Jimmy Miller

Did you study in any film school or private course? Or did you learn to make movies on your own?
I have attended Acting and Directing Classes taught by Dr. Jack Wann. Camera and equipment experience I simply gained from others in the industry while on other film sets.

How many years have you been making movies and how did you get started in movies?

4 years. During Covid, the Stage and Film industry shut down. I grabbed my Camera and equipment and started filming to challenge myself and stay busy.

One of the problems that we filmmakers have is that we are not like the actors or the technical team, who work with many different productions and can learn different ways of doing things. Normally we only attend our own shoots. Have you had the opportunity to assist in the shooting of other people or are you usually only in your own shoots? If yes, is there anything that caught your attention?

I have been on multiple filming sets as both actor and technical team member where I learned a ton of techniques. Many taught me how to use different equipment in unusual ways. Learning different green screen techniques used by other filmmakers was one of my favorite take away teaching moments.

What budget did you have for your project?
I write a script and place side notes on every scene such as location and equipment needed for that scene. Before long, after food, actor payments, travel, portable toilet rentals, video software...10 grand ended up being the final cost.

Is it self financed?

Yes.

Any anecdote that you can tell us about the filming?
While transporting the giant spider in my film in the back of my open bed pickup truck, I was pulled over by police. It was an interesting conversation.

What are you most proud of about this project?
I think taking almost 7 months to build all the props and set up locations really paid off. I enjoyed it so very much and I felt that they really made the story come to life.

And what less? What would you change if you could go backwards?
I think if I had spent more time editing the scenes, I am sure the story would have been closer to what my vision was for the film. I did not want to go down the rabbit hole of perfection and never get a finished product. I think as artists, we can end up with an unfinished product when we strive too much for perfection.

Did you comply with the shooting plan or did it take longer than expected?
The plan was a fruition of terror. Weather, actors getting lost trying to find the location, equipment failures all ended up taking the film a longer time to complete. A great lesson in wisdom was learned.

Fincher says that if a director can translate into a film 70% of what he had in mind, he can be more than satisfied. What % do you think you have achieved in this project?

What a great question! I think my vision gradually changed for the better as we filmed to achieve about 80% of the story.

If you had an unlimited budget. Which actor and actress would you like to work with?

Sam Rockwell by far. I think I would walk away learning more about my own weakness and strengths when you can see what such a talented actor like himself would bring to any story.

Your favorite movie?
Heat. Such a great story with villains and heroes that are never truly revealed as either.

And filmmaker?
David Fincher. What a profound artist who can dive straight into any story and captivate the audience with a feeling of unity toward the actors.

What is the scene that has impacted you the most?
The entire giant spider scene. Finding the dog as a victim and tending to her wounds then releasing her back to her family was a great pivotal moment for the audience to see a different side of the Pirate.

If you could do a remake of a movie, what would it be?
Knowing my abilities and inabilities as a Director, I think I could remake Suddenly, the old Frank Sinatra film.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Do you think you will continue making movies?
I certainly hope to grow as an artist and develop my skills to better captivate a viewer. I hope I can continue to tell stories in the film industry. With the continually advancing technologies and an audience demand for independent films growing at such a rapid rate, I am excited to see what is just above the horizon for all of us.