By: Alva Ree
Cary Anderson is an Executive Producer who has worked on The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Pale Blue Eye, The Kill Room, Fight or Flight, Desperation Road, and other films. He wrote, produced, and directed the acclaimed cult short about movie extras called Extra School, a comedy about a bald secret agent, Chad & The Alien Toupee, and a faux documentary entitled John Derek: Film Genius, to name a few. Cary has also won two Emmys. His graphic novel, Hell High, is being adapted into an Off-Broadway musical while he is working on putting together financing for a romantic comedy, Star Gazers, and a horror/thriller, Blood Lake, each of which he co-wrote.
Q. How did you break into film financing?
To paraphrase Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman, “I had nowhere else to go!” I graduated from NYU/Tisch and worked writing and producing movie trailers, TV promos, won some screenwriting contests, and taught screenwriting for twelve years at Towson University. The whole time, I was hustling my feature scripts around and shooting short films. I got George Clooney’s ex-girlfriend to be in a film of mine. Unfortunately, she backed out two weeks before the shoot. One day, I looked at Facebook and saw the cast and crew photo for a friend’s film. In the photo was an actress who I thought could play the role that Clooney’s ex had backed out of. Her name is Nicole Shipley… except I found the wrong Nicole Shipley on Facebook! I found the film producer, not the actress. We talked shop for months. Nicole and I finally met at Bemelmans Bar, and she told me that she had just been an EP on the Rosamund Pike film, A Private War, and asked if I wanted to help her find investors for The Trial of the Chicago 7. I said sure! I made some calls and found investors for the film. From there, I was able to move on to other films.
Q. Who invests in films?
The wealthy, but also a lot of regular people. Some of these Hollywood films will accept as little as a $50,000 investment. Typically, there’s a 120% ROI and a screen credit with that. Some people invest in films to experience going on set, meeting actors, attending premieres, and going to award shows. For many, it’s considered a bucket list kind of experience.
Q. You’re also a screenwriter. What inspires you creatively?
A sense of vengeance against unchecked egos and humorous fools that I have encountered. That might not sound great, but there often seems to be little justice these days, so I find justice on the page. I had a really tough principal in school, and I based a demonic principal on him in my graphic novel Hell High. An ex-girlfriend who broke my heart is a character in Killer Love, a narcissistic boss in advertising is the antagonist in my feature script, Getting Back at the Boss, and the business of local news is lightly mocked in my Breaking News feature script. I also write more light-hearted stories about sci-fi fanatics in Geek Wars, parody hero worship in Astonishingman’s Brother, and poke fun at Bond films with Chad and the Alien Toupee.
Q. What was your most memorable day directing?
Well, on the Reformed Tramp shoot, we lost a location in the middle of a take! That was an interesting experience. The real pleasure, though, was working with Bruce Davison and Robert Picardo on Extra School. An Oscar-nominated actor, an Emmy-nominated actor, and me directing them. Obviously, I wasn’t sure I was worthy, but it was a great experience working with them.
Q. What advice would you give to up-and-coming filmmakers?
Read scripts, watch the classics, buy Save The Cat Goes to the Movies, listen to screenwriting gurus like Jacob Krueger, and step outside of your comfort zone. Also, work as an extra on a film. Watch and learn.
Reach Cary on Facebook or by emailing him at his embarrassing old email address: Anderson_Cary@Hotmail.com
