Producer’s Guild & Cadillac Make Your Mark Contest

“Passion is [the] immeasurable, indescribable factor that separates movie from movie. Passion moves freely across borders, speaks every language and flourishes in every culture. The movement of passion is the most gratifying satisfaction in any moviemaker’s life. This happens when you see and hear people all over the world share their laughter, their crying and their sudden gasps at identical screen moments.” –

This weekend, I had the pleasure and challenge of participating in the Producer’s Guild and Cadillac Make Your Mark short film contest. Given only 51 hours, we were expected to write, produce and complete a 2-5 minute film using a very specific set of requirements, incorporating the work of legendary producer . Famous for his independent production company in the Bay Area and literary oscar-winning adaptations such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Amadeus, Zaentz has been a hero of mine for years. So to write and produce something in his spirit was an opportunity I could not resist. I teamed up with Asher Genoot, producer of Poets, and an incredible team of dedicated cast and crew members to take on this challenge.

Shooting at a crew member’s cabin in Lake Arrowhead, we spent an entire night and day shooting. We then completed post-production here in Los Angeles and managed to submit the project with just 3 minutes to spare! Now, we wait to hear the results on July 29, 2014. Regardless of if we make it into the finalists, this experience was beyond exhilirating. It’s weekends like this that remind me why I love filmmaking so much. And I am beyond grateful to get to do what I love with people I love…even if it keeps us up for two nights straight!

As soon as we are able to share the film, we will. In the meantime, wish us luck!

Ilan Benjamin and the cast, Dani De La Fe, Alex Benjamin and Lisa Goodman