-As a child, what did you want to become (profession-wise)?
I wanted to be an inventor, a filmmaker and a rock star.
-In which town did you grow up? My family moved around a lot. I went to seven different high schools, and I went to kindergarten in Germany. I have lived so many different places I never really know how to answer this question.
-Do you think your background influences your current filmmaker/photography style? If so, what specific element in your background is most pervasive in influencing your current filmmaker/ photography style?
I co-founded a small production company, and I can remember that, to make our first dolly-shot, I crouched down on a skateboard with a Gl2 while my partner pushed. Without much of a budget, we always had to innovate to get the shot we wanted. It forced me to think outside of the box and find a way. I have always felt, in order to get there, that I needed to regard the process as much as - or more than - a part of the art.
-What inspires you in the job of being a filmmaker/photographer?
It is pure inspiration for me. Art is not a choice for me. If I don’t create, I start to die, and film is my favorite artistic medium. To begin with an idea and bring it into the world, to watch it grow, is magical and amazing. It’s nice to have a hand in such an amazing process.
-Do you have any other creative ambitions or dreams to which you aspire?
This is just the beginning. There are so many great projects that are just waiting in the wings. The one I am perhaps most interested in is a script that I conceptualized. That concept was the catalyst for my meeting and working with Chad, and together we wrote Man of Perdition, which
in turn was the catalyst for going into production on A Perfect Life. We needed to make a film to demonstrate our competency, in order to garner a budget for Man of Perdition, and Chad was just sitting on this beautiful, award-winning script (A Perfect Life).
-Which basic elements of creativity did your family teach you?
The first thing that comes to mind is my mom teaching me how to cook. She is a true gourmand, and her style is less than conventional. She uses a dash of this, a pinch of that, and says, “Hang your nose over the pot, and the soup will tell you what it needs to become great. You just have to listen.” This became the core of my creative process.
-How did you get the idea of making this type of film?
On a long road trip in a rental Prius from L.A. to Tacoma, Chad and I were on our way home after pitching Man of Perdition to some producers, and we realized we had to make a film before anyone would give us the kind of budget we needed to make M.O.P. Later, I was on a chair-lift with Joe Rosati when Chad called to tell me he thought Joe, who had introduced Chad and me, would be perfect for the role of Brian.
-Do you have a favorite filmmaker/photographer? I’m rather fond of Chad Ruin.
-Are you ever afraid you will run out of inspiration and creativity in your job?
God no! I am afraid I won’t have the time to address all the ideas I am inspired by.
-What is the most difficult thing in your job?
Balancing the art with the business and not compromising the integrity of the art.