Assignment 1 - Matthew Rhodes

Mr. Matthew Rhodes is an independent and feature film producer who has been working in the Film Industry for slightly under 20 years after graduating from Ohio University's school of Telecommunications in Film and Television production. He majored in directing and producing, with a corollary in Theater and grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. His most recent project into post-production is “Nailed ” (a large-budget feature film directed by David O. Russell and written by both O. Russell and Kristen Gore, daughter of former Vice President Al Gore) with others currently in development and pre-production. As a producer, Mr. Rhodes deals with, manages, and influences both the financial aspects and the creative processes of filmmaking. From what I already knew about him, I had a feeling he was the perfect candidate for this interview, since he lives the professional life I wish to one day lead.

What is your job title, and what does your position entail?
“There is no official title, your title changes according the project you are working on. I have been a Producer which deals with both the creative and business aspects, and an Executive Producer, which can either be as a hefty financer or an active producer. A producer’s responsibilities are continually changing and are sometimes initially defined sometimes not—it’s an organic process.

What is a typical day at work like for you?
“If I am working in the office, I: Get up at 7:30am; am at work by 9am; Check, read, and answer e-mails; typically have a lunch meeting every day; have a drinks or cocktails meeting 2-3 times a week; have 1-2 meetings typically at agencies or studios almost daily, and answer rolling calls whenever I’m not answering e-mails or at meetings.
Regardless, I spend little time in the physical office.
If I’m working outside the office, I am on set the whole time, taking things as they come or are scheduled to happen (even though perfect scheduling rarely happens!)
Also, about once a year I will be an on-set producer, acting as a Lead Producer.”

How well does the company treat you?
“Since I own my own production company, I make the decisions. After over a decade of working my way to the top, I can now follow my own rules.

Who have you worked for and has been a significant influence to your career?
“I have worked for many people, but two that stand out are Warner Bros’ Producer Marvin Worth as his assistant and Scott Ruden, one of the biggest names in Hollywood, as his assistant. At that time in my life, I was doing slave work—or so it seemed. I was making about $650 a week. I also worked at an Agency, which helped me set up a significant part of my networking connections. Something that helped me a lot was that as a student I did production work with directors and producers in my free time and during breaks.”

What opportunities exist for advancement?
“(Laughs) Hollywood is cruel. But what you always have to remember is: Everything’s on you and self-motivation and determination what will keep you going.”

Are employees of your company expected to relocate?
“Only a few key players are expected to relocate for projects. Usually, we hire locals for smalltime work like Grip, Electricians, Construction, etc.”

What factors are important to you as an employer, when reviewing a potential employee and addition to your company?
“We tend to focus on resumes, references, contacts, etc. Also, I look for: Dedication, hard work, intelligence, creativity, and passion (though alone it [passion] not enough), and a well-rounded personality.”

Would a graduate or master’s degree speed advancement?
“No…not in my personal opinion. You need to get in the workforce as soon as possible, and two years spent in grad school may have been two years spent networking and learning how to work the industry. I would only recommend a graduate degree as helpful for filmmakers and directors; experience is far more important.”

Are there many opportunities for travel?
“Yes, absolutely!”

How much can I expect to earn right out of college? How much can I earn in 10 years?
“I would say $25,000-$30,000 right out of college. But in 10 years there is no saying how much you can make, the sky’s your limit.”

Conclusion
After a very successful 45-minute conversation, my interview Mr. Matthew Rhodes further confirmed my career goals and aspirations to become a successful Producer of narrative films. Even after the interview concluded, we proceeded to discuss the effects of career on personal life and how to not only work around the difficulties but how to make passion for film work for me, and I came to the conclusion that Film Production is the field for me. In our conversation, and in a previous meeting some weeks ago, Mr. Rhodes offered to help me not only with summer internships, but also with employment opportunities following my graduation. Now that I have finally begun my Media Arts courses (for my minor), he is interested in reviewing my projects, so I am very excited (and nervous) to get his professional feedback. I definitely believe this interview strengthened my professional relationship with Mr. Rhodes, and will help me continue my networking efforts in the Film Industry.