PRIOR BAD ACTS, 15min., USA
Directed by Thomas Allen Gear
Marine Leroy Brown tries to protect the other riders on a subway car and chokes a man to death. His public defender Emily Ann thinks Leroy can win at trial. Their intense conversation is the last thing before Leroy has to put himself in prison or take the advice of a less than Ivy League lawyer he has know for a half hour. He believes in honor, courage and duty. Emily Ann knows there is no such thing as a fair fight.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
Prior Bad Acts started as a film
school project. The use of plea
bargains to clear the trial dockets
in the criminal courts isn't about
justice it's about logistics. When we
allow defendants to put themselves
in prison for crimes they did not
commit, the actual perpetrator is
still at large.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Most of three years.

3. How would you describe your film in twowords!?
Unfair Fight

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Raising money. I wound up selling my
2008 Porsche Boxster to pay the bills.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
The different opinions about PBA.
Everyone had a unique perspective
and I was grateful for how well thought
out their comments were.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I was teaching criminal law classes and
The first Pirates of the Caribbean film
had just been released. Gonzaga Law
School published my journal article
The Nine Common Law. Felonies and
the Pirates of the Caribbean. Making
law videos got me thinking about
making films.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
It's a three way tie between Zero
Dark Thirty, Shakespeare In Love
and Casablanca.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
The more categories the better and the
more feedback the better. Online films
are great but public screenings are the
best finishing line.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
FF takes a lot of the mystery out of the
process of getting your film out there
for consideration.

10. What is your favorite meal?

From a Texas BBQ sliced brisket on
jajapeno cheese bread with sauce on
the side.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

The new project is a feature length
legal drama that uses a trial to put
the American system of criminal
justice on trial.