-What has been the greatest difficulty you faced in producing your project?
“The Girl Who Faded Away” took more than a decade to fund and produce, but has proven to be worth the wait. It is a continuation of my collaboration with songwriter and guitarist Tom Guernsey, who left this world before his time from ALS. After we completed the video for Tom’s “On the Road (At 17),” Tom told me that I would have “carte blanche” on the next one. Adrienne, Tom’s widow, was very supportive and introduced me to Tom’s former bandmate George Daly, today an iconic music executive/artist who joined me as Executive Producer and Co-Writer. The coupling of Tom’s past with the very experienced George Daly was almost a miraculous bit of inspiration. So thanks Tom. The Girl Who Faded Away will now never fade away.
-Do you think the film industry today has been damaged by political correctness?
Political correctness is not inclusive enough to be truly effective. “Do to others as you would have them do to you” are better words to live by.
-What was the greatest source of inspiration for creating your project?
My inspiration arose from the lyrics of this melodious song. Since the heroine, the ethereal girl “faded away” when the “night is day”, I envisioned her as an apparition, and one representing a lost love. Because the recording of the song has scratches and pops, I decided to have the protagonist listen to a vinyl record on a phonograph. Having met the male lead Eric Schopmeyer in his persona of DJ powerless at a party, I made Eric the first hire and primary counter basis for everything that follows, with the “Girl” and him.
-If you could ask a question to a great director from the past, who would you like to talk to and what would you ask them?
I would ask Jean-Jacques Beineix for an apprenticeship.
-What do you think of the Wild Filmmaker platform?
George Daly and I are honored to be included in this class act among so many talented artists.