FILM INDUSTRY NETWORK INTERVIEWS GARY GOLDSTEIN

Hollywood producer Gary Goldstein has been behind some extraordinary successes in cinema, with films such as ‘Pretty Woman’, ‘Under Siege’ and ‘The Mothman Prophecies’ receiving numerous Academy Award nominations, People’s Choice Awards, a Golden Globe and other awards.  Critical success has been matched by outsized (Billion dollar) box office returns.

Gary’s expertise and enthusiasm ranges from philanthropy, to being a speaker, author and consultant, and as a ‘go to’ person for the Hollywood A list.

Film Industry Network brings you an insight into Gary’s successful mindset.

IN CONVERSATION WITH GARY GOLDSTEIN

How did you get your first feature made?

Every problem or obstacle is merely an opportunity in disguise, and that was certainly true when the WGA (Writers Guild of America) went on strike in 1988.  That strike lasted the better part of a year, inflicted grievous harm – economic and otherwise – not only on the Hollywood production communities of film and television, but on the economies of Los Angeles and California.

During that time, most everyone was in the grip of fear, not able to work, not able to generate income or move their projects forward.  No one was buying, the studios and networks simply shut down all production.

I saw an opportunity to shift gears and produce a low-budget ‘indie’ film.  At the time, I had my own literary management company representing writers and directors.  So I called one of my writer clients and asked him if he wanted to direct his first film.  We dusted off an older low-budget script of his, I went out and raised enough to cover a very modest budget (approximately $200k) and I became the film’s producer.

We prepped, cast, crewed, shot and post-produced that film in exactly four weeks.  We had an internal deadline, because that client, J.F. Lawton – a complete unknown at the time – and I were accepted to Sundance’s ‘production lab’ with a script then-titled “3000”.  That script later got produced and released as “Pretty Woman”.

So the moral of the story is simple.  Take action, do your passion, believe in yourself and what’s possible.  That little ‘indie’ – “Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death” jump-started my producing career and I’ve never looked back.  Today, with all the technology and options available to us, anyone can make a short or feature film if they’re truly committed.

For full Article visit : http://garywgoldstein.com/blog/