Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Mendelsohn.
Hi Michael, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It’s a pleasure to speak with you. A bit of background on myself, my parents were immigrants; my dad was from Eastern Europe and escaped persecution from The Nazis, and my mom was from Istanbul. She grew up in Georgia and moved to the United States to escape the Cossacks. I was born and raised in the Valley here in Los Angeles. I grew up watching movies like The Godfather and Rocky Horror Picture Show, and those films served to inspire my interest in the entertainment industry. I had jobs working for Johnny Carson, Columbia Pictures, and William Morris Endeavor. While attending the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, I studied both English Literature and Finance. After school, I worked in a few banks, and from there, with my friend and business partner, Marc Rowan (Current Co-Founder & CEO of Apollo Global Mgmt.), we started Patriot Pictures and have been producing all different types of films including recent releases from Blackout to God Is a Bullet.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In show business, the show and the business have to work together. It can be difficult to navigate algorithms with all the streaming services that now exist. The film has to be at an optimal length; the duration can’t be too short or too long. You want to grab people’s attention; so many people watch movies with their phones in their hands. The integration of AI technologies also poses an interesting obstacle. In an industry such as this, which is fast-paced and dependent on quality performance, AI is posing a threat to individuals in the entertainment industry while also providing great potential for exponential growth with all that it can do. That is all still being figured out….it’s challenging and exciting.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Patriot Pictures?
I think I’d like people to know that Patriot Pictures is an independent finance production company that produces, finances, and distributes between three and eight films per year, with an eye for great storytelling. We strive to spotlight the struggles between good and evil that have taken place throughout history and to encourage audiences to take part in positive social change.
Any big plans?
We are developing a new branded entertainment department of Patriot; one under which we collaborate with incredible directors who will help brands to better connect with their people. I also love building homes, so we’re also constructing and designing European-style homes. It’s a filmmaker’s take on real estate and design, building classic houses like the ones you see in movies and TV shows. I hope people will keep an eye out for this, because whether it’s making movies or making homes….I love being creative and always unique.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.patriotpictures.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriotpictures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriotPicturesEntertainment/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/patriotpictures
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0578861/
Image Credits
Michael Mendelsohn (Photo Credit: Patriot Pictures/John Gilhooley)
Patriot Pictures Team: Caitlin McCrann, Michael Mendelsohn, Natalie Perrotta (Photo Credit: Patriot Pictures/John Gilhooley)
(Nayip Ramos, Michael Mendelsohn) Photo Credit: S. Roy Saringo
(Grace Santos, Natalie Perrotta, Michael Mendelsohn, Charlie Hunnam) Photo Credit: S. Roy Saringo
