January 10, 2024 by jayneanastasia Leave a comment

Today’s Feature focuses on a familiar face! I am so happy to be chatting again with Peter Foldy, who just over a year ago shared with us his life journey. Peter discussed how he made his way to California via Hungary, Australia and Canada! Then he went on to share the focus of our last Feature with how he successfully came to work in the music industry. From the music industry, Peter also stepped into the world of filmmaking… and that is where we pick up his story today! If you haven’t read our first Feature, you may check it out here… Fun, Fun, Fun with Peter Foldy As before, thank you Peter, for agreeing to take some time and share your experiences with us! Now, let’s jump in!

Would you mind sharing how you became interested in directing television/film?

I became interested in film early on because I thought I wanted to be an actor as a kid. I landed work on some Australian TV commercials starting around age 12 and I really enjoyed the atmosphere on set and was curious about the film making process. When I got to Canada, I was accepted by a pretty prestigious film school, York University, and spent three years there studying. During that time I was also playing in a band and began writing songs. At night, I used to sneak into the little studio that the film school had for recording sound, and that’s where I recorded my first demos for Bondi Junction, which ultimately got me a record deal. After the record came out and began climbing the charts I decided to leave school to become a working musician.

How did the shift in the focus of your work move more specifically from music to film? Was your move from Toronto to Los Angeles work related?

As I mentioned the last time we talked, I had a really good ten year run in the music business with record deals on Capitol/EMI, Polydor Records and finally RCA Records in Los Angeles. By that point, I realized I needed to leave Toronto and move to L.A. but when my deal with RCA abruptly ended (which is a whole other long story) I was kind of lost and confused and didn’t know what the hell to do with myself. Since I was in Hollywood, the center of the film industry, I remembered that I had studied cinema what seemed like another lifetime ago, so I begin thinking about making movies again. A friend and I teamed up and wrote a raunchy little teen comedy script called Hot Moves and we were lucky enough to sell it. The film got made on a low budget but ended up making something like $10 million, so I thought, holy crap, I think I need to get back in the film business. Of course I got none of that money but the time I spent on that film (they allowed me to be an Associate Producer) really helped shift my focus from music to film. Not that I’ve given up on music because as you know, I keep making records, but it was a 360 in my life at the time. 

After about an eight year struggle to sell another script, I got hired to direct a short film which starred a talented young actor by the name of Paul Rudd making his film debut. That film won some awards and I decided I was going to write a commercial feature that I could direct. I gave myself a year to pull it off and as luck would have it, I succeeded.

The film was an ambitious little action thriller called Midnight Witness. It stared Maxwell Caulfield (hot off of Grease 2), Jan-Michael Vincent (Air Wolf), Paul Johansson (One Tree Hill), and I even got a Hollywood legend to sign up, Virginia Mayo. If you don’t know who she is, and most people don’t, look her up. She starred in huge classic movies of the 1940s, including White Heat with James Cagney. Midnight Witness got the ball rolling for me as a Writer/Director. It ended up going to MGM and is currently screening on Amazon Prime. It’s a thrill to see the MGM lion roar before the film starts to play. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined I would get to see that.

You are a credited Writer/Director. Was writing something that came before directing, or did they come together as you honed your craft as a filmmaker?

I usually have a script in hand when trying to land a directing job. That’s just the way I go about it. It was only later on that I got hired to direct a film without having written it.

How long does it normally take you to write a screenplay and does it evolve once you’ve started filming?

I’ve written a script in three (long) weeks, and I’ve taken months. There’s an old saying, scripts are never finished, they’re abandoned. It’s only when you are on set and the cameras are rolling that the script is actually done, and even then you can sometimes replace a line in post production.

How do you develop your storyline? Do you work best with an outline or pre-set plot, or do you prefer to just let it flow and see where it goes?

I usually have a basic story line but I don’t get too hung up working out every beat of the story. I know the beginning, middle and end but I let the script guide me, so if I finish writing a scene I put my Director’s hat on and think what would I like to see happen next? What crazy turn would shock or scare or amuse the audience?  I guess what I’m trying to say is that I am somewhat flexible as long as I come close to the end result I imagined for the story.

In your creative process when writing a screenplay, do you set aside specific time to write, requiring yourself so much per day, or do you write as inspiration ebbs and flows?

I don’t have set times. Sometimes it’s from 7am on and I don’t stop till 7 at night. Other times I come home from somewhere and sit down late at night, as I am doing now, answering your questions.

When developing characters, most writers seem to draw from influences around them. Have you based any of your characters on any individuals from your experiences?

Almost always. Most characters I write, even the smaller roles, are a compilation of people I know or have met, or at the very least, read about.

Do you have specific locations in mind when writing? When it came time to find the actual locations, have you had any difficulty gaining access to achieve the look you envisioned?

The story dictates the locations to a certain degree. Right now we’re making films in Florida, so when I sit down to write something I naturally set it in Florida, but I have scripts that take place all over the world really. I have a UK based project, one set in Australia, another in the Greek Island. All the places I love.

Would you explain a little about how the process works for you… do you present a screenplay idea/script to a production company, or are you contracted through them to create?

Yes, sometimes I pitch a project to a company, but for the last four years I have been producing my own films (some of which I also direct.) I have three wonderful partners and we’ve found a great formula making quality features for the Lifetime/Hallmark market place. Those networks show a lot of films and need a lot of product, so we try to fill that need. We make them fast, in about 13-14 days but we hire strong actors and Directors of Photography, so the films look great and are lots of fun to make.

When you are credited with a writing partner, is that someone though the studio as well, or do you have other writers that you personally choose to work with?

I generally write alone. I haven’t written with a partner since Hot Moves, but sometimes another writer comes on and does a touch up or a re-write and then we will share the writer’s credit.

Switching hats, how would you define the actual role that a Director is supposed to fill?

It is the Director‘s vision that sets the tone and the look of the project. The Director generally has the final say on most elements such as cast, music, production design, and even make up and wardrobe. As a Director you have to be prepared to answer a lot of questions and act like you know all the answers. Truth be told, making films is a collaborative effort and your film is only as good as the people you hire to help you with their input and expertise.

How important do you feel it is for a Director to have acting experience?

It doesn’t hurt but it’s not essential. I think a lot of Directors probably started off like me, as an “actor.” I put quotations around the word because I think I sucked at it, but it is something that I might one day take another crack at just for the fun of it.

For Independent Filmmakers, financing film projects can be daunting. Have you ever used or considered using crowdfunding to create a film and what are your thoughts on that process? 

I crowdfunded one short film, which you should check out. It’s called Head, Heart and Balls… or Why I Gave Up Smoking Pot. It is loosely semi-autobiographical and stars radio and TV personality, Adam Carolla. It’s a lot of fun and can currently be found on YouTube.

What’s the best advice you could give someone new to filmmaking?

Make films. Short films, TikToks, videos, all kinds. Hone your craft and never give up.

Have you ever considered theater in any capacity?

I Directed a fun little play in 2017 here at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. It was well received except by one nasty critic who trashed it, rather unfairly I thought. I’ve since turned it into a film script. Something I would love to make on a low budget as a festival film. The problem is, it’s hard to sell festival films and personal art projects. A lot of the time you never get back what you put into it, but I still recommend making them if you can, because they are a great calling card. You never know who’ll see your film and hire you to make a bigger one.

But back to plays, I do have another one written but currently there are no plans (or time) to produce it.

What is your most favorite thing about filmmaking… and the worst?

Favorite is the camaraderie on set. You become a family in a matter of days and you love your cast and crew. If you are lucky enough to be a Filmmaker, I don’t think there is a really a worst thing. Maybe the time and the struggle in between projects when you are trying to pay your rent is the worst, and the occasional asshole you run into, but that too shall pass.

Who have been your influencers/role models, professionally and personally in the filmmaking field?

Hard to name names. So many amazing Filmmakers out there, so many amazing films. Personally I’ve had people who have been super supportive of what I do, and I run ideas past them and let them read my scripts. I’ve also had people who look down on me, especially during the lean years, for not having a steady job. 

Any interesting set stories you can share (that won’t get you in trouble, haha!) Did you keep any mementos from any of the sets you’ve worked on?

I have a ton of interesting stories from every film I’ve ever worked on. Some fun, some upsetting at the time but I laugh about it later. The one I usually go with is that I got my second feature by calling the wrong number.

I saw a listing for a production company and recognized one of the employees. I though wow, I should say hello, so I called and asked for my friend. They said she’s out to lunch. I told them my friend was a guy, so the woman on the other end says, you’ve got the wrong number, so I go, okay… by the way, are you guys looking for any projects, and she goes, We only make Canadian films. I’m Canadian I reply. There’s a pause and she goes… what have you got? So I pitch a project over the phone and she says, Can you come in tomorrow? They optioned the script and about a year later we got it made. It was called Tryst and it starred the late David Warner (Titanic) and Academy Award winner, Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratchet in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest). Only in Hollywood. 

What is an average routine day like for you when working on a set (is there such a thing?!) Do you have any type of personal routine?

Making films is arduous. We usually start at around 7am and go 12 hours, so getting sleep the night before is important, but hard as your mind is racing. I try not to eat too much crap from the craft services table during the day, but that’s also hard. Despite that, it’s usually a lot of fun. Of course I’ve worked with a few pain in the ass Producers. Some proper, evil bastards actually, but once the film is over, the pain and the anger usually subsides, though one never forgets people like that. Two of them are still alive so I won’t name names – or should I? (haha).

What differences occur when you have a Producer credit as well? 

It means I was a part of the team that helped put the project together, or helped find funding for it.

Filmmaking can be a time consuming job. What do you do for hobbies during downtime to help relax?

I love to go to screenings of new movies. I’m a Guild member so I am lucky enough to get some cool invites. I go to lunches and dinners with friends. I hit the occasional dive bar, The Bounty on Wilshire being my favorite. I go to the gym or jog, or both – but truth be told, I still try to be creative during my down-time so I guess you can say no rest for the wicked. 

What’s next for you over all of your professions? Any upcoming projects/events you are able to share?

Working new films for the coming year. I am currently in Florida directing the thriller, DNA Secrets.  It’s a fun script that I wrote which was helped along by a great co-writer, Jelena Woehr.

On the musical side, I just recorded a duet with a cool Australian girl singer called Beki Colada, so I am mixing that and creating new music. I’ve been thinking I would really love to do something with my photography. A photo book or an exhibit. Another one for the bucket list.

Tell us something about you that might surprise us to know!

I speak fluent Hungarian, as well as read and write.

I Thought I’d close out our time by including a listen to a couple of Peter’s original songs! But first, we have to include our popular Fast Five! If you are interested in connecting with Peter you can find him through social media at his website Peter Foldy, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify!

Fast Five – Questions for Fun…

Favorite guilty pleasure (non-food)?

Fantasizing.

Which Superhero would you choose to be?

The young Superman, before he went to work at the Daily Planet. 

If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

John Lennon (dead) Paul McCartney (alive).

Do you believe in ghosts or aliens?

No, though I also don’t believe we are the only beings in the Galaxy.

Describe yourself in three words…

I can’t.

Before we go… let’s take a listen to Peter’s most recent track!! Jump Like This

Now… here’s our throwback to Peter‘s major hit that started him off, Bondi Junction! Enjoy!!

For more on Peter, be sure to check out our previous Feature…

Fun, Fun, Fun with Peter Foldy