Tell us about your background and when did you decide to become a Producerr?

I guess it was the escapism and the romanticism of losing myself in the great stories of yesteryear. It wasn’t until 2013 that I found myself being asked to produce a screenplay that had been written by one of the people working for my television production company. Screenwriting followed on from that as I discovered I had an innate talent for storytelling and realised that the only way of creating projects that I really wanted to produce was to commission my own ideas or write them myself or in partnership with a co-writer. 

Films that inspired you to become a Producer?

My favourite films are ones that I would have no hesitation in watching multiple times, for me that is the litmus test for a great movie. Examples of these would be The Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, Midnight Express, Schindler’s List, Gladiator, Braveheart, Plane Trains and Automobiles, Fatal Attraction, Wall Street amongst many others. 

Who is your biggest influence?

I would say there is no individual person but the actors I grew up admiring included Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, and Denzel Washington. Of course, there are many other favourites, too many to mention! In terms of directors, I would have to mention David Lean, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Sergio Leone, and Brian De Palma.

What were some of the challenges you had to face in making your films? 

The biggest challenges initially were raising funds, working with people that had the same vision and could be trusted, understanding the ever changing marketplace and bridging the gap between financiers who want developed packages and agents who want projects green lit before attaching cast. 

Do you have a favorite genre to work in? Why is it your favorite?

This would be historical epics/biopics. It is my favourite genre because I grew up watching many of the greatest epics of all time and since they were based on real life characters they had much more significance and influence over me, and I had a thirst for knowledge about people from history. 

What’s your all-time favorite movie and why?

The Shawshank Redemption would certainly be up there in the top three. It is a beautifully written and acted movie, showing the injustice that can happen to people in this world and the closeness and bonds that one can form even in the most difficult of environments. 

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

From an acting perspective I think that would be Robert De Niro, and from a directing perspective of course I would love Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, or Oliver Stone to work with me on one of my future projects. In fact, I have two amazing projects that are both historical and politically significance that would attract all three based on the types of projects they have done previously. I also believe they could turn these screenplays into multi-Oscar winning films. Oh, and let me not forget Denzel Washington, a fabulous actor and director that I would like to work with also.  From a female perspective, actresses I would like to work with include Zoe Kravitz and Ruth Negga, and it would be amazing to work with Ava DuVernay.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

I was extremely shy as a child and had a fear of speaking in public. Most people that know me now don’t believe me!

The one person who has truly believed in you throughout your career.

I have to mention more than one. To answer this without offending anybody I have met in recent years I would have to say my father, the mother of my children, and my children. Despite the hurdles I have had to overcome, they have always been there to remind me of what I’m capable of when I set my mind to it. 

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as Producer?

As a filmmaker it would have to be to trust in the right people and in your own gut feeling. As a screenwriter, it would be to write about something you’re passionate about and ultimately that would attract a global audience.

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

I think to get started in my case, once I start there’s no stopping me! To get started the thing that I had to conquer was to ignore all the people that were trying to hold me back and to become single minded and focussed on how I was going to achieve a clearly defined set of goals. It was learning which people could add value and which people to cut loose who detracted from what I was trying to do. 

What keeps you motivated?

Achieving my goals and excellence in this industry amongst my peers.

How has your style evolved?

I believe I have become much more lateral in the way I approach projects, and more decisive in making hard decisions about who I work with and who I don’t work with to ensure I am surrounded by a small but quality and loyal team. 

On set, the most important thing is:

A great atmosphere and comradery amongst all the crew and creative people, and efficient communication and execution of the daily tasks. 

The project(s) you’re most proud of: 

The project I am most proud of to date has not yet been filmed, this is The Great Hunger. It is an epic story of love and survival set during the harrowing time of the Irish famine in the mid 19th Century. My co-writers include Man Booker Prize winning author of Schindler’s List Thomas Keneally, his daughter Meg, a successful novelist and screenwriter in her own right, and double Oscar nominated director and writer Roland Joffé. Of course, Boogie Man is a production we have finished that was a fun film and to date has won 51 awards at international film festivals this year alone, so I’m proud of that too.

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

Juliana & the Medicine Fish simply because it was my first co-production and involved filming in Manitoba, Canada a long way from the comforts of home. Having said that, it was made a whole lot easier because of the professionalism of my co-producers Tanya Brunel and Jeremy Torrie (who was also the writer/director). 

What are your short term and long term career goals?

My short term goals are to finish producing three of the smaller projects we have which are around the US$3 million level, and to complete the remaining seven larger budget films circa US$15-30 million over the next two years to a level where we achieve financial success for the investors, peer adulation in the way of winning major awards, and a positive effect on some of the social issues these films cover such as gender and race equality, transparency in government and the media etc. Of course, I would love to win an Oscar, which in many people’s eyes is the ultimate recognition within the industry, but more importantly for me is to leave behind me movie projects that will be watched by generations to come and become known as Classics. 

Your next projects?

The next three projects we have going into production are Gorger, a revenge/crime/drama based on a multi-award winning screenplay, The Great Hunger, mentioned earlier in the interview which will have an A-list cast, and On Par, a hip coming-of-age drama about a young boy fighting his inner demons whilst falling in love and developing his own hip hop music.

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