Meet Cameron Thrower

We were lucky to catch up with Cameron Thrower recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cameron, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Excellent question. Keeping creativity alive is knowing it lives within you.

For me, being a filmmaker is not just a profession; it’s a commitment to keeping my inner child alive. The journey of being a film director involves balancing technical skills with the imaginative process of crafting stories; finding inspiration in the everyday.

I see creativity as a seed planted in everyone during childhood. The key is to continually nourish this creative seed with passions that extend beyond ourselves; everyday moments that give you goosebumps, the simple conversations, and the nuances of human behavior often serve as the fertile soil from which ideas can grow (see what I did there) and spark ideas.

Collaboration is paramount in this creative journey. Working with my team brings in a mix of ideas that can elevate the project. Over the past decade, I have collaborated with some of the same actors & crew because I love the way they work with my ideas (I’m looking at you Rebekah Tripp and Jesse Aragon), making them better, making them their own. The energy of bouncing ideas off each other and collectively problem-solving, in a supportive safe space, is one of my absolute favorite aspects of filmmaking.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I make films that make you think, but more than anything, I want my movies to make you feel. It’s like cinematic comfort food. My inspiration comes from childhood nights, sitting around a campfire in Rocks Pond, South Carolina, hearing emotional storytellers share unforgettable tales. The ones that jump into the story and pull you in for the ride.

That’s the way a film should be experienced. A tale told by an emotional, confident storyteller, leaving out the bits that you can imagine yourself, to make you genuinely care about these characters and their stories. That’s the goal anyway; if you can achieve that, you’re on to something special.

Speaking of something special, we have some exciting news! We’ll be releasing our newest award-winning film, “WORST DATE, BEST DATE” in January 2024! Fresh off from its festival run, we’re thrilled to share this story with the world.

About the project: Meet Charlie & Amy, two strangers set up on a blind date by their grandmothers. Watch the amazing talents of Patrick Hilgart, Kim Perrin, Tony Moore, and Charlie Clark in this hilarious, laugh-out-loud film. Shoutout to Heather Turman (Producer/ Co-Writer) & my long-time collaborator, Jesse Aragon (Director of Photography). So many people came together to make this film and I couldn’t be prouder.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
A few qualities that I bring to all my sets are kindness, collaboration, and resilience. Those three things are so important to me, from pre-production to post. But ultimately, it’s about the story and how each cast & crew member can lend their “superpower” to create the cinematic experience for the audience.

If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down, and most of the time that’s ego.

I’ve said this earlier, but I’m surrounded by gifted people who have an infinite passion for making movies. I’ve learned along the way as a creative, is to collaborate, not dictate, be a leader who listens, steps in to do the work, and is not afraid to make mistakes. The job is not to ignore problems but to fix them creatively. Having that courage to show up on set when you can’t control the outcome is what being a filmmaker is all about, chasing courage over comfort.

At the end of the day, you don’t make the movie, the movie makes you.

 

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