Local producer has waited long enough
From tortellini to Tribeca, how one actor found a recipe for cinematic
success
By Christopher Zara
Do we know how to pick the winners, or what? Last year, Show Business
first wrote about local actor/producer Tim House as he was just putting the
finishing touches on his quasi zombie film, “Mulberry Street,” which chronicles
a strange viral outbreak that spreads across lower Manhattan turning residents
into ravenous rat people. House’s low-budget labor of love has since become a
runaway festival hit, with screenings at Stockholm, South by Southwest and, most
recently, Tribeca, where it played to packed crowds. The film also piqued the
interest of distribution companies and nabbed a three-and-a-half-star review in
the popular horror rag Fangoria.
House, who works as a waiter, gave an almost all-too-obvious answer when asked
what makes a successful indie film producer. “Hard work,” he replied. “I worked
full-time all the way through production. I also begged, borrowed, stole and
mortgaged my condo.”
Rather than shoulder the financial
burden alone, House approached a longtime business colleague who agreed to come
on board and match House’s funds dollar for dollar. Later, he was assisted by
“Transamerica” producer Belladonna Productions. House said being willing to put
up your own money is key to convincing backers to fund a film. “They know that
if they go down the tubes, you’re going down with them.”
The next ingredient for success, according to House, is finding the right
talent. With 17 years’ experience working as an actor in New York, House has no
shortage of show business contacts. It was during a sit-down meeting with two
friends, director/writer Jim Mickle and co-writer Nick Damici, that “Mulberry
Street” was born. “We looked around and realized we had all the components to
make a movie,” House recalled.
From the looks of things “Mulberry Street,” and House, will have a bright
future. Multiple distributors are currently courting the film, and House is
hoping it will see a theatrical release sometime soon.
(c)
2007 Show Business Weekly
