. I am a story teller, whether on the page, or screen, I love exercising my imagination.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

The best advice I can give to someone who is starting out is, surround yourself with good, honest, capable people, and you will succeed, if not in film, in the friendships that you make.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I love to read. The idea of "the narrative" really begins and ends with other people's work. Whether it's my favorite author of all time, Stephen King, or popular fiction like J.K. Rowling, these stories captivate and educate me more than a lifetime of schooling.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I often found myself in sales jobs. I'm a bit of a loud mouth so hawking products has always come naturally to me (even if I loathe it.)

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

My favorite American films would have to be 1977's Star Wars, Jurassic Park, The Godfather, Michael Mann's Heat, Scorcese's The Aviator, The Documentary "It Might Get Loud", and perhaps my all time favorite, Terminator 2.

In regards to foreign film, I very much like latin films. "Bella" is a spectacular little movie. Though "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is one of my favorites as well.

TV is where my heart really lays, I could go on about it for days. There is so much amazing story telling on television right now. From Fringe to Breaking Bad, from Dexter to Glee, from Sons of Anarchy to Louie. It's all amazingly addictive stuff.

My top 2 of all time would have to be the BBC's Sherlock (Series 2 is currently in production) and my number 1... LOST.

How would you describe your film education?

I took practical and theoretical courses for my undergraduate degree. (Though the practical are really the only important ones).

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Boston has a nice little sub-culture for film. Occasionally you'll see a local celebrity shooting a hollywood film, but mostly it's a unified group of underpaid artists striving to tell the most captivating stories they can, with little time and even smaller budgets.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Socially Media has been a godsend. I'm a huge propenent of technology as a creative tool. We have done all of our press releases, auditions, crew hiring, and promotions via the internet and social media. It gives power to those who might not otherwise have it. While Hollywood is shelling out money to pase some celebrity's face all over the sides of buses to promote some "threequel" that cost 250 Million dollars to produce, we can pay a few bucks for ad's on Facebook, or uses the power of twitter followers for free to generate genuine and measurable interest in our productions.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a beautiful entity. It allows artists to bond together and lend a helping hand to one another in the way that really counts...money. We can lend a few bucks here and there in the hopes that we receive help in return. I love to surf the crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter to see what new and interesting products are trying to get off the ground, and let my friends and family know about them.

What is the casting process like?

Casting is time consuming, more so than I think people expect, but it's also a lot of fun. You get to see a number of people interperet your words in their own way. It's amazing what people can come up with.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

I would go back in time and watch them shoot the original starwars. To see an entire galaxy be created, and to know that some 30 years later it is still being polished, created upon, and still incredibly lucrative.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

This is a random and tacky one, but it's so pulpy and melodramatic, that I can't help but love it, I often find myself thinking about the words and how cool they are when strung together. It would have to be, "The world is not enough." from the James Bond film of the same name. It's such an unrealistic thing to say, but James would. And he would mean it. And that's what makes it so badass.

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

Movie remakes are almost always a horrible idea. There are of course exceptions. See The Cohen's True Grit. The first one is fantastic, but so is theirs. If a filmmaker sees a narrative tributary that is unexplored, by all means, delve deeper. If you are just modernizing a past hit to churn some revenue, then you are wasting valuable time, money, and resources, see 2011's "Footloose". The trailer for that film says it all. It makes me want to jump out of a moving bus.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I hate them. Okay, no I don't seeing as my current project is an adaptation of an amazing story. I think there is always huge opportunity to explore a story on screen. Just ask J.K. Rowling. Somethings from the book will be lost, of course, but other things will be gained. The Lord of The Rings was introduced to a whole new (massive) audience as a film, that would most likely never have read the book. That being said, the rate at which comics and books are being turned into movies, does have me worried about the precious stone that is the "original screenplay".

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Every story is interesting, as long as it's told well.

Thanks for doing the interview Nick. I will be sure to spread the word about your film "In The Deathroom: Based on a Story by Stephen King"

Interview With David J. Miller

What is the current project you are working on?

I'm currently working on several projects. I'm on hiatus for my web series ASSISTED LIVING which just finished season 6 and 63 episodes but I'm writing and developing new episodes for the fall. I'm also wrapping up writing for a few episodes of a network sit-coms that hopefully will be green lit. Season 2 of another web series I'm the writer/director for, HEY GIRL is finishing up and will be released in August. Between my own narrative projects I'm working on a variety of other projects for Mimi Productions and other companies. My newest project is a hybrid web series and television project. Each episode will be ten and a half minutes which will allow us to put them on TV and the web. It's a comedy and features some of the best talents in Chicago from venues like Second City and iO.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I began essentially "Producing" films when I was 12. A very creative friend was making super8 movies and I was tagging along. He wasn't the most organized so I helped plan all of his ambitious efforts. We became partners and wanted to make feature films. We shot a feature film in high school that was very funny but for the wrong reasons. The production value was solid though and a great primer for our future projects. After high school we developed a script and worked for a few years to try to raise the money, but struggled without rich friends and family it took a while. We shifted gears and I produced a low budget feature instead called THE RIDE. It was critically praised and showed at film festivals. I continued producing and working with other writer/directors for the next nine feature films. While I've enjoyed producing, my creative desires built when I was able to co-write two features and see them on the big screen. It motivated me to shift focus to the creative side writing and directing.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

I gradually became inspired, but knew I would be in entertainment before graduating high school. As a producer, my partners always helped me feel equally involved in each project. When I started to transition to the creative side, writing and directing I really was hooked.

What is the best thing about being one?

My favorite part of being a filmmaker is that every project is different. Each day is different and the positives far outweigh the negatives. It's great to see a project you created on the big screen or the small screen or the really small screen. I love to examine what I would do differently which has helped me learn, especially on the writing side. On the production side I know how to produce a nice looking project but my work for the web doesn't have the most amazing production value, in part because I've taken on more roles as a result of the low budgets. I've become a pretty good shooter and gaffer as well as a mediocre sound recordist and production designer. I'm still learning and that's a rush. My relationships with actors has come full circle to the point where I think it is a strength of mine now, though it hasn't always been. I was shy growing up and it's taken a lot of time to fully come out of my shell and filmmaking is the reason why.

What is the worst thing about being one?

The wait between projects is sometimes frustrating. I'm a workaholic and a filmmaker full time. I love working on web series between features because the budgets are so low that I can do them even if there are not investors attached. The reliance on the feature film level in distribution on execs with a narrow formula on what is worthy of distribution is also a frustration of mine though I respect the challenges that distributors face and the need to have "name" actors onboard to sell a project. As a filmmaker you think every project is going to be great and make a lot of money. When a project is not successful and you can't give an investor a lucrative return on their investment it's not a good feeling. On the feature level, it's frustrating when you try to help a writer/director and they don't want to take your advice or suggestions to make the film better. It's their dream to see their film made their way but early on they often don't have experience that they need.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I've produced nine feature films and was a co-writer on two of them. None of them were hits though out of the five that had distribution we had a couple nice successes. I've had success with webseries producing, writing and directing about 150 total narrative episodes. I've written and directed 63 episodes and counting of ASSISTED LIVING plus about a dozen bonus videos and three other shows. As vice-president of Mimi Productions we've created over sixty episodes of an unscripted TV show THE MERGE which airs nationwide on JCTV and NRB. We also do commercials, industrials, and web videos for commercial clients. I'm also working on two new feature films, though it's too early to get specific.

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

Charles "Chip" Purdy III

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I've always been a filmmaker so the changes in my life aren't necessarily a result of film. (I was going to make a joke about hair growing in certain places since I started in film at 12 and how in recent years I've lost hair in other places.) I can reflect on how filmmaking has changed since I began. The growth of web video and access to inexpensive equipment has created a lot of opportunity but also added a lot of competition. I consider myself a writer first, over other aspects of filmmaking which has changed in recent years.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Networking and promotion is just as important as talent as a filmmaker. Find the type of films that you not only want to make but also what you are strong at thinking of what the audience might be. Find a partner who compliments your skill set so you can grow together. There's no one right way to do anything so creativity plays a huge role, not only in your film but also in how it gets noticed. If you make a film and can't get distribution, cut it up and distribute it as a web series. If a tv network or studio won't hear your pitches because you don't have a track record or an agent look for other ways to get noticed. If you're developing a project and it's taking a long time for it to get off the ground, put a time limit to keep your expectations in perspective. If you're getting a lot of rejections it might be that your project is not as ready as you think it is. If you're a writer, write multiple scripts. If you don't have friends with deep pockets develop projects that are more affordable. It's very tough to raise large sums money so know what you're up against and make decisions accordingly.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

Since most of my writing lately is comedic i'm finding myself enjoying watching comedy live or recorded. I enjoy working around the house and loved rehabbing my home with my wife Michelle. I like watching some sports and was at Wrigley Field when the Cubs were five outs away from going to the World Series. My appreciation and love for animals is growing and while I like to travel I don't get around much.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I did have typical high school jobs like Mc Donalds and later as an AV Tech and Pizza Delivery Driver. I'm pretty much full time in entertainment for the last dozen years other than a few side gigs but earnings fluctuate so we live modestly by some standards (though that's going to change when my next movie drops)

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

My favorite American fim growing up was Raiders of the Lost Arc and later Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Goodfellas, Dazed and Confused and a few other mainstream hits. I was a fan of Dumb and Dumber though I don't like most of Jim Carey's movies. Does Star Wars count as a foreign film? I don't search for foreign films but there a few that I like but nothing worth mentioning. I like most HBO and Showtime episodic shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Weeds and Boardwalk Empire that stars Michael Shannon who was in my first feature THE RIDE.

How would you describe your film education?

I learned a lot by going out and experimenting. I took a few semesters at Columbia College in Chicago. I think film school is a great place to network and meet people with similar goals. I recommend a film student go to school close to where you want to live. Don't go to NYU if your going to move to LA right after you graduate. Just an opinion.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Chicago is a great place to produce film. It's a tougher place to work on Hollywood Films that come through town but there are enough indies to keep you busy during most of the year. As an aside, I am extremely motivated to get a projects started and hopefully finished before the dead of winter. It's just not as easy to film in the dead of winter but

while some people do it, I'm not one of them. I used to travel back and forth to LA more frequently and even had an apartment there but gave it up ten years ago when I got married and don't regret it. I network a lot via the web so in that sense my film scene is not defined by a map.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

I haven't embraced social media for crowd funding but definitely for distribution and promotion. I get paid for my web series ASSISTED LIVING from advertising before each episode so the more views I get the more I get paid. Social media, blogs and the web in general help to account for a significant amount of income for me so I love it!

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I'm a big fan of it for people it works for but haven't used it for my projects yet. I probably will at some point but it will most likely be on a co-production with someone so we can reach out to a larger base.

What is the casting process like?

My casting varies depending on the project but I often spend more time with potential actors when they come in, often a half hour or more because even if I don't use someone in one role they might be good for another role. I also write projects with specific actors in mind and place a huge importance on personality. I try to get a sense of commitment and reliability as projects occasionally take longer to film than expected.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I'm getting tired so if you really want the answer to this question you'll have to buy my book "Filmmaking for Trust Fund Babies" available on Amazon 2012.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

Not sure but probably something with a lot of titties in it. Just being honest.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

My wife's favorite movie quote is from Empire Strikes Back. I'm not a movie quote guy.

You could have any super power. What would it be?

I would be a super bowler so I could rake in the cash on the Pro Bowlers Tour, watch myself on ESPN4 and hang out with the bowling groupies.

Have you seen Big Foot?

I think it would be cool to give three filmmakers ten million dollars to make a movie based on the same story idea and then release them in theaters with the same title and the audience not knowing which one they're gonna get. It would be an interesting gimmick the first time, especially if the movies were good but in different ways.

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

A good movie is a good movie. I think there should be a time limit between re-boots but I'll give the new Superman a pass because they're filming in Chicago.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I don't read enough books to have a meaningful comment, but in high school I always liked it when I could watch an adaptation rather than reading the book. I'm told I have ADHD so maybe that's the reason that reading isn't as entertaining for me but I have a lot of respect for people who read for entertainment and I would definitely make my kids read every night when they're young.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you have cash and want to make a movie call me! If you have less cash and want to make a web series call me! If you're a hot girl and want to act in a movie or web series call me! If you're ugly and don't have any cash email me!

Follow me on Twitter @AssistedLiving1 and like me at facebook.com/AssistedLivingTV or personally at Facebook.com/Mindlight

Thanks for doing the interview Dave.  I will be spreading the word about "Assisted Living".  

Interview With Paul Osborne

Paul Osborne is the director, writer, editor and an executive producer of the feature film FAVOR.

Paul previously directed, wrote, edited and co-produced the acclaimed film festival documentary, OFFICIAL REJECTION, and wrote and executive produced the crime thriller TEN ‘TIL NOON. Both went on to multiple awards and healthy film festival runs before their respective releases theatrically and on DVD.

He lives with his wife, producer Leslie Wimmer, and his three children in Burbank, California.

What is the current project you are working on?

I just wrapped shooting the feature film FAVOR, which I wrote and directed. It's a character-driven thriller, and I crafted the two lead roles specifically for the actors that played them, Blayne Weaver and Patrick Day.  I've been a fan of each of those guys for a while, so it was kind of a daily treat to have them doing my bidding on set for three weeks of shooting. It also looks like Scott Storm wants to direct another script of mine next year, tentatively entitled SMALL HOURS. He and I have a creative aesthetic that meshes well, so I'm excited to see that move forward. Otherwise, there are a few projects on the horizon that I'm playing with maybe taking on next summer or fall, depending on how long the post on FAVOR takes. I'm a notoriously slow and meticulous editor, so it's difficult to schedule "the next one" until the current one is done.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I did always want to be a filmmaker, but when I was very small I interpreted that as being an actor. It wasn't until I was a little older that I realized someone actually wrote and directed movies, and it wasn't just the actor making it up as they went along. It's a good thing I put that together, because I'm a terrible actor. Nowadays I direct, produce and edit, but at my core I consider myself basically a writer, and all the other hats I wear are simply functions of getting my words and stories onto the screen.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

I was born this way. I've always been drawn to movies and television, and as long as I can remember I've seen life thru a lens. You can say it's a "calling" or a "sickness" - both are completely applicable. There was no one flick that "turned" me, and I've never wanted to do anything else.

What is the best thing about being one?

The best thing is actually when something's done. When you've gotten something accomplished and it works. I'm not just talking about finishing a movie, although that certainly applies. But this refers to every step of the process - when you've cast the right actor, gotten the script where it needs to be, made the scene work in editing. Filmmaking is always a struggle against both external elements and your own limitations. When you punch through and make something work, it's incredibly gratifying.

What is the worst thing about being one?

The worst thing is dealing with the business side, and that's largely because so much of the business is unnecessary. Things are in place to either block your way or allow people who have little or nothing to do with your movie to profit the most from it. Filmmakers are passionate about what they do and would do it for free, and the business world has completely taken advantage of this. All I see are one-sided contracts that work against the artist, and the few agreements where the filmmaker might actually see a penny or two are almost never honored. What's encouraging about the digital revolution - smaller budgets, smaller crews, more DIY distribution - is it's stripping the business away, layer by layer. There are still leaches in the pond, but fewer of them.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

FAVOR is the third feature I've been involved with on the above-the-line level. I wrote and executive produced the crime thriller TEN 'TIL NOON and directed and produced OFFICIAL REJECTION, a documentary about film festivals. In terms of shorts and things, I have no idea. There are too many to count. I've been making them since I was knee-high.

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

I have so many favorites I would be really hard-pressed to pick just one. And there aren't any big surprise names in the bunch: Scorsese, Tarantino, Aronofsky, Soderberg, Fincher, Nolan - all the usual suspects. I think Sam Raimi and Peter Weir are really under-appreciated. If you're asking where the biggest influence on me personally comes from, it's the early works of the Coen Brothers. BLOOD SIMPLE, RAISING ARIZONA, MILLER'S CROSSING, and BARTON FINK are what happens when God touches celluloid. Both the writing and sheer craft on those movies are unbelievable.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

Well, it really hasn't. I've been making films since I was very small and only rarely have worked outside the industry. I feel like I've had a steady increase in experience and knowledge over the years, but that probably qualifies more as an intensification of my life rather than a sharp change.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

I think the advice would depend on what that person wanted to do in the movie business. It's a pretty wide net. Regardless of what you're after, though, the best thing to remember is that succeeding in the industry takes time and requires a lot of steps. I feel like a lot of people expect it to happen quickly and without a whole lot of effort. It doesn't go down the way it did in THE MUPPET MOVIE, with Kermit and friends just showing up after a long road trip and being offered the Rich and Famous contract. A better cinematic analogy would be THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, with Tim Robbins tunneling his way to freedom one spoonful at a time. It might seem insurmountable in the beginning, but after a while you see real progress.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Again, I have too many favorites to list. I'm a serious movie buff; just one look in my media closet at home will give you some idea of exactly how big a film geek I am. If we're taking recent favorites, last year I really dug INCEPTION, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, THE AMERICAN, BLACK SWAN, and this great little documentary about an exploitation filmmaker called POPOTOPOLIS, which I find myself watching every couple of weeks. The best flick I've seen so far this year is FALLING OVERNIGHT, which is a tiny indie currently playing the festival circuit.

In terms of television, I'm really high on the fact that BREAKING BAD is back. Not only do I think it's currently the best thing on TV - it may be the best thing that's ever been on TV. There's not a moment, dialogue line, or shot out of place on that show. Ever. It's staggering.

How would you describe your film education?

You have to specify if you're asking about my film school experience or my education, because they're not the same thing. I went to the University of Miami's film program and I had a good time, but I didn't really learn a whole lot. I'd already been making movies for almost a decade when I started classes, so other than learning to use 16mm equipment instead of Super-8, it was really just more of the same with a thick layer of bureaucracy smothered on top. My real education came from both making my own movies and working in production. You want to know how to make a flick? Get on set. You want to make friends and network? Go to film school.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

I live in Los Angeles, so the whole damn city is the "film scene". You hit Starbucks and everyone in the place, baristas included, are somehow involved in "the biz." What's interesting how the studio and indie worlds combine and collide here. It's like two different universes that people constantly beam themselves between. Joe here has a day job at the studio, but he's made an indie, which he's now using to try to get an agent so he can get hired as a director back at the very same studio. Now Joe will go attempt to network at a party with executives and movie stars, but afterwards he'll shoot down to the hole-in-the-wall bar and hang out with his other independent filmmaker pals so they can talk about how they don't need the establishment. It makes for a strange mix.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

What's social media has done, at the most basic level, is changed the way marketing works in two essential ways: One, it's made communication with a potentially large group of people possible without the need for an expensive intermediary, like a TV network, ad buy or PR firm; and two, its intermingled marketing with social interaction, so talking to someone online becomes a form of marketing, and vise versa. The applications for the indie filmmakers are almost limitless and get written about pretty exhaustively, so I won't attempt to discuss them here. But I will give you one example of social media helping me very recently in an unexpected way: almost my entire crew for FAVOR came from people contacting me because they'd seen the Kickstarter campaign succeed on Facebook. I would get emails asking if I "needed help on the shoot", and if the person that sent it had both a valuable skill and availability, I would bring them aboard. I ended up with a fantastic crew.

[caption id="attachment_1444" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Shooting a scene of "Favor""][/caption]

What is the casting process like?

The casting process is exciting, especially when you see good people bring your work to life. I try and make the auditions as easy on the actor as possible, because "reading" is such a different skill set than "acting". Usually I'll offer each actor the entire script in advance - not just their pages - schedule a longer period of time for them to audition in case they want to go through it more than once, have another real actor for them to read against, and do a little blocking so it feels like an actual "scene". I also think it's smart to find actors through other actors. In my experience you tend to get generally stronger performers that way.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

The difference between independent and studio movies is that the independent ones are made without the involvement of a studio or other established Hollywood production entity. That's it. These are films produced outside the establishment. Any other definition is false and dangerous to independent cinema. BLACK SWAN is not an indie film. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, which Variety thoughtlessly proclaimed as an example of "what a true independent film can do", was produced by Warners and released by Fox.

To ascribe some sort of style or "edginess" inherent in an independent film versus a studio one is completely misleading, and it's this confusion which has allowed the studios to essentially appropriate the label "indie" as a marketing term and thereby take away opportunities from actual independent movies. This is what enabled Hollywood to take over Sundance by pouring the multi-million dollar "Indiewood" flicks they make into the festival, and allowed the major studios to either absorb or dismantle all the larger independent distributors that used to actually acquire and release real indie films, ultimately leading us directly into the distribution crisis we currently face. We're only now starting to see daylight with the as-of-yet unfulfilled promise of self-distribution, and I guarantee you that if and when this is a wholly viable way of releasing indie movies these same studios will try and muscle in there, too. So it's important we stay vigilant and clear about what defines independent.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be?

I think I'd like to watch Hitchcock work, so I'd probably opt to beam back to the set of PSYCHO. Here was Hollywood's top director at the height of his career, working on a small budget with the crew from his TV show, shooting this little character thriller. Anthony Perkins was so incredible in that flick and I'd love to see what Hitch had to do to get him there.

You could be any animal. Which would you be?

I'd be a lion. I'm a cat person so if you've got me transmorphing into an animal, I'd go for the top in that column. Besides, the male lions get to lie about while the females do all the hunting and gathering. That would rule. Bring me my zebra steak, bitch!

You could have any super power. What would it be?

Man, I would love to be able to freeze time. Then I'd be able to get a decent amount of sleep and still accomplish everything I need to get done. Plus I could pants people without being caught.

Do you believe on life on other planets?

With the astronomical number of planets that exist, the likelihood of life existing on one or more of them is extremely, extremely high. It's nearly a mathematical certainty. I don't know if I'd use the word "believe", because that implies some sort of leap of faith. Let's just say I'd be damn shocked if there wasn't some form of life on another world somewhere. Especially on Saturday nights.

BELOW IS A BEHIND THE SCENES CLIP FROM FAVOR:

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/26179847]

Thanks for doing the interview Paul. I'm a big fan of your films. I love "Official Rejection" and "Ten Til Noon". I can wait to see "Favor" when it comes to DVD.

Karen And David Of Filmcourage

[caption id="attachment_1434" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Photo Credit: John Keating"][/caption]

Karen Worden

Born in Washington, D.C., Karen Worden grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and left for LA when she was 18. A full-time film lover and part-time actress having worked on independent films such as Night Before the Wedding, Mind Over Matter Man and Goodbye Promise. Karen Worden is a co-host/co-producer of the Noon (Pacific) Sunday radio show Film Courage on LA Talk Radio.com, co-owner of FilmCourage.com (along with husband filmmaker David Branin), and actress. Each Sunday, Karen and David interview filmmakers and content creators from around the globe on surviving and thriving the entertainment industry. Karen, David and their three cats live in Los Angeles, California. Follow them both on www.FilmCourage.com, @FilmCourage, @DavidBranin and @KarenWorden.

David Branin

Writer/Director David Branin grew up near Hartford, Connecticut and it wasn't until his college career was almost over that the dream of making a major motion-picture burst into his head. David and three of his closest friends wrote an original screenplay together and moved to Los Angeles in 2000 to pursue their own Hollywood ending. His pursuit of that dream continues to this day. He is the Director /Writer/Producer of Night Before the Wedding and Goodbye Promise as well as Co-Host of Film Courage with his wife Karen Worden.

What is the current project you are working on?

Karen - The radio show, Film Courage Interactive, and website (www.filmcourage.com) are mainly what my days consists of. This entails finding filmmakers to contribute articles, booking guests on the show/putting the show together with David, presenting articles on the site, and lining up the screening details. I recently shot a couple episodes of a webseries entitled Partners in Pretension by Claire Wasmund and Fernando Noor. David and I recently got a new camera to take photos at our monthly film screenings in Los Angeles. I liked what Lucas McNelly of A Year Without Rent was doing, volunteering on film sets. So Dave suggested I contact our friends Brian Durkin and Todd Cattell (also in Goodbye Promise) and ask if they needed a set photographer for their short ‘The Terrain.’ The photos I took from three shoots on The Terrain resulted in a post on Lucas’s site A Year Without Rent. (http://www.ayearwithoutrent.com/2011/07/brian-durkins-terrain.html)

David - In addition to what we do with our Film Courage radio show and website, we are in the final stages of finishing our second feature film “Goodbye Promise” which is an improv feature film starring Gregor Collins as an actor living out his last week in Los Angeles. The film also stars Karen, Brian Durkin, Todd Cattell, Jud Bogard and a number of talented actors I was fortunate to work with.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

Karen - Sort of, but I’m not sure I realized it. I remember seeing a video recorder in a Sears’ catalog when I was about 12 and dreaming about making movies with it. I used to set up imaginary shots during my day. Life got in the way and I never followed through. Then after stops and start of getting into acting and not following through with it, but still loving films, the idea sparked inside me. Watching David with a camera renewed my interest.

David - No, I didn’t grow up with any desire to be filmmaker. Often times I wonder how I got to where I am now. Many years ago I had the zany idea to write a screenplay. I persuaded three close friends to help me write a personal story of mine into a script. We moved to Los Angeles in our attempt to turn this script into a movie. When we came up short on making our collective dream happen, I turned to the craft of screenwriting. After a couple of years as a ‘screenwriter’ with no credits, I felt like I was spinning my wheels. I rallied some friends together to make an improv short film shot on my friend Daniel Sol’s Mini-DV camera. I wanted to test if my ideas had any merit. Yes, it’s pretty silly and almost embarrassing (http://www.spike.com/video-clips/7vb8od/pugnacious-assembly) but it helped begin this whole adventure. I have worked to improve ever since.

What inspired you to become involved in the independent film industry?

Karen - I’ve always been drawn to off-beat, quirky films with an ending that’s not always so perfect. I like beautiful images with non-traditional stories. I watched independent films for years, scouring the neighborhood Blockbuster video for some obscure movie, while everyone else rented from the shelves with 20 of the same title (well, sometimes I did, too). I wanted to act, but the rejection was not fun. I wavered between day jobs and submitting for roles, never committing to either world. Being on the other side, creating seemed more interesting. I’d helped David behind the scenes with his short films, did a ton of extra work, and then David and I created the opportunity to do Film Courage (the radio show) together. Things changed for me.

David - A good number of folks believe that Hollywood is going to discover their talent. I am not one of those people. All I know how to do is to create works to the best of my ability with the talent and resources I have available to me.

What is the best thing having your own talk show?

Karen - The fact that I get to do this show with David makes me an incredibly lucky woman. I also love hearing everyone’s stories. I like to hear the nuggets about weird odd jobs people have held to sustain them or times when something almost didn’t happen, but the direction changed and things took off.

David - What matters most to me above all is that I get to do this with Karen.

What is the worst thing about having your own talk show?

Karen - The only negative is the time commitment, not being able to schedule everyone who asks and still finding a balance in our own lives. We live what we do, whether it’s attending events, scheduling guests, preparing for the show, etc. We have very few ‘down’ days where nothing is going on.

David - Karen touched on the scheduling, often times it is the fact that we only do one show a week and that we cannot accommodate the number of filmmakers who request an interview. We hate having to say no to folks or having them wait for such a long period of time before they come on.

What is the interview process like?

Karen - We do a lot of research on the guest beforehand. We love to bring in guest co-hosts because it infuses new life into the show. A guest host will think of an angle that we didn’t realize to ask. Once we are in the studio, the time flies by. Most shows are left with questions from us still on the table. In rare instances we have to abandon our questions because the guest takes the show in another direction. We can hear in their voice if passion takes us down another road. We often love happy accidents from live radio.

David - By the time the interview comes around, that is the fun part. Karen and I typically put in a minimum of 8 hours of research into each interview we do. When Sunday’s come around, we finally get to sit down with our peers and pick their brain on how they got to where they are now. Even with all the interviews we have done, we can still nervous beforehand. Anything can happen when you go LIVE and we have had our share of memorable moments.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

David - Not sure, depends what qualifies as a project in this instance. I would say between completed works and uncompleted film projects projects, probably 100+. And with Film Courage, Karen and I have conducted 300+ interviews in two years between our LIVE radio show and our shorter interviews you can find on our YouTube channel.

Karen - I don’t know. I would say over 100 also. In addition to ourinterviews, we are now up to our 20th Film Courage Interactive which is a monthly screening series we host at the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Karen - I like filmmakers Joyce Chopra Oates, Bruce Beresford, John Sayles, Terrence Malick, Steven Spielberg, Jamin Winans, Gary King, Gregory Bayne, Darren Aronofsky, and Cameron Crowe.

David - Right now it is probably Christopher Nolan. Also love Terrence Malick, Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Tod Lancaster, Matt Krentz, Thomas McCarthy, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Jim Sheridan & Ken Burns to name a few.

How has your life changed since you became the host of your own show?

Karen - It’s made me believe in the creation of ideas and the practice of implementing them. This is easier said than done. I’ve had so many ideas that I jotted down, which never took off. It’s taught me about follow through. I’ve learned that if you want something, you have to want it no matter what people say to you, do to you, and minus any fruit it might bear.

David - We’ve connected with people we would have never thought we would ever been able to speak with. We remember seeing “Garden Party” at the Laemmle Theaters here in Los Angeles and then speaking with director Jason Freeland within that year. Same with “In Search Of A Midnight Kiss” and Alex Holdridge. From there to speak with Lynn Shelton, Ted Hope, Mark Duplass, Julia Cameron, Troy Duffy, & John Sayles, etc. are things we thought would never happen. The show has given us hope at a time when we have needed it. We’d like to think that those who discover our program need it just as much as we do.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who wants to make it in the movie business?

Karen - I saw this written once ‘Surround yourself with positive people; don’t listen to the nay-sayers.’ I would probably add to this have extremely thick skin (which is hard since we are all sensitive artistic types), laugh at your own ego, and when times look bleak ask yourself if there is anything else you’d rather be doing. If the answer is no, get a good night’s rest and try it again in the morning. And one more thing, limit your time surfing the net and watching tv if it’s not ‘research.’ This is a tough one!

David - Seek the advice from those who have succeeded in the industry and listen to what they have to say. That means don’t put too much stock into what I am saying here.

Beyond that, I would say that you really have to love it. You are going no where if it’s not deeply rooted in your core. You have to be able to endure and the only way that will happen is if you love it. That goes for anything, not just the movie business.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Karen - White Oleander, Wake Up, The Philosopher Kings, Matchstick Men, The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Tree of Life, Ink, Dying to Do Letterman, Good Will Hunting, Ride the Divide, The Waterhole, Paradise Recovered, Men Don’t Leave, Denial, and the recent A Better Life.

David - The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Tree of Life, Life is Beautiful, Ink, Dying to Do Letterman, Slumdog Millionaire, Shooting April, The Goonies, A Christmas Story, City of God, Pulp Fiction, Memento, The Scenesters, Saving Private Ryan, A Better Life, Inception, Die Hard, Good Will Hunting, Up, Knuckle Draggers, Streetballers, Borne Identity, Scarface, Maria Full of Grace, Irreversible.

How would you describe your film education?

Karen - Watching films, reading articles, and listening to interviews. I’m still learning.

David - From the ground up. Reading. Writing. Filming. Producing. Connecting. Distributing. Observing. Watching. Studying. Over and over.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Karen - The film scene in LA is exciting, competitive, disheartening at times, and never dull.

David - We live in the mecca of the film industry. It’s almost impossible to go anywhere, whether it be a friend’s barbecue, the local coffee shop, or jogging down the street and not have someone be connected to the film industry in one way or another.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Karen - Social media has enabled us to create our own audience and keep in touch with them. We can connect with like minds all over the world without needing an ad agency. We are all almost like mini-publicists. The trick is not drowning in the sea of updates everyone receives. But if we find those with similar interests and exchange ideas, then maybe our message will be given a look.

David - The Social Media Tools that are in place right now, give content creators the full power to distribute their work without any middle men. We have barely scratched the surface of where all this is going.

As I write this, G+ has just gone over 10 million users.

Our pals Joke and Biagio have just raised $40,000 in their first 7 days on Kickstarter for an Oscar push for their film Dying to do Letterman. It’s extraordinary. Most likely they have made more in that one week on their own than they would have made over the lifetime of any distribution deal they could have gotten. And it is because of social media.

We are still not all the way there yet. But we are getting closer. The final hurdle is distribution. Social Media helps us build awareness and helps us spread the word. Platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGogo are helping us with funding.

But we will not see the full impact of social media until the channels of distribution open up all the way. Audiences still have to grow comfortable with the emerging ways of consuming media. Wait until the internet and television truly become one. We are going to see some extraordinary successes in the very near future.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

Karen - Independent film rarely uses a filter to protect its audience. Independent film shows a single mother in a messy apartment with kids screaming and bills piling up. It shows a well off person who’s clinically depressed and finds little joy despite their wealth. It takes real lives that are incredibly fascinating but which the mainstream doesn’t want to view because it hits too close and they want an escape. It’s that stranger you see walking down the street who is so fascinating and you can’t help to stare. This person looks a little off (but functional) and you want to know why. An independent film would show you this person and their disfunction.

David - Mainstream films force their way into our consciousness with their multi-million dollar marketing campaigns and their product placement tie-ins. Those films find you.

Independent film you have to discover. They are often going to hide from you. You have to seek them.

Content-wise, independent films will not dazzle you with CGI and special effects, but they can move you with their heart and intellect. Successful independent films are those that take risks that you will not find in mainstream movies. They are unconventional and they aren’t so cookie-cutter where you know the ending 10 minutes in.

Mainstream would clean them up after they’ve met a savior, with a powerhouse rock ballad at the end.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Whichfilm would it be and why?

Karen - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Streetcar Named Desire. Things were more polite then. Yes, there was a lot of judgment about peoples’ social strata and lot in life. However, it was all so pretty, polite, and very clean. It seemed unreal, probably because it was.

David - Citizen Kane. The movie was decades ahead of it’s time. Orson Welles was a complete genius. Would love to absorb how he was able to pull off such a feat at such a young age.

What do you think about sequels?

Karen - Not sure I have an appropriate opinion on them. I usually don’t watch the original film in the first place.

David - Story-wise they are often rushed and do not satisfy the audience in the way the original usually does. Business-wise, they are hard to ignore. Sales and interest on the original go up and they tend to perform better at the box office because of the familiarity from the original fans along with the fans who were gained along the way.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

Karen - Crowdfunding is miraculous. Happy that it is around and hope it stays.

David - It’s life-changing. It’s certainly changed my life and I can only imagine the thousands of lives who have already been impacted in positive fashion.

I do get frustrated by the many people I see who are launching campaigns without any pre-planning, thought, or preparation.

One rule at the top of the list, if you do not have a personalized pitch video then you are not ready to crowd-fund.

Cannot tell you how often we receive emails from filmmakers who are in their final week of crowd-funding who are in desperation mode, over 80% away from their goal, and want to know if we can help them.

Being able to use platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGogo is a blessing. It’s sacred. You may only get one chance at it. So when you decide to use them, make sure your business is together. Treat the opportunity with respect. Put the time in before you seek money from your peers, friends, and family.

You could be any animal. Which would you be and why?

Karen - Probably a Koala Bear. They seem so calm and observant.

David - Probably either an eagle or a dolphin. The option of soaring the skies or swimming the ocean.

You could have any super power. What would it be?

Karen - Time travel. I was just speaking with David about this the other night. I would love to visit the 20’s all the way to present day. Possibly I’d only want to visit certain years for a short time, like just peek into what the Depression era was like, or attend Woodstock for the night (or two). I wish a DeLorean could really do all this.

David - I was going to say the power to grant anyone one wish. Then as I mediate on that, I realize it may come with too much responsibility. So I will go with the ability to infinitely teleport myself anywhere in the world.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Karen - John, thank you so much for asking us these insightful questions. Thank you for putting together an amazing site and caring about artists in the way that you do. We have no doubt it will gather more incredible names. We appreciate your time!

David - John, I concur. We’d like to thank you for your time and energy. It’s an impressive database of interviews you have done thus far and we’re proud to join your archives. We look forward to seeing this grow. And for anyone looking to connect with Karen and I, you can do so through FilmCourage.com

Thank you both for doing the interview. I learned a lot about the folks behind such a great show. I'll be sure to tell any filmmakers I interview about your show.

Interview With Actor Joe Luckay

[caption id="attachment_1429" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Joe as Bobby in "One Hour Fantasy Girl""][/caption]

Joseph “Joe” James Luckay (“Bobby Richards,” One Hour Fantasy Girl, No Restrictions Films, LLC), born and raised in the gritty suburbs outside of Cleveland, Ohio landing in Hollywood, California to seek an acting career. True to his name, in less than a year, J Luckay has already established himself as one of independent feature films’ newest and talented emerging young lead male actors.

Initially, “discovered” during his very first feature film screen test by writer/director, Edgar Bravo of No Restrictions Entertainment, LLC and producing partner, John Paul Rice, Luckay was cast his first leading male role as the “Bobby Richards,” the sweet, smooth, and very-innocent-looking young hustler in No Restrictions Entertainment’s independent feature-length film, One Hour Fantasy Girl.

However, Luckay is no stranger to the camera having appeared as a background actor in a number of feature films such as There Will Be Blood, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Knocked-up, Senior Skip Day, Dukes of Hazzard – Part 2, as well as television series Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana and HBO’s Entourage.

What is the current project you are working on?

My current project is my 6 month old son :) I took some time off to help out with my boy.

What's it like to work with the crew from No Restrictions Entertainment?

First I want to give a shout out to EDGAR and JOHN PAUL!! I enjoyed working on set with the cast and crew. Everyone came together and worked hard with little time to accomplish One Hour Fantasy Girl.

Did you always want to be a actor?

No. When I was young I wanted to be a police man like my father. As I grew that imagery shattered and I started to work with my creative skills. Not really sure which way I wanted to go I took three and a half years of graphic design. Some in high school and some college. When I hit 21 I got bored of design and took a leap of faith to Hollywood, California to channel my inner most creative side as an actor.

What inspired you to become actor?

Change. Many people can't seem to understand the importance of change and never grow. I wanted to fuel my passion and went from being comfortable at home to struggling in the hoods of Los Angeles. I wanted to grow and adapt to what little I once knew which in return helped me with the craft.

What is the best thing about being one?

The Best thing is being myself. I can be that person easily because I take on different roles which helps me define my personality.

What is the worst thing about being one?

I would say getting caught up in the fame hype. I haven't reached that point in my career yet but when I do Ill be sure to keep the right people around to stay grounded.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I have worked on many different projects from indies to student films.

Who  is your favorite filmmaker?

When I meet him or her Ill let you know.

How has your life changed since you became a actor?

My life has changed and is on its way for a bigger change. All positive.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

I would tell them never to lose hope. In the land of many hopeless individuals stay on top of your game and do not fall into that category.

What do you like to do besides acting?

Well I still do my graphics from time to time. I love designing business cards for individuals. I love to be outside and enjoy life. I love to cook and most importantly spend time with my son.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a actor?

Yes Many! I run joeluckay.com and I use to work inside equinox gym at the smoothie bar. I have done some extra work, Disc Jockey Photography and graphics.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Well it is Hollywood. Need I say more?

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Better press and more exposure to the masses.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

Independent films I feel take more risks where as mainstream tends to stick with a cookie cutter style.

You could go back in time and act in any classic film. Which film would it be and why?

East of Eden with James Dean. Great film that will never be forgotten. James Dean. I love his Style. His craft. I wish he was around longer so we could have watch his talent grow.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

"How am I not myself" from I heart Hucklebees. I love that! Makes you think.

You could have any super power. What would it be?

I would love to go back in time to change the past a little and would love to see whats coming next. Not to mention the winning lotto numbers :)

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

Not really big on movie remakes. Just watch the original.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

If you have an amazing book then it best be an amazing movie!

Thanks Joe for doing the interview. "One Hour Fantasy Girl" has become one of my favorite movies. Your preformance as Bobby was stellar. I look forward to seeing what you do next.