What led you in this direction and how did
you know you were good at it?
Ever since I was a young, I was enamored by
movie making and special effects. All through
grade school and high school I was making home
videos and trying to come up with home-brewed
ways to create the big-budget effects of the
blockbuster films of my childhood. By the time I
started college, I had started my own production
company and was producing all sorts of TV,
video and film productions. The special effects
and props fabrication was always just a small
extension of my love for filmmaking.
You moved from the Central Coast of
California to LA a few years back, what
has been the hardest part of moving the
business and getting setup in LA?
When I decided to pursue special effects props
full time, It was very apparent that I needed to
be closer to the heart of the entertainment
industry. In 2012, I packed up and left the
Central Coast for LA. I had considered this move
many times at earlier points in my career, but I
had a very successful production company with a
lot of great clients, and for some reason, the LA
traffic really scared me away. I just couldn't
fathom the idea of being stuck in LA traffic 2
hours a day. With the support of my girlfriend
(now wife) Sarah, we made the move and set up
shop. I was pleasantly surprised by how receptive
the industry was to the “new kids in town”. The
business has grown very quickly and I really
enjoy LA. I live only 20 minutes from work so
the traffic is essentially a non-issue. I look back
and wish I had made the move about 10 years
earlier actually.
Puto
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THE CONE - ISSUE #9 - SPRING 2016