What It Really Takes to Bring an Independent Film to the Screen

So when you guys say names sometimes, and it's even based on other people he's had in there, I always like to bring up this question or this angle.

We'll get back to the films and the narrative of your career, of course, but relationships, right? Like you're talking like decades of relationships.

Like to me, the way I see it as an outsider kind of looking in and learning about the industry, like Steven and some other guests that he's had on.

It's like these are, you know, 10 year, 20 year relationships at times, or maybe even more of like going through and like kind of this common bond of film of creating all these different things.

I'm curious what that concept of relationships through this business has meant to you, Tom.

Oh, it's huge.

And I'm sure Stephen would agree with me.

Once you work with someone and you develop a relationship and you get along, or if you just work for someone and you do a great job, that is what it's all about.

Because that person knows that I hired Stephen.

Stephen knocked it out of the park.

I didn't have to worry about anything.

And the next time I need that role, I'm going to call Stephen.

Or I'm going to call Tom or I'm going to call Gary Jones.

And I've just developed so many friendships with people like Gary Jones and Eric Pasquarelli.

It's just constant.

And, you know, every movie that Gary has ever made, I've been a part of in some way.

Very often he'll call me, say, hey, I'm going to do this movie.

Can you shoot it? Can't, man.

I don't have time.

but then he'll call me when the movie's done he's like i got three days of reshoots i'm like i'm in so i will come in at the end of the project when he's got to shoot the ending or reshoot this scene and it's just like old times right working with my buddies and knocking it out of the park and so the relationships are huge in the film industry and i tell my students all the time if you go to la or you go to new york be the first one on set be the last one to go do a great job because who you're doing the job for is going to remember you and that's a relationship

man it's interesting because i don't i feel like that learning can carry over into many industries and many things but i just feel like the the fact that you're like when you even talk about doing these reshoots it's like almost like your your fingerprints are now on the project and that kind of like binds you in a whole different way to me

No. Yeah, absolutely.

And, you know, it's something we love doing.

And if I couldn't commit a month or six weeks to Gary Jones, I'll give him any weekend or a week, you know, or whoever needs help.

Doug Schultz, another Michigan filmmaker, he calls me and says, hey, can you shoot my film? Can't commit to that.

So when you guys say names sometimes, and it's even based on other people he's had in there, I always like to bring up this question or this angle.

We'll get back to the films and the narrative of your career, of course, but relationships, right? Like you're talking like decades of relationships.

Like to me, the way I see it as an outsider kind of looking in and learning about the industry, like Steven and some other guests that he's had on.

It's like these are, you know, 10 year, 20 year relationships at times, or maybe even more of like going through and like kind of this common bond of film of creating all these different things.

I'm curious what that concept of relationships through this business has meant to you, Tom.

Oh, it's huge.

And I'm sure Stephen would agree with me.

Once you work with someone and you develop a relationship and you get along, or if you just work for someone and you do a great job, that is what it's all about.

Because that person knows that I hired Stephen.

Stephen knocked it out of the park.

I didn't have to worry about anything.

And the next time I need that role, I'm going to call Stephen.

Or I'm going to call Tom or I'm going to call Gary Jones.

And I've just developed so many friendships with people like Gary Jones and Eric Pasquarelli.

It's just constant.

And, you know, every movie that Gary has ever made, I've been a part of in some way.

Very often he'll call me, say, hey, I'm going to do this movie.

Can you shoot it? Can't, man.

I don't have time.

but then he'll call me when the movie's done he's like i got three days of reshoots i'm like i'm in so i will come in at the end of the project when he's got to shoot the ending or reshoot this scene and it's just like old times right working with my buddies and knocking it out of the park and so the relationships are huge in the film industry and i tell my students all the time if you go to la or you go to new york be the first one on set be the last one to go do a great job because who you're doing the job for is going to remember you and that's a relationship

man it's interesting because i don't i feel like that learning can carry over into many industries and many things but i just feel like the the fact that you're like when you even talk about doing these reshoots it's like almost like your your fingerprints are now on the project and that kind of like binds you in a whole different way to me

No. Yeah, absolutely.

And, you know, it's something we love doing.

And if I couldn't commit a month or six weeks to Gary Jones, I'll give him any weekend or a week, you know, or whoever needs help.

Doug Schultz, another Michigan filmmaker, he calls me and says, hey, can you shoot my film? Can't commit to that.