Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Horner.
Adam, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in England and I moved to Sydney, Australia at the age of 11.
I came to LA around 2012, I had been taking local acting classes back in my hometown of Sydney throughout high school, and ended up performing in a few small stage productions. I then ended up starting to move more into Film and Television, but my school I was attending at the time was a super strict Catholic School who didn’t take a liking to me sneaking out of school at 1pm to go to an audition for Home and Away.
So I began speaking to a few friends in class and found out that performing arts schools were a thing and after doing some quick research on some dial-up internet, I found Newtown High School of Performing arts. That’s where I did my senior years and where the acting really bug started.
From there, I began auditioning regularly and meeting people in the industry, particularly casting directors through various workshops I was attending. At this stage, I was presented the opportunity to travel to the US to take classes and casting director workshops in Los Angeles. With the support from the most incredible humans on the planet (my parents) I flew to LA and over the course of a month, met a lot of people in the industry. It was though one of these workshops that I ended up meeting a couple of really major US casting directors which lead to me booking my first US job, which in turn, got me my first agent, manager and visa!
After living and working in the industry for a while in front of camera, doing mostly Feature Film and commercial work, I really began getting curious as to what was happening the other side. As an actor, a lot of time you’re shuffled on and off of the set as quickly as possible so you’re not in anyone’s way, so there wasn’t much if any opportunity to ask questions and learn. And if there was, it was on day 18, hour 16 and at that time Grip #2 doesn’t really feel like explaining to talent what different lights do! So I began googling, learning from there. Learnt the film hierarchy, taught myself on-set jargon so I could understand what was going on around me on the set. From there, I started teaching myself other things in my spare time, mostly because I’m a nerd. I was studying camera Science, filmmaking techniques, equipment and how to utilize it properly, VFX and post-production, etc. I even taught myself how to use the budgeting and scheduling software because I was so curious how it was all put together.
I kept hearing people say “produce your own content” but really had no idea what that meant. But I heard web-series were a thing, so I wrote one and started trying to raise finance for it. After being unsuccessful with that project, I set out a goal to make my first feature. I began pitching it with my Co-Production partner at the time, and we managed to get it financed, made and sold! Since then, I’ve worked on over ten feature films, two television shows, commercials for companies such as LG, Samsung, Ciroc, Hyundai and Kia, and produced over 20 music videos for artists including Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and many of the worlds largest international stars.
Has it been a smooth road?
It started off really tough to get anything off the ground. I’d be sending 100s of emails and making 50 phone calls trying to get a meeting or even just an answer, but as my networks have grown as has my work has too it’s been constant until Covid hit!!
I think one of the other major struggles I’ve had has been in the television world. It’s been extremely difficult to get television shows greenlit. That’s why I’m so proud of Cypher, the first TV show that I was a part of the production team which will be released soon. Right before Covid hit, I had the pleasure of producing ten episodes of another show and I’m also excited to announce that 2021 will be the year that we will go into production on Lakeview Point. A television show which I created the concept for. It is the first time I have been on the creative side of Television, so that is super exciting.
Other than that, I’m itching to get back into production. With some states opening, we’re having discussions now about shooting the first feature film since quarantine in July.
We’d love to hear more about your work. What exactly is your job as a producer and what sets you apart from others?
As a producer, I see projects right from the very inception of the idea with the writers through production and all the way through to sales, distribution and delivery. We make the show happen and usually oversee the entire production.
What sets us apart from the others is simple, tenacity to create the best result possible, with the experience to pull it off.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the hustle. Australia is very laid back in that sense. Here, if you’re not hustling you’re left behind and forgotten about. And because of that, I have been able to collaborate and work with high-level talent and crew members regularly. Those aren’t opportunities you get outside of Los Angeles.
The thing I like least about the city is that whilst it does attract some of the greatest people, it also attracts its fair share of the not so great. So my least favorite thing has to be the people who come to LA with not so great intentions who are just trying to take advantage of people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @adamhorner_
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