How did you find out about OurStage?

I'm on the slamdance mailing list. Through that I received an ourstage email.


What was it about their web site or presence that prompted you to enter?

Their website seemed very stylish, professional, and well done. And they offer some good prizes, but the kicker for me was the possibility of winning five grand.


Tell us about "Structure H Telepathic".  And what challenges did you face getting it done?

For starters I was lucky to get a great cast of actors.  Especially since it was made for almost nothing.  The cast includes Kip Martin, Jessica Stroup, Angelo Loukas, Carlos Antonio, & Olga Paulson.  All of them did a great job.  It is so important to have good talent. Nothing can kill or dull a project quicker than having bad acting. All of Structure's cast have done some great work and are moving forward into very promising mainstream roles.  

In particular Jessica Stroup just did The Hills Have Eyes 2 last year and is currently in several other features coming out. Also Kip Martin is doing quite well and has done several guest star appearances on tv shows like ER in addition to some fun independent features.

I made Structure H Telepathic when I was in film school.  It was an M.O.S. experiment made to examine and exemplify some of the basic concepts of storytelling.  The executive producers consisted of myself, Catherine Gray who also doubled as producer, and Jesse Vanderpool who was the DP. The entire 16mm shoot was super low budge (under a grand).


If "Structure H Telepathic" is not your first film, what made you choose this one to enter?

I have made several other short films some of which have had their moments popularity in the L.A. underground.  But I really wanted to get Structure H some exposure, since it hasn't seen much light of day. With the cost of film festival entries these days, it is very expensive submitting to all the festivals. So I thought our stage would be a good first step in getting it
out to the public to see what kind audience reaction it received. Also I am hoping to get some film festival invitations out of winning on Ourstage.


Do you always work in the same genre?

I am comfortable working in any of the Genres, like in storytelling there are "hidden rules/elements" that each genre supposedly requires. But as long as there is a good story involved anything is possible.


How did you get started making films?  And why?

I started making shorts on video and cutting them together on my computer. I have always been interested in magic of filmaking. It is one of the only mediums where you can create your own reality and then have it come to life.


Tell us a little more about yourself - where you're from, what motivates you?

I'm from Los Angeles and studied acting heavily in high school. Then switched my headshots for the life of a filmmaker after doing a main role in a short film that Gore Verbinski made, when he transitioned from commercials to feature films. Working with someone of that caliber makes you realize being an author can be an amazing thing. I have been fighting the good fight ever since, it has been a long road.


Who do you think is currently an influential independent filmmaker?  What other filmmakers have you been influenced by?

Kubric, Speilberg, Copolla, Fosse, Leone, Felini, Goudard, Stone, tarantino,Casaveties, Lynch, Chaplin, Cameron, Howard, Scott, Verbinski, Scorsese.


What does winning on OurStage mean to you?

It was good getting some exposure for Structure H. It is a simple film but people really seem to like it.  Especially those who understand the theory behind storytelling.


What are you up to next artistically?

I just finished an HD short titled "Furburger". 1000 dvd's are being replicated in India as we speak. I have some recognizable names in this one. The cast includes Amy Smart, Brett Ratner, Simon Rex, Diane Venora, and Branden Williams. If all goes well it should have a good festival run. My next major goal is to do a low budget feature. I am currently talking to a few different micro budget feature investors. Also there is some interest in possibly developing the HD short into a television series for a cable network like IFC. But like anything, we will have to wait and see what happens.


Any advice for other people who are considering sending an entry to OurStage and/or Indie filmmakers in general?

Keep writing & shooting, never give up never surrender.