Rule # 25: Trust no one until proven otherwise.
My studio exec on Spy Hard and his boss, president of Disney’s Hollywood Pictures, came to the set while we were filming. I was...
Rule # 24: If you shoot in a foreign country, YOU are the foreigner.
I directed two successful TV commercial campaigns in Paris; shown on French TV and in theaters before the movies began. One was a spoof...
Rule 23: Treat your crew like family
I directed an ad campaign for AAMI Insurance in Australia. The company loved Chevy Chase and in the tradition of his Vacation movies,...
Rule # 22: Filmmaking isn't brain surgery but it sure requires brains.
Ageism in Hollywood is rampant. Actors, writers, and directors with lengthy lists of award-winning credits are never considered for work...
Rule # 21: Casting can be euphoric but oh so painful
Since Spy Hard was a James Bond spoof, we needed to cast a female Bondian spy. I wanted a slightly-over-the-hill ex-sexpot who was...
Rule 20: Studio Movie? Be careful what you wish for
What no one could be prepared for are the politics of getting a film “green lit.” The process is heart ripping—it has the potential to...
Rule # 19: Hollywood fat cats never use their own money
My agent, Jane Sindell, later producer of Seabiscuit, was in the process of seeking out opportunities for me to direct another film. She...
Rule # 18: Working with kids or animals? Realize they're in charge…you're not.
The CityKids Foundation joined the Jim Henson Company to produce a television series for ABC TV. With great stories and music videos,...
Rule # 17: Be wary of trying anything new…then try it anyway
Most every tricky movie shot has been done before. But each new trick requires something never exactly done before. The opening scene in...
Rul # 16: No matter what the media says about you, be satisfied they spell you name correctly.
I have the dubious distinction of having directed music videos that Al Gore’s ex-wife,Tipper Gore, used to demonstrate to Congress the...