1. What do you do as a line producer?

It’s basically being a manager... a producer comes to you and says I want to make a movie and I have this much money... so you read the script, do a breakdown, come up with a shooting schedule, figuring out what is the most cost effective way to shoot it... you hire the crew, book and negotiate equipment and salary rates. Basically, you oversee the whole production making sure everything runs smoothly. Before during and after the production.

2. How did you get started in the film industry?

I didn’t get started right away... when I was at USC, my father had cancer so I left to take care of him... I ended up being a manager of a small supermarket, which basically taught me how, to do my job on a film set.

3. Why did you choose this career?

During high school, I got stuck in this new library class... which at the time was a test program and it ended up being a media class... on Monday of the second week... we got this old guy (back then anyone over 30 was old) as a student teacher. The student teacher turned out to be Ford Beebe, Jr. who worked as a director doing animated commercials and his most famous film was co-directing "The Pastoral Symphony" segment of Disney’s classic film FANTASIA. Ford went back to school in his 60s to get a degree so he could teach... his professors couldn’t stand the fact that he knew more than them... so they shipped him out to us. Also Ford’s father is considered one of the “Kings of the B’s Directors”, his father directed close to 70 films including the original FLASH GORDON and BUCK ROGERS. Ford passed away this year and I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. So hopefully this little story is my way of honoring Ford.

4. Do you feel it's necessary to go to film school? Did you have any traditional education or training at one?

Yes and no. I went to Orange Coast College, a junior college. In Missouri, they call them technical colleges. And I went to USC. But I think when I decided to get back into film, I knew a few people and I started working on sets and I learned more than I did in college. Also running a business taught me that filmmaking was a business. But I think there are huge advantages with DV or prosumer HD cameras and computer based editing programs. Younger filmmakers have an advantage over us guys who learned on film and they can learn more, do more on a smaller budget. I mean one of my OCC projects was a one-minute commercial that cost me close to $3,000 and I didn’t end up owning the camera because it was shot on film and finished on film.

5. What have you learned about the business side of filmmaking?

That filmmaking is a business.

6. Do you have any stories from working on films you'd like to share?

I worked as a PA on a film and there was this hot looking girl who was the director’s assistant... so I thought I’d score some points and I told her. "Gee the director sure is a jerk towards you." Well she says back, "Yeah my brother can be a real A-hole sometimes." Thought I was fired for sure. But it turned into this running joke between us and it drove her brother crazy wanting to know what the joke was about during the rest of the shoot.

7. How would you go about financing a film? What kind of deals have you worked out before?

I’ll let you know in a month. This is my one weakness. I’ve always been a hired gun... except for directing music videos. Actually we're in talks with two producers now on two scripts that I’ve co-written.

8. Can you explain the term "creative accounting?"

That’s why you try to get an advance against sales to cover the cost of your production and get anywhere from 10% to 20% interest so you can pay back your investors with a small profit.... but you have to remember you have to have a commercial project.

9. How does working on a multi-million dollar film compare to working on a $500,000 project?

Actually I think it’s harder to work on a smaller film... you have to figure out what you really need to get the film made. On a studio film if you go over budget... they’re not going to loose $50 mil if they have to put another million into a movie.

10. What do you value most about your experiences thus far?

I feel lucky. Many friends from my old film school days never made it in the industry or are working as crew instead of being above the line.

11. What do you think makes a great actor?

A bad childhood... it's sad, but the better the actor, the worse childhood they’ve had.

12. What do you think makes a great director?

He or she is a jack of all trades... a master of none... but a master of putting them all together.

13. What are the most difficult challenges you've faced as a line producer?

Working with an executive producer who screws something up and you have to fix it and then he takes credit for you fixing his mistakes...

14. What is the key to selling a film overseas?

Known actors... and dare I say again a commercial project.

15. What foreign markets are the most profitable?

Germany, Japan, Korea, England, and Australia.

16. As far as filmmaking, what do you think Missouri offers that other places don't? What attracted you to Missouri?

I moved here to live on a farm... but I’m glad this site is around. It’s by filmmakers for filmmakers. So everyone spread the word about the site so it can grow and be the strongest force in filmmaking in Missouri.

17. What is your most vivid memory from all your filmmaking endeavors?

Watch your back... everyone will take credit for your ideas... but overall, I love making movies...

18. What are your favorite films and why?

Mostly westerns... my favorite directors are all dead except one... they’re Frank Capra, the theme of the little guy triumphing over the big guy. Preston Sturges, one of the first writer/directors who made hit after hit and told Paramount to leave him alone... John Ford and Howard Hawks, both could do westerns, dramas and comedies with the same skill... Now my favorite living director is Robert Rodriguez... not so much his films... but the fact that he can do a lot on his own... but let's be real RR is not an independent director like some think... he’s a studio director with an independent attitude.

19. What are the craziest stories you've heard from Hollywood and the film industry?

They’re all crazy...

20. What do you think is the key to earning profit on a film?

Good story, great production values and known actors...

21. What are the most difficult challenges you've faced as far as financing a film?

See #7... or build up some important above the line credits or go out and make a great small commercial film... that looks like it... and yes I'll keep repeating commercial...

22. What do you think makes a great editor?

A great editor is a great storyteller... it’s more important telling the story than knowing how cuts match. Which they do... or hire a good composer who can make a bad edit look good.

23. What do you think makes a great producer?

They have to be a great diplomat.

24. What is the most important piece of advice you'd give an aspiring filmmaker?