Andrew Carlberg is an independent producer, and chairman and founder of The 4th Wall at The Geffen Playhouse.  He also works for Executive Producer Laurie Zaks on the hit ABC show CASTLE, where he has been since the program’s beginning.  Producing credits include: the upcoming feature film I HAVE IT (director Jim Fall); the short film AFTER-SCHOOL SPECIAL (written by Neil LaBute and starring Sarah Paulson and Wes Bentley); the pilot presentation LONE, written and directed by Jon Huertas, and starring Rider Strong, Wesley Jonathan and Lochlyn Munro; the music videos TIL MY VOICE IS GONE (starring 7-time Emmy winner Ed Asner) and YOU’RE SO VAIN (re-released by Carly Simon and starring Ethan Embry); the Los Angeles premiere of Sarah Tuft’s 110 Stories at the Geffen Playhouse (starring John Hawkes, Katharine McPhee, Sharon Lawrence, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and others); as well as a variety of other short films and internet spots. Development includes a television movie with Sharon Lawrence and a reality show with Eric Christian Olsen. Next on stage Andrew is producing the Los Angeles premiere of Neil LaBute’s THE MERCY SEAT with VS. Theatre Company at [Inside] The Ford and the West Coast premiere of Edward Anthony’s off-Broadway hit WISH I HAD A SYLVIA PLATH with Rogue Machine at The Lounge Theatre.  Both plays open in March 2011.  He encourages you to see both – and to let him know when you do!  Additional work can be found at www.westernskiesproductions.com.

In any and all of the work I’ve done so far as a professional,
I’ve never seen anything good come out of anger and/or the
unwillingness to collaborate.  To make one’s point, to share
one’s talents, to touch another person’s heart–these are the
gifts that have been used most positively by me and those
around me.

– Neil LaBute

I love actors.  I love writers.  I love directors.  I get a high from the collaborative process.  Almost every night when I go to sleep, I do so ready to wake up, excited for what lies ahead.  The next set of encounters.  The next page of words.  The next day of shooting.  The next collection of performances.  A large portion of that enthusiasm comes out of my respect and love for those I work with on these artistic endeavors.  I have been fortunate at a relatively young age to have a career that has the hallmark of pairing new, young talent with high-profile, established staples of our community.

I produce because, like all of us, I want to be a part of telling a story.  However, I know where I fit into the process.  I know where I can be most effective.  I don’t need to note a script that is ready to shoot in order to hear myself talk.  I don’t need to hover over a director that clearly has command of a set in order to re-establish my presence.  A writer and a director need to know that I have the same confidence in them that I do in myself.  Every good producer is different and brings something unique to a production – it’s the one occupation in our field that lacks true definition.  It’s a special quality, but we all know when it’s possessed.  There are enough individuals in our industry, from Scott Rudin to Brian Grazer to Kathleen Kennedy to Harvey Weinstein, for us to know that a good producer can truly elevate the quality of a project.  There are no secrets or short cuts – it’s about hard work, focus and genuinely caring about the matters at hand.  However, I do believe that certain realities contribute to a producer’s ability to do his or her job well.

1. Exercise Good Taste. Scott Rudin is the poster child.  Whether it’s last year’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK and TRUE GRIT, or recent Broadway productions of FENCES and GOD OF CARNAGE, Scott Rudin knows good material.  When I see his work, I am never surprised that it is amazing.  If I had those scripts and those actors, I, too, would pour every waking moment of my existence into bringing them to life.  Good material and good talent go hand-in-hand.  Yasmina Reza’s brilliant script for GOD OF CARNAGE led to the enthusiasm and interest of Marcia Gay Harden, James Gandolfini, Hope Davis and Jeff Daniels.  Their performances coupled with their names made the play an event.  If you surround yourself with good writing and good acting, you will find that you’ve never wanted to work harder.  After that, it’s a snowball effect.  Once you’ve established that you have an eye for material and talent, the train doesn’t stop moving.

2. Protect Your Director and Actors. Do everything you can for them.  You look good when they do their best work.  I always have an open door policy that I establish from the first meeting.  Every actor knows that they can call me directly with any issue, no matter how small.  If as an actor you are uncomfortable in the dress you have to wear for 12 hours, then, believe it or not, I really do give a shit.  That is not trivial.  If you are a director that doesn’t feel you have the right location for a pivotal scene, I don’t want you to just make due.  I want to do everything in my power to deliver what you want.  When your actors and director are comfortable and confident, they will perform better.  Even when I don’t 100% agree with them, I will go out of my way to work for them.  They need to know you care.  Also, I cannot stress enough that while your obligation to talent may technically end when a project is completed, a good producer knows that you have entered into a lifelong pact.  My nights at the theater, my DVR and my Netflix queue are filled with the work of directors and actors I have collaborated with in the past.  I consistently keep up with their work, especially if I intend to work with them again.

3. Respect the stage. While I moved to Los Angeles wanting to make film and television, some of my most rewarding experiences have been in the theater.  There is no medium like it.  There is no filter, no editing.  It is where you can show your skill in the purest light.  My theater initiative, The 4^th Wall, began with the goal to make great theater more affordable and accessible to a younger generation of artists.  While that is still its cornerstone mission, it has evolved into an organization that links the screen and the stage.  My working relationship with Neil LaBute (both in film and theater) emerged from that organization.  My friend and collaborator Mark Freiburger has written and produced a successful feature with Matthew Modine, a relationship that was forged at a 4^th Wall event following one of Matthew’s plays.  The 4^th Wall has presented work starring Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Laurence Fishburne, Rita Wilson, Chris Pine and many more.  The stage allows you access to these actors.  You have a guaranteed, shared two-hour experience with them.  Will that result in collaboration after one introduction?  Probably not – but that’s because relationships take time and work – whether they are personal or business.  What it does allow for is the first step, so that when it comes time to call an agent, or when you see that individual again, a foundation and point of reference exists.

4. Distinguish roles. Often I have collaborated with actors that have also served as producers on a given project.  In these instances, when an actor is serving as the producer as well, it’s important to know what you are physically capable of accomplishing.  There is always a threshold that’s reached prior to principal photography or opening night when an actor needs to begin focusing on their performance more directly.  That moment varies from actor to actor, but be aware of it, and know that is the crossroads when you will need more support from fellow producers.  Also, don’t feel the need to fulfill a starring role, or any role for that matter, if you are serving as a producer.  One actor that I frequently collaborate with is very explicit when we are seeking material that, while he desires to act in the piece, he is open to a supporting role if it fits into his wheelhouse.  With that being the case, he positions himself to contribute more as a producer.  In addition, he creates the opportunity to act alongside talent that is potentially larger than he is – which adds to his on-screen value.

Producing is incredibly fulfilling work, though it is also stressful, and not for the weak-willed.  It’s brutal.  You are often the first person on the project and the last person to put it to rest.  You have a duty to your directors and actors to shoulder any burden you can for them – for the clearer their headspace, the better your chances of a successful production.  Production is a jungle.  Enter the wilderness first and clear away as much brush as possible.  Then let your cast and crew play.

Be sure to check out Andrew’s next stage productions: the Los Angeles premiere of Neil LaBute’s THE MERCY SEAT with VS. Theatre Company at [Inside] The Ford and the West Coast premiere of Edward Anthony’s off-Broadway hit WISH I HAD A SYLVIA PLATH with Rogue Machine at The Lounge Theatre.  Both plays open this month.

Photo by Shiloh King Strong