Meet Casey Jackson: Producer/Director/Writer

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

Hi Casey, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Elon Musk. Ernest Hemingway. David Mamet.

Three fellows. Three habits. Three mantras. These are the daily practices that made completion of my first feature film “Dinner Club,” possible.

‘Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.’ (Hemingway, 1952) During each phase of the production process we’d run into trouble: insufficient funds, malfunctioning equipment, limited time. In each instance I was able to draw my focus away from the apparent lack, and direct it to solve the puzzle with the available pieces. Each and every time a problem appeared the habit was to focus entirely on solutions. This kept us moving forward, encouraged collaboration and ingenuity, and ultimately led to success.

‘What one man can do, another can do.’ (Mamet, 1996) With the distance between art and technology rapidly diminishing, artists are more frequently called upon to wear multiple hats. For many years I was hindered by the false belief that I was only a writer, or only a director, or that somehow my skill sets were set in stone. It became clear, especially during post production, that if I had any intention of completing a feature film I would need to learn quite a bit more. Staring down a half dozen new skill sets can be overwhelming. Instead of crumbling to the pressure I fixed in my mind, I work to assume it’s all possible.

‘Work every waking hour.’ In multiple interviews, Elon Musk discusses the long hours he put into his endeavors, though it is worth mentioning he does not mince words on the pain it produces. When I stared down the barrel of postproduction with a team of one, Elon’s approach seemed the only realistic way to finish the project. This habit was the simplest to implement; wake up, take a shower, work until midnight, walk around the block, go to sleep, repeat. More so than any other behavior pattern, this practice will rapidly make it clear whether you love what you do.

Focus on solutions, assume it’s possible, and out-work everyone.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Currently, I showrun the Inn Crowd, a Dungeons & Dragons live stream, on Twitch.

D&D is an incredibly fun game, but it’s designed specifically to entertain the players and the DM (Dungeon Master). Audience was never a factor in the creation of this game, nor should it have been. My friends and I played D&D when we were teenagers, and we played for ourselves, because it was fun. Recently, we’ve started to see D&D performed in front of an audience, and what I saw was that in most cases, it’s not well designed for that purpose. It was still ultimately for the players and for the DM, and a lot of time is spent on elements that don’t entertain the audience.

We made the Inn Crowd to bridge this gap – not only do our players have a good time, but our stories are told specifically to be played out in front of an audience. There are some incredibly talented actors working on the Inn Crowd: Jesse Keeter, Lisa Coronado, David Greene, Allison Menzimer, and Kenzo Lee, all of whom completely embraced the idea of a new iteration of D&D. It feels as if we’re developing a new genre; part game, part theater, part chance, part fate. Treading new ground with no guarantees is always a thrill.

Recently we were made a Twitch Affiliate, which is a really great feeling. We were called an “overnight success.” It’s always a good sign when the months of work that took place behind the scenes are so well embedded in the art that we can make it look effortless and instantaneous. The same habits I apply to filmmaking have been effective for twitch production as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Straight to the ballpark my friend! Even if a person has little love for baseball, the energy in Dodger Stadium is incredible. It’s the third oldest ballpark after Fenway and Wrigley Field so I consider it less of a sporting engagement and more of a history lesson with beer and nachos. Then it’s over to Santa Monica to watch the sunset behind the Pier and let the lights of the ferris wheel come up, one of my favorite ways to end a day in LA.

For a day with less drive time we’d start with lunch at Salsa and Beer, making sure to get there early enough to avoid the line, though incredible service and excellent food always make it worth the wait. We’d digest our taquito trio combo and sizzling fajitas over at Paper Heroes, our local gaming store. Then to Northridge Skateland for roller skating and live DJs.

As a lover of the sun I would take my friends to Malibu to enjoy the beach, lounge deep into the day until we taste of salt and sand. Our evening adventure would be dancing at Breakroom 86 where retro vibes are thriving. I’d tell you more about it, but the spot is so sweet that I’m not going to spoil anything about it. Once we’re danced out it’s over to Yang San Bak for that late night Korean Barbecue. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Paul Garber; computer programmer, photographer, motion animator, graphic designer, and special effects guru. Oftentimes such immense talent can spoil a person, they get caught up in their own greatness. With Paul, it seems there is no upward limit to how great he can become, because his heart is set to match it equally with kindness. Paul and his wife recently took in a stray cat, nurtured it back to health, re-socialized it, and found it a family. This type of kindness is just Paul being himself. He is a constant inspiration in and out of the workplace and I am honored to call him friend. His level of professionalism is the benchmark to which I set excellence.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dndinncrowd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dndinncrowd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinnerclubmovie

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/completenonsense

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theinncrowd

Tiktok: @_theinncrowd