Brian Hooks

Brian Hooks
Brian Hooks has been one of the best kept secrets in the entertainment industry, and prefers to keep it that way. Although know for his acting skills from a large array of movies including Three Strikes, Soul Plane, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Bulworth, High School, High School High, to more recently Malibooty & The Luau, and from television with roles in ER, The Parkers, NYPD Blue, and Moesha, Brian, is also the Executive Producer for many of his own films. Check him out on Eve’s self titled hit on UPN and his latest movie Soul Plane coming to theaters near you. Check out Brian as he gets you Hooked on executive producing and acting.
Interview by Rob Schwartz

WHO?MAG: Breakdown exactly what an executive producer does.
Brian Hooks: Well, an Executive Producer is in charge of the entire project. An EP makes sure that everything gets underway and runs smoothly from start to finish. The films I’ve EP’d have been independent films and there’s a lot more responsibility EP’ing an Indie than there is on a studio film. On an Indie it’s a lot more hands on. There is no fine line as to what your duties are. You’re the Captain and you’re expected to make the project a successful one at any cost.

WHO?MAG: What do you look for in a script?
Brian Hooks: I look for entertainment. I want to read the script and get exited. Weather it’s the character I’m considering playing being interesting, the idea of the movie being unique, or the story being extra tight, I want to get exited when I read it.

WHO?MAG: You have developed an underground following, and you have done commercially marketed films, do you want to leave the Indie arena and totally invade the mainstream?
Brian Hooks: I will never completely leave the Indie arena. But I’m definitely working towards gaining the success and respect within the mainstream as I have with the underground. I love studio films and I love independent films. And I plan to achieve great success in both.

WHO?MAG: Being that you shoot Indie films could you provide any insight on Guerilla filmmaking tactics?
Brian Hooks: You basically have to get it done by any means necessary. Guerilla filmmaking is the lowest form of filmmaking and you’re often short handed and under funded. So any tactic that’ll aid in you getting to the finish line, you do it. As to laying out me and my partners actual Blue Print, can’t do it pimpin! Game is to be sold not told!

WHO?MAG: Being that Barry Bowles and you work together on all your independent movies, what are some of the advantages and disadvantages to working with the same production crew?
Brian Hooks: We don’t always have the same production crew. The only thing that is consistent is Barry and I being at the controls quarterbacking the whole thing. That’s a big advantage because we know each other like the back of our hand. We supplement each other well. Between the two of us we’re damn near flawless when it comes to producing independent films.