Making Waves

Imagine having a job where you can make people go from good to bad. You can make couples fall in love and ordinary folks become extraordinary heroes.

That's the job of Fort Myers film producer and director Eric Raddatz.

The 34-year-old re­c­ently released his first independent film, A Day to Love and Die.

"It's about two bored journalists who stumbl­e across an attorney's se­cret plan to sell manatee-infused aphrodisiac pills," explains Raddatz. He wrote, produced, dir­ected and starred in the film. "I was also acting executive producer, assistant director of photography, key grip and assistant to the caterer," he jokes. Roll all that into one and you get

executive director.

"I handled the administrative end of the entire project," explains Raddatz, including marketing, public relations and finding financial support. "Securing funds is the hardest for me, mostly because I've always been in the business of creative producing, not sales."

So how did he do it? "Pure ambition," he answers. "Like most filmmakers, a lot is who you know. I created a strong business proposal and showed how it was monetarily beneficial to the investor."

Raddatz will have more practice at that. He's currently working on his second film, Barely a Chance, which begins production this winter. Ultimately, he'd like to create a top-notch local production company.

He says he'll do some things differently from a business standpoint next time. "I'll delegate more for my next production," he says, so he can concentrate more on producing and directing. "I'm glad I wore so many hats this time around, but having specialists and departments will leave me more focused on my task at hand."

Raddatz's filmmaking interest came from working as an extra and spending time in 2003 on the set of the Farrelly brothers' movie Stuck on You.

"Watching Matt Damon, Eva Mendes and the Farrellys at work reminded me you can have fun doing what you enjoy, and make money, too," he says.

-Lauren Bernaldo