RAW FOOTAGE
Director Statement

I have been working happily and successfully in the Reality/Non-Fiction genre of the television business for several years. I've had a great run - most recently I've directed Fear Factor - 138 episodes to be exact, and as someone who dreams of directing an action film one day, the experience of working with top level stuntmen and women on every kind of stunt imaginable has been most satisfying.

My technical skills and talents have been lauded by many (I won the first ever DGA Award for Outstanding Direction in Reality Programming in January of 2006 for Fear Factor), but like most Reality directors, I've always yearned to direct actors, and scripted material. RAW FOOTAGE is an attempt to get back to what I love best about the creative process of filmmaking: the emotional connection that forms between the director and the wealth of talent he surrounds himself with, be they actors, writers, composers, editors or cinematographers when taking the written word the screen.

I chose RAW FOOTAGE, originally written as a full length feature by the incredibly talented Jared Rivet, because I thought the plot's twists and turns would be entertaining for the audience. You really need to pay attention to this film, and yet the end still leaves you hanging. I love films that don't completely resolve themselves at the end, leaving “what happens next” up to speculation. I think it's a most effective way of leaving a lasting impression of your work. I also chose RAW FOOTAGE in part because the script employs hidden camera technologies as a way to drive the story forward. I was familiar with these technologies from my experience on Fear Factor, so it provided a familiar medium in which to work.

I was so fortunate to have made so many friends over the years working in the entertainment business that volunteered their precious time and resources to help me with my film. I could never have done it without them, and I shall always be grateful for their kindness and generosity!

-J. Rupert Thompson