Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Baker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Today I call myself a filmmaker. I’ve had lots of titles over the last 50 years, but I’ve always done creative things. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father owned his own restaurant as did his parents. My mother’s parents owned an insurance brokerage, and my aunts and uncles all owned their own businesses. So it was only natural that after college, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance, I would start my own business.
It wasn’t an easy business – I invented soft sided cases for percussion equipment, which was a tiny niche for sure, but through sheer will power and luck (more on that later) the business grew into a small factory called Sofbags, where we manufactured all sorts of soft luggage and promotional bags. My wife and I ran it successfully for 8 years before selling it.
My interest in percussion music, and having worked with many composers, led me to start a Sheet Music Publishing company called M Baker Publications. I worked with many of the bigger names in the field and learned some good computer skills along the way. I sold that one as well and began my biggest venture with the proceeds.
Before that, however, my wife and family moved to Dallas to attend SMU and earn Master’s Degrees in music. I taught strings for several years in the local public schools before finding a teaching job, and moving the entire family, to the island of Tutuila in American Samoa! My wife and I taught music at the American Samoa Community College for a full year before returning to Dallas.
Upon return, I took a job with a very large consulting company and learned about databases and developed lots of programming skills. The internet was just becoming a thing as well so the entrepreneurial blood called, and I left that company to start my own software company which grew into a world-wide success called Charms. My wife and I ran that for 17 years before selling it in July 2017.
It was during the last few years of Charms that I developed a love for acting, appearing on stage, in commercials, and in a few TV movies. The filmmaking bug bit hard, and I decided it was time to learn how to make my own films. I had written some short scripts, and decided I wanted to make them into short films. As an entrepreneur I wasn’t afraid to pick up the phone, or email people to ask for help. I assembled a great crew and produced and acted in my first short – Sid and Marge Have a Problem. The small success of that film gave me courage to produce another one, which I also produced and acted in – Popcorn & Chocolate, which was another hit. This year I produced, wrote, and directed my third short – Who is Martin Danzig? Which at this time has not been released, but was accepted to be premiered at the Louisiana Film Prize in October 2018.
Both of the previous films have won numerous awards and have appeared in a combined 65 film festivals around the world, and are appearing in rotation internationally on Shorts TV.
So the next chapter of my life – filmmaker – is well under way and doing well.
People have called me fearless (among other unprintable names) but the simple truth is that I don’t know any better. I just keep going.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It certainly wasn’t easy. Any of the adventures I’ve had through the years have been incredibly challenging.
I remember when starting the Sofbags company I had to learn how to operate industrial sewing machines AND how to fix them when they didn’t work. I remember spending our last dollar to make the down payment on a factory building and wondering how I would make payroll later that week.
When I started my software company I had no idea of the challenges I would face in dealing with an internet world changing quickly. Every week seemed to be a new challenge, in protecting firewalls, dealing with email blocks, and adapting to a mobile, app driven world.
When I became a “professional” actor, I honestly thought I would be able to get more roles and was disappointed when I didn’t, until I realized that so few actors actually book roles. It was odd to be “normal” in that situation. But the entrepreneurial blood wouldn’t let me rest, so to overcome the obstacle of no one casting me in their movies, I decided I would make my own damn movies! And so I did.
Earlier I mentioned luck. I do feel I’ve been very fortunate in my history never to have faced serious issues like bankruptcy, deadly illnesses or accidents, or family issues. I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given and never take anything for granted. I’ve never been homeless or faced a total disaster. Many people have and I admire their courage and strength to pick up and keep going.
Please tell us about Dial it Back Films.
My film production company is called Dial it Back Films, which is an inside joke among actors. Acting is really a subtle art, and in classes, when I get too big for a scene, I would hear “Baker – dial it back some!” So it was only natural to call the company Dial it Back Films.
My real talent, I feel, lies in being a Producer. The title Producer is so broad, but it essentially means that I know how to get s**t done. I can take the script and find the locations, locate the props, hire the crew, audition the actors, work with the editors, find the music, and shepherd the project from a random thought in someone’s head to the final product up on a screen. Many people have great ideas, but don’t have the ability to see them through. I would say that is my biggest gift.
I’m very proud of my three creations – Sid and Marge Have a Problem, Popcorn & Chocolate, and Who is Martin Danzig? All three are award winners and are pretty darn good. But I’m also very proud of my collaborators in making films. My crew are amazing talented people in their own right, and I’m very fortunate to be able to work with them.
I’m looking forward to taking projects for other people in the future – to produce films, commercials and industrial spots for local companies and screenwriters. My team does great work – we don’t accept anything less.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dialitbackfilms.com
- Phone: (972) 987-0284
- Email: mb@dialitbackfilms.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whoismartindanzig/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dialitbackfilms
Image Credit:
Chuck Hatcher
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