Take 5 with Happy SAHD Director Michael Ivan Schwartz

Michael Ivan Schwartz is a Baltimore-based video producer specializing in non-profit work through his company, Loud Communications. He is a story-teller with a documentarian’s heart. After finishing Happy SAHD, an independent documentary about stay-at-home dads, he is beginning work on several non-profit projects for US Lacrosse, Mosaic Community Services and St. John’s Lutheran School. His new feature doc, Happy SAHD follows a dozen Baltimore SAHDs (stay at home dads) and premieres @ The Patterson Sun Jan 25 at 4pm. Q & A and reception follow the screening. www.LoudVideo.com

1. What’s the last movie you loved and what was the last movie you hated?

I loved Slumdog Millionaire...best movie I’ve seen in several years. I was deeply disappointed by The Unborn—after seeing the trailer and being scared out of my wits, I expected a lot more.

2. What’s your guilty pleasure movie or TV show?

I loved a show called The Guardian, starring Simon Baker—but it went off the air several years ago after only a few seasons. I finally tracked down someone selling DVD copies burned off of TV and am watching the whole series again!

3. How’d you get into filmmaking?

I was in college and I spent a thousand dollars I didn’t have on an 8mm camera. My first “film” was for a typical summer camp memory video for a youth organization called Young Life. It took me 5 years to pay that Visa card off, and probably a couple of thousand dollars in finance charges, but it changed my life.

4. What’s your fave piece of gear?

The tripod for my softbox is my favorite piece of gear...it’s got some kind of air pressure thing that lets the legs drop slowly.

5. What’s the one thing you’d warn a new filmmaker NOT to do on their first film?

My warning for a first-time filmmaker...do NOT create a deadline.