Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael LoCicero. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I do not yet earn a full-time living from my creative work. However, it’s the ultimate goal in terms of my career. Not fame or fortune, but simply being successful enough that I’m able to do what I love full time. Ok fine, I’d take a little fortune too!

Everyone has their own process and while the route I’ve taken may be considered unorthodox in this industry,(starting a family first before focusing on my career, not moving to LA or NY) I don’t believe it could have gone any faster. Which is ironic because I’m always thinking time is working against me! But having learned a great deal over the years, I can officially say I’m getting closer.

There are many who can relate, but the greatest challenge for me is the constant juggling act. The balance I try to keep with my full time job as a truck driver, my life at home as a father and husband, my creative life as an actor/filmmaker… then of course mixing in some social life to keep your friends and your sanity.

This is all part of the standard everyday routine. If I don’t maintain a balance, I’m not succeeding. Therefore, I’m not content. The hope is to one day not have as much to balance, so there is more time allotted to what I’m passionate about. [So] My apologies, truck driver… but it’s time for you to leave.

Michael, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I played basketball growing up in Richmond, CA. Attended a community college for a semester and took an acting class on a whim. I was hooked. Moved to New England with my family shortly after and majored in theatre once I went to college full time.

For years I acted in other people’s theatre and film projects before getting the bug to make my own. I was determined to turn this passion into a career and felt the best way for me to do that was by taking more responsibility and leadership over the work being created.

The first step in this endeavor was to write a feature-length script. Following through and actually making it into a feature-length film was when I knew this could become a reality. Neither would have happened without the support system of people who helped me along the way; my team of collaborators and the friends/family that believe in what we’re trying to do – run a fully functioning multi-media production company.

That company [name] is JL Pictures…. its name is inspired by my great grandfather J.L. Wickstrom, who was Creative Director at BBDO advertising in San Francisco. I have a picture of him that looks like it’s from an episode of the TV show, Mad Men.

He’s holding up a large print with 4 co-workers huddled around, all discussing the piece. All working together with the same goal.

To me, that picture is the essence of collaboration. JL Pictures is an homage to him and my two children, Jack and Josephine, who coincidentally share the same initials in their names.

These young kids are still able to express [raw] honest thoughts and emotion with no concern of how they will be perceived. No inhibitions or filters to prevent them from being themselves. I admire that purity and hope to capture an equal level of authenticity, no matter the genre, in the quality of our films.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience should be a prerequisite when it comes to micro budget filmmaking. Especially when it’s your first feature!

Throughout our production of Respite Road,(now THE KILLERS NEXT DOOR) my producers and I hit our fair share of snags we fought through…

A few instances include —
Having a location we needed to make work so badly that I personally cleaned it out. This abandoned cabin was covered in mouse excrement, fiber glass insulation and other various disgusting things to remove. But the location was worth it in the end!

This is a common movie making hinderance in general – but [when] working on a tight schedule and having every element of weather on the same exterior shoot day kill your continuity and force you to edit around certain shots because the scene looks like 3 different seasons in one!

Another location blunder — again, very tight schedule — no wiggle room to reshoot on location in New Hampshire. We needed a junk/scrap yard. Couldn’t find one. Decided to cheat the scene in a different location that [just] didn’t work. Looked terrible. Crucial scene plot-wise that [we]couldn’t be cut from the film. Months later we ended up finding a better location in Rhode Island and reshot the scene.

Things can and will work out if you’re persistent and don’t give up!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

This is an industry that relies heavily on having resources. Considering The Killers Next Door was my first film, yes, there were many we could have benefitted from early on to save time.

Some examples are knowing where to find the right companies for production insurance, payroll, equipment rentals, catering, post production services… the list goes on. Also, for my fellow low budget producers, there are always entrepreneurs out there who specialize in particular film needs to keep your budget down. Go with them if you can!

Producing a feature is such a lengthy process, so the more connections you have in your back pocket that you don’t have to research and hunt down, the better you can expedite the seemingly never ending check list.

Depending on where you live and where you plan to make your film, you can find local valuable resources through referrals in your film community and via social media groups all the time.

We have a pretty tight knit film community here in New England. As we prepped for my film, I was lucky to have a lot of industry peers/friends guide me through step by step of what I needed, where to get it, who to go through to get it, etc.

Put that work in early and good luck!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://killersnextdoor.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekillersnextdoormovie
• Instagram(JL Pictures): https://instagram.com/jlpicturesllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekillersnextdoormovie
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/killersnextdoor

Image Credits
Matthew Ferrara MPX Films Deskpop Entertainment