Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Thrower.
Hi Cameron, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a filmmaker, I’m a big fan of the short film, so in that vein; I’ll make this long story short. This marks my 15th year living in Los Angeles, it’s been quite unique, to say the least. I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. Post-film school, I spent a few years working with the AmeriCorps Program then moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dream of becoming a film director.
I’ve always had a love and respect for movies when I was a kid. A few of my favorite influential films growing up that would significantly impact my work were E.T., Labyrinth, Coming to America, Short Circuit, Cocktail, The Lost Boys, Dirty Dancing, Heathers, Adventures in Babysitting, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. They were an escape, introducing me to a world outside my small town in South Carolina.
By the time I was seven years old, I wanted to create my own stories and make people feel like I did when watching those movies. At ten years old, I had my dad’s giant VHS video camera on my shoulder, always filming family vacations and making short films with my siblings and neighbors. I knew my purpose was to make movies. It’s the only thing I’ve ever really set out to do career-wise; there was no plan B.
I’m incredibly grateful to work in the film industry, surrounded by talented individuals who have an infinite passion for telling stories and creating movies. I’ve learned along the way as a creative artist to collaborate, not dictate, be a leader who listens, steps in to do the work, and not afraid to make mistakes. Your job is not to ignore problems but to fix problems creatively. Having that courage to show up when you can’t control the outcome is what being an artist is all about, chasing courage over comfort.
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?
Making a movie takes blood, sweat, and years… YES, I said it… YEARS!!! This pandemic was the biggest challenge because so many projects had to pause after all those years of work on a particular film. Of course, I’m not the only one who felt the hit, though, but so many different artists did. In a way, I think it brought us all closer.
I had to redirect my film-directing passion into full-time screenwriting (half the filmmaking battle). Luckily I have two fantastic writing partners, Joe McKernan and Michael Wright. We were able to bang out some pretty great scripts over the phone, email, masked meetings, and of course, zoom. Joe McKernan and I have two feature scripts in development with a top-tier production company. Totally different stories, both with tons of heart.
Last year, Michael Wright and I finished a feature script based on one of my viral shorts. I’ll be directing that film in 2023. I’m so excited to be back in the director’s chair, especially with this project. I can’t say too much more since we’ll be releasing information soon. BUT I can say — I’m insanely lucky to have this talented team by my side as we move into production!
It’s so important to be an artist right now, and a pandemic is not going to hold us back. We, as artists, turn the tragic into magic. We need hope, we need action. We do this through filmmaking, dance, acting, music, painting, and even protest.
We all have a voice, we just use it differently. This is our chance to light up the world, kids! In-between prepping these feature films, we shot a comedy called “Worst Date, Best Date” in October 2022, written by Heather Turman and myself. Working with Heather was a dream come true. The story follows two strangers set up on a blind date by their grandmothers. Patrick Hilgart and Kim Perrin star in the movie. I loved directing these phenomenal actors and what they brought to the table (literally). I also collaborated with one of my favorite cinematographers, Jesse Aragon. This was our 7th project working together. Overall, The entire WORST DATE, BEST DATE team was just magic, and what a way to end 2022 with a project we can all be proud of. A HUGE shoutout to everyone who had a hand in making this film (financially and creatively).
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As of now, I make films that make you think, but more than anything, I want my movies to make you feel. I remember going camping as a kid; we would tell stories around a bonfire. The ones I recall most vividly were the ones told by the emotional storytellers, the ones that jumped into the story and pulled you in for the ride. That’s the way a film should be experienced.
A tale told by an emotional, confident storyteller, leaving out the bits that you can imagine yourself, making you care about these characters, these people, this story. I live and breathe in exploring these character artifacts with actors and how to tell the most truthful story, even if it’s fictional.
SPECIAL THANKS:
My LA family (The husband – Wiley Ho. The pups; Brando & Bowie) My SC family (Carol, Terry, Coby, Conner) Actress/producer Rebekah Tripp. If you’ve watched my projects over the past decade, you will find her name in the credit as my leading lady. The thing about a message or inspiration is that sometimes you can find it within the people you surround yourself with, and she’s one of them. She’s been one of my biggest supporters and has been able to carry my voice within these projects. I highly recommend shortlisting her for your next movie – she’s a star! https://www.rebekahtripp.com/
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.cameronthrower.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camthrow/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CamThrow
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/rthrower
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2979239/
