Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘What If. Batman - Fan Film’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
We had already created the children's program Texas Made Films and produced 10 short films winning many awards with many names attached. The cinematographer JJ Gautheir and Writer/Director Samuel Ali had been discussing shooting something on film for about a year at the point the discovered the Jailhouse in Palestine, TX while working on a feature film together. It was decided this would be their step into 16mm filmmaking.
Samuel Ali made his fist films in high school. After interning in the office in Hollywood while at University. Then Samuel Ali started making short films for festivals like the 48 hour film project. When Samuel was a kid he made a music video with his family at six flags over texas in Dallas, this is where he learned how to create his own music videos. Working for many years as a production assistant taught Samuel Ali how to make feature films and episodic television. He took online PA Training with Janet Urban and Friends in Film.
Tell us about ‘What If. Batman - Fan Film’. How do you describe it?
What if? Batman Fan Film is an elseworlds amalgam of deep Batman lore from the flashpoint paradox combining it with some deep internet fan theories. What if Bruce had died in the Alleyway and not his parents? What if Martha and Thomas are locked up in Arkham and all the doctors and villains are alternate versions of the rogues gallery? What if Alfred was the father?
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
My first film love was George Lucas with Star Wars and Indiana Jones. I tell people the Empire Strikes Back is my favorite movie of all time. In my teens I became a huge fan of Kevin Smith and have been following his work for years. I saw Dogma the day it came out and almost got to work on Reboot. Robert Rodriguez is another. He was born in my hometown of San Antonio and getting the chance to work with him on Alita Battle Angel and the live experience was a turning point in my career. Honorable mentions: Interned on Before the Devil Knows You're Dead with Sidney Lumet. I was the On Set Dresser for Paul Schrader on Master Gardener.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
Given a good budget my ideal project would be a feature film that is family oriented and has a positive message. I'd want it to be exhilarating and push the boundaries in storytelling.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
I've worked amongst the assistant director department and have been producing my own content for years. The key to ensure that production will stay on schedule is understanding time estimates. The amount of time it will take to set up a shot, the amount of time it takes to get an actor ready and to set, and the amount of time it will take to shoot a scene. The amount of time it takes to move locations. A strong Assistant DIrecting Department can get these estimates from the director of photography, gaffer, key grip, and other various department heads, and then can relay them throughout the other departments in between setups. So hire a great assistant directing department to stay on schedule.
What was the hardest part of making ‘What If. Batman - Fan Film’.
Samuel Ali, Christina HInton, and JJ Gauthier took a course in crowdfunding and raised 15K on seed and spark in order to raise the money to shoot What if? Batman on 16mm with our children's program.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
We are currently in post production on Samuel's second feature film. A family friendly, western, who done it, inspired by the movies Clue and Knives Out. Called Dangerous Decisions, starring Bobby Duncan, Lorelei Linklater, Jeremy London, Brett Azar, Dion Baia, Edwin Kho and more. We are gearing up to shoot our 3rd feature film at the end of the year. A mafia style film about a rigged music video film festival.
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