Miles Franco, Frank Jones, Lyndsay Ogden, Jaron Watts, Shae Winston
Pitch: Miles, Frank, Jaron, and Shae
Treatment: Miles and Frank
Script: Jaron and Shae
Filming: Everyone
Editing: Shae and Lyndsay
Presentation of Video: Everyone
Book Report: Everyone
Brett Robertson
INTERVIEW
10/28/10
Interviewee: Eric Rosenberg
*NOT Daniel Eric Rosenberg, if you google Eric Rosenberg hard enough you’ll find this man, Daniel Eric Rosenberg who is NOT the man I spoke with.
-just thought I’d add that!
Specialty: Independent films; editing
Location: Greater Philadelphia Area
Education: LM High School; University of Pittsburg graduate
Age: 25
I was struggling to find someone to interview in Pennsylvania believe it or not. It’s not that I couldn’t find anyone it’s more that no one responded to me.
So I took matters into my own hands and went through facebook and found some old friends that went to my high school with, and their older siblings. Thankfully my good friends older brother had a close friend (if you can follow), who also went to my high school and who has been making/producing films since he was a teenager.
I have never met nor seen this person prior to the interview with him. It was kind of funny because as soon as I got on the phone, all of my nerves disappeared once he started talking about our high school and the teachers there. It felt like I was talking to one of my friends after about three minutes. So, that was a huge relief.
The interview went very smoothly after than and went as follows:
What exactly is it that you do as a producer?
I feel like the word producer is just tossed around. But to answer the question, I produce films, of sorts. Whether they be clips for a news show, a film of mine, a film of someone I’m working with; you could say that I also do a lot with my vocal presence as a producer. I speak my mind and use my visions as gasoline to fuel the days work.
When was the first real film you tried to make?
Well in college we made some movies for classes, but the first film aside from that was also during school, just not an assigned project. A group of friends and I each starred in a film that I produced and helped write. Writing was really my first passion, but I got to college and met some kids that could really really write well and it kind of blew me away. Anyway, we made some crazy skits and short films originally intended to be serious and they just became funny overtime. You can never really put a cap on an idea, you know what I mean? You need to be open to new ideas in order to improve what you have.
Did you try and market it to anyone?
Yeah, only our friends at first though. I’m not really big on going too commercial yet with all of my work. I have quite the archive built up, but I’ve yet to find the right way to put it forward for everyone to view. I feel like it’s a one shot kind of deal and I want to do it right. That’s why I stick to what I do, and produce as much as I can, on as much on my own as possible.
How much (if anything) did it cost to make this film?
Well, it cost for the outfits, the props, the actors/actresses, the locale, and literally millions of other things too. So yeah it really did cost a lot of money, just to shoot little shorts. Don’t get me wrong, it was entirely worth it. I learned a lot from all of the time we put in. But it cost a bundle. And it’s hard to find actors in college too. I remember really struggling trying to direct them in the way that I wanted.
As a career, what path did you take as far as a job related to this kind of media?
This is my job. I wake up and begin working on the projects that I just fell asleep finishing the night before. That’s just how my mind has always been. I can’t really take breaks from working until I finish a project. Which is a good thing in my line of work, because I do not have a boss telling me what to do.
Was it worth the college education? Or do you wish you went right into the business?
Absolutely. Experience is the most affective way to get yourself good at whatever it is you want to do. I learned so much about pre production, post production especially, special effects, and graphics. It gave me confidence in my work because it showed me all these different components to film.
Do you have any kind of advice for a college senior who’s about to try and find a job in this field?
Yes. I would tell you that you should keep your passions (filming, taking photos), never lose that.. but you should look into getting yourself a studio job and maybe working your way up there. Maybe a news station would want to hire you? Philadelphia has plenty of news stations so that would be great.
I would just advise getting a legit job working for a studio and making your real passion come true on the side. What I’m doing is very hectic and stressful, it works for me, but that doesn’t mean that it would work for everyone.
I hope that helped!
1. Can you briefly define your job
"I am an operation manager that oversee's a staff directors and producers"
2. How did you get started in this business
" I got into it through school and got then got a job at a post production house and worked way up".
3. How do you tell someone over you that you could not complete a task
" I would give a very good explanation about technical difficulties or time constraints" .
4.Do you have any advice for a student just starting out
"Join as many film and TV clubs as possible because theirs nothing like learning hands on".
Copyright Smack down
During the presentation Mr. Franzen spoke about copyrighting and its impact on the Hip Hop genre. He spoke about how groups like De La Soul failed to get clearance for one of their samples of the folk band the Turtles before they released their album and was eventually sued so badly that it destroyed their careers. He also spoke about groups like NWA, and how they still do not have clearance for others to sample their album because there are so many samples used together its too costly and unrealistic to sample them.
1. Can you briefly define your job to me?
a. I run the company, source talent and entertainment, and find jobs for them. I’m involved with selling reality TV shows, such as Couture and a set of twins in Vegas. I worked with Ryan Seacrest and now with VH1.
2. How did you get started in this business?
a. I came out with 300 dollars to my name to work in a tv studio and I worked on a set for a movie, and the man I was working for ended up selling the script for Batman, Bob Cane. Register yourself in the writer’s guild, send me some of your work at end of year.
3. How do you tell someone over you that you couldn’t accomplish an assigned task?
a. With honesty and integrity. She never says she can’t but tries to find the solution. If they want to be in a job that isn’t a fit for them, she tries to find something for them that will work for them. There’s always a solution, never say no. There’s always a source for you.
4. Do you have an advice for a media student who is just starting out?
a. Patience and persistence. Hard work pays off. If you have to do another job and do your passion part-time, do whatever you have to do to fulfill your passion. It’s not always about being the top person as long as you’re working in the industry that you love.
b. Write letters to production companies in city and talent agencies. Register with film commission, registered as PA. Work on set of movies and find out what films/commercials being filmed in town. Send hard copy.
c. Networking is everything. It’s better to be known for a good reputation than to be famous.
