March 3, 2026

LA Director Michael Matteo Rossi Turned Pandemic Fears Into A Sci-Fi Uprising! I'm in this movie!

LA Director Michael Matteo Rossi Turned Pandemic Fears Into A Sci-Fi Uprising! I'm in this movie!

Shoot me a message! We sit down with filmmaker Michael Mateo Rossi to unpack the creative spine of Censor Addiction, a near-future sci-fi thriller shaped by pandemic-era pressures, mental health fallout, and the pull between obedience and autonomy. From set culture to distribution, we trace his two-decade journey, core influences, and why he champions physical media alongside streaming. • LA roots, early theater, shift to writing and directing • first features, self-financing, painful lesson...

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Shoot me a message!

We sit down with filmmaker Michael Mateo Rossi to unpack the creative spine of Censor Addiction, a near-future sci-fi thriller shaped by pandemic-era pressures, mental health fallout, and the pull between obedience and autonomy. From set culture to distribution, we trace his two-decade journey, core influences, and why he champions physical media alongside streaming.

• LA roots, early theater, shift to writing and directing
• first features, self-financing, painful lessons that shaped his team
• directing as the most fulfilling role, trust and set culture
• pandemic influence on Censor Addiction’s themes and timeline
• villains inspired by 80s action-sci-fi dynamics
• collaboration with recurring DP, composer, and cast
• pacing choices, critic praise, and sequel potential
• authenticity over box-ticking trends in filmmaking
• mentors, legacy, and steady leadership on set
• release details: VOD and DVD, Walmart and libraries

Check out Censor Addiction on March 3 on VOD and DVD.
Follow Michael
IG: https://www.instagram.com/michaelmatteorossi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelmatteorossi

“Stay tuned, stay focused, and stay motivated. Warriors fall out”


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Episode Powered By Act Now Education

01:53 - Pandemic Panic And Personal Security

02:35 - Meet Filmmaker Michael Mateo Rossi

03:40 - LA Roots And Early Creative Spark

06:25 - First Features And Hard Lessons

09:02 - Directing Style And Trusted Teams

13:24 - Set Culture, Mentors, And Mindset

17:47 - Conceiving Censor Addiction’s Near Future

22:41 - Social Strain And Mental Health Fallout

25:39 - Guns, Control, And Personal Agency

29:57 - Worldbuilding On An Indie Budget

33:10 - Villains, Influences, And Casting Chemistry

37:01 - Pacing, Reviews, And Sequel Potential

40:31 - Daily Rituals And Cinematic Fuel

43:12 - Cinematography, Score, And Longtime Crew

45:20 - Release Date, Distribution, And DVDs

48:05 - Authenticity Over Trends In Filmmaking

52:50 - Mentors, Legacy, And Resilience

57:44 - Where To Follow Michael And Final Thanks

WEBVTT

00:00:57.690 --> 00:01:02.170
I've had so many people over the years tell me, like, oh, why do you need that?

00:01:02.329 --> 00:01:03.450
Why do you like why do you do this?

00:01:03.530 --> 00:01:04.090
Why do you do that?

00:01:04.250 --> 00:01:12.329
When all this kicked off and we went on lockdown, I can't tell you how many people like called me up and was like, Hey, you have extra ammo?

00:01:12.490 --> 00:01:12.650
Yeah.

00:01:12.810 --> 00:01:14.969
And I'm like gun sales went up like crazy.

00:01:15.210 --> 00:01:18.170
Well, and I was like, well, what what what do you need extra ammo for?

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Just call the police.

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Like, you know what I mean?

00:01:20.170 --> 00:01:21.930
Like, it's you know, it's like, yep.

00:01:22.090 --> 00:01:23.849
What's the what's the first thing to take?

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You know, and I and I get it as well, but like government, yeah, what's the first thing the government's gonna take?

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Guns and all of that type of stuff.

00:01:31.689 --> 00:01:38.730
And again, I don't I don't want to get into the crazy issue, but you you found that left, right, and center, people were buying more.

00:01:39.129 --> 00:01:40.330
Warriors fall in.

00:01:40.490 --> 00:01:41.689
It's time for formation.

00:01:41.849 --> 00:01:45.770
Today I'm joined by writer, producer, and director Michael Mateo Rossi.

00:01:46.010 --> 00:01:51.609
He's an LA-born filmmaker who works in spans of actions, thrillers, and independent cinema.

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From the movie Chase to Charisma Killers, his brand new dystopian sci-fi thriller, Censor Addiction.

00:01:57.289 --> 00:02:11.290
We've seen his powerful storytelling on screen, and today we're digging deep into his creative process and his career journey and the making of censor addiction, which I was very fortunate to be a part of, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have done that.

00:02:11.610 --> 00:02:21.210
Censor Addiction is a film that imagines a near future where big pharma controls society through a weaponized pill, and the rebels have to rise up to take it down.

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Today I want to introduce you to Michael.

00:02:23.530 --> 00:02:25.290
Thank you so much for joining me today, brother.

00:02:25.610 --> 00:02:26.650
Thank you so much, man.

00:02:26.730 --> 00:02:27.610
It's great to be here.

00:02:27.689 --> 00:02:30.650
It's been a while since I've seen you, so it's it's nice.

00:02:30.730 --> 00:02:32.409
I'm I'm excited to dig in.

00:02:32.730 --> 00:02:39.449
We were fortunate to have dinner with one of your great actors, Forrest, just last year, I think it was, right?

00:02:39.930 --> 00:02:40.569
Last year, yeah.

00:02:40.650 --> 00:02:42.329
And time just flies by so quick, man.

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I just want to start off, Michael, uh asking you, and what inspired you to become a filmmaker?

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And uh how did you grow up in the uh large city of angels?

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Yeah, well, I think that being born and raised in LA definitely did uh did help, you know, motivate me, even though nobody in my family is in the business, actually.

00:03:03.610 --> 00:03:10.650
But my dad showed me a lot of films growing up, a lot of classic films, film noirs, Twilight Zones, all of that.

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And I just I loved it.

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I loved storytelling like that.

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I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

00:03:16.569 --> 00:03:18.009
And that's why I started young.

00:03:18.250 --> 00:03:24.969
Started in college basically making shorts, came back here, and uh never looked back, you know?

00:03:25.289 --> 00:03:30.969
So you started in college, but uh recently you've posted pictures of yourself, which you were a young actor, weren't you?

00:03:31.050 --> 00:03:32.810
Didn't you get into acting when you when you were in high school?

00:03:33.050 --> 00:03:38.409
I I did some uh some theater when I was like 12, 13, 14, mostly musical theater.

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And that was fun.

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Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I knew around 15 or 16 I liked writing more and I liked being behind the camera more.

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So that's where I kind of made that shift.

00:03:50.490 --> 00:04:04.170
No, I I think that with anything film related, it's good to kind of dip your feet into different types of positions, you know, whether it's in front of the camera, writing, directing, you know, stunts, any stuff like that.

00:04:04.330 --> 00:04:10.330
So because it gives you a a a better perspective of everything, you know, to educate yourself that way.

00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:12.969
Now, what part of LA did you grow up in?

00:04:13.129 --> 00:04:15.050
Did you grow up around Hollywood or did you know?

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The the kind of Silver Lake, kind of Los Feliz hot water area.

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So, and that's kind of where I live around now.

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So it's it's good.

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I like that.

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I like the the northeast LA area and and everything, even though it's a little bit far from the beach, but it's still it's still nice.

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So yeah.

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I love I love the vibe up there and I love the bars altogether.

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Now, growing up, you mentioned that none of your family members are in film.

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Yeah.

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But what inspired you?

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Like at what point, like was there somebody, a friend, or maybe an acquaintance that you knew?

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I think it was my dad, to be honest with you, because he's a huge cinephile and he wanted to share a lot of those classic films and everything.

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I also watched a lot of films, some films that I probably shouldn't have watched too young, like Robocop, Terminator 1 and 2, all of that.

00:05:07.050 --> 00:05:08.330
And I just I loved it.

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I loved it as a kid.

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I just, I, I saw these larger than life characters and people and everything.

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And um, and even just watching the Oscars uh back in like the 90s, where it just it felt like it was all about the performance, all about the film.

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There was no other kind of angle to it or or agenda or anything.

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It's just pure like good, good, hardworking, you know, actors.

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And I loved watching all that.

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And I just I wanted to tell stories that way.

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You know?

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So how many years have you been doing this now?

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Nineteen years?

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Nineteen and a half years almost.

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It's pretty crazy.

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Yeah.

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Started basically in late 06, 2006.

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It was uh yeah, 1819.

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And uh it's crazy to think that.

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So yeah, I started very, very young, but long time.

00:06:04.009 --> 00:06:09.370
What was your first project that you actually got in, your first big project that you felt like you broke into it?

00:06:09.930 --> 00:06:15.610
Big project, probably it's a feature, first solo directed feature film called Misogynist, actually.

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Probably wouldn't have made it now, but it was it was kind of a cautionary tale where it was about this guy who kind of teaches young men how to control women, and then you find out who he is, all of that.

00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:27.769
We shot the whole thing in seven days.

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Um, I was young, I was mid-20s, mid-early twenties, but it was good.

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It was divisive.

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I mean, some people appreciated it for what I was trying to do, and then some people just wrote it off.

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It's like, oh, this is crap, this is trash, all of that.

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But I'm proud I did it.

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It got attention.

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Yeah, definitely got attention.

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We had uh about 10 billboards up in LA, which was pretty wild.

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So that was exciting.

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So that helped me gain some momentum.

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How did you get started on that though?

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Because going from scratch, not having a start, no, no money, no nothing, like how did you bring get that even off the ground?

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I funded a lot of it myself.

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So I had some savings, all that.

00:07:07.769 --> 00:07:14.170
I know I was like, you should never invest your own money into film, which can be tough, but I wanted to do it so much.

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I had some stuff saved, and we made it for very, very cheap.

00:07:18.329 --> 00:07:19.370
You know, very cheap.

00:07:19.530 --> 00:07:21.209
We we pinched every penny.

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I had one other person help out a little bit with the money, and then yeah, we did it.

00:07:25.850 --> 00:07:29.530
We we were able to kind of call in favors and stuff like that.

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And again, seven days, pretty contained location.

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But uh, it was good.

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It was it was a good kind of trial run to see how far I could go or starting point to make that happen.

00:07:41.449 --> 00:07:46.089
It's absolutely amazing that you started from absolutely and then you got it, then you got it off the ground, got it going.

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Yeah.

00:07:46.569 --> 00:07:50.490
Now you've worn many different hats from writer, director, producer.

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Out of all those different roles, which role do you prefer to do and which do you figure out which one do you feel like is the most creatively fulfilling role that out of all those three?

00:08:03.050 --> 00:08:04.730
Probably directing, to be honest.

00:08:04.810 --> 00:08:13.129
Because when you when you're on set and you're working with amazing actors and you're seeing it all come, you know, come to fruition, it's just amazing.

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You're seeing the world that so I I write a lot of the stuff that I um I direct and just seeing that all come to pass is just amazing.

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And and as you know, because you worked on one of my films, I I like to work with a lot of the same people again and again.

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Daniel, Vernon, Marnette, Chris, uh a lot of these people, Vanessa.

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I don't want to keep dropping names, but he has a lot a lot of these people.

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So that's yeah, directing for sure.

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Yeah, it's uh it's amazing.

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I was um I was a little starstruck because to be honest with you, man, like I was not I I was not intending to be there.

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I just happened to meet up with a friend of mine uh at lunch and then invited me to to be on site, and I was so blessed and appreciative that that you allowed me to get involved to some extent and just to see the process sort of behind the scenes.

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What do you think is the biggest lesson that you've learned that most young filmmakers don't know but learn, I guess, early on in their career that they probably should know?

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Work with people that you trust that you know are gonna put in the work that are professional, trust your instinct as well.

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If you get a kind of weird vibe or a different vibe on somebody, you know, trust your instinct on that.

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And and and take your time, take your time.

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It's the it's a thing where uh even a few years back, I felt like I always had to rush into uh films.

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Oh, I gotta make a filmy year, filmier.

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But you know what?

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If you don't make a filmy year, that's okay.

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If it takes two years, if it's you know, make sure you get it right.

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It's better to get it right than to rush it.

00:09:57.849 --> 00:09:59.690
Um that's that's what I learned.

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And just, yeah, helping vet people and all of that.

00:10:02.569 --> 00:10:09.609
We met through Damien, who's who's great as well, and anybody that he would recommend is good people.

00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:17.769
And you were great, and you were professional, and it was in, and I also, it's a weird nuance, but I like people who are excited to be on set.

00:10:17.849 --> 00:10:26.809
That's the other thing, like just taking it all in, being excited, you know, because you know, with censor addiction, we have some pretty strong names in there, some recognizable faces.

00:10:26.890 --> 00:10:35.609
There's some people that have done some stuff that's pretty cool and have worked on studio films and do the the conventions, right?

00:10:35.690 --> 00:10:43.529
Or uh, you know, and and your thing, I don't know if we should spoil you, you have a nice little scene with a pretty big guy and and all of that.

00:10:43.609 --> 00:10:44.730
But I mean, think about it.

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He's all of that.

00:10:45.930 --> 00:10:48.490
Mike O'Hearn has done tons of stuff.

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I mean, let's be honest.

00:10:50.009 --> 00:10:51.769
Uh he's he's he's been around.

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I mean, he went viral, but he was a legend before that.

00:10:55.289 --> 00:11:03.210
And you know, he travels the world doing these conventions and people, people wanting his autograph and all that, and you share a scene with him.

00:11:03.289 --> 00:11:03.529
Yeah.

00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:03.930
Okay.

00:11:04.089 --> 00:11:04.970
I mean, that's pretty cool.

00:11:05.130 --> 00:11:06.890
And that's gonna be there forever.

00:11:07.049 --> 00:11:07.369
Yeah.

00:11:07.529 --> 00:11:10.089
I mean, that's that's humbling if you think about it.

00:11:10.329 --> 00:11:11.369
Oh, totally, man.

00:11:11.450 --> 00:11:12.730
You know, totally.

00:11:13.450 --> 00:11:22.250
Um, I the first time I met Mike O'Hearn was at the Arnold Classic, and I want to say it was in Columbus, Ohio, back in maybe the year 2000.

00:11:22.490 --> 00:11:22.650
Wow.

00:11:22.970 --> 00:11:24.170
Like 2001.

00:11:24.329 --> 00:11:24.410
Yeah.

00:11:24.569 --> 00:11:32.170
So back then, like I was trying to get a picture with him as a young 20-year-old man, you know, in college getting ready to go in the military.

00:11:32.970 --> 00:11:36.250
And then here I am, like all these like 20 years later, like doing a film with him.

00:11:36.650 --> 00:11:38.009
Comes full circle, doesn't it?

00:11:38.329 --> 00:11:40.089
I mean, it's it's it's incredible.

00:11:40.170 --> 00:11:41.930
And he's a professional too, and it's great.

00:11:42.569 --> 00:11:44.730
His wife Mona's awesome as well.

00:11:44.890 --> 00:11:48.089
And they're kind of power couple and all of that stuff, too.

00:11:48.329 --> 00:11:51.210
But um it it is interesting how that works.

00:11:51.690 --> 00:11:55.130
And in the business, you know, there, for example, Vernon Wells.

00:11:55.210 --> 00:11:56.410
I don't know if you met him on set.

00:11:57.049 --> 00:11:57.529
You did meet him.

00:11:57.930 --> 00:11:58.089
Yes.

00:11:58.250 --> 00:12:00.730
You know, I grew up, I I watched Commando as a kid.

00:12:01.930 --> 00:12:05.289
You know, in Weird Science, he has a has a little role in that as well.

00:12:05.450 --> 00:12:08.089
And these are people I looked up to, and I'm like, holy crazy.

00:12:08.250 --> 00:12:12.009
I mean, he shares an epic end fight scene with Arnold, right?

00:12:12.250 --> 00:12:13.609
And then I'm working with him.

00:12:13.690 --> 00:12:16.410
And I've worked with him on four films.

00:12:16.569 --> 00:12:18.890
I mean, it's pretty incredible, it's humbling.

00:12:18.970 --> 00:12:19.210
Yeah.

00:12:19.369 --> 00:12:25.130
Um, you know, the people that you either grew up with or that you met in your early 20s or as a kid, all that.

00:12:25.210 --> 00:12:27.289
And then it's like, I'm working with them.

00:12:27.450 --> 00:12:27.769
Wow.

00:12:27.930 --> 00:12:28.410
Yeah.

00:12:28.650 --> 00:12:28.970
Yeah.

00:12:29.049 --> 00:12:35.849
And you know, uh, and honestly, how I ended up on set, I trained Brazilian jujitsu when I lived in Cincinnati with Damien.

00:12:36.009 --> 00:12:39.690
And back then we were just young, budding blue belts.

00:12:39.849 --> 00:12:45.450
We knew how to go hard, we knew how to kick each other's asses every single day, and that's about all we knew.

00:12:45.690 --> 00:12:50.089
And I and I think through that, all these years later, we still have a good relationship.

00:12:50.250 --> 00:12:57.930
And it's amazing to me how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has kind of created these long, these long life friends for me.

00:12:58.089 --> 00:13:00.170
Even if they live like hundreds of miles away.

00:13:00.329 --> 00:13:04.329
That was the first time I'd probably seen Damien in maybe 12 years.

00:13:04.569 --> 00:13:04.890
Wow.

00:13:04.970 --> 00:13:12.730
Um, so we we hit lunch together, and then next thing you know, he goes, Hey, there's um a movie set I'm gonna be going to.

00:13:12.809 --> 00:13:13.930
Like, would you like to stop by?

00:13:14.089 --> 00:13:14.650
I said, sure.

00:13:14.809 --> 00:13:17.690
And turned out the movie set was a range that I was very familiar with.

00:13:17.849 --> 00:13:18.329
FT3.

00:13:18.569 --> 00:13:18.809
Yes.

00:13:19.130 --> 00:13:20.809
Great, great, clean range.

00:13:20.890 --> 00:13:23.049
I want to make sure I plug FT3 in there as well.

00:13:23.289 --> 00:13:23.930
I always wear the hat.

00:13:24.250 --> 00:13:26.170
Is in Carson, uh, California.

00:13:26.329 --> 00:13:30.410
You definitely have to stop by there if you're in town and you're looking to get some rounds downrange.

00:13:30.569 --> 00:13:31.210
Yes.

00:13:32.329 --> 00:13:43.609
You know, honestly, Michael, the thing that I really liked the most out of like being on your set was the professionalism and the humbleness of like Mike was very humble.

00:13:43.930 --> 00:13:44.730
Very humble, yeah.

00:13:44.970 --> 00:13:47.930
All your actors and actresses were very professional, very humble.

00:13:48.089 --> 00:13:51.849
And I think at the end of the day, that says a lot about you.

00:13:52.089 --> 00:13:52.650
Thank you.

00:13:52.809 --> 00:13:53.289
Thank you.

00:13:53.529 --> 00:14:00.009
Because you are the you're kind of the maestro, you're the you're the guy standing up there controlling the environment, controlling.

00:14:02.170 --> 00:14:02.490
Totally.

00:14:02.569 --> 00:14:02.730
Yeah.

00:14:03.049 --> 00:14:08.650
Because if you're if you're a jerk and you're an asshole, well then that kind of trails a domino effect.

00:14:08.809 --> 00:14:11.049
Yeah, trickles down everyone else, man.

00:14:11.130 --> 00:14:15.369
But I was on set for a few days and I never and I never experienced like a bad day.

00:14:15.930 --> 00:14:16.490
Thank you, man.

00:14:16.569 --> 00:14:16.809
Thank you.

00:14:16.890 --> 00:14:23.769
And the funny thing is, you were on set during a little bit of a stressful time because there was a lot of action going on and stuff like that.

00:14:24.009 --> 00:14:26.890
But, you know, kind of remain cool, calm, and collected.

00:14:26.970 --> 00:14:29.130
It's a lot of the preparation as well.

00:14:29.369 --> 00:14:35.049
And I've learned, again, doing this for almost 20 years, you start to build a team.

00:14:35.130 --> 00:14:42.650
You know, you you keep the ones you like to work with, you know, you kind of weed out the ones where it didn't either work out or something like that.

00:14:42.809 --> 00:14:44.730
And that's where it can go.

00:14:44.890 --> 00:14:53.369
And and I've and that's why I work with a lot of same actors because I trust them to to know their stuff, to be professional, everything.

00:14:53.849 --> 00:14:55.130
Um, no, thank you.

00:14:55.210 --> 00:14:57.450
I'm I'm I'm glad that you liked it too.

00:14:58.410 --> 00:15:01.609
It's exciting, and it's exciting seeing it all come together.

00:15:01.849 --> 00:15:02.009
Yeah.

00:15:02.730 --> 00:15:09.930
And and honestly, I'm not just saying that because you're in front of me and I'm trying to kiss your ass, because I have been since that time, I was on another movie set.

00:15:10.170 --> 00:15:11.930
I was on several other movie sets after that.

00:15:12.089 --> 00:15:12.250
Yeah.

00:15:12.490 --> 00:15:14.569
And it wasn't really this quite the same vibe.

00:15:14.809 --> 00:15:17.210
It wasn't as light, it wasn't as fun.

00:15:19.130 --> 00:15:20.250
Supposed to be fun too.

00:15:20.890 --> 00:15:23.289
You know, people like, we're all having a good time, also.

00:15:23.690 --> 00:15:30.170
I mean, we we have an objective to film, but if you if you if everybody's miserable or something like that, then what the hell are you doing?

00:15:30.490 --> 00:15:31.369
So this is what I think.

00:15:31.690 --> 00:15:41.450
And the whole creative process behind it all, taking in the experiences of everybody and their perspectives on how things should work out, you were very open to that.

00:15:41.849 --> 00:15:42.250
Thank you.

00:15:42.410 --> 00:15:42.809
Thank you.

00:15:43.049 --> 00:15:52.890
I try to be open to certain ideas, and I always listen to my actors, and if they want to try certain uh something different or improv or something like that, I'm all for it.

00:15:53.049 --> 00:15:57.529
Let's give it a shot because sometimes that's the thing that ends up uh in the final cut.

00:15:57.769 --> 00:15:58.089
Yeah.

00:15:58.730 --> 00:16:09.609
I'm I'm really excited for this film because there was a lot of scenes in there where Mike had had kind of integrated some of his ideas, and then like I know Chris Moss and then Daniel had talked about doing this and doing that.

00:16:09.690 --> 00:16:12.250
So I'm really excited to see like how this turns out.

00:16:12.410 --> 00:16:15.049
For you've been doing movies for like two decades now.

00:16:15.529 --> 00:16:16.170
It's wild.

00:16:16.490 --> 00:16:23.849
So how has your I guess your your process or your approach evolved over the last two decades?

00:16:24.410 --> 00:16:30.890
It's it's vetting people, it's making sure that you know the script that I have is the right one at the right moment.

00:16:31.049 --> 00:16:34.490
I learn with each film that I do, make no mistake about it.

00:16:34.650 --> 00:16:37.930
Every single one, from the first one to censor diction.

00:16:38.009 --> 00:16:41.769
I've learned from it and then I'm able to adapt from it as well.

00:16:42.089 --> 00:16:44.569
Tell you one one interesting thing, real quick.

00:16:44.730 --> 00:16:47.130
I did it was shortly after Misogynist.

00:16:47.289 --> 00:16:49.369
It was either my second or third feature.

00:16:49.609 --> 00:16:51.769
And I'll I'll be very honest with you about this.

00:16:51.930 --> 00:16:54.410
It was uh it was a pretty terrible experience, actually.

00:16:54.569 --> 00:16:55.609
It was really bad.

00:16:55.769 --> 00:16:58.410
It it um it mentally drained me.

00:16:58.650 --> 00:17:02.250
It was something where everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

00:17:02.329 --> 00:17:03.369
It was tough.

00:17:03.529 --> 00:17:10.569
Like it was, I remember coming back, I was living with my brother at the time, and uh, he would see me come back from set, and I wasn't happy.

00:17:10.730 --> 00:17:12.890
And I that's a place I never want to be.

00:17:13.049 --> 00:17:18.329
I never want to be on set where I'm not enjoying myself because then what the hell am I doing, right?

00:17:18.490 --> 00:17:23.130
I don't regret making it because it made me recalibrate everything.

00:17:23.369 --> 00:17:30.089
After that, I took a step back, I took a few months off, and I I kind of built a new team.

00:17:30.250 --> 00:17:32.650
And a lot of the team I still work with now.

00:17:32.890 --> 00:17:39.210
So sometimes it's like you got to go through the trenches, so to speak, to come clean the other side and and everything.

00:17:39.369 --> 00:17:41.369
So you learn from those things, right?

00:17:41.450 --> 00:17:42.009
Yeah, you know.

00:17:42.250 --> 00:17:49.289
So that's that's one little didn't mean to segue off into that, but that was a huge learning experience for me.

00:17:49.450 --> 00:17:49.609
Right.

00:17:49.930 --> 00:17:51.049
Sometimes you have to, yeah.

00:17:51.130 --> 00:17:52.890
But that was that was my apocalypse now.

00:17:53.210 --> 00:17:56.970
You hear how apocalypse now was was pretty stressful and all that.

00:17:57.210 --> 00:18:04.250
I I think what Martin Sheen had a heart attack on set and copel and all that, but I mean, look at films amazing, right?

00:18:04.569 --> 00:18:18.009
But we we've all been if you if you're if you're in film long enough, you've had that moment, that movie, that's something where you're like, revisit that again, or I never want to experience that part again.

00:18:18.169 --> 00:18:25.609
So that's why thankfully my films in in recent years, all that have been have been pretty good and fairly stress-free.

00:18:25.929 --> 00:18:30.490
Yeah, I guess uh everybody goes through those highs and lows, especially in life and just in general.

00:18:30.649 --> 00:18:36.169
And if you're um especially in in your line of work, you get a lot of criticism too, right?

00:18:36.250 --> 00:18:41.609
And so how do you how like how do you deal with that when people tell you that that you suck and you're not good and you should just stop, right?

00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:42.809
And I'm sure you get it, right?

00:18:42.889 --> 00:18:43.450
Because I get it.

00:18:43.849 --> 00:18:44.490
No, totally.

00:18:44.889 --> 00:18:52.889
So with the first couple films that I did, when I got like my first critical review that wasn't good, it actually affected me a lot.

00:18:53.049 --> 00:18:55.369
I was I was kind of naive and hurt to it.

00:18:55.529 --> 00:19:00.970
I'm like, wait, wait, somebody didn't really enjoy it, or somebody tore it to shreds, or something like that.

00:19:01.129 --> 00:19:04.569
But then you build up and you understand that A, you can't please everybody.

00:19:04.730 --> 00:19:06.649
Just in anything, you can't please everybody.

00:19:06.809 --> 00:19:12.569
There's always going to be people that think you're terrible or the stuff you do is bad, all that.

00:19:12.970 --> 00:19:23.769
But for every one of those, I have people who also are like, Mike, that was fantastic, or I'll get a good critical review that really compliments certain aspects of it and appreciates it.

00:19:24.009 --> 00:19:32.009
So look, there are people who hate the Godfather, there's people who hate, you know, like whatever, like universally loved stuff.

00:19:32.169 --> 00:19:33.609
And you just gotta go with it.

00:19:33.690 --> 00:19:35.849
I have built up a thicker skin with it.

00:19:36.009 --> 00:19:40.169
You know, there will always be trolls out there, there will always be certain stuff like that.

00:19:40.250 --> 00:19:47.690
But I try to uh cultivate a positive experience, even with with um with my social media and stuff like that, you know.

00:19:47.769 --> 00:19:53.129
Maybe I post too much, but I I just I try to not do the whole negative stuff.

00:19:53.289 --> 00:19:58.730
Yeah, and and there's some people who post nothing but political stuff and issues and problems.

00:19:58.809 --> 00:20:01.769
And if that's what they want to do, go for it.

00:20:01.849 --> 00:20:02.649
That's awesome.

00:20:03.049 --> 00:20:04.009
That's not my thing.

00:20:04.089 --> 00:20:05.049
That's not my thing.

00:20:05.210 --> 00:20:06.089
So yeah.

00:20:07.289 --> 00:20:17.529
I remember last year you when we went to dinner, you talked about um an incident where somebody had sent you a book and asked for you to sign it.

00:20:18.089 --> 00:20:18.889
Do you remember that?

00:20:19.210 --> 00:20:24.169
I do remember are you talking somebody did sign it with a book, but also a DVD.

00:20:24.329 --> 00:20:24.649
DVD.

00:20:24.730 --> 00:20:25.049
DVD.

00:20:25.210 --> 00:20:25.369
Yes.

00:20:25.529 --> 00:20:25.769
Yes.

00:20:25.929 --> 00:20:26.809
That was incredible.

00:20:26.970 --> 00:20:31.289
It was this woman that followed me on Twitter or Axe.

00:20:31.450 --> 00:20:32.889
She lives in North Carolina.

00:20:33.129 --> 00:20:34.009
North Carolina.

00:20:34.169 --> 00:20:38.569
And uh she reached out, she hadn't, she's like, Mike, do you mind signing it?

00:20:38.730 --> 00:20:39.529
And of course.

00:20:39.849 --> 00:20:43.769
This person had been following me for years and so awesome and supportive.

00:20:43.929 --> 00:20:51.369
And when I did it, I I signed it, signed it in uh in silver sharpie so it would it would stick and it would look great and all of that stuff.

00:20:51.529 --> 00:20:54.809
And then I I mailed it over to her in North Carolina.

00:20:54.970 --> 00:21:03.369
And it, I mean, even that, you have to step back and think, these are people who are watching your stuff all over the country and the world.

00:21:03.769 --> 00:21:09.450
Because uh a lot of my stuff is is in Asia and Europe and South America, you name it.

00:21:09.609 --> 00:21:10.409
That's incredible.

00:21:10.569 --> 00:21:16.490
And, you know, she took a picture of it when it was mailed to her and all of that type of stuff, and that's incredible.

00:21:16.649 --> 00:21:18.809
And for me, I'm I'm old school too.

00:21:18.970 --> 00:21:24.730
A couple of my films have not had DVDs of it because you know, everything's streaming, all that.

00:21:24.889 --> 00:21:27.289
But I like DVDs, I like the physical media.

00:21:27.369 --> 00:21:28.490
There's something about that, right?

00:21:28.889 --> 00:21:29.769
Tangible, everything.

00:21:29.929 --> 00:21:33.129
Charisma, Charisma Killers did have a DVD.

00:21:33.369 --> 00:21:38.409
Very happy to say that uh Sensor is going to have a DVD of it, which is really cool.

00:21:38.490 --> 00:21:41.769
It's gonna be in Walmart's as well and and a bunch of other stuff.

00:21:41.849 --> 00:21:43.529
You can get it on Amazon.

00:21:43.690 --> 00:21:44.970
And we'll talk about it more.

00:21:45.049 --> 00:22:03.049
But yeah, I'm very happy that they have gonna have a physical DVD because no matter what happens with with uh streaming, all that, because you know, things can get censored, no you know, no pun intended, you have the physical copy of it, and that's awesome.

00:22:03.289 --> 00:22:03.609
You know?

00:22:03.929 --> 00:22:06.889
That's the one thing, even like on a personal level, like with pictures.

00:22:07.129 --> 00:22:08.569
I miss having like I know.

00:22:08.730 --> 00:22:09.849
I miss having albums.

00:22:10.409 --> 00:22:12.009
I know, I know everything.

00:22:12.169 --> 00:22:22.169
Boy, I should I should upload or print them out and stuff because if you know, God forbid something happened with with uh technology and all that, I mean, it's wild.

00:22:22.250 --> 00:22:27.769
Like we don't I mean, yes, of course, people have framed photos, but not to the level of where it used to be.

00:22:27.929 --> 00:22:30.250
Remember, you get it developed, you know, all that.

00:22:30.490 --> 00:22:32.329
Now it's uh it's all on here.

00:22:32.490 --> 00:22:34.250
Um, which is pretty crazy.

00:22:34.569 --> 00:22:37.609
So having a physical DVD of it, I love it.

00:22:37.690 --> 00:22:38.490
I love it.

00:22:38.889 --> 00:22:44.009
And I grew up in the days early on, because I was born in 80, so VHS, beta.

00:22:44.250 --> 00:22:44.730
Of course, beta.

00:22:45.049 --> 00:22:45.529
Of course, right?

00:22:46.009 --> 00:22:49.929
VHS, I was born in eighty seven, so I'm I'm all about VHS too.

00:22:50.009 --> 00:22:55.369
I had VHS until my teenage years, and then it kind of transferred to DVD.

00:22:55.529 --> 00:23:00.490
So no, I Definitely remember that and rewinding it and doing all that stuff.

00:23:00.569 --> 00:23:00.970
Yeah.

00:23:01.049 --> 00:23:01.289
Yeah.

00:23:01.609 --> 00:23:05.450
You mentioned him a couple times, but I want to make sure that we that we do talk about him.

00:23:05.609 --> 00:23:07.369
You talk about your brother.

00:23:07.849 --> 00:23:12.169
So what does he do and how does he play a role in your life?

00:23:12.569 --> 00:23:14.490
My brother's like my best friend.

00:23:14.569 --> 00:23:17.529
Um and the funny thing is, he doesn't have any social media.

00:23:17.769 --> 00:23:19.609
He's he's kind of introverted that way.

00:23:19.690 --> 00:23:23.769
He's never had any social media, uh, not even my space back in the day.

00:23:23.929 --> 00:23:27.210
Um we're 17 months apart, Irish twins, right?

00:23:27.289 --> 00:23:28.169
He's younger.

00:23:28.409 --> 00:23:32.569
Um and uh and he's just we're super close.

00:23:32.730 --> 00:23:35.690
He used to do a lot of writing as well, screenwriting.

00:23:35.769 --> 00:23:41.609
Then he kind of segued more into to kind of finance stocks, all of that type of stuff.

00:23:41.769 --> 00:23:46.569
Um, but no, we just we get along really well, you know, just like with with any family.

00:23:46.649 --> 00:23:48.889
Yeah, we have our arguments and stuff like that.

00:23:49.129 --> 00:23:50.970
We watched a lot of films together.

00:23:51.210 --> 00:23:54.250
We we kind of watched a lot of stuff.

00:23:54.490 --> 00:23:55.049
Pro wrestling.

00:23:55.289 --> 00:23:57.929
Remember WWE, WWF, all that stuff.

00:23:58.169 --> 00:23:59.609
You know, we we we would do that.

00:23:59.769 --> 00:24:01.529
We'd play soccer together, the whole bit.

00:24:01.609 --> 00:24:03.369
So he's my only brother, you know.

00:24:03.529 --> 00:24:04.730
I love him, of course.

00:24:05.049 --> 00:24:08.889
But, you know, yeah, it's it's it's good, you know?

00:24:09.049 --> 00:24:12.250
And he watches every time one of my films comes out.

00:24:12.329 --> 00:24:14.169
Uh, we obviously watch the film together.

00:24:14.250 --> 00:24:16.009
I love seeing it through his eyes.

00:24:16.169 --> 00:24:21.049
So literally, usually release day, I will watch it with my brother.

00:24:21.210 --> 00:24:27.129
Whenever it is, we'll rent it from uh I'll come over to his place and we'll we'll watch it.

00:24:27.289 --> 00:24:29.529
It's kind of a little little mini tradition.

00:24:29.929 --> 00:24:35.690
What a blessing it is to have a a partner and and a teammate who's also related to you at the same time.

00:24:35.769 --> 00:24:37.289
And you can trust so much.

00:24:37.769 --> 00:24:38.409
I can trust.

00:24:38.569 --> 00:24:45.849
There's, I mean, look, in in this business, in any business, it's it is hard to trust people and people can come and go and and stuff like that.

00:24:46.009 --> 00:24:49.609
But yeah, my brother's stuck with me, which is which is good.

00:24:49.929 --> 00:24:51.450
You know, known him all my life.

00:24:51.609 --> 00:24:56.009
Again, we're just a year and a half apart in age, so that's pretty wild to think that.

00:24:56.089 --> 00:25:00.649
But yeah, no, we always watch it and and he'll always tell it to me straight too, which I like.

00:25:00.809 --> 00:25:03.369
He'll tell it to me, hey Mike, this was my favorite.

00:25:03.529 --> 00:25:06.329
I like this, I didn't like this, and I'm cool with it.

00:25:07.210 --> 00:25:07.849
That's awesome, man.

00:25:07.929 --> 00:25:09.769
I I know you talked about him a couple of times.

00:25:09.849 --> 00:25:15.769
I don't want to make sure that we uh that we covered, you know, who he is as a person and what part he plays in in your life.

00:25:15.929 --> 00:25:18.009
Um let's talk about sensor addiction, man.

00:25:18.649 --> 00:25:21.049
Um it's a sci-fi action.

00:25:21.210 --> 00:25:26.009
Talks about big pharma and how the rebels have to rise to to take take everything back, right?

00:25:26.169 --> 00:25:26.490
Yes.

00:25:26.649 --> 00:25:29.690
So where did this story originate from?

00:25:30.169 --> 00:25:34.169
So I wrote it basically in the heart of the pandemic, right?

00:25:34.649 --> 00:25:41.210
Being in LA, we got hit pretty hard with uh some regulations, some strict stuff, everything.

00:25:41.289 --> 00:25:45.049
And and again, so many, so much of my family's in medicine, actually.

00:25:45.210 --> 00:25:58.250
So I'm definitely somebody who, you know, believes in science, believes in this, but some of these steps, even though I know wasn't we didn't know everything, were a bit excessive and impractical.

00:25:58.569 --> 00:25:58.809
Agreed.

00:25:59.289 --> 00:26:06.889
And and uh and people didn't talk about the mental aspect of things, how this was psychologically damaging people and all that.

00:26:06.970 --> 00:26:09.450
We're we're social creatures and and everything.

00:26:09.529 --> 00:26:10.490
So finding that balance.

00:26:10.649 --> 00:26:19.849
So I kind of, you know, I wanted to tell a story that almost maybe didn't feel so off about essentially, hey, blindly listen to us.

00:26:20.089 --> 00:26:23.929
We know what we're talking about, don't do any research about it.

00:26:24.250 --> 00:26:28.569
You know, heaven forbid we we we look into stuff and and everything.

00:26:28.809 --> 00:26:34.569
And I wanted to take it even just a few, you know, it takes place just four years from now, 2030, the film.

00:26:35.690 --> 00:26:37.450
It's like, are we that far off?

00:26:37.609 --> 00:26:38.250
I don't know.

00:26:38.649 --> 00:26:39.450
I don't know.

00:26:39.769 --> 00:26:52.250
We saw as a society how people could act during something like this, and to be honest with you, it was fairly scary, yeah, especially at first.

00:26:52.490 --> 00:27:00.809
It was fairly scary where it's like, wow, the people really, really do get in line blindly very quickly.

00:27:00.970 --> 00:27:14.730
So I wanted to play on the on the the big medical giant, which is which is what in the film, and what happens, and then a few people who kind of know the insight and they look to take it down.

00:27:15.129 --> 00:27:20.889
So that's what that's so yeah, uh essentially the pandemic influenced me to to make this film.

00:27:20.970 --> 00:27:26.490
And like I said, I didn't want to make this in the year 2500 or all that.

00:27:26.569 --> 00:27:29.849
I wanted to make it now four years out.

00:27:30.250 --> 00:27:31.529
That's pretty close, right?

00:27:31.690 --> 00:27:32.009
Right.

00:27:32.250 --> 00:27:34.730
So, but yeah, that's yeah.

00:27:35.210 --> 00:27:40.089
You know, it it's amazing that that you mentioned these certain things because it did affect people.

00:27:40.490 --> 00:27:45.289
Like in it as a father of a six-year-old, I I have a pandemic baby.

00:27:45.450 --> 00:27:57.289
She and the rest of her classmates are different than the other than the other kids, and all the teachers, they all give me that feedback as far as like they're missing like certain social things that they're trying to catch up with.

00:27:57.529 --> 00:28:01.929
And I was traveling during COVID, um, going from state to state.

00:28:02.009 --> 00:28:02.250
Yeah.

00:28:02.329 --> 00:28:04.490
Um, whereas most people were kind of stuck here.

00:28:04.649 --> 00:28:16.009
And it was amazing to me how I would land in a different state and I would be masked up and double masked up and all this other stuff, and then I would land in another state, and then everyone there is looking at me like, what are you doing?

00:28:16.169 --> 00:28:17.529
And they're not wearing anything.

00:28:17.690 --> 00:28:20.009
And it it's so funny because we're all humans.

00:28:20.169 --> 00:28:21.690
So what's good for one state?

00:28:21.769 --> 00:28:22.809
Why is it not good for another?

00:28:23.450 --> 00:28:25.369
It's so bizarre, and even certain things.

00:28:25.450 --> 00:28:29.450
You walk into a damn restaurant and you have to have it on, and then you sit down.

00:28:29.609 --> 00:28:30.970
That we're we're gonna look back.

00:28:31.049 --> 00:28:39.609
I even see funny memes that it was saying like 2020 was a wild year, and it shows like certain pictures of how some people were, and it's it's wild.

00:28:39.769 --> 00:28:40.409
It's wild.

00:28:40.569 --> 00:28:53.369
But like I said, I think that the broader, scary thing was how people, human beings as a group were uh and how how they were, where it's like, whoa, that's pretty crazy.

00:28:53.529 --> 00:29:05.369
I think at the height of it, I I was taking a walk, and on a on a couple occasions, I might have had it off for a second, and I had an older lady, put that on, you're endangering people, all of that.

00:29:05.529 --> 00:29:09.049
And I was like literally 20 feet from the person, the whole bit.

00:29:09.450 --> 00:29:10.730
Anyways, you get it.

00:29:10.809 --> 00:29:19.369
Whereas like it brings out the paranoia, all of that, the the the vitriol, and and it's just it was crazy.

00:29:19.450 --> 00:29:25.129
So I'm like, I have to make a story a little bit, again, just basically like blindly follow us.

00:29:25.289 --> 00:29:26.809
We know what's right for you.

00:29:26.970 --> 00:29:28.569
We know what's right for you.

00:29:28.730 --> 00:29:35.769
Don't listen to anybody else but us, government oversight or whatever it is, or huge company.

00:29:36.490 --> 00:29:43.690
Um yeah, and but I think it's something that that can uh that people can relate to and all that.

00:29:43.849 --> 00:29:52.490
There was a a recent article, or excuse me, critic review that enjoyed it that talked about how this doesn't feel too far off, uh, which was cool.

00:29:52.649 --> 00:29:58.169
They said that in in the critic review, uh, which was interesting because that's what I wanted to show.

00:29:58.329 --> 00:29:58.490
Yeah.

00:29:58.649 --> 00:30:08.089
I wanted to say, hey, hey, this isn't some freaking a Star Wars, all of that stuff, where it's like this isn't gonna happen for a while, but it's here.

00:30:08.569 --> 00:30:21.210
You know, I would like to see a documentary just going back and and underlining the things that we did because we had lifeguards and and law enforcement chasing people off the beaches.

00:30:21.369 --> 00:30:30.809
Like that's how insane it was, which now it's I mean, I most most of these hand sanitiz sanitizer machines from the uh 2020s.

00:30:30.970 --> 00:30:34.089
I I walk up to now and I try to use and they're completely empty.

00:30:34.250 --> 00:30:38.250
And I'm like, whoa, this is like a yeah, it's like a time capsule or something.

00:30:38.409 --> 00:30:39.289
It's like yeah.

00:30:39.529 --> 00:30:40.889
It it's it's crazy.

00:30:41.049 --> 00:30:46.089
Again, we look back at it and I'm like, I I don't know how the how we lived through it and and all of that.

00:30:46.329 --> 00:30:49.769
But it was it was the met the the mental as well.

00:30:49.929 --> 00:30:56.809
Um there's this uh wrestler Scott Hall who uh I didn't know, but yeah, you know Scott Hall or Razor Ramon, right?

00:30:57.529 --> 00:30:58.409
Do you know what happened?

00:30:58.649 --> 00:31:04.409
He he got back into drinking because he couldn't be with his friends and socialize.

00:31:04.569 --> 00:31:10.730
He was kind of kept inside all that, and that's actually what in part led to his death.

00:31:10.809 --> 00:31:12.809
You know, that's what that's what I heard, you know.

00:31:13.210 --> 00:31:15.529
But no, I'm serious, look it up and and everything.

00:31:15.769 --> 00:31:17.849
He really got depressed from it.

00:31:18.089 --> 00:31:21.049
The mental affects the physical in in most things.

00:31:21.129 --> 00:31:22.409
It really, really does.

00:31:22.569 --> 00:31:32.490
Uh we we we focus on the physical, which is important, of course, but if you're you know pressed or not getting the help or something like that, you know, yeah.

00:31:32.730 --> 00:31:43.049
So it it just he apparently had kicked drinking for a while and then kind of got back into that pretty badly, and it kind of snowballed from there.

00:31:43.369 --> 00:31:50.970
Yeah, I really think we need to do an examination on how much that, I guess, protocol affected us as a country.

00:31:51.129 --> 00:31:54.250
And and not only as a country, but the entire world basically.

00:31:54.730 --> 00:32:00.409
I know there's there's effects like what you just talked about with Razor Ramon, aka Scott Hall.

00:32:00.889 --> 00:32:05.369
Um yeah, I know who I dude, I know exactly who I know exactly who it is, dude.

00:32:06.009 --> 00:32:09.609
Oh, Kevin Nash, Hogan, all that WCW in the late nineties.

00:32:09.929 --> 00:32:11.210
Yeah, anyways.

00:32:13.609 --> 00:32:21.289
When you talk about like the the rebels and stuff, you know what you know what's interesting is um I'm not a big gun guy, but I but I shoot guns.

00:32:21.609 --> 00:32:22.250
I own guns.

00:32:22.490 --> 00:32:30.649
But the interesting part is is when all this kicked off, I've had so many people over the years tell me, like, oh well why do you need that?

00:32:30.809 --> 00:32:31.929
Why do you like why do you do this?

00:32:32.009 --> 00:32:32.569
Why do you do that?

00:32:32.730 --> 00:32:40.809
When all this kicked off and we went on lockdown, then I can't tell you how many people like called me up and was like, Hey, do you have extra ammo?

00:32:40.970 --> 00:32:41.129
Yeah.

00:32:41.210 --> 00:32:46.649
And I'm like, Well, and I was like, Well, what what what do you need extra ammo for?

00:32:46.889 --> 00:32:47.690
Just call the police.

00:32:47.769 --> 00:32:48.490
Like, you know what I mean?

00:32:48.649 --> 00:32:50.329
Like, it's you know, it's like, yep.

00:32:50.490 --> 00:32:52.250
What's the what's the first thing to take?

00:32:52.409 --> 00:32:58.490
No, and I and I get it as well, but like government, yeah, what what's the first thing the government's gonna take?

00:32:58.649 --> 00:33:00.089
Guns and all of that type of stuff.

00:33:00.169 --> 00:33:06.970
And again, I don't I don't want to get into the crazy issue, but you you found that left, right, and center, people were buying more.

00:33:07.289 --> 00:33:10.169
People were buying more to protect themselves, to do all of that.

00:33:10.409 --> 00:33:15.769
I think even now gun sales are are still thriving and through the roof and all that.

00:33:15.849 --> 00:33:19.690
And we can you know you can get into the smaller stuff of what's necessary, all that.

00:33:19.849 --> 00:33:33.210
But I think few would argue um to even have just a handgun or something like that just for some protection or or something, few would argue that that's not okay or something like that.

00:33:33.450 --> 00:33:39.929
You know, you can talk about other stuff and full magazines and blah blah blah, but I know a lot of people.

00:33:40.089 --> 00:33:45.129
I have friends on all sides of the aisle and even pretty extreme on on some.

00:33:45.289 --> 00:33:52.970
And yeah, so it's it's wild, you know, and people panic and people will, but they they want that security.

00:33:53.129 --> 00:33:53.769
Yeah, you know?

00:33:54.009 --> 00:34:02.329
And I'm I'm definitely a big proponent of having like a last stand weapon to defend yourself, and I will argue anyone on that one.

00:34:03.210 --> 00:34:07.769
And and with with you know, let's look at history and let's look at all of that.

00:34:07.929 --> 00:34:10.570
What's the first thing that a government will do?

00:34:10.730 --> 00:34:20.409
They will take the guns away to, you know, look at what look at World War II, what what what the Germans did, what Hitler did, all that political with this.

00:34:20.730 --> 00:34:22.809
He took the guns away.

00:34:23.210 --> 00:34:23.530
Right.

00:34:23.690 --> 00:34:24.090
Right.

00:34:24.409 --> 00:34:29.769
Your inability to protect them yourself renders you vulnerable, and then they can control you more.

00:34:30.090 --> 00:34:35.690
And there's certainly a movement with certain states that try to do that, that try to restrict them as much as possible.

00:34:35.929 --> 00:34:43.369
And at the end of the day, a lot of times, not a lot of times, every time, these laws that they create only affect the law-abiding citizens.

00:34:43.530 --> 00:34:46.570
They don't affect the criminals who don't give a shit about the laws.

00:34:46.730 --> 00:34:48.730
And that's what people need to understand the most.

00:34:48.889 --> 00:34:57.050
But again, back on topic with the I think that most people I'd I'd like to think are common sense.

00:34:57.130 --> 00:35:02.570
So when you mention stuff like this or talk to them, they can at least understand what you're talking about.

00:35:03.050 --> 00:35:03.210
Right.

00:35:03.849 --> 00:35:14.170
Well, and I think this ties into the movie really well because in the movie, people have to rise up against big pharma, big money, and they have to fight back and they have to take take arms.

00:35:14.329 --> 00:35:19.690
And you spent a significant amount of time developing the world of sensor addiction.

00:35:19.849 --> 00:35:26.170
What was the biggest challenge you think in bringing this future life to the screen?

00:35:26.570 --> 00:35:44.409
It I wish, I mean, just like with any indie film, like you almost wish that you could have shown the world just a little bit more, but I wanted just certain subtle differences, certain subtle things where we even talk about, hey, little World War III happened or something like that.

00:35:44.570 --> 00:35:51.610
But it's it's just it's it's finding the little small differences to show that it's kind of in the near future a little bit.

00:35:51.769 --> 00:35:53.369
But it can be done with details.

00:35:53.529 --> 00:35:58.730
It doesn't need to be some grandiose thing where you show like a crazy skyline.

00:35:58.809 --> 00:36:00.250
That'd be awesome to show that.

00:36:00.409 --> 00:36:06.329
But just certain little differences between where we are now and where we could be in a few years from now.

00:36:06.809 --> 00:36:13.769
I what do you think is one creative choice that you made during this film that you're especially proud of?

00:36:14.250 --> 00:36:22.809
I'll give you a little bit more of a general answer, but I think it's listening to my actors with certain things, with certain improv, certain let's try this.

00:36:23.130 --> 00:36:31.449
Even, you know, part of your scene wasn't completely written in the script with the whole, you know, all of that type of stuff, but it worked.

00:36:31.610 --> 00:36:32.090
It worked.

00:36:32.409 --> 00:36:33.610
I do remember that it was amazing.

00:36:33.929 --> 00:36:41.690
I do remember that because I remember they they they coached me and told me this is what's gonna happen, and then it changed, and I was like, oh, we got I mean, I understand, be flexible.

00:36:42.170 --> 00:36:44.730
And it was and it was great, and it looks great.

00:36:44.969 --> 00:36:46.329
Trust me, it looks great.

00:36:46.570 --> 00:36:50.250
Um, those things and that they can kind of come on the fly, actually.

00:36:50.329 --> 00:36:54.329
But then it's like, you know what, this works, and it works for Mike's character.

00:36:54.889 --> 00:37:00.489
This is a freaking superhero, larger than life, terminator type guy.

00:37:00.809 --> 00:37:05.130
He would do something like that, and he he would be that rage.

00:37:05.769 --> 00:37:08.889
Uh, and you sold it well for the record.

00:37:08.969 --> 00:37:10.650
You sold it very well and all that.

00:37:10.809 --> 00:37:11.289
That was good.

00:37:11.449 --> 00:37:14.170
Because you're you're you're you're a build guy too.

00:37:14.409 --> 00:37:15.610
Mike's just crazy.

00:37:15.849 --> 00:37:18.250
Mike, Mike makes everybody look uh smaller.

00:37:18.489 --> 00:37:19.130
Oh, he's a monster.

00:37:19.449 --> 00:37:20.409
He's a monster, right?

00:37:20.570 --> 00:37:25.369
And and then, you know, he he's been doing it since the late 80s, basically.

00:37:25.449 --> 00:37:26.809
What, since he was about 18?

00:37:26.969 --> 00:37:27.289
Yeah.

00:37:27.449 --> 00:37:27.929
Something like that.

00:37:29.289 --> 00:37:30.489
That's that's commitment.

00:37:30.650 --> 00:37:33.929
I think his son's gonna probably be a monster growing up too, right?

00:37:34.170 --> 00:37:38.170
Like he is his son Titan, like he's getting him into all of that stuff too.

00:37:38.329 --> 00:37:45.929
But um, but no, though those type of things, just listening to actors, and there's some stuff that I I was like, no, no, no, let's let's not do it this way.

00:37:46.170 --> 00:37:51.610
But listening to them and and applying certain uh certain things, absolutely.

00:37:52.170 --> 00:37:52.409
Yeah.

00:37:52.650 --> 00:37:59.049
You know that you mentioned Titan, but the thing about Mike that and Mona both that I appreciated the most was their parenting.

00:37:59.210 --> 00:38:06.889
Because I talked to Mike, he had a true appreciation for the wrestling, Brazil jujitsu, and then fitness.

00:38:06.969 --> 00:38:11.529
Um whereas Mike has just been mostly a bodybuilder his his whole life and his career.

00:38:11.849 --> 00:38:13.769
But he had that appreciation of that.

00:38:13.849 --> 00:38:18.570
And he also had appreciation for military and law enforcement as well, and and just their parenting.

00:38:18.650 --> 00:38:21.449
I was it was interesting to see that side to them, you know?

00:38:21.769 --> 00:38:22.329
It was good.

00:38:22.489 --> 00:38:29.049
I mean, he's gone to a point where I'm I'm sure you see he posts stuff that some of us would would not post or anything.

00:38:29.210 --> 00:38:32.009
But no, you get you get to a point where you just don't care.

00:38:32.090 --> 00:38:33.529
There's it's it's like what we talked about.

00:38:33.610 --> 00:38:50.170
There's always gonna be haters, there's always gonna be people that but but no, I see some of the stuff where he talks about raising raising a kid and really kind of implementing this good, good positive reinforcement with stuff and having him stay active and and everything.

00:38:50.250 --> 00:38:52.009
And kudos to him with that.

00:38:52.170 --> 00:38:53.049
Kudos to him.

00:38:53.210 --> 00:38:58.329
You know, they have I've I've been over to Mike's place a few times and it's it's it's great.

00:38:58.489 --> 00:39:02.250
And the first time that I met Mike, I can't say anything bad about him.

00:39:02.329 --> 00:39:08.409
He was very welcoming, he's funny, he he's got this good sense of humor about him, but he was cool.

00:39:08.570 --> 00:39:10.969
He was cool and he's friendly, he's friendly.

00:39:11.130 --> 00:39:15.529
Like he'll never, you know, not take a picture with you and do stuff like that.

00:39:15.769 --> 00:39:20.009
Like, it's it's great, and he's got a great team and and everything, yeah.

00:39:20.329 --> 00:39:28.090
Yeah, that I'll tell you, man, like honestly, that was the coolest part about the entire set and the entire cast was everyone was so cool.

00:39:28.170 --> 00:39:33.369
And yes, a lot of the villains in this story were created to be very intense.

00:39:33.529 --> 00:39:37.769
So, can you talk to me about what was the approach that you had in developing these characters?

00:39:38.170 --> 00:39:40.809
So I'll I'll go back to you know, Robocop, right?

00:39:40.969 --> 00:39:42.969
The original Robocop and all that.

00:39:43.130 --> 00:39:45.769
I I don't know if you've seen it in a while or something, of course, right?

00:39:46.009 --> 00:39:48.969
Uh, there's uh Clarence Bodeger and Dick Jones, right?

00:39:49.130 --> 00:39:54.889
Canvas, Bart, Canvas was is kind of the main henchman of Chris Moss.

00:39:55.049 --> 00:40:05.210
And I wanted a little bit of that dynamic where there's this sadistic, you know, gritty type person, and then the the top boss that delegates all of all of the stuff.

00:40:05.369 --> 00:40:13.529
And I'm just really influenced by those, you know, gritty action thrillers, sci-fi, all that.

00:40:13.690 --> 00:40:14.409
I I just love it.

00:40:14.489 --> 00:40:16.489
I'd want us to bring that back more.

00:40:16.570 --> 00:40:21.610
There's still some good films coming out, but just that was like that was a good time.

00:40:21.769 --> 00:40:23.369
That was a good time right there.

00:40:23.449 --> 00:40:25.529
The the characters were incredible.

00:40:25.769 --> 00:40:29.369
So credit to Bart, to Chris, they kill it.

00:40:29.610 --> 00:40:31.690
Um, you know, so yeah.

00:40:31.849 --> 00:40:38.090
And vil villains for me are always almost more fun to write than the heroes, weirdly enough.

00:40:38.250 --> 00:40:42.809
Maybe it's the dark side of me or something like that, but uh, but it's good.

00:40:43.130 --> 00:40:43.369
Yeah.

00:40:43.529 --> 00:40:47.130
I think what I liked the most was the chemistry between everyone that you had.

00:40:47.369 --> 00:40:53.849
For you, what's it like directing an uh a cast that with seasoned performers?

00:40:54.009 --> 00:40:57.449
Like you mentioned it earlier, you've got Vernon Wells, you've got Mike O'Hearn there.

00:40:57.610 --> 00:41:05.369
And what's it like for you when you have those types of folks on set versus like some of the younger guys that are new to the new to the whole game?

00:41:05.769 --> 00:41:16.730
Well, people like Vernon and even Vanessa Angel and and and all of that, they've been in the game so long, but you see why they still work so much because they respected me.

00:41:16.889 --> 00:41:18.730
They gave that respect back.

00:41:18.969 --> 00:41:23.210
And even when I met with them beforehand, like they were very chill.

00:41:23.369 --> 00:41:37.849
They they, whether I was a big studio director versus an indie director like me, they they love the script, they love the character, and they listened to me just like the the the newcomers do, and all of that, you know.

00:41:38.009 --> 00:41:46.409
They knew I had a vision, they'd ask questions for clarification, but they were thankfully really, really great to work with.

00:41:46.650 --> 00:41:48.489
So that that's what I like.

00:41:48.570 --> 00:41:51.289
I've I've been pleasantly surprised by all that.

00:41:51.449 --> 00:41:56.170
And that's why, again, I I've worked with Vanessa twice, Vernon four times.

00:41:56.650 --> 00:41:58.489
I love working with these people.

00:41:58.809 --> 00:41:59.130
Yeah.

00:41:59.769 --> 00:42:05.369
Definitely have a great um great chemistry between you and them and then them working with each other.

00:42:05.529 --> 00:42:11.610
Uh, how do you think censor addiction compares to your earlier films like Chase or uh The Charisma Killers?

00:42:11.849 --> 00:42:27.690
Well, it's funny, one uh I don't know if you saw, I think I posted it, but uh one of our critic reviews that came out about a week ago, and this guy had seen a bunch of my films, he said that this was the best film that I ever did, which I'm I'm very blessed to hear and happy to hear.

00:42:27.849 --> 00:42:38.090
I definitely feel like this one, I don't want to bias people and all that, but I feel like this would definitely be in the top, top 25% of the films and all that.

00:42:38.250 --> 00:42:45.210
I'm curious for uh people if they'll like this one more or Charisma Killers, my last film more.

00:42:45.369 --> 00:42:49.369
They're very different, but I'm just curious because they are my two most recent films.

00:42:49.529 --> 00:42:52.570
But uh this would definitely be be up there.

00:42:52.730 --> 00:42:55.529
You know, we we really we kept it tight, you know.

00:42:55.610 --> 00:42:57.449
It's a good, it's about an hour and a half.

00:42:57.690 --> 00:43:03.929
Could have been a lot longer, to be honest, but we shaved about 30 minutes because we wanted to keep it flowing.

00:43:04.090 --> 00:43:12.809
You know, how many films have we seen recently where it's like two and a half hours and you're like, oh, this film could have been like 45 minutes shorter, right?

00:43:12.889 --> 00:43:13.210
Yeah.

00:43:13.449 --> 00:43:16.409
So I feel like it flows really, really well.

00:43:17.289 --> 00:43:18.570
I'm proud of it though.

00:43:18.730 --> 00:43:19.449
I'm proud of it.

00:43:19.529 --> 00:43:21.369
I do feel like it's one of my best.

00:43:21.849 --> 00:43:30.170
I was amazed that you had some guys like Will Rollins all the way from England here.

00:43:30.489 --> 00:43:34.409
Uh, and you had guys like fly fly from all over the United States here for this.

00:43:34.650 --> 00:43:34.889
I know.

00:43:35.049 --> 00:43:38.809
And that's why I that's why I have so much gratitude because this is kind of in my backyard.

00:43:39.210 --> 00:43:43.690
And I just stumbled, I was stumbled on lunch, and then next thing you know, I'm like there and working with you guys.

00:43:43.849 --> 00:43:46.090
So I was so fortunate about this, man.

00:43:46.170 --> 00:43:49.929
And um the film, does it open any possibilities for sequels?

00:43:50.250 --> 00:43:51.049
Sure, sure.

00:43:51.210 --> 00:43:55.289
A a lot of my films kind of have this thing about uh open-ended and all of that.

00:43:55.529 --> 00:43:56.409
But yeah, no, no, no.

00:43:56.489 --> 00:44:07.769
It opens or excuse me, it it I feel like it definitely leaves stuff to where it's like, okay, maybe a chapter's done, but the whole book's not done, that there's more to to to it.

00:44:07.929 --> 00:44:12.809
So depending on how it does and stuff like that, I'd I'd be open.

00:44:12.969 --> 00:44:17.849
I mean, I I feel like it's a world worth exploring even more and and everything.

00:44:17.929 --> 00:44:19.769
So, yes, the short answer is of course.

00:44:19.929 --> 00:44:23.369
I'm I'm definitely open to more and and everything.

00:44:23.449 --> 00:44:23.690
Yes.

00:44:24.009 --> 00:44:24.969
So fascinating, man.

00:44:25.049 --> 00:44:32.809
I'm I'm excited and I'm glad that my first experience was being on your set because it was a great experience.

00:44:32.969 --> 00:44:33.289
Thank you.

00:44:33.449 --> 00:44:37.130
And it kind of charged me to like want to stay involved in this sort of thing.

00:44:37.369 --> 00:44:42.009
And but I want to ask you, man, like as a as a creative yourself, yeah.

00:44:42.090 --> 00:44:48.090
Um, are there any daily rituals or habits that keep you creative and grounded during the shoots?

00:44:48.250 --> 00:44:53.049
Like, is there anything that directors or writers do, sort of like baseball players, right?

00:44:53.130 --> 00:44:53.289
Uh huh.

00:44:53.449 --> 00:44:56.650
That that you do to kind of stay in your your head in the game.

00:44:58.250 --> 00:45:03.769
I will watch certain scenes from movies just to keep me sharp and motivated.

00:45:04.009 --> 00:45:10.730
I will listen to certain songs or scores, scores from from movies, and it'll just motivate me.

00:45:10.809 --> 00:45:23.929
Even as I'm driving to set sometimes, I'll be listening to either a a podcast or a scene or a a certain score from a movie where I'm just like, this is this is, you know, I'll watch some of the greats.

00:45:24.170 --> 00:45:29.529
I'll watch either Scorsese film or again RoboCop or whatever it may be.

00:45:29.610 --> 00:45:31.369
And it motivates me.

00:45:31.449 --> 00:45:34.409
It's like a pump up, you know, all of that.

00:45:34.650 --> 00:45:37.289
So that is, or like I could do this.

00:45:37.369 --> 00:45:40.650
I'm not that far off from making a film like that.

00:45:40.889 --> 00:45:41.449
Yes.

00:45:41.690 --> 00:45:53.210
I'll tell you, man, like even having this podcast when I was on set, I had a true appreciation for the lighting crew, for for the sound guys, for all of it.

00:45:53.369 --> 00:45:55.529
Because doing this, like I'm kind of a one-man show.

00:45:55.610 --> 00:45:58.730
When I'm even now I'm like flipping this flipping the switches here and there.

00:45:59.289 --> 00:46:05.449
But but like it was interesting to see it all come together like on the on the silver screen, I guess.

00:46:05.610 --> 00:46:07.849
You have a strong visual style in your films.

00:46:08.009 --> 00:46:12.969
How involved are you in aspects like the cinematography, the music, and and all that stuff?

00:46:13.049 --> 00:46:15.049
And do you work with the same crew like when you do that as well?

00:46:15.449 --> 00:46:16.170
Recently I have.

00:46:16.329 --> 00:46:21.610
Shout out to Fabian, who's Fabian's great, who's my cinematographer, also edited it.

00:46:21.769 --> 00:46:23.610
So he understands my vision.

00:46:23.690 --> 00:46:28.489
You know, we've worked on a bunch of films before together where he knows what style.

00:46:28.650 --> 00:46:32.730
We've obviously talked about references and samples and other stuff.

00:46:32.889 --> 00:46:37.690
The the uh composer Grant, who's great, he scored my last like five films.

00:46:37.929 --> 00:46:39.130
He understands my vision.

00:46:39.210 --> 00:46:43.449
I'll give him certain examples or certain I want it this way, that way, the whole bit.

00:46:43.610 --> 00:46:50.650
And he's able to do it where I actually don't need to give them that much direction after a while, you know, because they just get it.

00:46:50.809 --> 00:46:56.090
I listen, I review, but a lot of times I'm like, good to go, you got it.

00:46:56.170 --> 00:46:57.690
This is what we wanted to do.

00:46:57.929 --> 00:46:58.329
Yeah.

00:46:58.489 --> 00:46:59.929
So it's it's good, man.

00:47:00.809 --> 00:47:01.529
So exciting.

00:47:01.690 --> 00:47:04.489
So sensor addiction, when is it coming out?

00:47:04.730 --> 00:47:06.250
Where can people see it?

00:47:06.489 --> 00:47:08.250
Uh, give us the info on all that.

00:47:08.489 --> 00:47:11.690
So good news is found out two or three days ago.

00:47:11.849 --> 00:47:13.369
It's gonna be March 3rd.

00:47:13.610 --> 00:47:14.489
March 3rd.

00:47:14.730 --> 00:47:19.849
So I don't know when this is gonna air or anything like that, but coming up soon, regardless.

00:47:20.090 --> 00:47:34.409
March 3rd, and it's gonna be on VOD, so it'll be on uh Amazon, Voodoo, a bunch of those type of platforms, and then DVD, DVD, Walmart, and it'll also be in libraries to rent as well.

00:47:35.130 --> 00:47:35.529
It's crazy.

00:47:35.610 --> 00:47:39.369
That's gonna be like in 9,000 libraries, that's what they said, which is pretty wild.

00:47:39.529 --> 00:47:42.730
Uh, you know, has the there's like the DVD section you can rent out.

00:47:42.969 --> 00:47:48.329
So it'll be on on all of those, obviously, good to support, but I'm super excited about it.

00:47:48.409 --> 00:47:54.730
And based on some of the critic reviews that uh that have gotten the the early screener, it's been very favorable.

00:47:54.969 --> 00:47:57.610
They've actually really enjoyed it um and everything.

00:47:57.769 --> 00:48:00.889
So yeah, March 3rd, I believe that's Tuesday.

00:48:01.130 --> 00:48:04.170
Tuesday, March 3rd is when it's dropping in.

00:48:04.409 --> 00:48:10.409
Definitely gonna be watching it again on the my my TV or with my brother.

00:48:10.969 --> 00:48:13.849
I'm gonna make sure that this comes out before then.

00:48:13.929 --> 00:48:19.210
And I'm also interested in connecting with the actors and having them on the podcast as well.

00:48:19.449 --> 00:48:20.409
I'm sure they would love that.

00:48:20.570 --> 00:48:22.889
Hey, I'm excited, man, because this this is my first time.

00:48:23.210 --> 00:48:23.929
You will like it.

00:48:24.090 --> 00:48:27.449
You made the cut, you credited, all of that stuff.

00:48:27.610 --> 00:48:30.650
So it's you know, it'll be fun for you to watch it.

00:48:30.730 --> 00:48:36.809
You can even take a picture view on the thing and you know, sharing a screen with Mike O'Hearn that way.

00:48:36.969 --> 00:48:38.570
Come on, that's pretty memorable, man.

00:48:38.730 --> 00:48:39.130
Yeah, yeah.

00:48:39.449 --> 00:48:41.929
You know, and you have lines in it and all of that.

00:48:42.009 --> 00:48:43.529
So come on, that's pretty cool, man.

00:48:43.929 --> 00:48:45.769
Like I said, I have so much gratitude.

00:48:45.849 --> 00:48:49.049
I'm so fortunate, man, to it's gonna, it's gonna humble you.

00:48:49.130 --> 00:48:57.210
I think that you maybe you'll even get chills a little bit when you watch it because you're gonna be like, holy crap, because remember, people are seeing this all over the world.

00:48:57.369 --> 00:48:59.849
I mean, that's pretty cool if you think about it.

00:48:59.929 --> 00:49:13.289
See, even for me, you have to step back sometimes and see how far you've come and read like, wow, wow, somebody from North Carolina who wherever random ass place, like that's pretty incredible.

00:49:13.449 --> 00:49:14.009
Yeah, right?

00:49:14.250 --> 00:49:15.049
Yeah, totally.

00:49:15.289 --> 00:49:16.090
So you'll like it.

00:49:16.329 --> 00:49:17.769
No, I'm I'm I'm excited, man.

00:49:17.849 --> 00:49:19.210
I'm actually looking forward to it.

00:49:19.369 --> 00:49:30.570
Um you know, growing up in the 80s and 90s, Michael, I I just want to mention to you real quick, like we have that was a fascinating time for us to like for for music, for entertainment and everything.

00:49:31.130 --> 00:49:34.409
And I feel like uh since then things have shifted in Hollywood.

00:49:34.650 --> 00:49:39.210
What do you think what's one mistake that you see emerging filmmakers make coming up?

00:49:40.809 --> 00:49:41.769
That's a good question.

00:49:42.009 --> 00:49:54.170
Emerging filmmakers, I feel like they want to placate or virtue signal to the greater audience without really taking in what they want.

00:49:54.329 --> 00:49:55.849
What story do they want to tell?

00:49:55.929 --> 00:50:05.690
Because if you want to just check off certain boxes or do something that you think the audience is gonna like, a lot of the time it backfires, you know, and and everything.

00:50:05.849 --> 00:50:11.130
It's just remember at the end of the day, people want to see movies to be entertained.

00:50:11.289 --> 00:50:13.049
It's a form of escapism.

00:50:13.449 --> 00:50:20.170
They want to be entertained, they don't want to be lectured to, they don't want certain agendas, certain stuff like that.

00:50:20.409 --> 00:50:21.849
They want to be entertained.

00:50:22.009 --> 00:50:23.529
So entertain them.

00:50:23.849 --> 00:50:24.969
That's what I think.

00:50:25.289 --> 00:50:25.690
Yeah.

00:50:26.009 --> 00:50:37.690
And I, you know, I it's interesting because I watched a uh video the other day and and they were talking about hip-hop and rap, and they were talking about how in the own creative work.

00:50:37.929 --> 00:50:46.809
And but nowadays it feels like a lot of rappers, for example, in hip hop is trying to copy each other, even their style, like their whole like machine gun style that they're doing now.

00:50:47.210 --> 00:50:49.690
Versus like in the 90s, there everyone had their own style.

00:50:49.929 --> 00:50:50.809
They created their own.

00:50:50.969 --> 00:50:52.730
But like you're saying, just stay true to yourself.

00:50:52.809 --> 00:50:52.889
Yes.

00:50:53.130 --> 00:50:54.090
What you believe is right.

00:50:54.250 --> 00:50:55.449
Don't copy other people, right?

00:50:55.929 --> 00:51:06.009
Don't, you know, it it's if you want to just go after the most popular thing and just all that, people can see the the how not authentic you are.

00:51:06.170 --> 00:51:08.650
So just be true to yourself, exactly.

00:51:09.049 --> 00:51:10.889
Tell the stories you want to tell.

00:51:11.130 --> 00:51:16.170
I understand that not everybody's gonna like my films, but I know people that do, right?

00:51:16.329 --> 00:51:23.449
And I know people that know my style, and if they're in the mood for my style type films, they are going to enjoy it.

00:51:23.769 --> 00:51:28.650
If you want a cool action mixed with suspense type stuff, you're gonna like this film.

00:51:28.809 --> 00:51:36.489
If you've seen some of my other ones, you're gonna see certain themes and motifs and stuff like that, and you'll enjoy it.

00:51:36.570 --> 00:51:37.289
Yeah you know?

00:51:37.529 --> 00:51:37.849
Yeah.

00:51:38.170 --> 00:51:38.809
That's what I think.

00:51:39.130 --> 00:51:44.730
Yeah, staying staying true to yourself is definitely um something that helps create the creativity.

00:51:44.809 --> 00:51:48.009
And I think it's something that we're missing today in entertainment in general.

00:51:48.250 --> 00:51:48.409
Yes.

00:51:48.730 --> 00:51:54.250
So who are some of the directors or films that have influenced your work throughout your life?

00:51:54.570 --> 00:52:21.690
Uh again, you know, Scorsese, Hitchcock, you know, Kubrick, this Japanese director Kurosawa, um all all of those people really, uh you know, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, um all of those type J James Cameron, I don't know if I mentioned that, but yeah, all those people that just make these amazing films, these entertaining, thought-provoking films, that's that's what I love, you know?

00:52:21.849 --> 00:52:25.369
So though those are the big boys that influenced me for sure.

00:52:25.529 --> 00:52:25.610
Yeah.

00:52:25.849 --> 00:52:29.449
And Paul Verhoven, the guy who directed Robocop, can't leave him out.

00:52:29.610 --> 00:52:29.769
Yeah.

00:52:29.849 --> 00:52:32.889
And he did Total Recall as well, and Starship Troopers.

00:52:33.130 --> 00:52:35.130
So pretty, pretty cool and all that.

00:52:35.449 --> 00:52:38.250
Has anybody in the business kind of been a mentor for you?

00:52:38.650 --> 00:52:46.650
There I had a next door neighbor, his name is Robert Mintz, who passed away a few years ago, but he wrote some of the original Batman from the 60s.

00:52:46.809 --> 00:52:51.769
So, and his dad was in silent films in like the 20s and stuff like that.

00:52:51.849 --> 00:52:53.369
So he was old Hollywood.

00:52:53.529 --> 00:52:55.210
He helped mentor me a little bit.

00:52:55.369 --> 00:52:55.929
Oh, wow, okay.

00:52:56.090 --> 00:52:57.049
And and all of that.

00:52:57.210 --> 00:53:00.730
It's good to have mentors, it's good to have people that you look up to and all that.

00:53:00.809 --> 00:53:02.489
But he he was one of them for sure.

00:53:02.650 --> 00:53:02.889
Yeah.

00:53:03.289 --> 00:53:04.570
It's hard to hear about in passing.

00:53:05.049 --> 00:53:09.289
He he was he was well into his 90s, so I think he lived a pretty good life.

00:53:09.449 --> 00:53:09.769
Yeah.

00:53:09.929 --> 00:53:10.969
You know, yeah.

00:53:11.369 --> 00:53:13.369
So what's next on the agenda for you, man?

00:53:13.449 --> 00:53:15.049
Like after censor addiction?

00:53:15.369 --> 00:53:16.809
It's a very good question, man.

00:53:16.969 --> 00:53:23.929
I as you know, I kind of have also gotten into talent management a little bit, representing some actors and stuff like that.

00:53:24.090 --> 00:53:26.570
But no, I mean, I'm I'm open.

00:53:26.650 --> 00:53:28.170
I'm seeing what it is, you know.

00:53:28.250 --> 00:53:30.889
This this has been a journey getting sensor out.

00:53:31.049 --> 00:53:36.969
I want to see how censor addiction does and all that, and then I'll see what the next play is, you know?

00:53:37.210 --> 00:53:37.369
Yeah.

00:53:37.610 --> 00:53:38.570
That's kind of what I think.

00:53:38.889 --> 00:53:40.409
I just want to ask real quick, because I'm curious.

00:53:40.489 --> 00:53:41.449
So how how does it work?

00:53:41.529 --> 00:53:45.690
So once the film is done and it's edited, um, it then goes where?

00:53:46.250 --> 00:53:54.250
Then you start to pitch it to pr uh excuse me, to distributors, or you shop it around to distributors, or you can go to film festivals, all that.

00:53:54.409 --> 00:53:56.489
So I got referred to a distributor.

00:53:56.570 --> 00:53:57.769
I really like their bit.

00:53:57.929 --> 00:54:01.130
They like the film, they wanted to take it, uh, take it.

00:54:01.289 --> 00:54:03.849
And yeah, so I went with them.

00:54:04.009 --> 00:54:06.489
And hopefully, hopefully it does well.

00:54:06.650 --> 00:54:07.449
Hopefully.

00:54:07.690 --> 00:54:09.210
Um, but I feel good about them.

00:54:09.369 --> 00:54:16.409
I feel good about them, and especially I was referred to by somebody that I trust, somebody that I has a good track record to.

00:54:16.650 --> 00:54:19.929
So then it goes to distributor and they handle all of that stuff.

00:54:20.170 --> 00:54:21.690
Basically getting it out there.

00:54:21.929 --> 00:54:22.170
Cool.

00:54:22.409 --> 00:54:24.329
Yeah, I always wondered how that process works.

00:54:24.409 --> 00:54:28.329
Um, and it just sounds like it's it's kind of a it can be stressful.

00:54:28.969 --> 00:54:33.529
It can be stressful getting getting the deliverables, getting all of these certain things.

00:54:33.610 --> 00:54:37.449
But once it's done and once you have a release date, you're like, thank God.

00:54:37.610 --> 00:54:38.570
Yes, it's good.

00:54:38.889 --> 00:54:39.049
Yeah.

00:54:39.130 --> 00:54:41.049
And how does the marketing work like after this?

00:54:41.130 --> 00:54:43.289
Like, is there is there already budget for that?

00:54:43.769 --> 00:54:49.529
I mean, a lot of it's just it's me promoting even on social media, having other people promote the whole bit.

00:54:49.690 --> 00:54:51.449
My actors promote everything.

00:54:52.409 --> 00:54:59.369
They're gonna maybe take it to certain places, but it's just a lot of it's word of mouth and just getting it out there and posting about it.

00:54:59.529 --> 00:55:01.049
That's that's super important.

00:55:01.449 --> 00:55:01.769
Right.

00:55:01.929 --> 00:55:02.250
You know?

00:55:02.650 --> 00:55:07.210
Michael, what legacy do you hope to leave through your filmmaking?

00:55:08.009 --> 00:55:09.210
That's a great question.

00:55:09.289 --> 00:55:10.329
That's a very great question.

00:55:10.409 --> 00:55:11.449
It's a heavy question.

00:55:13.289 --> 00:55:19.929
Just that I told the stories that I wanted to tell and that I wanted to entertain people.

00:55:20.329 --> 00:55:31.769
I I wanted to talk about characters that all have crosses that they have to bear and deal with it, that not everything is black and white, that these characters are conflicted and and everything.

00:55:31.929 --> 00:55:35.610
Not everybody's 100% good or 100% bad.

00:55:35.849 --> 00:55:39.130
The most important people are where it's shades of gray, right?

00:55:39.449 --> 00:55:51.929
So those type of stories, and that I didn't fall victim to just certain, oh, I'm making this film to hit a certain agenda or to get political this way or overtly or anything like that.

00:55:52.090 --> 00:55:53.849
I strayed true to myself.

00:55:53.929 --> 00:56:02.090
Um, and I also wanted to entertain people and bring it back to the A's and N's and all of that.

00:56:02.329 --> 00:56:07.769
So, because so many people, again, their films that are are just lecture to people.

00:56:07.929 --> 00:56:12.329
And it's like, no, you watch my films, want you to just be entertained.

00:56:12.489 --> 00:56:12.730
Right.

00:56:12.889 --> 00:56:15.210
Okay, just be entertained, just enjoy it.

00:56:15.289 --> 00:56:15.449
Right.

00:56:15.690 --> 00:56:16.250
Enjoy it.

00:56:16.489 --> 00:56:16.809
Right.

00:56:16.969 --> 00:56:17.610
That's it.

00:56:17.849 --> 00:56:18.329
You know?

00:56:18.570 --> 00:56:24.009
You know, man, I gotta say, like, even on set, like your your temperament overall, like you never seem to get pissed off.

00:56:24.170 --> 00:56:25.130
You never got mad.

00:56:25.210 --> 00:56:28.250
You never you always just kind of I got stressed, but I don't think I got mad.

00:56:28.409 --> 00:56:29.049
No, thank you.

00:56:29.289 --> 00:56:34.009
But even outwardly, like I could like the way you are now was the way you are the entire time.

00:56:34.250 --> 00:56:34.489
Thank you.

00:56:34.730 --> 00:56:37.449
I mean, I think that says that says a lot about you and just who you are.

00:56:37.529 --> 00:56:38.889
And I just can't burn myself.

00:56:39.289 --> 00:56:40.409
And the professional that you are.

00:56:41.130 --> 00:56:41.610
Thank you, man.

00:56:41.849 --> 00:56:42.570
So thank you.

00:56:42.730 --> 00:56:42.969
Thank you.

00:56:43.049 --> 00:56:44.730
I I really know, and likewise to you.

00:56:44.809 --> 00:56:46.809
And again, look, we're gonna be working together.

00:56:47.049 --> 00:56:49.130
Again, I have no no doubt about that.

00:56:49.289 --> 00:56:50.889
But yeah, no, I appreciate it, man.

00:56:50.969 --> 00:56:53.529
I'm gonna continue to try to be this way, that's for sure.

00:56:53.849 --> 00:57:04.009
Yeah, I I think it's best to just to have a baseline like that when it comes to your mood, emotions, and it it that has a tendency to put a trend on everyone else and the environment that you're in.

00:57:04.090 --> 00:57:09.289
So anyone out there listening to this who's interested in following you, what social media platforms are you on?

00:57:09.929 --> 00:57:12.650
Um I'm on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

00:57:12.730 --> 00:57:15.210
It's just Michael Mateo Rossi, you look it up.

00:57:15.289 --> 00:57:16.570
I'm verified on those.

00:57:16.650 --> 00:57:20.570
So feel free to send me a message, say hi, you know, all that.

00:57:20.650 --> 00:57:22.730
I try to be pretty receptive that way.

00:57:22.969 --> 00:57:27.929
Um and yeah, and I use it pretty actively, almost daily, which is a lot.

00:57:28.009 --> 00:57:28.650
But it's good.

00:57:28.730 --> 00:57:30.409
It's weirdly therapeutic for me.

00:57:30.570 --> 00:57:33.289
So uh so you can follow me on all of those.

00:57:33.449 --> 00:57:34.409
And threads.

00:57:34.650 --> 00:57:35.610
Other, I always forget.

00:57:36.009 --> 00:57:36.409
Threads, yeah.

00:57:36.650 --> 00:57:37.049
Threads.

00:57:37.130 --> 00:57:38.329
I I try to use that too.

00:57:38.409 --> 00:57:38.650
But yeah.

00:57:38.969 --> 00:57:40.170
Well, I really appreciate it, man.

00:57:40.329 --> 00:57:44.809
Was there anything uh that you wanted to mention before we round off this episode that I didn't talk about?

00:57:45.210 --> 00:57:49.849
Just just that I really do appreciate the people that I work with and and everything.

00:57:50.009 --> 00:57:55.449
And I know I didn't name drop maybe uh as much as I should, but you know who you are.

00:57:55.610 --> 00:58:05.049
You know the actors and the crew and everything that uh that I've worked with and and even the supporters and my friends who maybe I haven't worked with yet.

00:58:05.210 --> 00:58:09.130
I appreciate all of you because I I see how supportive you are.

00:58:09.210 --> 00:58:10.009
And thank you.

00:58:10.250 --> 00:58:11.610
Basically, thank you.

00:58:12.009 --> 00:58:13.449
No, I really appreciate it, man.

00:58:13.529 --> 00:58:20.889
Um it's quite an honor to have you come all the way down here to my humble shack uh to do this, though.

00:58:21.130 --> 00:58:21.610
Yeah, man.

00:58:21.690 --> 00:58:23.529
I I do my best with what I got.

00:58:23.690 --> 00:58:25.769
But um I really appreciate it, man.

00:58:25.849 --> 00:58:27.610
And and give me the give me the opportunity.

00:58:27.769 --> 00:58:29.130
I mean, thank you so much for that.

00:58:29.690 --> 00:58:36.329
Um to bring like my experiences, my you know, military law enforcement experiences to to the big screen as well.

00:58:36.409 --> 00:58:38.650
And and uh yeah, I would love to work with you again, man.

00:58:38.730 --> 00:58:39.769
I Oh we will.

00:58:40.009 --> 00:58:40.409
We will.

00:58:40.889 --> 00:58:43.049
You know, but yeah, let's let's do dinner again sometime.

00:58:43.210 --> 00:58:44.730
I'd love to get you and Force together.

00:58:44.969 --> 00:58:45.610
Let's do it.

00:58:45.769 --> 00:58:52.489
Sometimes we get uh kind of spun up in our daily lives and we don't take time out to just sit down and break bread.

00:58:52.570 --> 00:58:53.929
So I'd like to do that again, man.

00:58:54.250 --> 00:58:54.889
I love that.

00:58:55.049 --> 00:58:58.329
This was great, man, and and and I thoroughly enjoyed it too.

00:58:58.489 --> 00:58:59.130
Seriously.

00:58:59.449 --> 00:59:01.289
Check out sensor addiction.

00:59:01.529 --> 00:59:04.650
Um at the end of the day, um, it's got me in it.

00:59:04.809 --> 00:59:08.170
And then also, too, so many great actors and actresses as well.

00:59:08.329 --> 00:59:10.170
Uh Michael, thank you again.

00:59:10.250 --> 00:59:10.730
I appreciate it.

00:59:10.969 --> 00:59:11.130
Thank you.

00:59:11.449 --> 00:59:11.769
Thank you.

00:59:11.929 --> 00:59:13.210
This was this was great.

00:59:13.449 --> 00:59:16.650
Censor addiction coming soon, and thank you, brother.

00:59:16.889 --> 00:59:17.289
Thank you.

00:59:17.610 --> 00:59:24.969
Michael's out here not just making movies, but he's crafting worlds that provoke thought, challenge expectations, and entertains in equal measure.

00:59:25.210 --> 00:59:30.570
I can't wait to see where your story ends up next and what uh story you create.

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For everyone else out there, make sure you follow Michael on all the social media platforms.

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You can scroll down to the bottom and see in the description how you can follow him either on Instagram or Twitter or X.

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But again, check out Sensor Addiction.

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It's coming out on March 3rd, and I'll make sure this episode comes out before then.

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As always, I want you to stay tuned, stay focused, and stay motivated.

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Warriors fall out.