Meet Dan Castle: Filmmaker/Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dan Castle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dan, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
When I read articles and interviews about the film industry and I come across this kind of discussion I’m usually disappointed by the rote answers that put an empty, generic, positive spin on the workings of Hollywood and the independent film industry. I’ve been a filmmaker since the late nineties and before that worked as an assistant at some of the major studios, PR firms and an independent distribution company before starting my own company with a business partner who I had worked for in the past. I’ve made films in Los Angeles, Mexico City, France, and Australia – all independently financed out of the Studio system. I’ve had films at the Telluride, Tribeca, Seattle, Sydney, Outfest, Frameline, Hawaii and many other Int’l Film Festivals and won awards at many of them and even got nominated for Best Short Film (The Visitor) at the Australian Film Awards. So I’ve had some degree of success bringing my ideas, scripts and films to life and to audiences although I only have what I would consider a fledgling career. So my perspective on the industry comes from an outsider place and also one in which I can speak a bit more freely than many due to their perceived ties to prospective employers or investors. What amuses me and also annoys me when I come across the sunny side up answers many give for publication is often times these very same people when in a one on one discussion will spew the most awful rhetoric about the industry, the studio system, the actors they have to deal with and on and on. Through their PR managed answers for public consumption they help perpetuate a brand and idea of the industry that is false for the most part – no matter if one is dealing with the Studio system or independent film scene.

So my main point to this particular question is that many outsiders don’t really know just how much a performer’s, studio’s, entity’s “brand” is actually a false front to some of the really brutal tactics they employ while perpetuating their success, whether through take no prisoners negotiating, bullying, sexual harassment (yes, it still goes on!), and just obvious hypocrisy when it comes to the societal issues they claim to champion as a cause.

The good news from the #metoo movement and the subsequent outings of sexual harassers and now the bullying class with the likes of Scott Rudin finally being kneecapped is that the facades are falling. Even The Ellen Show got caught out – despite being the “Happy Place” was anything but for anyone actually doing the day to day drudgery that kept the show running year after year. So more and more people are coming forward and telling their stories and shifting the narrative to one that is more forthright and accurate.

So to people looking to break in to the film/TV/entertainment industry I recommend to read and watch as many books, articles, and one on one interviews with people who have been there and done that who are now out and able to speak more freely about their experiences as a professional working in Hollywood. Back in the very early 90s I read a book called “You Will Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again” by Julia Phillips, she was a producer and the first woman producer ever to win an Oscar for the film – The Sting, which starred Robert Redford, Paul Newman and Robert Shaw. In many ways it was one of the first ever #metoo books ever written and released on such a grand scale. I read the book just weeks before moving to Los Angeles from New York where I had graduated from NYU. I found her stories of ruthless deal making, middle-aged drug abusers, desperate stars and star fuckers as amusing, horrifying and certainly an exaggeration. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Within my first year of living and working in Hollywood I can tell you I was fully aware that everything Julia wrote of in that book was true and really for the most part she was just scratching the surface.

What everyone discovers upon arrival and entry into the industry is just how much of a “mean girls” club it is – no matter what echelon one is working in – be it the mega deal studios, the boutique indie world or the international film festival scene the players pretty much stick to the same playbook which aims at keeping those who are in to stay in while they are still of use and to keep anyone and everyone out who isn’t of use. Talent being the least valued element one can offer to these cliques of power and influence. What the powerful really want to know is – is one truly willing to “commit” to doing whatever it takes to “make it.” That can mean anything from exchanging sexual favors in a quid pro quo fashion to the most trivial and mundane contract points that cost “creators” far more than it could ever cost the brand names that everyone knows as Oprah, Disney, Netflix etc. Just know that the powers that be have it all and yes they want more. It’s a sport to them and they are all professional players and they set the rules of the game.

I say all this only to forwarn the eager outsider upstart to what they are getting into when it comes to Hollywood. You can get your work made but you have to be prepared on all fronts and also be very flexible and willing to go outside of the system to get your work produced and promoted. And most importantly never be too intimidated by anyone or any entity – if anything don’t be afraid to throw a punch or tell them to fuck off – most likely doing just that will actually be the key to getting what you want across the line. It’s a paradox but once you tell the industry to get fucked they usually respond with – “Come on in, now you are speaking our language.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a writer, director and also a musician. I’ve made films on a zero budget to a small budget $2.5 million and placed music in film and performed as a singer songwriter. My short film The Visitor was nominated for an Australian Film Award for Best Short Film and won many Best Short Film awards at festivals all over the world. It also led to my Australian feature film, Newcastle which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and launched many acting careers. Recently I completed my latest film Can’t Be Undone, starring Collin Deatherage. The film also features a jazz score that I composed. Most of my produced work has some form of gay subject matter and characters but I wouldn’t necessarily classify them as “gay” films. While my films may or may not appeal to gay audiences they also transcend that niche and have found audiences of all ages, orientation and language. What I think sets my work apart from the typical “gay” label is that I strive to allow my characters and stories to be a truthful depiction of a world or character’s dilemma rather than a prefabricated piece of entertainment that ticks the boxes most likely to appeal to a specific demographic.
My major influences as a filmmaker are the French New Wave giants and Italian masters rather than the Spielberg/Tarantino mass appeal Hollywood approach. I like to let locations and/or situations characters find themselves in dictate the story and character journey in my films rather than the rules of any particular genre.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My answer to this question is usually – La Jolla in San Diego. I always find L.A. a real challenge for visitors. The city is asuch an inside scene kind of place – I mean really – it is a the bar in Star Wars on a grand scale if you think about it. Once you drink the Kool-Aid and live in L.A. then you’re good to go – but for an outsider – it’s a bizarre place with crazy people at every turn and every environment. You can only go to the major tourist attractions so many times and out of towners really don’t want to go to your local bar, other than for one drink – so if they don’t surf and don’t play music – I take my out of town friends to La Jolla – they can walk around, shop, go the beach and enjoy the view and have a lovely California experience without the hassle.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Jazz guitar teacher and mentor – Dennis Sandole – Philadelphia legend who taught John Coltrane. He was never afraid to tell it like it is!

Instagram: sdancastle

Twitter: @dancastle

Youtube: Dan Castle