Interview with my brother, Doug Lloyd about his movie, Still Green

My brother, doug, makes movies. I'm sure you may have heard me talking about his movie, Still Green, at some point… Of course, I'm super proud that he has been so successful and creative! The upcoming DVD release prompted me to think how I really know very little about the whole movie making process, or how he got into it (beyond a vague recollection of him and his friends burning something in the yard and filming it??) and I decided to interview him about it. Any of you movie buffs may be interested in learning about an up and coming independent movie producer like Doug Lloyd!

Me: So, what made you decide to start working with movies and film?
DL: I started working at a public access TV station as an intern in college. I really enjoyed it, so I stayed there for a while. I met a lot of people doing different projects. My business partner, Georgia Menides, and I met Andrea Ajemian and Jon Artigo. They were in town working on a movie "Freedom Park" and asked Georgia and I to work on it. We did and we loved it.
Me: Cool. But what was your first ever experience with filming something?
DL: My first experience was a show in college called "Midgets and Beer." I had no intentions of moving ahead with working in entertainment. We were just having some fun. I guess it should have been a sign that producing was my calling when I convinced the original "The Blue Man Group" to be on our crappy little college show.
Me: So talk about your work at that public access station in Worcester, MA. What sorts of things did you do, and how did this cenment your idea of making it a career?
DL: I was at the cable station for almost two years, including my internship and being hired as staff. The biggest thing I learned there was that I had an interest in working in entertainment. It was good to meet other people that were looking to create things. Most of the time, I had to work with people from the community that had an idea and turn it into a finished product. Granted, it was still public access, but it was still a good process to learn. The biggest thing that I did there was create a segment for a music show. Georgia and I created the segment together and did everything from shoot the concerts and interviews, editing footage, and setting up more bands. We got really good at putting it together and worked with some big bands and record labels. At the end, the show was playing in a lot more places than Worcester.
Me: So let's talk about your movie, Still Green. How many years did it take to make it from beginning to end?
DL: It has been about five years now. Principal photography was only five weeks. Development took a while. But the biggest part was creating the final edit, learning the distribution ropes, making connections in the industry to get it out there. It has been pretty exciting.
Me: Wow, five years. I never realized how long it took to make movies till I saw you make yours. What were your favorite and least favorite parts of the process?
DL: My favorite is all of it. Every part of the process is so different, and that is what I love. I guess the worst would be raising money.
Me: Was there ever a tiem when you thought you might not get to complete the movie?
DL: There were a few times. The camera got stolen shortly before we finished principal photography. That was the first time I thought everything was just over. But we pulled together and finished it off. Getting distribution was pretty tough too. But in the end, persistence paid off.
Me: Is there anything you would have done differently, looking back?
DL: Looking back, no. I like how things turned out. The next time around, yes. There are so many lessons I learned in the process. Way too many to say. There are things that I will do differently the next time, and I will learn new lessons.
Me: When you're not making movies, what else do you like doing?
DL: Sleeping is good. I like hanging out with friends. I can't wait till after the 13th so I can actually have time to do that again.
Me: Who/what has influenced your work, and what is your favorite movie:
DL: I mainly get influenced by people I interact with. Georgia has a very creative mind, so she is probably the biggest creative influence. My favorite movie changes depending on my mood. I most commonly say Fight Club.
Me: Do you have any plans for future projects? What else can we expect to come out of Uncovered Productions and Doug Lloyd?
DL: I do have plans for future prijects. I have a few different things in the works. We are developing our next feature, "Inside the Butterfly Net, " also written by Georgia Menides.
Me: Final question. What advice would you give to people who are hoping to get into making movies?
DL: My advice, for what it is worth, is just keep working. Especially if you are just starting off. Just work on projects, meet people, get experience. It's pretty straightforward. Work hard, get results.
Me: Thanks Doug! That was a long interview but I can say I, at least, was interested in the answers. See you on Monday!

Intrigued? You can find out more information about the movie, Still Green, at http://www.stillgreenmovie.com/. If you are in the SF area, please come to the DVD release party at the EndUp on Monday, October 12th, or if you're in LA (where Doug lives!), you can go to the party there on the 13th. Details are at the website. Feel free to rent/buy it from Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon and more!