LMC: Is it often you get carte blanche to create your own design for a movie or are you typically following strict guidelines?

SC:  Depends on the project, most of the time I can pretty much do what I want if what I’m doing isn’t based on something already established. But even in that circumstance, something like Batman for instance, everyone knows what he looks like, but the Batman in my film is my rendition of that character, and as far as I know, I’m the first guy to make his utility belt black, and in film versions, give him the white eyes, like in the comic books.

LMC: What is your opinion of Hollywood movies today?  Do you have any particular genre you like to watch?

SC:  It seems to me that movies were better in the 70’s and 80’s when I was a kid. Most of my favorites are from that era: Blade Runner, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters, Alien, Terminator, Predator, Superman, Jaws, Robocop, Legend, Tombstone, Aliens… I go to the movies all the time, and pretty much see everything that comes out. I absolutely love the cinema… Nowadays, I think there are less films of quality being made, but there’s still a Gladiator, Fight Club, Lord of the Rings, Seven, Harry Potter or Black Hawk Down that slips through. Those are my kind of films…

LMC: What can Hollywood do better if money wasn’t such a driving force?

SC: A lot of things… Hire better directors, greenlight better projects… Do original things instead of chasing down every book, Saturday morning cartoon, TV show, or whatever. Did we really need an Avengers, or Josie and the Pussycats movie?

LMC: As a young/new director, you may not have the opportunity to pick and choose what you want until you become established.  How are you approaching landing that all important first big movie for you and making sure it is a stepping stone to bigger things?

SC: Well, first of all, I’ve already turned down a number of projects for that very reason, I have to not only relate to, and be passionate about the subject matter, but look at the script and the proposed budget and really ask myself if it can be done for the money the way I envision it.  Secondly, my agents are also very involved in helping me find the right project at the right studio, for the right budget. I feel confident that the projects I’m pitching will go, especially one in particular, but there’s projects out there like the Universal thing, and few others that I think are realistic… I just can’t rush into doing anything at this point, the decisions that I make now, will most certainly affect the rest of my career, and even dictate it to a certain degree. I’m fortunate to have some very experienced people and a great agency behind me.

LMC: Why have you made the switch to directing?                 

SC: It’s the natural evolution of expressing one’s self artistically for someone who does what I do. I’ve had the bug for a long time, I’ve always wanted to do it, and honestly, I felt I’d be really good at it, I’ve always felt I’d make a far better director than a designer, sculptor, or painter because directing culminates all those things…

LMC: How hard has it been to direct?  Is it tougher or easier than you expected?

SC: Directing itself, and working with the cast and crew comes very naturally to me… I’m a natural leader.  Other parts of what encompasses directing are harder, like keeping track of screen direction, continuity, motivating people after lunch, and wrapping when the show’s over, that’s the hardest part…going home, no more shooting, principal photography has wrapped, everyone’s gone home. There’s nothing more sad to me than the last day of shooting. It’s kinda like the last day of summer vacation when you were a kid… fun’s over.

LMC: How about controlling the set and the crew, Do you find it requires a certain amount of people skills to motivate and coordinate?  How high is the stress level?

SC: Yeah, but like I said above, I think leading people creatively is something I’m adept at. I love working with talented people, it’s very gratifying to see everyone working as a team towards a common goal. Growing up, I was always the quarterback, the team leader, The guy who wanted to win more than anyone else on that field, and had the balls to go for it. I was always the guy who wanted the ball with 3 seconds left, and got it… The stress level, that comes with the job, but I’ll say it diminishes a little bit each time I shoot, it’s always there, but if you’re organized, and you have a great crew, you make your days.

LMC: How did the Batman short come about?  Were you motivated by some of the crossover comics to include the Predator and Alien?

SC:  Yes and no. I’m a fan of those Dark Horse crossover books, but I envisioned Batman fighting Predator long before they came out. I wanted to show that to do Batman right, you didn’t need a name actor, rubber nipples, or neon disco lights. I also had just finished my short film ARCHANGEL, with the same producers Simon Tams and Daren Hicks, and wanted to work with them again immediately. They loved the idea, and felt the same about me, so we decided to do it together.

LMC: Alien Vs Predator is finding it’s way to the big screen.  Do you think adding Batman to the mix as you have done would ever find it’s way to a full feature movie?  Would you want to make Batman: Dead End into a full feature?

SC: Who knows… I doubt it, mostly because I don’t ever think you’d get the two studios involved to come to an agreement on what the film should be. It’s hard enough with one studio trying to do that, I mean, Christ, look how long projects stay in development… AVP for example, they were talking about making that movie for YEARS… There are so many cool ideas and properties floating around out there, owned by somebody or some studio that can’t figure out what to do with it, or how to do it

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