Broken Frontier

BF had a chance to talk to Mike Elliott, who after mostly working on countless low-budget films is now executive producer on upcoming films The Eye and War. Set for a release later this year, both productions boast some serious star power, as they feature Jessica Alba and Jet Li respectively.

BROKEN FRONTIER: How many movies have you produced? Have you passed the 200 mark?

MIKE ELLIOTT: No, no, just over 100. At least, 100 that I'm willing to own up to... [Laughs]

BF: One of your biggest inspirations in the movie industry was Roger Corman, under whose watchful eye you learned a lot. What are some of the tricks you picked up from your mentor?

ME: It may sound sappy, but Roger confirmed my childhood lessons that fairness and honesty can and should be part of the recipe for business success. Hollywood is a slick place, and there are few people (maybe none) as simple and straightforward as Roger Corman. He also taught me to drive a very hard bargain.

BF: What's it been like going from producing ultra-low budget films for Roger, to becoming known as the sequel king?

ME: It's been a pretty natural transition, actually... many of the sequels we produce are "reverse engineered" so that the budget fits the expected revenue, based on a financial analysis of the original and its market... and that's a Roger Corman rubric if there ever was one.

BF: Why are you so attracted to the idea of sequels?

ME: Producing a sequel is the greatest mark of success in this industry.

BF: Speaking of sequels, they’re very big in today’s Hollywood. There’s a new Saw every Halloween; Pirates of The Caribbean, X-Men and Spider-Man are all up to three productions; heck, there’s even a new Rocky out there. Why is the industry so enamored with the concept of the ‘movie franchise’?

ME: The industry likes sequels because it is both risk-averse, and savvy enough to return to the well. And low budget sequels are like finding buried treasure where there seemed to be only sand... recouping from revenue streams that everyone else thought were dry.

BF: After doing plenty of low budgets and sequels, you’re now producing big budget films like War and The Eye. How did that transition come about?

ME: My company (Capital Arts Entertainment – ed.) and I became known for making good movies and keeping them on time, and on budget... something almost unheard of in Hollywood. I work a lot with a company that subscribes to this philosophy, called Lionsgate—the people there are some of the smartest filmmakers and best people in the world.

Mike Elliott on the set of The Eye, final days of shooting	Veteran film producer Mike Elliot with long-time friend, writer/producer William Widmaier, on the set of The Eye

BF: What's the lowest budget movie you've ever produced? The highest?

ME: The lowest budgeted movie I've ever done was a small action movie that cost sixty thousand dollars. The highest was War , at $40 million.

BF: Do you realise you've probably produced more genre movies than almost any producer in history?

ME: See, that's the problem with having Roger as my mentor; his career immediately contradicts that assertion.

BF: How many movies have you produced that were originally comic books or based on characters from comic books?

ME: Let's see, I've done Richie Rich, Addams Family, two Caspers, Timecop, and there are several as yet unannounced projects. Oh, and I've done a movie ABOUT comic books called Comic Book Villains ... does that count?

BF: I guess it does. [Laughs] Now, War stars Jet Li and Jason Stratham, so saying this project will feature some serious action and fight sequences hardly is a stretch, right?

ME: While War (formerly titled Rogue ) is a bone-blasting, spine-shattering action flick, it features a relatively complex and interesting storyline. I am proud of it for both qualities... And Jet Li and Jason Statham are very fun to work with.

Exec Producer Mike Elliott and crew talking to The Eye publicist about all the things BF can't take pictures of: Jessica Alba, the actual set, etc.	Executive Producer Mike Elliott on the set in downtown Los Angeles, during last days of a long shooting schedule for Jessica Alba-starrer The Eye

BF: What can you tell us about The Eye and what it’s like working with Jessica Alba?

ME: Jessica plays a violinist in this thriller, and she has actually learned to play the violin for the movie. Her dedication and professionalism are inspiring. But the best thing about working with Jessica is her sense of humor. She spends a certain amount of time entertaining the crew on set—much of it making fun of me.

BF: The Eye is produced by Cruise/Wagner Productions. How much of a hand do Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner themselves have in the entire creative and production process?

ME: Tom and Paula are of course extremely busy, but central to every aspect of making The Eye. We are constantly striving to make them proud.

BF: What about The Eye’s story makes it such an intriguing project for you to be involved in?

ME: I enjoy the psychology of the paranormal. That's why I work in Hollywood. [Laughs]

Mike's on-set private office

BF: Do you have any pet projects?

ME: Yes, I have several projects about pets, and if you don't like those, I can get more within a month... the real question is, do you have any funding? Oh, that isn't what you meant...? The fact is, I make all kinds of movies because I like all kinds of movies. I guess I just plain like making movies.

BF: What's next, after you’re done with The Eye?

ME: I always keep my next moves a secret, from everyone... my family, my business partner, even myself... War Games 2 is in post-production, Peaceful Warrior comes out in a couple of weeks, and Pride is about to be released as well. I have a few more movies I hope to get made this year... and if pressed, I'd be willing to hint that I might direct soon.

Story assist and on-set pictures provided by William L. Widmaier.