The Producers

Vincent Weller may be the hero of On the Wire, but producers Todd Haberkorn and Brian O’Neill run a very close second. As the multi-hyphenate creative forces behind the film, Todd (actor-producer-co-writer) and Brian (director-producer-editor-co-writer) face the Herculean task of fleshing a concept into a script, translating the printed word into a filmable reality and ultimately getting the finished product into the hands of distributors. And to make it more of a challenge, all that must be accomplished on a budget smaller than the price tag of a Hollywood mogul’s Mercedes SL.

The secret to tackling such a mammoth project can be summed up in one word – passion. Luckily for Todd and Brian, both 24, they have that in spades.

“Growing up, movies were always an event for me, something to look forward to on a Friday night,” Brian said. “When I got older, I wanted to know how the people that made movies created such an experience for people.”

He learned that by watching the films of David Lean, Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Mann and especially Steven Spielberg, all of whom he cites as inspiration for On the Wire.

“I hope to make an action movie that I personally would look forward to seeing and create a 100 percent engaging movie-going experience,” Brian said. “And if we can make some money or get noticed by the people that have the power to finance more movies, all the better.”

From childhood, Todd knew he wanted to become an actor and went on to graduate with a degree in theatre acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“Being an only child, film and television really got me through a lot of my younger years, and when I have time today, I still enjoy admiring other film work that I see,” he said. “I look at film and television production differently now because I know the ins and outs of the process.”

Today he works as artistic director of a theater company he co-founded, Theater Fusion, based in Keller, Texas, and has a resume that includes film and stage acting, voiceover work, modeling and teaching. Between all those jobs, Todd spends his limited free time on the first feature film he has helped develop.

“The journey behind the camera requires a whole different set of skills that are fun to hone and provide a creative challenge that can only help me grow as a professional in the industry,” he said. “I’m impressed with filmmakers that make it to the first day of shooting because I’m learning what is involved in getting a film to that point, and it requires an amazing amount of ambition and energy.”

Brian, a graduate of the radio-television-film school at the University of Texas at Austin, handles the majority of the script writing, which he balances with his day job as a photographer.

“Right now the development primarily consists of writing and pondering the script,” he said. “When I’m driving, in the shower, eating, etc., I’m constantly thinking about the movie and trying to make it better.”

Those efforts are occasionally stymied by a bout of writer’s block, but he knows the perfect cure.

“Staying up all night, watching a movie I really like for inspiration, writing, writing, writing, and then rewarding myself with a double cheeseburger at 5 a.m.,” he said. “Or if I’m especially productive, I’ll wait another half hour for a McGriddle.”

Over the years, Brian has made one feature and many shorts, worked as an underling on film productions big and small, and even interned at the Texas Film Commission, but none of those experiences had prepared him for the amount of work it would take to get a project this size developed.

“It’s like having 10 full-time jobs, which doesn’t even count our regular money-making jobs, our personal lives, etc.,” he said. “So basically it takes so much energy to operate on a day-to-day level that sleep is something Todd and I don’t comprehend anymore.”

Despite the lack of sleep, Todd and Brian remain committed to their vision of creating a superhero movie grounded in reality, meaning no easy outs like retractable claws or Bruce Wayne-sized moneybags. But the tale of Vincent Weller, who will be played by Todd, is also a twist on the typical coming-of-age story.

“I wanted a lead character who wasn’t perfect,” Brian said. “He has all the same responsibilities, desires and flaws as every mid-20s male. And put into this situation, what would he do? What would I do? It became a very interesting question. But mainly I wanted a ‘superhero’ that didn’t have superpowers. Not being able to fly away or easily kick anyone’s ass you come across makes for some good action scenes.”

Brian believes that the finished product will touch on all genres (“Action, drama, comedy, thriller. All the good stuff.”) thanks in part to his lead actor’s ability to make the character relatable.

“With Vincent, you have this driving force to do good, but at a destructive cost,” Todd said of his role. “It’s a case of the end justifying the means. So in that sense, I identify with him because there are certainly times when I take drastic steps to reach my goal regardless of the consequences. Universally, I think everyone can relate to his thought process. What’s great about this character is that it seems all his intentions are benevolent, but you can’t overlook his actions on this journey of justice. When those are factored in, Vincent is cast in a very gray light where right and wrong isn’t clear and can be justified in a variety of ways.

“I think the strength of the film will lay in the dramatic journey. Relying on smoke and mirrors in the form of action will fall on deaf ears if the path to those scenes is dull or not involving.”

Brian knows most of that responsibility weighs on him, and after the cast’s first table read in January, he has a few key script revisions in mind. He’s currently busy completing the next step of pre-production – the final draft.

“Editing and directing are my passions,” he said. “Writing is also enjoyable, but probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The sense of accomplishment after completing a draft of a feature length screenplay is amazing. It’s worth lots of double cheeseburgers.”