We always enjoy covering Ethan’s work! Not every everyone can start a phenomenal film career while in high school. Even though he has started college, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Ethan’s curiosity and tenacity is the driving force behind his films receiving several awards. “I earnestly search for complex characters that are female, queer or people of color in every script I read. In order to grasp the full human experience, I need to see the world reflected back to me in what I read,” says Ethan in expressing the formula of making a great film.
It’s exciting to watch talent evolve and grow. Ethan is definitely the one to watch. He’s is working on several projects, such as Dumpcake Comedy, a comedy-sketch series directed by Clay Flaten. Check out the interview below, to learn more about him and his latest projects.
Hi, Ethan! We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us about your latest projects. You’re an award-winning producer that is well-established in the industry. You have a slate of projects to your credit, with several currently in production. What’s up next?
Hi, Occhi Magazine! To answer your question directly, too much … currently, I’m shooting Season One of Dumpcake Comedy, a comedy-sketch series directed by Clay Flaten to be shopped for TV distribution during 2019 pilot season. I’m also developing another episodic series for pilot season pitch and I have two features in pre-production, one of which I might be traveling to Hong Kong to shoot next year. And I just started working as a producer at PaperChase Films, the company behind Netflix’s The Kindergarten Teacher. On the side, I’m broadening my craft in college and conceptualizing a new script. Probably the busiest moment in my career so far!
You’re an amazing storyteller and it has been your biggest asset in producing several successful projects. Do you write your stories with the cast in mind?
Thanks for the kind words! I feel like I’m more strategic than creative when it comes to filmmaking, so when I write I definitely have the production bible with the names of the talent and crew in mind. This gets tricky because sometimes you catch yourself copying another film’s concept, and that obviously has legal consequences as a writer. But it helps to find a comparable film when you’re fundraising and marketing something as a producer.
“Dumpcake Comedy” is one of the latest productions you’re producing. How did you get involved with the project?
My friend had appeared in a social media video made by a member of a YouTube series titled Dumpcake Comedy. I quickly became obsessed with Dumpcake’s content and then I harassed Clay to let me be part of the team and grow their series as a producer. To this day, it’s some of the funniest writing I’ve ever read and I fully believe in giving the artists behind Dumpcake a larger platform. Right now we’re focusing on rebranding the channel and embarking a marketing initiative to boost YouTube engagements before approaching a network for funding and distribution. We live in a world of political correctness that desperately needs a reason to laugh, and I think that’s what this series can do for a greater audience.
Are you involved in the writing of the series?
Not at all! Clay Flaten, Ruby Monette-Meadow, and Lauren LaSalle are natural comedy geniuses. There’s no reason to interject unless something proves outside of our production capacity.
Let’s talk career strategy. What types of projects do you see yourself producing in the future?
As a producer in 2018, my priority has become episodic content. Media consumers have shifted from the big screen (movies) to the small screen (TV), to the even smaller screen (iPhones, tablets). TV is everywhere you look these days, and it’s a medium I’m passionate about telling stories with. 2019 pilot season will tell what comes next from me! And of course short term I’m busy with feature film content but long term, I see myself delivering content for TV distribution.
Read: Filmmaker Ethan Paisley Discusses “Wilted”, Filmmaking, and Other Upcoming Projects
What advice can you give a film producer in terms of building a career in production?
If you want to be a producer, you can’t wait around for opportunity: you have to develop, produce, and market your own content right away. Identify what kind of stories you’re passionate about and begin seeking them out. Once you have a story, you have to use everything in your capacity to bring that story to life. Everyone assumes to be a producer you have to be wealthy with resources, both fiscal and social. Guess what? We live in the 21st century where all of those resources exist on your phone: talent in Facebook groups, an iPhone camera to shoot your movie, and social media apps to promote your trailer. There’s no reason to not be making something these days.
If someone approaches you with an original and compelling story, but the script wasn’t completed, would you take on the project?
I would absolutely take on a project if the story moves me. Development is part of my role as a producer. If you have a strong story but a weak script, my job is to help develop the script so it tells the story in the best way it possibly can. I’ve learned this from mentors on a recent feature project Turn Out that is finishing development and starting pre-production at the end of the year.
In determining new projects to produce, what do you look for? Does marketability matter or the potential development of the project?
Of course, I’m technically always hunting for partial financing or casting when reviewing projects to produce, but most projects lack that at an early development stage. At that point, it boils down to the story and as you said, marketability. If there’s a good story that also fits a current market, it’s a done deal. Right now, a lot of that for me is episodic material. People often forget they’re working in the film BUSINESS. Business, in my mind, takes up 70% of the process.
Read: Director Ethan Paisley Chats With Us About His Film “Indelible” and Inspiring Others
When pitching a new project, what is your approach?
My mental process when pitching is bit complex to break down, but overall it’s all about preparation, clear syntax, and tricking yourself that the script is better than it really is. I put on a performance when I pitch, I have to pretend I’m a car salesman with the mind of a financier. This mentality will be getting me through the next couple of months!
What advice can you give writers in protecting their original material?
Though it might feel tempting, keep the concept private for as long as you can. If it’s shared too soon you run two risks: somebody will copy your work or people will treat your project differently based on its development status. You can also technically ensure it’s privacy by depositing $25 for a WGA #.
When reviewing a spec script, what does it take to grab your attention?
I earnestly search for complex characters that are female, queer or people of color in every script I read. In order to grasp the full human experience, I need to see the world reflected back to me in what I read. Ultimately we all need someone to relate to, and most of the time this doesn’t come with a cisgender caucasian hetero man, for me at least. Technically speaking, the call to action needs to appear in the first 15 pages of the script and it should be under 100 pages if it’s a feature film, under 60 if it’s a pilot. Character and length (or timing) are what make something enjoyable to read for me.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the “Dumpcake Comedy” series, upcoming projects, and your career?
Please watch, share, and like WORK CRUSH from Dumpcake Comedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVN70AdQaAo&t=7s. In my opinion, it’s one of Dumpcake’s best episodes. The more traction we get on YouTube, the better luck we have in actually selling the concept to a network! Also, I have lots of projects in their early phases with some pilots and sizzle reels already shot. I really can’t say much about them other than that I’m producing more comedy than I ever thought I would be, but comedy that still serves a greater social purpose. I’m also gonna be working bicoastally more with half of my projects taking place out of New York. 2019 will be a rewarding year, I hope!
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Connect with Ethan:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6704806
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethanbpaisley
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ethanbpaisley
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ethanbpaisley
Web: www.ethanpaisley.com
Connect with PaperChase Films:
IMDb: https://pro.imdb.com/company/co0614152/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paperchasefilms
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperchasefilms/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paperchasefilms/
Web: www.paperchasefilms.com
Connect with Dumpcake Comedy:
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8954082/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dumpcakecomedy/
Visit Dumpcake Comedy YouTube Channel.
Featured Image Credit: Zane Gan.
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