Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Whittaker.
Hi Lee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Started out with George Lucas portraying Luke Skywalker in his George Lucas SuperLive Adventure 1993 which was a touring live show in Japan. Afterward moved to Los Angeles to begin a career in the action department becoming a stuntman for many years on some high-profile Hollywood films. I then transitioned to stunt coordinator, 2nd unit director while honing my skills as a writer/director myself. I always wanted to be a storyteller and being on such high-profile films granted the stewardship to one day helm my own projects.
“Catching Fireflies” was my first whimsical short film and was about child homelessness in LA. It garnished over 21 International awards and set me onto my next project which was “AIMEE”. AIMEE is my first feature film about child sex trafficking in the States. The concept was brought to me after my Fireflies festival run and I was horrified at the reality that was plaguing our nations innocence. Epstein and Maxwell were a big news break at the time but I was turned down by investors and A-list talent which made it very difficult to get the project off the ground. I then decided to break Hollywood’s Golden rule and self-fund the film that I felt so passionate about. My entire life savings. We shot the film in 2019, then Covid hit and like so many others it was unforgiving. We had to leave LA and move to Albuquerque just to survive and try to finish post. We just finished post-end of the year 2022 and we are excited to get the films message out into the world which we hope to release 2023.
My goal as a filmmaker is to make films that invoke conversation, question and inspire. My latest scripts have been winning festivals and I’m hoping to get the feature of “Catching Fireflies” off the ground soon as well as my love story “So I Paint,” a charming love story about a blind tech coder and a deaf copywriter for manuals. I still love action as well and have a few scripts lined up so I feel I’ll never get away from that which helped catapult my career as its always been a rush and thrill.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s not been a smooth road and I would venture to say that most people in the film industry would say the same. Unlike social media where everything looks perfect and your life is amazing, it’s just not the reality. Most everyone in the business struggles. Look at George Miller, his Fury road was plagued with so much upset before finally making that masterpiece. I’ve struggled many years to pay the bills and continue this lifestyle of work. Wouldn’t have it any other way. I love this field and it offers so much growth and expansion. You just have to really have thick skin, not listen to naysayers and just do what you love. You’ll be successful no matter what if you do what you love and remain a good person.
There are struggles all along the road and navigation can be intense. For me right now moving forward it’s about finding the right partners to team up with that have the same ideals in life. Which for me is leaving egos on the curb. When there’s no ego’s you can create beautiful art with amazingly talented people. The process becomes so rich with great relationships that when the bump in the road comes along you have great support to advert.
My motto has always been this, which I admittingly stole from the film Galaxy Quest. “Never Give Up, Never Surrender!”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What do you do: I am a writer/director who moonlights as an action director. I specialize in writing thought-provoking stories that affect life and society. I also specialize in action design for films. Which means I design big action sequences for films. I suppose I am most known for that at this time and it provided me the ability to utilize those skills and crossover into my own films.
I am most proud of my personal projects, Catching Fireflies and AIMEE. Both stories most people do not have much knowledge of, homelessness and child sex trafficking here in the States. I am also proud of my latest writing projects. Writing inspires me to look deep within the human condition and tell powerful stories.
I think what sets me apart from others is my deep empathy toward life and others. My life is such a dichotomy of violence with my action design but also poetic as my romanticism runs deep within. Honestly, I feel a great balance. I’ve been writing poetry since I was in grade school and find beauty in so much of life. When I got older, I then got into music which has always been another outlet of expression and has always been therapeutic. All of these I bring to not only my writing and film projects but also my action design. I try to find new ways to make the action beautiful and memorable within the confines of the shot.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I wish I could say I have or had many mentors and supporters along the journey but that’s just not true. In the beginning, it was all me, alone. No one believed in my dreams and that I could be in the entertainment industry. They all told me to give it up kid. Even my family. It didn’t matter, I knew what I was capable of and nothing could stand in my way. Even growing up so far away from any reality of filmmaking. It was just a fantasy to others. To me, a tangible desire to be conquered. Eventually family and others got on board but once you start growing, then it gets tougher with the “haters gonna hate” crowd. Again you just have to know that it’s only you and your dream to chase and don’t look anywhere but straightforward.
As far as any help, again it was all up to me. You have to be willing to sacrifice everything. Going out on Friday nights to party etc. Instead, train your mind and body at your craft to be able to work and provide a living to continue to chase the dragon. I have met some really great friends whom still today I love and support. I will say it hasn’t been an easy road but what road or path do you know that is so challenging to reach and maintain is? You can though, do anything you put your mind to. Especially if for the right reasons of intent. Then no matter what you can not fail. Failure is not an option though I fall continuously on my face. It’s the only way to learn, get up, dust off, and fight harder than ever.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leewhittaker.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee_whittaker_
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/1eewhittaker
- SoundCloud: https://www.aimeemovie.com/
- Other: https://www.catchingfirefliesfilm.com/
