Today we’d like to introduce you to Al Dias.
Al, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 1998 I was approached by a talent agent that saw something in me that at that time I had never considered. By the power of acceptance and willingness to give it a chance, my introduction to the film business was on the set of The Walker Texas Ranger Show starring Chuck Norris. I was an inmate for the day at the Seagoville prison and while we were filming the real prisoners were just on the other side of the unit watching in excitement. I knew from this moment on I wanted to do more of this type of work. At lunchtime, I had the privilege of meeting Director Michael Preece and expressing my sincere thankfulness for the opportunity. Thereafter, opportunities continued to present themselves and before you know it I was cast in my first principal role on the show. With no acting experience, the back to back bookings motivated me to continue pressing forward regardless of the rejections I chose to see how far I could actually go.
In 2003 after being cast as Michael in Fox Searchlights feature film “The Ringer” starring Johnny Knoxville and Katherine Heigl my dream of one day making the big screen, attending a movie premiere and walking the Red carpet on Sunset Boulevard at The Directors Guild of America in Hollywood had come true. In 2007 as the industry was facing changes I wanted to know more of the politics behind the film industry and began lobbying efforts joining the Texas Motion Picture Alliance. We had 300+ people on the lawn at the capital in Austin for a day encouraging our legislators to increase the tax incentives to keep the work in Texas. Talking one on one with the legislators about the importance and the economic impact the film industry has on the economy reiterated that the industry is not just all glitz and glamour, it’s all about business.
Having my experiences in front of the camera, getting involved behind the camera and actively continuing efforts to do my part politically as an active member of the Texas Motion Picture Alliance has only promoted the growth of my profound love for the industry. The Texas film industry gave me my start and most all the films I’ve done to date have been here. The funny thing is some will ask from time to time how long I’ve been in LA or when did I get back. I have been blessed to work with some of the biggest names in the industry from El Rey himself Robert Rodriguez to The Farrely Brothers, Chuck Norris, Danny Trejo, Johnny Knoxville, Brian Cox, Katherin Heigl, Mike Starr and more. Working with Robert on Machete, Spy Kids 4d, and Sin City: A Dame to Kill for has been an experience that has encouraged me to stay available and when called upon to bring a diversified slate as an actor and staying ready and prepared for the next opportunity.
I later signed with Linda McAlister Talent agency since 2007 and recently signed with the Eastcoast Talent Agency thanks to the assistance of the Abelita-Burns Pr Firm for the introduction.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been far from being a smooth road to travel on. As an actor, over the years one of the most challenging things to do is to stay available. Sometimes you receive the call a day or two before you are needed and you must accommodate if you are going to participate.
From a day to day perceptive the biggest challenge is seeking out a means of generating income to maintain the flexible schedule needed. I took on deals and jobs from working with friends helping them build their companies, to importing stone for hotels, brokering transportation deals, to fabricating and installing stone (marble and granite) at hotels, including some of the hottest clubs at that time in Dallas. All while building a portfolio of clients I consulted on how to minimize their risk doing business in today’s economy and collecting on their past due receivables. Taking on this much risk and diversity increased my level of attention to detail needed to manage each operation and deal effectively. There were many nights of no sleeping such as the time I had crews working around the clock to finish up my portion of the Rio Room to host the Super Bowl party opening night. And many nights in the early am (2-3am) consulting companies on the other side of the globe updating them about the status of their money being collected. I had to become a professional juggler business wise to stay available versus making the full commitment for a regular 9-5, my business dealings were and in some cases still are 24/7.
As a producer, building a production company, one of the toughest and most challenging things to do is to maintain friendships and relationships while attempting to do business and make tough calls to protect the integrity of the projects and minimizing the risk of the investments made in each. Sometimes the share excitement of development progression and bringing concepts, ideas and stories to life drives us all to want to share things with the world prematurely jeopardizing the entire project, investments made and relationships throughout the process. If anyone in the film industry ever admits to it being a smooth ride, they must be telling a story!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Organized Film Productions story. Tell us more about the business.
As a producer, my latest film production under development with my entity Organized Film Productions is currently entitled “Oil Run”. It’s an action-packed film that we have attached a “Purpose” to by including a “Community Outreach” to bring awareness to an ever-growing concern regarding the dangers of Fracking and the use of waste water injection wells. This is by no means a documentary, this is an action-packed feature film including elements of drama, suspense and real-world scenarios.
Our lead character, of whom I would portray, Bernie Napolino, is compelled to leave the Chicago Mob Life behind, retreats south to save his daughter, with a prospect to find serenity in Texas Black Gold, only to discover the dangers of fracking. Now Bernie must do what he can to save his daughter and loved ones from the dangers of deceit and manipulation of a Texas madman.
Two opposite worlds collide and in the end, it sets the foundation for major change to be implemented for the sake of preservation of the environment and for the sake of mankind. Our community outreach will include a petition set up for legislators in the remaining 48 states that have not yet ban fracking and an actual Oil Run www.theoilrun.com that will be used to promote renewable energy sources and will be set up in every major city we are able to obtain partnerships with. Stay tuned and feel free to visit www.oilrunmovie.com After all, “Blood is Thicker than Oil”.
With Organized Film Productions we have several projects in various stages of development including animations and the plan is to bring a diversified slate of productions with significance for audiences to enjoy globally while making the company a greater asset to my overall business portfolio.
While building the production company my day to day business activities also involve my role as the active VP of Consulting for a global commercial collection firm dealing in defaulted business to business transactions. I have been building a portfolio of clients throughout many industries since my introduction to the collection business back in 2001. I started off as a telemarketer marketing the services to businesses making cold calls and closing deals over the phone. Once I was familiar with the lingo I began stepping out of the office visiting clients one on one, prospecting with in-person visits and when the gatekeepers would ask who I was when I asked for the boss I stated I was their new collector, and in some cases I did not leave until I closed the deal to obtain their business. Over the years I have negotiated thousands of deals and have obtained and managed several hundreds of clients across a broad spectrum of industries ranging from Casinos, to manufacturers of slot machines to marble and granite and many other things in between, to construction-related debts ranging from contractors and or manufacturers, to suppliers and or distributors, to clients throughout the aviation industry, to mom and pop operations and some clients that have been in business well over 100 years. My first convention I attended as a speaker was with the New Jersey Concrete Association at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. I was the youngest guy in the building at that time and was there to consult over 300 companies on how to collect their money and minimize their exposure. When I think about now, me telling guys in the concrete industry how to collect money from New Jersey over 15 years ago was a sight to see, I still get a laugh. I was grateful for the opportunity and the respect given by the attendees and I did pick up some business from the event. It was that moment that motivated me to do more of this type of mass marketing versus sitting in an office cold calling and prospecting.
I have since consulted and provided services and or seminars for many associations and organizations on how to minimize their exposure in today’s economy including the New Jersey Concrete Association, The Kentucky Ready Mix and Aggregate Association, The Scaffolding Industry Association, The National Association of Elevator Contractors, Coverings Expo, The Ceramic Tile Distributors Association, National Tile Contractors Association, Coatings Pro Magazine, Department of Commerce, US Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Tarrant County College Business Advisory Committee, Tarrant County College STEM Summit, Richland College, NTDEC Export Forum and more.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next 5-10 years, I feel the film business will continue to evolve into becoming more reliant on distribution through streaming outlets and digital platforms. I feel more and more independents will continue to evolve toward wanting to take control of their distribution efforts to minimize the risk of enabling distributors to have the upper hand. I also feel that we may begin to see more and more content relevant to everyday scenarios that we may encounter that people can connect with. Although most of the latest productions released nowadays rely heavily on CGI, of which is an art in itself, I feel the audience may be getting to a point where they want to get back to real life locations and set designs. I feel more states also need to be more competitive with the film tax incentive to level the playing field, especially Texas. A lot of talent has left the state chasing the work elsewhere where greater incentives are offered that attract the major productions.
Collection Industry wise when times are good and the banks are releasing money for companies to expand, more companies are willing to extend credit and increase their risk tolerance of which increases opportunity for my day to day services to be extended. When companies cut back on the extension of credit to minimize their market cap potential and being too conservative, instead of doing a bit more due diligence upfront, it hurts my day to day business and increases the potential for their competitors to gain way. My business isn’t industry specific in this regard it is transaction specific whenever there is a defaulted transaction between two companies. After the recession a lot of companies put a hold on utilizing outside resources to pursue their bad debts. It has been a very slow transition for companies ever since then to begin to increase their risk tolerance. However, in the past several months I have noticed more activity from clients that have been dormant for some time. I am beginning to see a trend of more and more companies that have operated under stricter internal policies during their credit granting phase becoming a bit more open-minded. Companies within certain industries are beginning to take advantage of certain technological advances and are slowly advancing away from their traditional practices they have operated under for a very long time. Companies that I see evolve and adapt to doing business in today’s volatile market will continue to thrive while those stuck in their traditional ways continue to fold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224832/
- Email: organizedfilmproductions@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Organized Management, Bryan Chatlien Photography, John Wenzel Photography, Jeremy Ables, Fifth Floor Pictures, Kight Haberer, Kraig Mewa Photography
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