Karis' interview with Andrew Johnson

I interviewed Andrew Johnson who is still a film student as well as a co-starter of a new production company and a movie website host.

Staff, Lamb Pictures (www.lamb-pictures.com)
Host, MovieChatter (www.randomchatter.com)

1) Can you describe your job for me?

"For Lamb Pictures I am heavily involved in starting this small production company with my friend-turned-business-partner, Will Lamb. We do freelance video production work. Right now we've only done a few short music videos and behind-the-scenes shoots, but our client list is growing and we anticipate having a continuous and sustainable stream of work very soon.
And for MovieChatter I currently host this film-related podcast as a hobby, though our audience is rapidly growing and our goal is to soon attract sponsors and advertisers. Our primary focus is film reviews and analysis/discussion, though we also occasionally get to interview indie and documentary filmmakers from around the world about the process of shooting their films. This spring, we'll be covering several film festivals around the country, giving advanced reviews on several upcoming films, and interviewing many big-name directors."

2) How did you get started?

"For Lamb Pictures: My friend Will Lamb told me he wanted to start his own production company and was looking for talented filmmakers and editors to help him out. One day, while I was outside shooting a 16mm film project for a class, a man pulled up in his car and asked if I would be interested in shooting some music videos for a local rapper. We traded contact info, and his business partner and rapper "Jigz" became our first client. We've shot 2 music videos and a behind-the-scenes documentary for him so far, and he has introduced us to several new clients."

"For MovieChatter: I came across a guy online based out of Washington, D.C. who was looking for someone to help host a few of his film and entertainment-related podcasts on his network. I expressed my interest and experience, and proceeded to help him co-host two or three programs. Four years later, I am now the show anchor and have creative control over MovieChatter."

3) How do you tell your boss you can't do an assigned task?

"I'm essentially my own boss, so I don't have this problem. My co-workers are all friends, so whenever a conflict arises it's pretty easy to work out."

4) Do you have any advice for a media student starting out?

"PRACTICE. Robert Rodriguez once said (paraphrasing): 'Everyone has a certain amount of bad movies in them. The more movies you make, starting out, the quicker you'll get them out of the way and start making good movies.' If you have an idea for a short film, go out and make it. If someone you know is working on a film, be part of the crew. The more active and visible you are, the more experience you'll get, and the more likely you are to run into people who would like to hire you in the future. The more experience you can get early on, the better. Take initiative and don't be afraid to actively approach someone and ask them for a job, or to go out and shoot your own low-budget film. Don't worry about sucking when you start out... you can't avoid that. Just accept it and learn from your mistakes."