QUESTION#1: What excited you the most when making this film?: Free Beer! and... I was excited to use a very fun and approachable way to convey a serious message about the environment. I was excited to meet people who are actually saving the world and I was also very excited to do my first Short! It was great to be able to conceive and complete a project in a fraction of the time it takes for a feature. Beer builds community and this short film has expanded my community to a lot of new people who are out there saving the world, one beer at a time!

QUESTION#2: What was the most significant film you've seen AT THE THEATER in 2024, and how did it influence your filmmaking?: I saw a screening of 'Common Ground' at my local cineplex. I was moved by the content and by the post-film panel to make my film about natural systems agriculture and even include one of the panelists in my movie! I invited others in the community that I met at the movie to screening of my film. I thought what the Common Ground film was saying was so important that I wanted to continue telling the story told by that movie.

QUESTION#3: What's an obvious and not-so-obvious question someone might ask about your film?: The obvious question is "How can something like beer actually save the world?" Sure, the title is meant to grab attention but is not totally flippant. It leads viewers to a main message in the film that growing and using perennial crops is better for planet earth. With that information we can make a conscious choice to support the farmers and brewers who use these best practices. Another obvious question people have is "Where can I get some of this beer?"

The not so obvious question that no one has asked is "How did I get all these brewers, who are in a sense competitors, to cooperate with each other and all agree to be in the movie?" The answer is, although they are competing by selling the same product they are all cooperating with this unique program that doesn't call for one of them to shine above the others but elevates the common environmental cause and the actual grain as the star if the show. They are all business people who have put the environment first and continue to care about not just what they make but how and why they are making it.

QUESTION#4: A magic movie genie is giving you an unlimited budget for your next production! However, you're only allowed to use it on either "above line" or "below line" resouces. Which do you choose and why?: I would love to have a benevolent movie Genie! In Documentary filmmaking the “Above The Line", big money boss talent has little to do with the success of the movie. As a Producer you are using your own wits and wishes for access; access to the worlds and people you need for your story. If I had a little magic my wand would open all doors and my emails would all be answered. But with a movie Magic Genie? I would take my wish well “Below the Line” and use all the Genie powers to grant me an unlimited line item called “Travel”. With an unlimited travel budget I could chase my Documentary dreams to the ends of the earth (or Space ).

QUESTION#5: What is it about your current movie that will influence your next film?: Every project you do builds a data base of experiences and each movie you do uses all the experiences and adds to your lessons learned. My big lesson in making my current film came after it was complete. All I have learned about distribution of my Short will be incorporated and implemented to make sure as many people as possible see my next feature. In the 2025 climate we will bring an experiential aspect to our movies and messaging that streaming can't match. Live audience screenings big and small are essential to a successful film. I don't see this changing in the near future. The growing need for people to relate and connect insures a future for the in-person, shared movie experience.

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