Final Nail
How did you get into directing?
I’ve been a “DP” for years, who works very closely with directors…..I found in tabletop shooting the “DP” and the director work as one. Cancer, lung cancer in particular, has taken the life of several members of my family, I wanted to do something to get the message out and this [spec spot] is what I came up with.
What is your most recent project?
“Final Nail” is the most recent piece I have directed, so far I have only directed a couple of “PSAs,” things I have thought of……I want my message to help people.
What is the best part of being a director?
For me it is the “building the team,” like a sculpture you take raw material (people, sets, props, equipment) and you mold it into something that you can call, “My creation.”
Have you a mentor and if so, who is that person (or persons)
and what has been the lesson learned from that mentoring which resonates most with you?
I try to learn a little something from each person or situation I am involved in….but mostly I would have to say, my kids, they have taught me to look at things from a new angle…..
Who is your favorite director and why?
I don’t think I could pick just one, I try to absorb what I like about a piece, whether it is a film, a music video, a commercial, or whatever…..I often don’t even remember who directed the piece, just that I loved something about it.
What is your favorite movie? Your favorite commercial?
My favorite commercial stared Martin Scorsese years ago, he was picking up his photos at a photo place, and started to freak out about his shots…..favorite film …….well I have to say that 9 1/2 was the film that made we want to be a DP, but I loved The Godfather, The Deer Hunter, Caddy Shack, Galdiator, Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplan films……
Tell use about your background (i.e. Where did you grow up? Past jobs?)
I was raised on Long Island, and I’ve never had a ‘real job’