Today we’d like to introduce you to Marshall Cook.
Hi Marshall, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! Well, I’m from Santa Rosa, California (wine country, about an hour north of San Francisco). Didn’t know a thing about wine growing up, but my parents exposed me to a myriad of other interests and activities between arts (mom) and sports (dad). It was pretty clear making videos is what piqued my interest most.
I started making videos with my dad’s hi-8 camera, shooting shorts with my friends and editing from camera to vcr with that cutting edge play/record/stop technique. I’ve made countless videos from soup to nuts; writing, directing, producing, shooting, acting, and editing as a kid, through high school, college, to present. I make videos for a living now; also known as commercials and movies.
Once I figured out how to monetize my skills, I caught up on the other life stuff; I got married, adopted a dog, moved into a house, and now I’m writing my memoirs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I mean… No. I’m standing on a healthy foundation of rejection and learning experiences. It’s never easy to finance a project to direct, especially when you’re younger. It took a few years to make my first feature, which was a football comedy for a $250K budget. I went broke making it and never got paid after it sold for profit (to this day…distributors, ya know?), so I started catering and bartending. I did it all backwards, I made a movie and then went into the service industry. I was just getting by throughout my entire 20s. I wasn’t a great networker and didn’t have connections to the “gate keepers.” I just had to get scrappy and write (or co-write) just about everything I’ve ever made. I broke into commercials through online competitions, I got a series optioned by making a short proof of concept, I got features financed by writing screenplays on spec. Looking back, I’m glad it’s been a slow steady climb; I truly appreciate every victory.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m currently prepping to direct my third comedy feature, “Champions of the Universe.” I wrote it with Will Sasso, who will play one of the leads, and Peter Farrelly is executive producing, which is still crazy to me. His endorsement of me as a director tells me I must be doing something right, and/but I need to be better than I’ve ever been (which should obviously always be the case). But I’m excited! When it comes to making any kind of video, I can get extremely focused (borderline obsessive), which can be a blessing for work and a curse for my personal life.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you’re interested in a fun comedy about indie filmmakers and some adapted experiences I’ve had on the festival circuits, my last comedy feature, “Film Fest,” is now available on most streaming platforms – you can rent, buy, or stream free with ads. Just ask your remote or whatever… Thank you!
Contact Info:
- Website: marshallcook.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismarshallcook
Image Credits:
Bjoern Kommerell
