Jeff Stacy’s Experience In Film

You walk into the dark theatre as your movie is about to begin. You smell the popcorn and the trailers begin. Most everyone has gone through this experience, and this is how Jeff Stacy, writer, director, producer, as well as crew member, started out at this simple beginning as well. Jeff Stacy was first intrigued by the film industry as an audience member but has grown to direct several of his own films.

Jeff has worked on several films over the years so naturally there would be variation in his style over time. The overall understanding and workmanship put into the film may improve as he learns from his past mistakes. “I would hope that my directing has improved over time. But, my approach to directing has always been to treat everyone involved in the production as fellow creators.” Jeff says after being asked how his style and quality of films have changed over time.

Although Jeff is a well-versed filmmaker, he sees himself as a realist, as many of the projects he hopes to work on may not be possible due to the norms and standards of the film industry. This can be noted after he says “There are several dream projects that I would like to do, But, I’m a realist in terms of the industry.” Along with this point, having more control over his projects allows him to do things that he wouldn’t be able to do with a different director or script.

Jeff Stacy has had his short films screened at film festivals across the country and has worked on several major motion picture films one being “Forest Gump.” Although he does enjoy making short films, he “would have to say longer forms are more interesting to [him].”

In his films, he likes “the idea of merging visual and literal objectives within a form, as well as how dramatic conventions can be manipulated.” This can be seen in his works as well as his favorite film, Les Enfants du Paradis.

While Jeff may have been in the crew or produced some films he didn’t have much control over, he prefers to have more control over his projects, as he has written and created a few of his own shorts. When he says “To your question, as a writer, it’s preferable to have control over what you’ve written, and that usually entails directing, unless you find a director that is remarkably sensitive to your voice/perspective.” it can show how having control over your project can be very meaningful to the outcome as well as your perception of the movie.

Jeff is best known for the films he con tributed to, 12 Monkeys, Body of Lies, and National Treasure: Book of Secrets. He says “When I was doing crew [works] in the film industry my favorite film that I worked on was probably 12 Monkeys.” He is currently working on the film Tell Me Why You’re Going to Hell, a full-length feature film he is directing and has written. He has also directed a few award-winning shorts as a director, writer, and producer.