Are you from California?

Born and raised in LA. I know it’s rare. But I’m the only one in my family that’s in the movie business. No one else is. In fact most of them live out of state.

How did you get started in the movie business?

I actually started back in grade school. I was making Super 8 movies with my friends in the neighborhood with my parents’ camera. All of my movies were 3 minutes and 15 seconds long – because that’s how long a reel of Super 8 film was. So I’d charge the kids who were in my movies to come and see themselves on screen. Then I’d have enough money to buy another reel and make another film!

And what did you do next?

I wrote for school. I wrote for the high school shows and I really enjoyed it. I found out I was funny. I only write upbeat stuff. I guess it’s my weird mindset. I have a unique view of the world. So comedy writing seemed the way to go.

Who else have you written for?

Early on in my career as a comedy writer I wrote for the best: Sam Kinison, Rodney Dangerfield and Gary Shandling among others. I wrote for a lot of television comedy shows. I was paid to “punch up” scripts. Then I decided to do my own stuff and soon became a producer and a director. I’ve done everything from reality television shows to kid’s animation.

What was your first success as a filmmaker?

Well I had gotten some experience directing television pilots and specials. I collaborated with Murray Langston – who was the Unknown Comic on the old Gong Show. [Langston performed with a brown paper bag over his head and did his comedy act. Yes I do remember] Together we did my first independent comedy “Up Your Alley” starring Linda Blair and Murray. I made the film in ten days with a budget of less than $100,000. It made over $2.2 million dollars in sales. It can be done!

I know there are other films in your resume. Please tell us about them.

Well, you see, that’s the fact that burns me up about some of these hucksters who charge outrageous amounts of money for their weekend filmmaker workshops. Most of them have never made a film!
I also cast Linda Blair and was lucky enough to get Leslie Neilson to star in my Exorcist send up called “Repossessed”. It did very well and was a real trip to shoot. I’ve done four feature films now. The latest is “Yardsale” which won a Best Picture at the Great Lakes Film Festival. I really enjoyed doing that film. I own the rights to “F Troop” now too.

Really? F-Troop? That is one of my all-time favorites. I loved that show!

Yes, it's in the works.

So you have a lot going on!

Not really. I don’t like to have 45 things going on at once. I’m the kind of guy who would rather focus on one or two projects at a time and do them justice. And I’ve just launched this 1-Day $99 Film School and it’s taking off in ways I couldn’t have possibly imagined!

Right! That’s the main reason I called, to find out more about that project.

Well, it sprang out of a kind of anger about what I see happening to so many aspiring young filmmakers. They’re shelling out all this money for one or two or three days and not getting anywhere near their money’s worth. And there’s such a joy in sharing what you know. For years I’ve been asked to speak at schools and be on panels and it’s just so exciting for me to be able to answer a question for a student and see the light bulb go on!

You sound like a teacher.

I’m not, not by profession. I wish I was. But I love sharing what I know and seeing someone’s eyes light up when I’ve shared something valuable with them. ! I want to give back – to “pay it forward”.

So you came up with the idea?

Yeah! I tested it out first. I called a few friends and colleagues and asked their opinion and all of them said “yes, that’s a great idea”! So, knowing the current technology connection and wanting to protect the idea, I thought I’d better get going and set up a website for this thing.

And how do you conduct the “school”?

Well, I started by inviting twelve students I know. I asked them to come to my house and we sat in my living room all day and I even bought pizza for lunch.

You invited them into your home?

Yeah, it just seemed like the thing to do. I spent all day talking about film and answering questions and giving them tips to the inside track and I had a ball! I was so jazzed by the experience I wanted to keep doing it.

And how is it going?

Phenomenal! I only take twelve at a time and we’re booked up through most of the summer already! You just go to the website www.1dayfilmschool.com, and all the information is there and you can sign up! But so far it’s just been word of mouth and I’ve started to hear from people all over the country.

Are you open to taking this “on the road”?

Yes! One of the people who has contacted me is your guy, Jamie Benti, from Image Icon Entertainment. He runs a media conference in the spring and he wants me to come and do my 1Day thing. Also I know there are tons of film festivals around New England, so maybe I can put together some kind of logical swing around the region.

Well, I’d be happy to pass on your information to the people I know involved with the film community in New England. It sounds terrific. And such a low price!

Well, I was going to do it as the .99 cent 1Day Film School, but my accountant had a problem with that. I just want to be able to bring the “secret” of filmmaking out to as many people as I can. It’s not brain surgery but there are a few key elements you need to be successful.

So what’s the “secret”?

I can’t say too much more without giving it away, but I promise you will leave fully prepared to make your own movie. I strip away all the fluff and give you the facts. You can spend thousands of dollars on film school or take my one day class for $99 and walk out with everything you need to be a success. Heck, I even provide the food! But I want to keep the classes small. That way you get as close as you can to one-on-one interaction with the Hollywood community.

Any other wisdom you can share with out readers? Besides, “take the class”!

Hollywood is a tough town and it’s a really tough business to be in. But you can be successful and you can navigate through it and make it. As for myself, I took a naturally defective attitude and made a career out of it. The key really is like anything. Do it! Get out there and do it! Give yourself the green light. Don’t wait around for someone else to give you permission to make your movie. Give yourself permission.