Interview with Guernslye Honorés
You are your own agent, sales rep, marketing agency. That’s not to say you can’t have help, but the more you can do yourself, and advocate for yourself, the more you are in charge of your own destiny. Never ever simply wait for the phone to ring.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Todd Norwood.
Todd Norwood is a writer, director, and author whose feature films include Chasing the Sun, Gap Weekend, and Monaco International Film Festival Angel Award Winner, Tricks of a Woman. He has worked with and directed many established film actors including Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos), Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Scott Elrod (Men In Trees, CSI), and Carlos Leon (Oz). His films have been released in worldwide markets and some of his screenwriting work for hire projects have been released theatrically.
Todd has created the “Island Time” brand centered around the tropical Island lifestyle. The stories he creates in this world evoke Jimmy Buffett, escapism, and living life to the fullest. His film Chasing the Sun features a number of Trop Rock hits including songs by Jimmy Parrish, Sunny Jim, Howard Livingston, and Billboard country artist Thom Shepherd, among many others. He has continued this brand into a series of sequels in novel form, “The Bamboo Bob Chronicles.” He also has co-created the online travel show, Livin’ Like Locals.
His most recent film, Gap Weekend, has just been released on Amazon, Verizon Fios, and Spectrum.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
Thank you. It’s great to be a part of this interview. I’ve been an independent filmmaker all my life. One could argue I’ve been one since I was a kid. Every time other kids would come over to play I used my parents camera to make a “movie.” It’s been non-stop filming since then. I then started making these “movies” to pass in for Middle School class assignments rather than papers, which was certainly much more enjoyable.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
Prior to college, I never really wrote that much. All I would do was tell my friends ideas for movies. At one point they became so sick of my constantly talking about ideas that they said, “We’re not going to listen to any more ideas unless you write them down.” Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. Storytelling is an addiction.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
Filmmaking is always a challenge, even on its best day. Certainly one of the most challenging was filming an action scene involving a train derailment. We weren’t actually going to derail the train, we were getting shots of the train speeding by, which we would get with many different angels. The goal was to cut footage of the train interspersed with shots of a school bus that the train would hit on screen. Unfortunately the bus broke down and the entire cast and crew had to push the bus up the hill to get the shot, and right when we did the train came by and actually derailed in real life, without us having any of the cameras going. Thankfully no one was hurt, but that was certainly one of the most unique experiences I had making a movie. Maybe it’s the reason I’ve shied away from making action movies since then.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
My last film prior to Gap Weekend was Chasing the Sun. It told the story of a radio DJ who interviews “Trop Rock” musicians. These are musicians who sing “vacation style” music, such as Reggae, calypso, and Gulf & Western. The movie is interspersed with interviews with these artists. I found all of them to be some of the most interesting and inspiring people I know. They have a passion for their art, and all of them have an entrepreneurial bent, both of which I find incredibly inspiring as I go on my own creative journey.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Recently I would have to credit Art Hall, who has been the lead actor in a number of my films. There was a period of time after I finished directing a film where I was so burnt out and felt that the process of making films was too exhausting and wasn’t enjoyable anymore. I felt like the film sets moved in slow motion. He pushed me to be my own cinematographer, which was a process that took a while to learn. Being my own DP has enriched my directing journey and allows me far more control over the destiny of my films and I credit Art with that a great deal.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
There are hundreds of books and courses that will teach filmmaking or creativity. And while there ARE fundamentals to learn, at the end of the day you have to be true to your own creative compass. Don’t relay on the opinions of others, the only person you are competing with is yourself. You can never please anyone. The worst thing would be to fail at making a project that wasn’t true to you. Far better to do what makes you passionate, because even if you fail, you will have succeeded in being true to yourself, and perhaps, learned a lesson along the way.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
Monolithic thinking is the death of entertainment and diversity helps to bring needed, unique points of view. The reason that diversity is important is because by bringing in new voices, it fosters unique ways to tell a story and keeps a story surprising. It also creates movies that are based on unique experiences rather than just “movies about other movies.” It also helps to stop stories from becoming an echo chamber.
Good stories told by people who can look at different diverse points of view can bridge people with different life experiences together in a shared sense of escapism from the outside world. It affects the culture because it can bridge people together, rather than dividing them, which is something we need right now.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Well, of course the project I’m most excited about now is Gap Weekend which was just released on Amazon, Verizon Fios, and Spectrum. The film is about an aspiring travel writer who is recently divorced from his childhood sweetheart. After yet another disastrous dating experience he posts a manifesto online says how much he wants to spend a weekend with someone up in wine country, not for dating or sex, but just to recreate that feeling of familiarity, to basically pretend they are a couple. He wants them to have a “Gap Weekend” from their lives. Someone does respond to the ad, which complicates both their lives.
I also have a novelization of the film I wrote which is coming out in February.
Finally, in a strange case of life imitating art, since I’ve made the film I’ve started an online travel show, “Livin’ Like Locals. https://www.youtube.com/@livinlikelocals I guess making a movie about someone who always wanted to make a travel show inspired me to start making my own!
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
I’m most proud of comments from people who enjoy rewatching my work. I love travel, obviously, and most of my films take the viewer on a journey. Whether that’s Key West in my film, Chasing the Sun or Santa Barbara Wine country in Gap Weekend I’ve heard people mention they enjoy rewatching the films when they want to revisit both the characters, and the world. And, when they can’t travel to those places in person, to journey there through watching the films.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Only Do Projects you are passionate about.
I’ve only done a project that I wasn’t passionate about once. There was a time I was having difficulty selling scripts so I decided to make a “sure fire hit” film, which at that time, everyone said was violent horror films. I wrote a totally basic by the book horror film, despite the fact that I don’t personally care for those films. I was going through the motions and only doing the project for a buck.
While I was making that film the market for those kinds of movies dried up and so I was left with a film that didn’t sell, and one which I wasn’t proud of, and because of that I failed on both counts. It would have been far better had I stuck to my guns and made a film I was passionate about. Even had it not sold, it would have been a film I could be proud of, rather than embarrassed by.
2. Don’t wait.
There are ALWAYS reasons to wait to do your dream project. Don’t wait. I had been wanting to do a tropical inspired film for years, and I told myself I would “refuse to compromise” by waiting for the perfect budget. The perfect budget never came and I finally made a paired down version of that film, called Chasing the Sun. I finally realized I had all the tools and resources to make the film I wanted, but it took me a number of years to come to that realization.
3. Be well rounded.
So many artists care only about the art and roll their eyes and the more logistical and technical aspects. Remember that if you do so you will always need others to make your art. If you learn about business, learn about production, or in my case, even learn all of the difficult technical aspects of cameras, it will give you the freedom and the power to create without barriers.
4. Only be in competition with yourself.
You can only please yourself and you can only be in competition with yourself. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others in life, business, and in the arts. It’s much healthier mentally to tackle each day and each project saying, “how do I top myself from last time?
5. You are your own agent, sales rep, marketing agency. That’s not to say you can’t have help, but the more you can do yourself, and advocate for yourself, the more you are in charge of your own destiny. Never ever simply wait for the phone to ring.
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
My own vision — That is not to say that others are wrong. I try to listen to everyone’s opinion. But at the end of the day you have to go with your gut, and do what is right for you. I’ll go back to my story about the horror movie I did — I did something that wasn’t “me” and did what others thought would be successful. Far better to do a project that I’m personally passionate about. I did a movie many years before called “The Wayfarers” which not many people saw, and which never got distribution, but that movie was my own vision at the time, and that film got me hired to direct bigger projects and writing assignments. Remember that if you go with your own vision, nothing is a failure.
Always trust your gut and take on the world with your own, unique vision. Worst case you will learn a lesson for next time.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Look at the world from a creative lens. There is always a way. Harnessing the world from a creative lens can do wonders. Whether that is in business or research, in terms of looking at problems and challenges from a unique perspective, or in terms of artwork, or even on an individual scale using creativity as a form of mental health — integrating creativity into your daily tasks on an individual level can help us all on a grander scale.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
I would say Robert Rodriguez has been a huge influence as an independent filmmaker who has forged his own path and retained his optimism and independent spirit. He’s inspired me at every step of the way and I don’t think I would be as confident in wearing as many hats as I do while making a film, were it not for him.
How can our readers further follow you online?
The best way to follow me would be my website, toddnorwood.net
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
Thank you so much for the interview!
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
Todd Norwood: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.