Maurice Moore - Interview

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Did anyone ever tell you weren’t good enough?

Yeah, for sure. Sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly.  It’s part of life and in some ways it’s necessary so you can grow thicker skin and learn to listen to yourself above all others. Having people in your circle that support and believe in you is also critical. So if you find yourself surrounded by people who are putting you down, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your friends. They might not be good enough for you.

How can you stay focused on your goal?

I keep a pretty active relationship with my goals. At the beginning of every year I spend some time setting goals that will help stretch me and move my work forward. I use those goals as north star to focus my time throughout the year.

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your job?

No. I think I’m still saving up for a good meltdown someday.

Talent is a blessing or a curse?

I think it would only be a curse if you were talented at doing something you hated and forced to do it everyday. For example, if I were a talented accountant and forced to balance spreadsheets all day that would be a terrible curse for me, but for someone else it might be a blessing.

What would you like to improve about yourself as a director/screenplayer?

I’d like to get really good at calling “Action”.

If Cinema was a color what would it be?

Rainbow.

A day without a movie is…

Monday. I hate Mondays.

If someone offered you tdirect/write in a movie that you despised but that for sure will make you rich and famous… would you accept the job?

Yes, and I would make it a satire.

What’s your greatest ambition?

To see the earth from space.

What’s your biggest fear?

Clowns.  …and also what they represent — being trapped inside a facade where you are forced to smile all day while quietly dying on the inside. That’s scary!

Does music help you play/direct/write?

Yes, music motivates almost everything I do. From the soundtrack I choose for my day, to the music I listen to while I work, to the score I use for a scene. I think music and sound really set the emotional timbre for the way we experience moments in time.

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what’s your message to the audience?

Given my reply above, it wouldn’t be my first choice, but if I did make a silent film my message would probably be something like - Imagine what you can learn, when you are not always thinking about what you are going to say.

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar…

Thank you for allowing me to accept this award on behalf of the talented team that made this possible. I am perpetually inspired by your enthusiasm, grit and general badassery. I’m glad our work has resonated enough to be recognized at this level. We’ll get back to it and see you again soon!

How old you were when you decided you wanted to be a screenwriter?

I’ve always loved to write, even since I was a teenager. The first screenplay I wrote was when I was about eighteen. It was actually a pretty funny script. My Dad was my editor, and he was a very tough critic – but he did believe I was a good writer. At any rate, watching the early Woody Allen movies (like ‘Annie Hall’) really made me want to become a screenwriter because his films were always well-written and funny. Also, the film ‘The Graduate’ really inspired me. Again, a great script by Buck Henry based on the book by Charles Webb. The film starred Dustin Hoffman and was directed by Mike Nichols. Another early film I loved was ‘Harold and Maude’ by Colin Higgins.  Yet another great script – also a very funny and yet touching movie. Ruth Gordon was terrific in that film. All of these films inspired me to want to write.



What is a good film for you?

A good film to me conveys the human experience in a way that is enlightening and speaks to the human condition. I’m not generally very interested in films about superheroes or monsters or things that aren’t human. I believe people on this Earth need artists to help them understand what being a human being means, to grapple with that question. Maybe that is a little arrogant but that is the way I feel. I believe the artist has a mission to help humanize the world. We have plenty of dehumanization going around in terms of inequality, poverty, oppression, and racism. Artists, in my mind, should speak to those kinds of issues.

What do you feel when you're writing?

I love being absorbed in the creative process. When that happens, I forget myself completely. It’s as if I disappear, in a sense. I go away and something else appears: the art. 



Let’s assume you can go to the Movies with any director that you love.

What kind of movie do you choose and with who do you want to watch it with?

I would go to watch a great epic film such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. And I would go with Ridley Scott – who is a modern director with an understanding of what an epic is and can be. He is also a genius – so it would be interesting to hear what he has to say about ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.



Audrey Hepburn used to say, “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think about that statement?

I do believe that. I believe that our greatest limitation as people is our own limited thinking. If we open up our thinking to new realms and new possibilities, anything is possible. People – even humanity in general – are in many ways stuck in old patterns of thinking and believe there is only one way people can and should behave. But I don’t believe this at all. I believe what Audrey said – that nothing is impossible.



Can you live just a life devoted to your passion?

Making a living while living your passion is a challenge – but not impossible. You have to be persistent, a little talented, and pretty clever. 



What's more important talent or luck?

Both are important, I feel. Luck is really, I believe, good intuition. Or you could say good taste. As a producer, I’ve had some luck picking good projects that have gone on to gain recognition and awards. This is more instinct and intuition and taste than luck – although you could call it luck. Talent is important, but also subjective. People have various tastes and a talented person to one person might be mediocre to another. Also, commerciality is often translated in this country as talent – in other words, do your projects make money? If yes, you are considered talented. That said, art does not always make money. Particularly art that is groundbreaking. But in this country, the greatest sin is to lose money. This at times makes creating art problematic.

You must go to a desert island what would be the one movie you would bring with you?

‘Lawrence of Arabia’ – perhaps the greatest film of all time. Or maybe ‘The Bridge over the River Kwai’. Both directed by David Lean.



Have you ever accepted a script assignment when you didn’t like the project?

I have written screenplays on assignment where I didn’t always feel totally great about the source material that I was provided to translate into a finished script. But I like the challenge of working with something and adding my own perspective to it and hopefully creating something wonderful. That’s my goal when working on assignment for me. That’s my responsibility. To make something wonderful no matter what the circumstances. But screenwriting on assignment is collaborative, and you need to compromise. Hopefully, at the end of the process, you can still live with the final product.



What's the best compliment you have received about your work?

The best compliment is when people laugh or cry when experiencing your work. As a playwright, I’ve had a few experiences like that. I might hear secondhand about people really being moved by the work and that is really gratifying. Screenwriting – unless the script makes it to production – has been a little bit of a harder path as fewer of my screenplays have made it to production than my plays. So, I may never get a full sense of how an audience would react. As with a play, when one of my screenplays is produced as a film, it is very gratifying when people are moved and express that. It makes all the effort worth it.



Are you satisfied with your career?

I’m happy that I’ve done some good work. I feel I could do a lot more. Also, I feel I could do higher-budget films successfully. Most of my projects have been lower-budget, independent films. I’d like to work at a higher budget level and be successful at that – in other words, to make films that are successful both artistically and commercially. 



Do you have a good luck charm?

My good luck charm is my wife, Diana. We’ve been married for a long time, and she is incredibly supportive. 



Which was your worst moment on set?

Having to fire an actor during production and replace them quickly. It was a nightmare but somehow, we survived.



How do you feel when a job you've been part of is ending?

If the job is well done, I feel really good. If not, I don’t feel so good and somehow wish I could re-do what was not done as well as it could have been. The lesson is to always try to do your best in the moment. Don’t let it down. Don’t feel you can fix it later. Fix it now. That is my advice.



Have you ever lied to get a job?

I’m not by nature, a liar. I have embellished, I suppose. All creatives probably embellish a little here and there to get ahead. 


If you should win an Oscar your first thought would go to…

My mother. She was the one who got me interested in movies as a kid. So, I suppose she was really my first movie crush – not going to the Nuart theater (that was later). She would take all of her kids to the theater and watch the latest big movie. She loved movies and she taught me to love them. She is the primary reason I wanted to get involved in movies in the first place. I miss her.

For you a Film is...

Straight Magic. It can take you to other worlds, other lives, other ideas of thinking.... Because Film is Art, each person is affected differently by the same film.... Film is a truly unique medium.

What do you feel when you're acting?

I feel most alive.... there are so many factors into filming, either TV or Film.... I have an inner joy, and excitement that is not rivaled by anything else!

You can go to the Movies with an actor/director/screenplayer that you

love. What kind of movie do you choose and with whom are you're gonna watch it with?

I would probably watch the OG Star Wars with George Lucas.  I'd want to hear him do first-hand commentary as we watch Star Wars together. (God, that sounds slightly bizarre...lol).

Audrey Hepburn used to say “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think

about it?

Well, there are of course certain things that are impossible in the literal sense, but for you and your dreams, I feel you can achieve almost anything you put your mind to.

Can you live just of your passion?

No. I need structure and order in my life to help cultivate/perfect my passions.

What's more important talent or luck?

Talent. Talent opens the doors and you have to use your talent of tenacity to propel yourself forward!

You must go to a desert island but you can bring with you just one movie...

The Big Lebowski.

Have you ever accepted a part even if you didn't like the project?

Yes.  But Work is Work and I then changed my mind-set and was very grateful of the opportunity.

What's the best compliment you have received about your Job?

I was very convincing, and now people are scared of me. (regarding my character, "Christo" in "Dying For A Living").

Are you satisfied about your career?

I'm happy to have worked with so many amazing people up to this point in my acting career.  Ambition propels me upward and onward. I'm always striving further, and try to never be complacent.

Do you have a good luck charm?

I have a few, and keep them closely personal.

Which is the worst moment on set ?

When they officially "wrap" you and everyone claps... Because, I love creating and I get sad once I complete projects.

How do you feel when a job you've been part of it's ending?

Sad.  But also grateful as I had the chance to be part of a "Bigger Thing", that will last forever.

Have you ever lied to get a part?

No, I've always believed in karma and the last thing I'd ever want is to be called out on lying.  My reputation is everything and I pride myself on being a straight shooter.

If you should win an Oscar your first thankyou would go to…

My parents, because they raised me to follow my dreams!

Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?

It’s funny, really. I was raised in a home where it seemed that all my mom and dad ever told me was that I would be able to do anything I put my mind to, as long as I put my mind to it. But the minute I stepped out of the sanctity of my house, I was hit by the real world with the ferocity of a freight train. I’ve been doubted all my life, primarily by teachers. Due to my struggle with understanding math and science, educators constantly wrote me off as a slacker, a class clown, and just an overall bad student. It got worse when I got into high school. As my aspirations to put my writing into the world grew, I felt as if I was getting more pushback from my teachers. I was forced to have my individual writing subjected to review by my English teacher in order to submit them to the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, something that always brought conflict due to the content of my writing not particularly meshing well with the values of my private Catholic school. My senior year English teacher said that with my style of writing, I’d be lucky to get a 4 on the AP Exam (I wound up getting a 5). My theater teacher tried to get my first one-act play produced at my high school, but the administration refused to do so purely because they did not want to set the precedent of students producing their work (that play went on to be nominated for an American Voices Award). The hardest hit to my pride, however, was when I was cut out of the school magazine by that same English teacher and that same administration after I won a National Gold Medal. Every other winner at the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition got a nod, but my name didn’t appear anywhere in the magazine.

How can you stay focused on your goal?

I tend to compartmentalize every task I have as one little goal to achieve in order to get closer to the big goal. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I just remind myself that with every little goal I finish, I’m one step closer to that big goal, and that means one less little goal I have to finish. 

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?

I wouldn’t necessarily describe this as a breakdown, but I am now infamous with my friends and family for falling into what I call “writing fevers”. During a writing fever, I become a whole other person. I shut myself in my room, draw the blinds, shut off the lights, wear a blanket like a cloak, and just… write. No one is allowed to enter my room, no one is allowed to speak to me. I only appear outside my room to get food and use the bathroom. I disappear into this fever one day with nothing but a title and a rough summary, and I appear a few days later with at least forty fresh pages. 

Talent is a blessing or a curse?

Blessing, by far. If you are treated any differently by the world because of your talent, that doesn’t mean the talent is the cause of your pain, it’s because of the world’s reaction to you and your talent. 

What would you like to improve about yourself as a ascreenplayer?

I’m as new to this industry as anyone can be. I feel that I can improve as a screenwriter in almost every way possible. I’m so new, how can I  not need to improve? But if I have to pick one aspect that I’d like to focus on the most, I think it would be telling stories that genuinely matter to the viewer. I want to learn new points of view so I can respond to and tell their stories just as well as I tell ones from my own point of view. 

What's the worst critic you have received?

Going back to that awful English teacher. She was the organizer of the Creative Writing Club, and because I was the only writer at my school (at least the only one dumb enough to subject myself to her club), she took it upon herself to personally critique my work. Instead of finishing the short story in one go and looking at the whole plot, she decided to stop three pages in and urged me to add a psychedelic, paranormal influence on my protagonist. This was a true crime drama…

If you weren't a screenplayer what would you like to be?

I have an incredible passion for music, so if there was absolutely no way I could be involved in film whatsoever, I’d love to see where songwriting and music making would take me. 

If Cinema was a color what would it be?

Pure, golden light. Almost blindingly bright. 

A day without a movie is…

A day spent missing a story, either to tell one or to witness one. 

If someone offered you to write a movie that you despise but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?

As a writer, I think I may be in a unique position in this situation. Assuming that I cannot change the story in any way whatsoever (which is what I believe would make me hate the movie), I’d try to have the dialogue be tolerable at the very least. But if I can’t fix it any way possible, I’d probably just swallow my pride and take the job. Being rich and famous would give me much more independence and autonomy to create and produce scripts that I genuinely enjoy. 

What's your greatest ambition?

I want to completely shake up the image of Las Vegas, my hometown. It’s my dream to open a publishing company, a movie studio, and even possibly a theme park in and around the city. It’s a little out there, but what else are ambitions for?

What's your biggest fear?

Abstract? Loneliness, failing my loved ones, being forgotten, being powerless. Physical? Clowns, heights, the ocean. And crickets. I really hate crickets. 

Does music help you to  write?

That’s an understatement. I listen to music while I write. I listen to music while I think of writing. I think about music while I write. I tend to either reference favorite songs and artists of mine in the actual content of the script, or I title the actual project after a song that I feel fits the vibe and tone of the story. For example, my short script “Jeremy” gets its name from the song of the same title by Pearl Jam. I tend to do this as an homage and nod to the songs and artists that inspire me. 

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the audience?

I’d try to emphasize the importance of listening. Nowadays, we are all so focused on talking and being heard and having the last laugh that we rarely ever stop and listen to the world around us. Maybe if the audience is forced to listen to nothing but silence, they will reevaluate how they spend their days when they are in the real world, listening to the sounds of life.

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....

When I was young, my dad would buckle me into a tandem bike, and we would ride all around our little North Las Vegas community. Well, he would ride. I would sit there and let my pedals spin while I rambled on and on about ideas and I had. Now, my mom was kicking ass at her job during the day, working her way up to an executive, so my dad watched me during the day before going to work at night. We’d spend our days riding that bike. He would take me all over our poor little town while I told my stories. Sure, it tired him to pedal what was essentially the weight of two bikes by himself, but he knew his son had a story to tell. I was in sixth grade when I wrote my first novel. It was only twenty pages, and half of it wasn’t even coherent. I gave it to my English teacher and I watched as she kept it on her shelf, and my little twenty page book began to collect dust. So I stole it from her, and I gave it to my mom instead. Sure, she had ten different projects due by the end of the week, but her son had a story to tell. All my life, I’ve wondered why I was here. I knew from a young age that you would never find me in a cubicle. You would never catch me dead in your average suit and tie. For years I questioned if the way I lived my life was giving me any worth whatsoever. I would grow out my hair and blow out my eardrums with grunge music and stick it to the man from my home that my parents worked their asses off to give me. I suffered through abuse after abuse at a Catholic school that would prefer if I never opened my mouth to question what they were telling me. But I’ll never shut my mouth. I didn’t shut my mouth on that bike, I didn’t shut my mouth in my mom’s office, I didn’t shut my mouth in that Catholic school, and I won’t shut my mouth now (I assume they’d start playing the music around here). My name is Jay Dennis, and I have a story to tell. 

Which is the best moment on set? 

Seeing things flow without the constant tweaking of equipment, personnel, or performance. Things don't always go as planned but when they do, it's magic. The most important part of a production is hiring the right people to do the right things and for performers to know and feel comfortable with what they're doing and saying. 

Did anyone ever tell you, you weren't good enough? 

Not in those exact words but yeah. They'd mostly talk about how hard it was to do this or that or how many years of experience you needed to do this or that or no one is going to pay you for this or that. I listened until I got to a point where I got tired of listening; especially after I looked at the people's lives who was giving me this information. They were mostly people who hadn't done it and didn't know how to do it or it was people who had done it, failed, and didn't learn from the failure. They quit and they wanted me to quit before I even got started. 

How can you stay focused on your goal? 

#1 Imagine the end result, the outcome. It's no guarantee you'll get there but the imagining keeps you going. #2 Do something every day towards it. I write a list of 3 to 5 things I must complete before the day is over and I work towards completing that task. #3 Put your goal in your face every day in the form of a dream board or a daily mantra. Doing this will keep you from hoping, wishing, and praying for a miracle you're not presently pursuing. It reminds me of the joke I think I heard in a sermon, A woman was praying to God every night to win the lottery. It went on for a year. One day God spoke saying "You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket" meaning God is willing to help you but you're required to do your part. At least buy the ticket.  

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job? 

No. I read this book called "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff (and it's all small stuff)" and this is my way of living. I alway's believe there is something better on the other side. When things get bad in a certain situation, this more than likely my cue for it's time to leave. Change is constant. The people who don't roll with the change get rolled over. I believe that the grass is greener on the other side, especially when it's brown on this side. Knowing when it time to leave is an art, skill, strategy, and feeling. That's always been the case in my life. I don't break down... I break up... I understand that there is darkness before the dawn, knowing this and working through the darkness helped me get to the light. 

A brighter light then the one I just left. 

Talent is a blessing or a curse? 

It's only a curse if you don't use it. Chazz Palminteri said in a Bronx Tale "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices that you make will shape your life forever." Talent is a blessing! It's a child wanting to be born, it wants to be nurtured, and it wants to grow. It can only do that if you use it. 

What would you like to improve about yourself as an actor/director/screenplayer? 

I see myself as a writer/director more than an actor. As a writer, I'd like to improve my ability to get in the headspace of my characters. I'd like to know them more and give them a better fleshed-out life on the screen, but I also love that a skilled actor can read it and make it their own without my strict adherence to who they are. As a director, I would like to have a better sense of the various cinematic ways of creating a scene in my head that can be translated to the screen. Sometimes my vision is bigger than my ability, so now I'm working on an ability that will match my vision which will probably never come. Once I reach one level I have to reach the next. 

What's the worst criticism you have received?

About 10 years or more I wrote and self-published a book called "Destination (Sowing and Reaping)" the overall praise for the book was great. I talked to hundreds of people who loved it. They'd say it changed their lives. One person out of all these people told me they got the book. I asked this person what they thought about it and they said "it was incomprehensible, there were too many characters to follow, and it jumped around too much." This one person's negative comments out of hundreds of praise left me feeling not so good. It stayed on my mind for years. It even affected the writing of my second book which didn't do as well as the first. I decided then, some people are going to like it, some won't, next. 

If you weren't an actor/director/screenplayer what would you like to be?

A stock market investor on the level of a Warren Buffett. I've dipped and drived in and out of the market and read everything I can put my hands on concerning stock market investing. This is the kind of business where you have to know what you're doing by constantly studying the market, the Buffett Way, and it takes a lot of time. It would more then likely leave me no time for anything else. 

If Cinema was a color what would it be? 

Purple, which is the combination of blue and red, which is dreams and reality. Cinema is both of these things and much much more. You have to see it to be it. Seeing it starts as a dream you'd like to see become a reality. Doing the work is the mixing of the two colors to create another color, the royal color of purple. The thing you've been working on bringing to life. 

A day without a movie is... 

Simply a day with a movie. A movie developing in your mind. Something new, fresh, and real only a day of silence can render. 

If someone offered you to play/direct/write in/a movie that you despise but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?

 Of course because it doesn't have to stop there. Money is a tool to use for your own creative ideas, it's also freedom. The fame gets your picture seen and it also bring the biggest and best group of people to your projects. People work jobs they hate because the money's good, everyday. Some people leverage that money to buy or build another opportunity that'll free them from doing what they don't want to do. As long as you’re not going against your morals or hurting anyone by doing this film, you despise. Go for it and think about the end goal.  

What's your greatest ambition? 

Helping to put people in the place they want to be physically, mentally, and/or spiritually. I'd like my films to be a stepping stone to something they'd like for themselves in all realms of life. I'd like for my life and work to be a motivational factor in someone turning from something unpleasent to something pleasent and beyond. I'd like my films to create a synergy that moves things positively forward  

What's your biggest fear?

I refuse to die and unlive my dreams. That's my fear, though it's not something I dwell on. I live inside my fear by taking action against it. "Do what you fear and fear disappears." I use to be afraid to speak in public, so I joined Toastmaster and won every speaking competition I entered and quit before getting my pin because the fear of speaking in front of a crowd was gone. I didn't need the pin. I wrote for a good five to 10 years before publishing anything because of fear. I fought through it and published the 1st thing I have ever wrote and it was successful. Fear is a friend you have to prove wrong unless he or she is telling you not to put your hand in the fire because you'll burn it. In this case fear is speaking some facts you might want to listen too but never lsten to it concerning your talent and/or harmless desires. 

Does music help you to play/direct, write? 

In some cases yes but I love a quiet place more than anything. I use music when I'm writing a scene that needs some kind of inspiration added to it. I'd play a love song if I'm planning a love scene. To stay in the mood of what I'm writing or I'd play some gangster rap if the scene required that kind of mood. Music helps but once I'm tuned in to something. I need silence. That's a beautiful sound uncomparable to anything. 

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the audience? 

I made a silent short called "Taken Over" I plan to make into a feature. The theme was trying to convey, that everyone has this higher and lower self in them. 99% of people allow the higher self to lie dormant until death, when it leaves their body right before their passing to show them what they could have become, if they'd just tapped into it and used it to be and do more. They know it's there because it raised it's head a couple of time during a race, a fight, or a time when they let go and let god, the god within takes over. Because this action is not a common action it's forgotten and drowned out by lower self action. The kind of action that makes them and those around them comfortable. The kind of comfort that leads to meeting their higher self the day before they pass on into the other world with regrets. I wish I would have's that no one want to hear.  

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar..... 

I saw this day in my mind, I felt it in my spirit, and now it's here. I'd lke to thank my family, friends, past winners and competitors of this awards ceremony. Seeing you work and fight to be here made me work and fight to be here and I am grateful!! 

Who's your biggest fan?

My biggest fans are my family of course. They have always been there for me. 

What brings you inspiration the most?

I really get inspired by works that break conventions in a way that helps benefit the film. For example, I was amazed at how Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to mix in a number of characters that would normally be way too much for a movie (as they would usually get too little screen time to make the audience care about them). Those films solved that dilemma by splitting them into groups, which allows them to interact with each other and get more screen time. 

 Which actor or director would you like to work with?

I would like to work with anyone who is kind and has a good reputation. If there is anyone  I can name, I think it would be someone by the likes of Tom Hanks or Steven Spielberg. Not only do both men have great reputations, they also seem like very nice people. 

 Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book?

I think the Lord of the Rings trilogy is better than the book because it cuts out many unnecessary plot points and characters.

 What's the movie that taught you the most?

I do not know about that. 

About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything?

Nope. I have never had that desire. 

On set what excites you the most?

The filming, because it is where you get to see your vision come to life.

And what scares you the most?

Making a mistake that ruins my career. This could be because I picked a project based on an idea that doesn’t work (ie, Tom Hooper deciding to adapt the musical Cats into a film)  or simply because I make a bad choice that ruins the project in the long run. 

What's your next project?

I think it will either be a film inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up. 

This one will be a still photograph of a sequence which will possibly lead to a murder. I don’t want to go into too much detail on that one at the moment. The next film may also be a project I call The Card Castle, whichwill be a film about a massive card castle getting destroyed. I intend to make that to practice set design. 

You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose?

I would never steal the career of any artist because that is not being myself. I would never be proud of myself if I steal the success of someone else, because it is someone else that got that. It is not something that was earned by me through my own hard work.

An actor/director/screenplayer is made of....

Anything they want. 

For you Cinema is....

A great way to express yourself.

 Do you think Black and white movies have a powerful impact?

Absolutely. I think one of the most powerful black and white films is Psycho. It is a great subversion of horror expectations for that era. Horror films of the 40’s and 50’s usually had someone fight some sort of supernatural monster. That could not happen in real life. However, in this case, the villain was a murderer, who could very well exist in real life. Not only that, (and spoiler alert here) Norman Bates does not look very monster-like. He looks like a handsome, perhaps kind and sympathetic young man who obsessively cares about his mother. However, he turns out to be a serial killer. This is a great example of how appearances can be deceiving. Moreover, one of my other favorite black and white films is Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon. The basic plot of that one is that there is a woman who is raped and we listen to the testimony of various suspects in order to figure out who did it. However, all of the suspects have a reason why they should not be trusted. In the end, (spoiler alert again) we never know what truly happened. All of the suspects could have been telling the truth. The film plays on who the audience would trust and critiques trusting someone based on their appearances. You don’t need to have a film be in colour to get that critique out.

Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?

Yes, that would be the pinnacle of any filmmaker’s career. 

Do you think you're gonna win it?

I sure hope so. 

Who's your biggest fan?

Easily my parents. It isn’t even close. 

What brings you inspiration the most?

Other films. Nothing makes me hungrier to write or work on the next project than finishing watching a movie that’s really made me feel something. 

Which actor or director would you like to work with?

Actors; I think Jessica Chastain and Mahershala Ali would have to be my top 2 right now, but again…there are so many talented actors I’d love to work with.

What's the movie that taught you the most?

That’s a great question…Maybe The Social Network? That movie came out when I was in grade 11 and I remember watching it over and over again just finding it so satisfying. The aesthetic, the performances, the writing, I think it’s perfect. It’s both a masterpiece and masterclass in storytelling in my opinion

About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything?

Not once. 

On set what excites you the most?

I feel like this goes without saying but that moment when a scene is coming to life exactly how you envisioned it. There was a scene in Against Reason where there’s a confrontation between our two main characters and I got so wrapped up in Jake and Paige’s performance that I forgot to yell cut. I remember everyone looking around at each other after, eyes wide as if to say “holy, that was it”. It was a goosebump inducing moment.

And what scares you the most ?

Being behind schedule. Shooting an independent short film running behind usually means having to compromise on your shot list or only being able to give your actors a limited number of takes. It’s a terrible feeling. Knowing that with more time you could’ve done better is hard to reconcile with, especially if you’re reminded of that in the editing process.

What's your next project? 

I’m working on a feature script set in Glasgow right now. I don’t want to give too much away since it’s still a work in progress, but it’s a personal story inspired by my family in Scotland that’s very dear to me. 

You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose?

This is another great question; I’m going to say Jon Favreau. He’s gotten to dip his toes in so many cool corners of cinema as both an actor and director. Everything from Friends, to Swingers, to Star Wars, and Marvel. He’s had an incredibly cool career and is pushing the medium forward.

An actor/director/screenplayer is made of....

Empathy, compassion, and awareness of the world around you. 

For you Cinema is....

I've always thought cinema was kind of a unique art form because it's the art that combines all other mediums. Music, Photography, Visual Art, Writing, Performance. It requires so much collaboration amongst various disciplines to create something cohesive. It really does take a village. 

Do you think Black and white movies have a powerful impact?

Assuming we’re talking about contemporary films that are made to be black and white; yeah, they certainly can. It does seem to be having a resurgence doesn’t it? Some of my favourite recent movies are black and white; Malcolm and Marie, Belfast, C’mon C’mon, Blue Jay. They all have very distinct tones set by the colour.

Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?

I mean I think we’ve all dreamed of it, right? To a lot of people it’s the pinnacle of filmmaking. I’ve thought about it many times.

Do you think you're gonna win it?

Hahaha I feel like this is a loaded question. I think we all strive for that and obviously it would be amazing, but more than anything I just want to try to focus on telling stories that resonate with people in some sort of way. 

Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?

Ever since the moment I decided to go this route with my life my friends and family told me I didn't have what it took. They laughed and encouraged me not to. I had two choices, believe in myself or believe in them and now I'm here sharing my story with you.

How can you stay focused on your goal?

The only way I was able to stay focused on my goal was to find people who were just like me. Just starting out and looking to work and create no matter what. I blocked out all the other noise and kept my nose down in my art. I've yet to lift it up and look around.

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?

I've been fortunate to never have a breakdown at work because I've always made great friends where I go and we keep each other entertained and laughing. I consider myself lucky to be doing what I have so I can keep filming.

Talent is a blessing or a curse?

I believe talent can be both a curse and a blessing. If a talented person does not have the right guidance and coaching then it can make them frustrated and resentful which could ultimately curse them. But with the right guidance and nurturing of one's talent it can turn into a beautiful blessing for the world to see.   

What would you like to improve about yourself as an
actor/director/screenplayer?

I would like to keep improving all my skills to pursue higher levels. As a screenwriter I would like to improve the stories I write so I can make my audience feel what I was thinking. As an actor I would like to improve on embodying my characters better so I can make them more believable and relatable to my audience so they can feel the struggle my character feels. As a director I would like to improve my leadership skills so I can always have the confidence that no matter what my cast and crew can always trust to turn to me for all their needs. 

What's the worst critic you have received?

Fortunately, for myself my work has never made it to a high platform so I've never had too many critics. Ultimately, I would have to be my worst critic at this juncture in my career and I hope that no matter what level of success I achieve may it always be that way. 

If you weren't an actor/director/screenplayer what would you like to be?

If I was not in the arts I might try having a career as a soccer coach. It's a sport I grew up playing my whole life and traveled around playing. I still have great love for the game and personally train my nieces and nephews when I have time. 

f Cinema was a color what would it be?  

To me I don't think cinema could be just one color. I would like to think of my film as white light and the projector is the prism and out on the screen comes all these beautiful colors for people to sit back and enjoy. I think if they were to just sit back and only see one color they would get up and leave. I'd like to think that it holds every color there is and it's our job to have them displayed on the screen.   

A day without a movie is...   

 It's extremely rare that I go a day without watching a film. I always put one on at night before going to bed but a day without one would have to be a day spent enjoying life to the fullest with my loved ones. Those are the kind of days that I find inspiration to write. Those are the days spent living your life as a movie instead of through somebody else's.

If someone offered you to play/direct/write in/a movie that you despice

but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?

In life we all have to do things we don't want to sometimes but I would not do a film I despise for fame and fortune but I would do it if I knew I would get offers for other projects. I've been poor for so long that money doesn't have that large of an effect on me but if it would advance my career to bigger and better opportunities and projects I would like to make then yes I will bite my tongue and do it.   

What's your greatest ambition?

My greatest ambition would be to try and have people view the world the same way I see it through my stories. Being able to look at all the finer things in life the way I see them and to not be afraid of living it the way you always dreamed of living it.   

What's your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is never being able to raise the funds for my feature length films and being able to make a positive impact on this world.

Does music helps you to play/direct, write?

Music has always been a huge inspiration in my life whether it is for writing, acting, or directing. It will always be a big motivator for me and one of the main drives that keeps me inspired and pursuing. It allows me to easily access emotions needed and set moods when writing and acting. I would have to say it is my go to. 

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the

audience?

Silent films are definitely trickier to make in this day and age but I would have to follow in the footsteps of my favorite actor/director of that time Charlie Chaplin. He had the ability to turn any situation into something comical and I guess that is what my message would be to give. No matter what situation you end up in or how bad it may seem just take a step back and learn to laugh at yourself because no matter what it's going to be alright. 

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....

I would have never imagined I would be standing here among the greatest accepting this. I was just a kid from a small town with a dream and never believed it would take me here. It's been a great journey and ride getting here and I wouldn't change it for the world. I've made some of the greatest friends along this journey and I wouldn't change it for the world. I hope that I can inspire and encourage others who are too timid to follow their dreams, whatever they may be, to just take that journey and enjoy the ride. You never know where it will take you but I can guarantee you will never look back and regret it. Thank you for this great honor. 

Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?

Plenty of times, but I don’t let it get to me.

How can you stay focused on your goal?

As an artist I have to constantly create, so I am always researching things that I can incorporate into my writing or work. 

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?

Not really.

Talent is a blessing or a curse?

The blessing is in the execution of whatever you are doing. The curse is to constantly outdo that. 

What would you like to improve about yourself as an

actor/director/screenplayer?

I'd like to procrastinate less...

What's the worst critic you have received?

Someone said that the dialogue seemed forced in one of my first short films. 

If you weren't an actor/director/screenplayer what would you like to be?

I'd probably be an investigator or criminal profiler or something like that.

If Cinema was a color what would it be?

It'd be ambiguously black. 

A day without a movie is...

A day withered...

If someone offered you to play/direct/write in/a movie that you despise

but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?

I'd probably accept. As long as there is murder involved. In the plot, I mean. 

What's your greatest ambition?

Being a great director is an ambition of mine.

What's your biggest fear?

I fear that I'll let my father down as he has a lot of faith in my great ambition. 

Does music helps you to play/direct, write?

Yes. Every now and then, I'll hear music while I write. During the production of Pastiche, we played live music to help set the ambience. But, silence is golden.

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the

audience?

People will be driven to do bad things. 

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....

I' d like to thank my friends and family for all their support! Then I'd dedicate it to my father, because he really believed in me. 

What were some of the challenges you had to face in making your films?

Not the story. Not the core team. Not the execution. Not the cost control. Not the output quality. Not the associated travel.  Not even tolerating the incompetence. Getting associated with the right producer is the one and only challenge!

Do you have a favorite genre to work in? Why is it your favorite?

I like emotional dramas involving romance, comedy and family sentiments. But within that I choose to do ones that bring in something new, call it my signature or whatever and feel different from the routine. These are the kind of movies I feel like watching repeatedly.

What’s your all-time favorite film and why?

TITANIC 

Can anybody answer a “why”? It’s the magic that goes beyond the normal logic!

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

Leonardo DiCaprio and Deepika Padukone

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

I’m fearless in what I do! And I try to stay that way!  I love more than I can ever express!

The one person who has truly believed in you.

My first fan and producer Lakshminarayana Sevilimedu Narasimha of Magnum Opus Films. I’m most indebted to him!

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as

filmmaker?

More patience while being more appreciative of others’ efforts

Is it harder to get started or to keep going?

Both are equally challenging and I sincerely welcome them!

What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

Fear of any kind whatsoever!  Without a challenge life could become monotonous! So also the noise around; such as negativity from the non-believers.

On set, the most important thing is:

Right attitude to understand and get along with the people while being on time and making sure of the output quality

The project(s) you’re most proud of:

I’ve just done one movie only. Feels good but it’s going to be a long way ahead! I can proudly say that I will never be proud, for sure!

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

The Ant - The Love - and The Girl in between! Because it’s my debut as a filmmaker / film director!

What are your short term and long term career goals?

Short term:  Keep on working with the right people on exciting projects in USA, India and all over the world! Long term: Making films that I can feel proud of ! Get as philanthropic as  Warren Buffet, the best role model I can think of in that line, some day! Of course for that I need to grow as rich as Elon Musk!

Your next projects?

A romantic thriller - right now fine tuning the script; working on a comedy oriented script as well

Please share with us where people can find you on social media, 

so our readers could keep track of your career:

They sure can find me if they can remember my name (which is tricky, I know!):

LinkedIn:  https://linkedin.com/in/srikanth-sri-appalaraju-44974645

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/sriappalaraju

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/srikanth.sri.appalaraju

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/srikanth.sri.appalaraju

Website: www.filmdirectorsri.com

Email: sriappalaraju@yahoo.com

WhatsApp: +91.988.521.7997

(The picture above includes from left to right: Lakshminarayana S.N. (film producer), Legendary Singer S.P.Balasubrahmanyam and Srikanth “Sri” Appalaraju).