Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Stine.
Daniel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Probably like a lot of filmmakers, I knew I wanted to be a storyteller after I saw ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (I know – how original, right?). Well, to be honest, I wanted to be an archeologist, but then I realized that’s not quite what archeologists do. So, filmmaker it was, and the idea of making my own movies was something that continued to fascinate me as I grew up. I did a lot of acting in high school and college, but I ended up majoring in film and moved out to Los Angeles afterwards. In 2010, I started an independent film production company that gave me the platform to create my own content. I was able to write and direct a few narrative short films that did really well on the festival circuit, and these sort of became the stepping stones to directing my first feature film just after moving to Atlanta. ‘Virginia Minnesota’ was released in March of 2019. These days I’m still writing, directing, taking the occasional acting gig, and running a new non-profit that has its own unique approach in telling stories.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being an indie filmmaker is tough, but it’s also very rewarding. Coming up with exciting new ideas is never the problem, but actually resourcing those projects and competing in a huge marketplace… Yeah, that can be tough. That’s true of any worthwhile pursuit though. One of the things filmmakers really have to be very careful about is deciding on who to trust your movie with once you’re ready to put it out there. They may not have your best interest in mind (after all, it’s a business) but some bad marketing can make a horror film look like a children’s cartoon. I didn’t make a horror film (or a cartoon), but I have learned some strange lessons. I know there are plenty more to learn though, and that’s okay. Happy and lucky to learn them. I’ve also learned it’s important to find new and creative ways to do the work I love, and balancing a diverse portfolio is just a part of that. Of course, the entire film industry (along with the rest of the world) has been impacted in a huge way by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, so that’s a whole new challenge right now. But we’re all figuring it out.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Rushaway Pictures & Rising Act Films – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
In 2019, I expanded my filmmaking into a new realm, creating an additional film production company, which is a nonprofit that creates illuminating film and video content for charitable organizations. These films help charities gain visibility in a completely new way by telling their stories and celebrating their causes in film – either in promotional, documentary or narrative form. This work allows me to support important charities and social causes, work with exciting new filmmakers, and continue telling stories in a whole new way.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m looking forward to finding more innovative ways to tell compelling stories – stories that give people a little hope during these strange times. I’m looking forward to traveling to Antarctica and Zambia and Nepal. I’m looking forward to the 5th Indiana Jones movie (or the 4th movie, if you don’t count the last one). I’m looking forward to working with and being inspired by more incredible charities – charities right here in our backyard and abroad. I’m looking forward to paragraphs of things. As for plans… Like Indy says in ‘Raiders’, “I don’t know, I’m making it up as I go.”
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