1) What advice do you have for new directors? 

2) What advice can you offer to up-and-coming producers? 

3) Learning is an ongoing process even for the most seasoned producer. Would you share a recent lesson learned on the job, perhaps related to a project involving new technology (i.e., VR, AR, AI, etc.) or another experience?

4) What recent project are you particularly proud of—and why? 

Sam Bisbee
Head of features
Park Pictures

1) While you are waiting to make your feature, keep making short films (or TV commercials), honing your craft. For a first time filmmaker it’s very important to have a calling card. It’s also very important to have a good team, but don’t expect your agent, managers or producers to make everything happen once they are on board. You have to keep pushing. It can take years for that first important actor attachment to come on board a film. Don’t give up. And keep developing new projects because many times, it’s the script that someone comes up with out of frustration that becomes the project that comes together quickly.
 
2) Never stop reading, whether it’s novels, essays, screenplays, plays. Find talented directors and writers and help them any way you can. Be honest and up front with everyone. In indie film trust is the most important thing. You will get a lot further with both your director/writers and your partners/investors if you are transparent. Don’t be afraid of co-productions, they are a great way to get films made, and a great way to work with amazing producers who can teach you a lot.

3) Because director Brett Haley also edits his own films, on THE HERO, to help with our limited budget, I decided to convert my personal office into Brett’s edit suite, and he cut the entire film there using ADOBE PREMIERE. All it took was a couple of nice monitors and some speakers and Brett and his assistant had a great work space. The film came out beautifully, premiered at this year’s Sundance and will be released on June 9 by the ORCHARD. And now just as I was about to move back into my office, we are producing a new documentary which will also be cut in my office! So the bad news is, it appears that I no longer have an office. But we do have an edit suite.

4) It’s hard to choose just one project to talk about, but OTHER PEOPLE is a film I’m very proud to have been a part of. The way everyone came together to help Chris Kelly tell such an emotional and personal story was inspiring, and the whole cast and crew, on a very low budget, stood behind Chris every step of the way. Molly Shannon’s performance gave us all the chance to know what an amazing woman Chris’s mom was, and getting to see Chris’s eyes fill with tears the moment Molly won the Independent Spirit Award was priceless.

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