Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Fradkin.
Hi Aaron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Directing movies is something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. After my freshmen year of high school, I attended the Maine Media Film workshops in Rockport, ME where I shot my first short film with a couple of other students. It was a horror comedy mockumentary about a French-Canadian director making a zombie film about love. The film went on to premiere at a film festival in New York and took home “best student film” at my hometown film festival in Northampton, MA. From then on, I was absolutely hooked.
I graduated Boston University in 2010 after attending the BU in LA internship program. I interned on the Sony lot at Sony Screen Gems, Arad Productions (which at the time was putting together the Marc Webb/Andrew Garfield Spiderman movies) and then moved onto the commercial space. In 2012, I quit my job (not recommended for everyone) to make my first feature film, “15 North.” I was very much inspired by the Duplass brothers and their ability to tell personal stories on a shoestring budget. While the film was by no means a huge success, it actually landed me an agent and a lot of film festival exposure. But most importantly, I learned what NOT to do when it came to indie film distribution.
After my feature film debut, I continued work as a freelance director, shooting live events, music tours (with artists like Rihanna and Jason Derulo) and eventually shooting music videos for some popular electronic artists. While casting for a Wizkid music video, I met my current producing partner and spectacular wife, Victoria Fratz. In 2018, we made my second feature film, “Electric Love” a romantic comedy about dating apps. Every mistake I made on “15 North” I tried not to repeat with my second feature. “Electric Love” proved to be a successful venture, landing a home on Hulu.
In March 2020 (yes, mere days before the world shut down) we wrapped my third feature film, “Val” a horror fantasy comedy. During the pandemic, Victoria and I were forced to postpone any productions we had planned. And so to keep busy, we decided to shoot a couple of short horror films at home. We uploaded these short horror films to YouTube and for some reason, the internet really responded in an overwhelming way. Today, our YouTube channel, Social House Films, just passed 200k subscribers and has a collective 37 million views! And so begins my exploration into the horror world. Victoria and I are currently in production on the scariest movie I’ve ever made: a full-length horror film which we’re shooting in the house I grew up in back in western Massachusetts. My wife believes my childhood home is haunted.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing about movie-making is ever smooth! In fact, my wife and I have our own way of dealing with obstacles by placing bets on how many “curveballs” we’ll encounter during production and distribution. That way, any time something doesn’t go our way, at least one of us gains a point. That makes it a lot more fun and helps us take most things in stride. Problem-solving and quick-thinking is one of the things I enjoy most about the filmmaking process.
The most challenging part of my career has been learning the ins and outs of indie film distribution. Perhaps I was naive to think that distribution companies have the best interest of you and your film, but in my experience, this has not been the case. I never saw a dime on the first movie I ever made – and quite frankly, that’s entirely on me. I didn’t ask questions, I didn’t hire a lawyer to review the distribution deal, and I didn’t even consider seeking a better deal elsewhere. Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to get your film in front of people. Aggregators allow you to self-distribute on most major platforms and YouTube is an excellent way to build an audience and. gain exposure. So if you’re going to choose a distribution company, make sure they can do something for you and your film that you can’t do on your own.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a writer/director specializing in comedy and horror. I’m probably most known for my feature film, “Electric Love” which was on Hulu during 2019 and into 2020. I also have a YouTube channel specializing in short horror movies and behind-the-scenes documentaries educating our audience on the filmmaking process.
One of the projects that I’m most proud of is our short horror film, “The Ballerina.” Every so often as a filmmaker, you manage to capture lightning in a bottle. And it’s really special when that happens. We had a great concept with a great location, the perfect actress, and a theme was personal to us. Oh, and it was extremely creepy. It was a magical experience making that film and I’m so happy that it resonated with so many people!
What separates me from most is what I hear a lot of people say about me – when I have an idea, I don’t talk about it, I go out and do it. Not just practically, but creatively as well. Sticking to your vision, being brave, and staying true to yourself is so important when making something.
What makes you happy?
Don’t roll your eyes – seeing my wife happy. That makes me happy. Seeing the people in my life get along, live their lives to the fullest. That makes me happy.
And lastly, I am EUPHORIC when we wrap production on a project we’ve been working on tirelessly for many months on end.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.socialhousefilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialhousefilms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialhousefilms
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/socialhousefilm
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/socialhousefilms
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@socialhousefilms
Image Credits
Chris Loupos (for shark photo)
