In the world of movie making, it doesn’t hurt to have a lot of friends you can rely on.
Graduating from Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts can be a big help too – just ask alumnus Andrew Kappel, a producer who brings his family of alumni into many of his projects.
After graduating from Chapman in 2012, Kappel worked as an associate producer on “Ghost Bait,” a paranormal reality show on the BIO channel. He also did a stint as a field producer for “Believe,” Cirque du Soleil’s collaboration with Criss Angel in Las Vegas. More recently, he’s broken in to the film industry.
Kappel just wrapped up production on “TAR,” a horror film directed by Aaron Wolf of Howling Wolf Productions. The film follows a family on the verge of losing it all, as their three-generation family business is slated for demolition. Just when things can’t seem to get any worse, a creature awakens from the nearby La Brea Tar Pits and terrorizes the family on their last night with their doomed business.
As a producer for “TAR,” Kappel’s job included planning a schedule and budget for the film and bringing in a large chunk of the project’s cast and crew.
He went day-by-day and planned out what scenes would be shot when, based on location needs and cast availability. Kappel likened the experience to working on a puzzle, making sure all the pieces fit together.
When Kappel came in, only a couple of roles had been locked in for the film’s cast, which meant he had a lot of work to do.
With a set budget, Kappel had to find a way to flesh out the cast with some notable names. He passed this test with flying colors, bringing in names like Timothy Bottoms, Max Perlich and Graham Greene, the Academy Award-nominated actor from “Dances With Wolves.”
Greene and Kappel became friends after working together on a film last year.
For producers, most of the hectic work comes months before production begins. Kappel said that if a producer has a slow day during production, it means everything is going well.
“You’re doing all this stuff to make sure that when it comes time to shoot, the director is focused on the creative, not worrying about the production of things. He can focus on the shot, on the actors, and it’s my job as a producer to make sure he can do that,” Kappel said. “A lot of times, when the movie’s on production, I’m bored when I’m on set because I’ve done my job. Everything’s moving and everything’s going, and that’s the way you want it. If you’re bored on set, you did your job right as far as I’m concerned. If you’re busy, then obviously you didn’t plan right.”
That’s not to say there aren’t any last-minute issues that producers have to deal with. For example, if a person calls to say they can’t make it at the last minute, the producer has to scramble and get that position filled for the day. Producers have to make sure everything stays on the rails.
Kappel wasn’t alone in this effort on “TAR” – he was joined by co-producer Tim Nuttall, one of the co-founders of Howling Wolf productions who brought him on the project.
Prior to joining Chapman, Kappel already knew he wanted to work in show business – but he didn’t know producing was his path until he felt the camaraderie he had with his classmates at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
During his time at Dodge, Kappel produced approximately 10 short films, forging friendships during each production.
“I always have my own little rapport with everyone on the crew. I can go to the lighting guys and talk to them, I know about the technical side of things, about gear – enough to be able to have conversations,” Kappel said. “I become friends with everybody, and I think that makes me a little bit better of a producer than the average person.”
Those friendships have carried over into Kappel’s professional work. On many of his projects, including “TAR,” Kappel brings in his fellow alumni to fill crew positions, knowing he can count on them to do quality work.
In the case of “TAR,” a couple members of the lighting crew and the film’s sound editor are all Chapman alumni that Kappel graduated with.
Looking forward, Kappel shows no signs of slowing down. “TAR” is just entering post-production, and he’s already got a new project lined up with Matt Orlando, director of “A Resurrection.” This time around, Kappel will have a bigger budget and more “toys” to play with in production, he said.
If all goes well, “TAR” will make an October debut in Hollywood at “Screamfest,” the nation’s largest and longest-running horror film festival.
Contact the writer: jwinslow@ocregister.com
