Member Q&A with Harold Fisch
Hey Harold, you’re one of Createscape’s oldest members. You joined in September 2015 and this month is your fourth anniversary as a member. Can you tell us how you found Createscape and why you’ve stuck with us for so long?
I’m old!?!?! Back in the olden days of 2015 I was just barely starting with my production company and was lamenting a life spent at coffee shops or inside my little apartment. Co-working spaces were just becoming cool and there were a ton of them that popped up around that time. I actually took the time to check out quite a few that were opening up, but Createscape was clearly the place I was looking for. I think I just called came in for a day and signed up by the end of the day.
I know you’re an actor, but you do a lot of different film and production work around Austin, right? Can you tell us about the work you do?
I became a working actor in 2011 after a few lucky breaks. I’ve studied with an acting teacher in town for many years. I’ve been able to work with all sorts of directors and projects here on stage and on screen, but during this time I became very interested in making my own work, and was becoming ever more frustrated over what was being offered to me as good options as a hispanic actor.
So in 2014 I created Resaca Media, a production company to represent my creative work as a filmmaker and photographer, and help me to promote the projects and creatives that I enjoyed. Through Resaca Media I produce independent and commercial films, consult and create content for other creatives to help promote their work.
Can you tell us about some of the films you’ve been in? Are you on IMDB?
Yes, I’m on IMDB. I’ve been in a bunch of film projects in and around Texas and have had the chance to work with some really amazing filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez and Richard Linklater. My most recognizable credit probably would be my part on HBO’s The Leftovers.
Can other members follow you and check out your work on Facebook or Instagram?
Of course. You can find me mostly on instagram, twitter and facebook :
@haroldfisch
@resacamedia
I’m sure you know by now that Createscape has a photo studio. Have you ever used it? Do you like having that amenity here?
I love the photo studio here at Createscape. It’s become a pivotal component to many of the services I offer. I’m in there 3-4 times a week doing photos or taping.
So you were in the Createscape video. I asked Keller if he could have performed on the Createscape video with any actor — alive or dead — who would it be. What about you? If you could have sat in a booth in the Groove Room across from any actor, acting like you're both Createscape co-workers, who would that be?
Jack Nicholson, so I can see him work with the director I resurrect in the question below.
I’m sure Keller is an amazing director, but if you could choose any director to have directed you in the Createscape Video, who — in your dreams of course — would have you picked to direct you?
I’d love to dig up Stanley Kubrick to see him fill the halls of Createscape with a river of blood.
I know that Austin has a small, but vibrant, filmmaking community. A few big movies were filmed here, too. Is that still the case? Have you been in any big movies or TV shows filmed here?
During my time in Austin I’ve been able to see the film industry here go up and down a couple of times. I’ve had a chance to work with Robert Rodriguez and Richard Linklater, and audition for them often. To be honest, the clique of filmmakers that came out of Austin and put it on the map have quieted down. Over the past few years, I’m sure I’m not the only that would say there has been a real sense of aimlessness in the Texas film Industry.
There are a lot of things could be done on a political level to make Texas more competitive. As long as Texas promotes itself as a right to work state, where union standards are not required to be met, a lot of film business will continue to see the Texas film industry as a less efficient, cheaper, more reckless place to produce their work.
Do you think this is a good city for someone to kick off an acting career?
Overall the community here is very vibrant and is much more welcoming and open than other areas. Austin is a city people come to express themselves and you can certainly feel that in acting circles here.
Here at Createscape, we have a few members who are filmmakers and/or videographers. Has this been a good place for you to network with people in your industry?
Getting to meet Keller and work with him on film projects has been the best perk of the Co-working space. Keller and Jensen have been good friends and collaborators. I think the first thing we ever did together was a 48-Hour filmmaking competition, where Keller had me killed by a group of murderous clowns. I’ve used Createscape as a space to hold auditions,script readings and to test shots. I’m immensely grateful to Keller and Createscape for their roles in producing my film Muerte, and other projects.
Here’s the 2015 short film mentioned by Harold, House Inherited, for your viewing pleasure.
Article by Riki Markowitz