WHY I STARTED DOING FILMS

I started doing films really because of my of very hard times at home. At a young age, I found that I could escape thru the lens of a camera, or by even watching television. I was amazed by the manipulation that is the film/TV industry. All the smoke and mirrors I thought was incredible. And for as long as I can remember, I was always fascinated with putting a production together. I was the guy who would always watch all the credits at the end of a movie, TV show - whatever.

It was also a locale television station (believe it or not) and their production style of supper hour news that I became fascinated with. In the newscast, they would actually show the newsroom cameras as an element of the production. I was only 12 or 13, but I thought it was completely amazing. I even begged my mother to take me to their "open house" so I could see the camera up-close.

When I got there, my first true experience in a studio, I could not believe how small, and compact it was. They used mirrors, shadowing, dramatic lighting, even blocking (moving the news achors in various positions in the newsroom studio, while off-screen personnel were present) to make it appear more hectic, busy and large. Today, this seems everyday - but then, it was cutting edge.

I was so amazed by my experience, I volunteered at a community television station for about 3 months. I grew to hate it more and more. It was boring. When I finally was able to volenteer, I made had been writing scripts and imagining shooting my first short. TV magazine style shows such as news, or talk shows seemed ultra dull. So, then I thought, I'll jump to radio. Huh? I know, this was a very bad decision. Very bad.

I went back to school, and dropped in an application for a member in the International Cinematographer's Guild of the Motion Picture and Television Industry. I was called for an internview, got accepted and then my experience in the movie business took off.