roger-bobb

*With three hit shows currently on the air and 11 films released over the last six years, (which have all opened at #1 or #2 in their opening weekend), Roger Bobb is one of the most powerful producers working in the film and television industry today.

A former EVP at Tyler Perry Studios, Bobb is now at the helm of his own company, Bobbcat Films, which is responsible for “The Rickey Smiley Show” on TV One and the upcoming made for Uptv film, “In the Meantime.” The Robertson Treatment recently spoke to the industry wunderkind to learn more about his very promising career.

Robertson Treatment: So what is your day-to-day like as a film and television producer?
Roger Bobb: I create, write, budget and schedule films and television shows. I also read and develop scripts with writers, meet with film & television studio executives to get distribution & financing, hire talent including writers, directors and actors. Basically, I am responsible for the day-to-day management of the filming process from concept to completion.

RT: Why did you choose this profession?
RB: I’ve always had a love for film and television ever since I was a young child living in Brooklyn. My brother (who is an entertainment attorney) and I would walk around our house quoting lines from famous films.

After college, I worked as a paralegal and my company moved me to Los Angeles. While I was there I saw a film being shot in front of my apartment and watched the entire process for 5 hours, I instantly knew that it was what I wanted to do, so I took film classes at The School of Visual Arts and worked my way up.

RT: What kind of challenges have you faced in reaching your professional benchmarks?
RB: It’s always difficult to obtain financing for projects. This is show “business” and filmmaking is an expensive process that takes a lot of experience, confidence and begging to convince a company to give you millions of dollars to create a product.

RT: What have been some of your career high points?

RB: Being able to give people (writers, actors & directors) the opportunity to achieve their dream is very fulfilling, as well as being able to employ hundreds of technicians especially in a down economy, all while creating images that hopefully resonate with audiences in a meaningful way.

RT: What kind of advice would you give to emerging filmmakers?
RB: The 2 P’s Passion and Planning, You have to have a passion for this industry to succeed in it. It’s very unpredictable, the hours are long and the personalities are “interesting”. People often ask me how you know if you truly have a passion for something. I often tell them that there will be times when you just want to quit, but something inside of you won’t let you do it, that’s passion.

Planning: If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Always have a plan A, B, C & D. The thing about this industry is that there are so many different paths to success; there is not just one way to achieve your goal. Research how people who have succeeded in your particular industry and incorporate that it into your journey. I’m living proof that passion, planning and hard work can result in success.

Source: EurWeb

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