Luke Asa Guidici

What is your name, company name, and URL?

Luke Asa Guidici, my production company is “yetiesque” and my website is www.lukeasa.com

What is your specialty: filmmaking or screenwriting? If filmmaking, which aspects?

I’ve always written and directed my own work, but never thought of myself as a “writer” until after I made CERTIFIED. I realized that in order to find projects that were the right fit for me, I’d need to write them myself. My day job is a “film editor”, I so guess you could say that’s my specialty.

What are you currently working on?

I’m developing a feature version and TV show concept based on my short film SUNDOWN TRAIL — which screened at Shriekfest last year.

Who do you consider your mentor and why?

I’d consider my friend and former boss, Davis Doi to be one of my most valuable mentors. He’s one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with. Nearly every day I’d marvel at his artistic skill, ability to collaborate, and grace when receiving notes from the executive producer. I learned so much by just observing him.

Why do you think the horror/sci-fi genres have such a large following?

I think storytelling is ingrained in our collective DNA and part of that is our desire and capacity for imagination. We want to experience worlds beyond our understanding, we want to dream of things we haven’t ever seen. Horror and sci-fi are a way for us to access these worlds in our waking lives.

What do you love most about this business?

I love the collaborating aspect of filmmaking. It’s incredibly rewarding to be faced with a creative challenge, and come together as a team to find a solution. Filmmaking is a puzzle that’s operating in multiple dimensions at the same time and being able to solve those puzzles with people is pretty awesome.

What do you dislike most about this business?

The insincerity. People say “yes” when so often they really mean “no.” If you don’t like a project or don’t have the ability to help someone—just say so. Don’t string people along or blow smoke.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

Oddly enough it’s probably my found photo book project, “Found in Kitsap.” I found a bunch of cameras people had donated to thrift stores with undeveloped film inside… and used the photos to make a 200+ page coffee table book full of poems and short stories. It was a project that I stumbled across and over the course of several years shaped it into something I’m really proud of.

Any advice you'd like to give to newbies?

Keep going. I once heard a saying that everyone has “10,000 bad drawings in them” and the only way to get to the good stuff, is to get the bad ones out of the way. The first things you make won’t be great… but if you keep practicing, keep refining your work… you’ll get there.

Anything else you'd like to say?

Thank you for everything you do and for being a voice of positivity, love, and sanity in the genre community!