To help people learn more about Sheldon Whittaker and his team, Xenite.Org is conducting interviews wit the development team. This interview is with Joshua Siegel. Be warned. We cannot really promise spoilers or much inside information as they are still at a sensitive stage in project development.
Internet SF fans may already be familiar with Joshua Siegel, whose “Akira: The Fan Trailer” won acclaim and became an iFilm Pick. You can read more about Joshua’s dynamic career and productions on his Web site, Arcadian Entertainment.
Xenite.Org: Tell me a little about yourself. A short bio of your interests, education, background, etc.
Joshua Siegel: I started acting in community theater when I was very young and made a few television appearances. From those early experiences, I knew I wanted a career in entertainment. I studied video at the Savannah College of Art & Design, then headed out to Los Angeles to find my fortune.
I’ve since worked on both sides of the camera: acting, writing, and directing projects for Arcadian Entertainment and companies across the globe. After consulting for a series of educational comic books in Thailand, I moved to northern California to produce my first feature film. Free time is spent in my garden or art studio.
Xenite.Org: You have developed several independent film projects on the Net, such as “Akira, The Fan Trailer”. Which one would you say has had the most impact? Which one was the most challenging?
Joshua Siegel: The AKIRA fan trailer has definitely generated the most interest and attention because there was already a fan base. We’ve gotten comments from anime enthusiasts all over the world. Some were horrified that we had dared to make a live action fan film, but most really liked it.
Personally, “Fallen Sky” has been my most important work to date. It was my first fantasy project and had a lot of costumes, stunts, and visual effects. The project improved my filmmaking skills and introduced me to a side of the business I had never seen. It also inspired my first manuscript, a fantasy prequel to the film.
Xenite.Org: What led you to the film and television industry? What were your influences in making that choice?
Joshua Siegel: I was introduced to the industry as a child actor and also enjoyed making little videos with neighborhood friends. After college, I started acting in Los Angeles but wasn’t getting many interesting parts. So I started making shorts again while writing spec screenplays. A couple scripts were optioned but never produced, stuck in “development hell”. Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and independently produce my first feature film, an action/horror scheduled for production in 2008.
Xenite.Org: How does one go about putting together an independent film? What advice would you offer fans outside of entertainment hubs like Los Angeles about what steps to follow?
Joshua Siegel: First, make as many shorts as you can. You’ll learn more with each one and they’re a good way to start getting your work out there. The internet is a great way to distribute your shorts and build a name for yourself, as well as meeting people with similar interests.
When putting together an independent project, I try to follow the advice offered by Robert Rodriguez in his book “Rebel Without a Crew”: Use what you have. This goes for props, locations, even actors. While developing my indie feature, I first looked at what I had locally: scenic forests, a university, some video gear, and many young actors. By using what you already have, you can shoot a project on a very low budget.
Xenite.Org: What led to the creation of the Arcadian TV site (Arcadian Entertainment)?
Joshua Siegel: I was working as a web designer to support myself between gigs, so it made sense to have my own website for both promotion and networking. I haven’t been updating it as often as I should, now that I’m using sites like YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/arcadiantv) and MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/joshua_siegel).
Xenite.Org: How did you meet Sheldon? How did you get into the Barrier project?
Joshua Siegel: While editing “The Cypher”, I posted an ad on a message board seeking a CG artist to help with the opening credits. Sheldon responded and the credits turned out great, so I asked him to do the FX for “Fallen Sky” and the AKIRA trailer. We’ve since collaborated on several projects, even though we’ve only met face to face once.
When Sheldon told me about Barrier, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The story of a racing team in a SciFi universe is such a simple yet exciting concept for a TV series. The possibilities are infinite, and there’s a huge market out there for quality SciFi television.
Xenite.Org: What are your creative influences?
Joshua Siegel: When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Star Wars and fantasy of any kind (including classics like “Beastmaster” and “Krull”). I was also a Dungeons & Dragons geek, which actually taught me a lot about storytelling. As a filmmaker, I draw influences from George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Sam Raimi, Robert Rodriquez, Katsuhiro Otomo, Joss Whedon, Peter Jackson… and many, many more.
Xenite.Org: If you could pick a mentor from all the great film and TV geniuses, from any market in the world, whom would you choose?
Joshua Siegel: Choose any from the list above.
Follow Joshua Siegel on Twitter.