New Orleans-- On the set of a major motion picture, producer Jonathan Krane addresses the enthusiastic extras who spent a day filming at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre.
"You've done a great job today," Krane tells the extras, adding he has "not enjoyed making a movie more than here in New Orleans."
"Absolutely," he booms into a megaphone, fist pumping to their applause.
Worse things could happen for New Orleans budding movie industry than impressing people such as Krane.
In fact, anyone who goes to the movies, even just occassionally, has probably been touched by his work.
The producer of 47 motion pictures, Krane has overseen the production of such blockbuster hits as "Look Who's Talking" and "Face Off," both starring John Travolta.
His latest, "The Father of Invention," was shot in New Orleans this past summer, a movie that Krane admits was a long time in the making.
"This is a movie I wrote 18 years ago in about 3 hours," said Krane, who admits the film is a bit autobiographical.
"It's about a dad that is a workaholic and gets enormously successful and ignores his daughter," said Krane.
"Invention" stars Kevin Spacey as an infomercial inventor, who knowingly sells a dangerous product. Krane is quick to add, "that's not the autobiographical part."
Spacey's character has an obvious dark side, but Krane believes the two-time Academy Award winner brings out something surprising.
"He's coming off at first as arrogant, but there's something that you sense inside that he's a good guy," Krane said.
The role of actors, even directors, in film making is well understood, but it is the producer who often raises money, hires key personnel, finds the locations and can be the ultimate creative force in a film.
Krane has definite theories about movie making. "I wanna send the people out of the theatre feeling better than when they went in. I want them to talk to talk about the movies, and I want them to have good, feel good, heartfelt endings," he said.
He has a bias toward films with a happy ending, and he admits, films that make money; an enticing prospect for New Orleans and its budding film industry.
Krane told the extras he plans to make five movies a year for the next five years and "I'm gonna try to make all of them in New Orleans."
Once derided as a placed where movies could be shot, but finished elsewhere, Krane says he has found all the necessary ingredients in place.
"New Orleans can be a film center," he said.
While no one has signed any new movie deals just yet, this "Father of Invention" is clearly happy with the early results.
"I have a trailer already I could put in the movie theatres and people would laugh nonstop."
