Jameson Parker is a producer and director who is Director of Development for Brightlight Pictures. Recently he produced Summer of ’84 (feature) starring Rich Sommer (Mad Men), it was directed by acclaimed directing trio RKSS (Turbo Kid) and premiered in the Midnight Section of Sundance ’18.
His first feature film Prodigal’s had it’s world premiere at the 2017 edition of the Whistler Film Festival and was released domestically by LevelFilm. Jameson has directed numerous music videos for local and international artists and in 2014 he directed The Price is Precise for internet comedy giant CollegeHumor. He was an Executive Producer and director on White Ninja, the first narrative series developed for Vine, starring Paul Scheer. He also served as a producer and story editor on the half hour sketch pilot The Peter N’ Chris Show with Bell Media and Paul F. Tompkins. Jameson graduated with honors from The University of British Columbia’s film and theatre department. Jameson talks about the future of our industry…
indieactivity: How did you get interested in the entertainment industry?
Jameson Parker: I started as an actor in theatre. I had been involved through high school and decided to pursue a degree in Acting. I got my formal training from at the University of British Columbia and spent a few years working in theatres across Canada. Through University I worked with a few friends producing and directing music videos for a couple of local artists and that eventually gave rise to my interest in working behind the camera. From there I produced a feature film called Prodigals and linked up with Shawn Williamson at Brightlight Pictures and have been there ever since.
indieactivity: What are some of the challenges associated with making an indie film?
Jameson Parker: Working in the independent sphere has distinct advantages and challenges. You have much more creative latitude with your project when you develop it outside of a typical studio environment, but it also means that you have no guarantee of distribution and you have to piece it all together yourself. Financing in the indie space can be extremely difficult and attracting talent, that helps to drive financing, is tough when there is no guarantee the film will find its way to an audience and before the financing is in place. That being said, strong material always wins the day and if you can develop something that people want to be a part of then the upside is much bigger as an independent.
indieactivity: How have streaming platforms (Netflix, Crave, etc.) changed the industry?
Jameson Parker: This is a large question. There has been a major disruption of our industry due to the advent of streaming platforms and it has had ramifications through the industry. Audiences can access content in the convenience of their own home which means less trips to the theatre (especially now!) but it also means more buyers who need strong content to compete in a market that is flooded. It is an exciting time to be creating!
indieactivity: What are some of the indie film trends to look out for in the future?
Jameson Parker: If I was able to answer this truthfully then I would be doing pretty well! It’s hard to say what will resonate with audiences so I try to focus on creating content that I would like to see in the theatre and at home and go from there.
indieactivity: What advice would you give to filmmakers looking to get their project green-lit?
Jameson Parker: A strong script is the place to start. Everything comes from that. Focus on crafting a great story populated with characters who we want to watch for an hour and a half or more. Directors will want to work on a great script. Actors will want to play great characters. Financiers and distributors will want to get their hands on great material.
indieactivity: What projects are you working on with Brightlight Pictures currently that you are most excited about?
Jameson Parker: I am really excited to reunite with the filmmaking collective RKSS. We are working on a few things and something that should hopefully go to camera after the current health crisis resolves itself. RKSS directed SUMMER OF ’84 for us and they are an incredibly fun and talented trio.
indieactivity: With all of these new platforms, how are traditional distributors viewed today?
Jameson Parker: Many filmmakers still dream of seeing their work up on the big screen and there isn’t much that replaces the magic of sitting in a theatre and watching something with a group of people. Most filmmakers would prefer to have more “traditional” distributors give their projects a theatrical life.
indieactivity: Is social capital pivotal to creating a film?
Jameson Parker: As long as Social capital means trust then, yes. Trust is the biggest factor in the entertainment industry. Does the writer trust that you will help guide the script to a strong place? Does the director trust that you will help to facilitate their vision? Do the actors trust that you can steward the film to something special? Does the financier trust you to spend their money responsibly? Almost everything in the industry is built on trust. Building that properly is extremely valuable especially when you are first starting out and don’t have a resume to build that trust for you.
indieactivity: Recently, there has been a rise in crowdfunded projects. Is this a viable way to create a film?
Jameson Parker: It is not a way that I have ever worked and there have been a few high-profile cases of projects finding financing this way but there are also many, many more that have failed to hit their goals or raise any money at all. For the most part it is much more work that it is worth. Again, I believe in a focus on quality material and would rather spend my time on that than putting together rewards and incentives for a crowdfunding campaign.
Brightlight Pictures develops, packages and produces independent feature films and television projects. They have produced more than 100 productions in the last 15 years and over 60 productions since launching Brightlight in 2001 including WHITE NOISE (Michael Keaton), 50/50 (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (Robert Redford).
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