For this spotlight, we have a special case. As submissions began rolling in for the student awards, our review team noticed that three of the projects traced back to the same teacher. Intrigued; we reached out and invited Mr. Brown and three of his students at JBHS to join us for a conversation.

Mr. Brown

Tell us a little about yourself, growing up and your passions. 

I feel fortunate to have realized my childhood dream of working in the entertainment field.  For over two decades I was employed in various roles on the distribution side of the film industry.

Growing up watching movies gave me a look into wonderful and exciting worlds. After graduating from Columbia College in Hollywood, I started working my way up the entertainment ladder.  I was an office production assistant, receptionist, personal assistant, and an associate producer all before landing at Director of Distribution Services for several small production companies. I learned a great deal about the business side of the film industry and how to deal with the sometimes-prickly personalities of artistic types. I learned if I didn’t know the answer, I better figure it out fast, and how to survive in the twenty-hour, six day a week production world.

For years I provided advice, mentorship, and technical skills training on an informal basis to others interested in a career in the entertainment field. A few years ago, I realized I was enjoying this “teaching” work, so I decided to transition to a full-time career in Career and Technical Education (CTE). I enjoy being an evangelist for careers within the entertainment field because my career in the film industry was so exciting and rewarding.

Did you have any specific influences growing up that lead you towards the film industry? 

Growing up I was influenced by the B movies of Roger Corman, William Castle, and Godzilla movies.  Small budget, high concept were the types of films I wanted to make.  Years later while in college I watched as Smith, Rodriguez, and Tarantino added highly stylized dialogue to that low budget concept with great success. The “do whatever it takes to make it work” attitude is what I try to instill in my students.

In your own career, what project or accomplishment are you most proud of? 

It was when I went into teaching that I found something I could be proud of. Being able to bring my industry knowledge to young students to help them streamline their future education into the right fields has been great. Coming into JBHS I knew that they had a prestigious video production program through CTE.  Being in Burbank surrounded by the studios I knew there would be a lot of talented students whose parents work in the industry. I really wanted to build on what JBHS already had and focus on festivals.  If the students need to do a project to learn, it makes sense for them to spend a little bit more time and do a quality project that could be entered into a festival. I’m new to JBHS, and I’m proud that my students were able to produce three short films that I felt had the quality needed to enter into festivals. I’m hoping that we can get a few wins, or honorable mentions to show future students that it is possible to get recognition for a student film.

What are you currently working on? 

I’m currently starting my master’s in film and Media Studies from ASU in the hopes of teaching some college level classes in the future. I am also in the preliminary stages of working on a short film with my friend’s independent film company.

What were your main focuses that you want to develop in your students?

I really want them to develop a “just do it” attitude going forward. The willingness to go out and work on a film just to gain experience and possible contacts. Too many students these days are only looking for a grade or some kind of acknowledgment for just doing their work.  They don’t seem to understand how important sweat equity is, especially when you are talking about film and the entertainment industry. Where you are judged more on what you can show you have done and accomplished.

What makes a film interesting for you? What are three qualities that you look for in a movie?

Qualities that make a film interesting to me is the story and the characters.  If you don’t have them down, it’s really hard to keep the audience engaged enough to keep watching.  Next would be the shots and pacing of the film.  You don’t need a big budget to move the camera or do another angle.  It’s little things like that, which will bring a level of professionalism to a film. Last would-be production design and the look of the film.  Know your budget and don’t try to make a great Sci-Fi epic with no money. Let the lack of a budget work for you and come up with creative ways to express your vision.  Don’t green screen the whole thing.

What aspects in student projects make them stand out?

The student’s ability to pull off a level of professionalism.  A good story, a decent level of acting along with a knowledge of shots and how to edit it all together. Most of my students turn in a film that consists of a couple of long shots that are staged like they shoot a play.  When I start to see cutaways and quick edits, I start to get interested, and want to see where it’s going to go.

What sort of guidance do you give your students as they build their teams?

Work with people that you get along with but are also willing to challenge you when it comes to creating your film. A little conflict or push back can help spur the creative mind in new ways, resulting in a better film.

What advice would you give to someone who is aspiring to enter the film industry, especially as a film director? 

I would want them to make sure this is something they want to do. It’s very hard to break into the entertainment industry, and unless they have the passion, drive, and a willingness to sacrifice for their career they may want to reconsider.