10 Questions with ... Dan Gutierrez

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• Radio
• March 2000 - Feb 2005 KYLZ Wild 106 (Overnights, Nights, Middays)
• Feb 2001 - Sep 2001 KKPL The Planet 106.7 (Nights)
• 2002-2004 KBOM 94.7 The Bomb (VT Nights)
• Feb 2005 - Sep 2006 KAGM Talk FM (The Directors Cut Radio Show)
• Sep 2006 - Present  KWSS, WETX, KEIF, KQCX, and lots of internets (The Directors Cut Radio Show)
• TV
• 2004 - 2005 KASY UPN 50 (promotions producer)
• 2005 - 2009 National Educational Technology Solutions (Video Producer)
• Feb 2009 - Present ReelzChannel (Producer)
 

Began in radio just out of high school, started doing overnights on KYLZ; after 2 1/2 years of doing that, was bounced around between nights, middays and fill in for anybody else that was sick or missing that day. Was also webmaster for the company and maintained websites each day, while maintaining on-air shift.

Bounced around doing VT for 94.7 The Bomb, and 106.7 The Planet. When Wild 106 flipped, continued doing websites and somehow convinced PD for a weekend gig on KAGM. Created "The Directors Cut Radio Program," started working in television (UPN 50) while doing weekend shift at KAGM. Left UPN for job working at private production company. KAGM flipped; maintained podcast of "The Directors Cut Radio Program" and convinced co-hosts and producer to continue trying. Sent demo CDs and emails to PDs across the country; got picked up by a couple of LPFMs.  Podcast listeners rose to peak of 28,000 weekly podcast downloads. Nominated for "Peoples Choice Podcast" award for 3 years in a row. Became entertainment provider for Archos Mp3 players. Left private production job for Producer position at ReelzChannel.

1. What drew you to try radio (and podcasting) for your show?  What did radio offer as a medium that you couldn't replicate on, say, TV or the Net? 

For the show, radio just works. It's a little more forgiving of a medium. Everybody in radio has had those days (even as a talk show) where you can walk into a studio completely unprepared and nail a 4-6 hour show and easily say that was the best show of your life. Television needs so much pre-production, even to even pull together a 30 minute program... cutting packages, writing scripts, designing graphics, whining about how good you look, shooting, editing. It almost seems like you're doing too much work for the same result.

The Directors Cut is pretty much a show about a couple of friends talking about movies. We've all done it; most casual conversations in our day to day lives are about movies. So it's easy: plan to watch a movie, bring notes if you have them, celebrate or bash the movie. Plus, you can have fun talking about the movies instead of just having to report the facts.

Podcasting was the next step; this is the world all media is going. People want it now. Since "radio on demand" was born, we wanted in. In this digital world, we are here to give them exactly what they want whenever they want it, the best way is via podcast. 

2. In the same vein, you've been a lifelong movie fan.  Why?  What is it about movies that turned you into a fan, producer/director, and expert? 

Movies are a way to escape. Your brain just shuts off and the next couple of hours you get drawn into the world you're watching. Movies toy with your emotions, your heart races, you cry, you get scared, you laugh, you cheer, all depending on what you watch or want to watch. I've always loved that. Ever since I was a kid, all I wanted to do was, entertain people: that simple. There are dozens of VHS tapes, somewhere at my parents house, of me as a child making really bad short movies or acting like i was the host of my own TV program. To me, making movies is something that lets you entertain people and have so much fun doing it. Radio is very much the same way. So, by putting two of my favorite things together, I created my perfect environment. I just wish I could do my radio show as my full time job. 

3. Describe the show for a moment -- it's obvious that it's about movies, but what's the focus?  What's different about the show as opposed to the mass of movie-related websites, TV shows, and other outlets?  How much is about movies and how much is it about you, Ollie, and your lives?  

The Directors Cut is a two hour show about movies. Our target audience is males 18-34. Imagine, just for a moment, Leonard Maltin losing a bet and having to dump a box of scorpions down his pants. Yep, that's pretty much it.

Our show is a cross between "Jackass" and "At The Movies." We're not the typical stuffy movie critics trying to tell you what to see. Also, we're not trying to kiss the ass of the world's most popular celebrities. Why? Because we know people don't care about that. Why do you think TMZ is so popular? Celebrities are regular people, and we know that. A good movie is just that, a good movie. We're not critics, we're just a couple of guys who like movies.

Also, the show isn't always about movies. When we walk into the studio, all bets are off. It's time to have fun, mess with each other. Ollie has had his moment with a mail order bride, been detained for being suspected as a sex offender, and I was incidentally outed to the rest of my conservative family (while my girlfriend was present, she did a great job playing the "i never knew"). Plus, Ollie has an idiotic theory that a writer for "30 Rock" has been listening and stealing some of our bits. Now in our 5th year on air, we have gained and lost girlfriends, and most of our stories have unraveled on the air. 

4. How important has podcasting been to the growth of your show?  Is offering a podcast competition for the on-air version, or do you find that it builds and reinforces the audience for the broadcast version?

Without our podcast, I really don't think we would be what we are today. On the same note, without being on air, our podcast wouldn't be what it is either. Being on air brings our podcast new subscribers; our podcast helps our on-air show by maintaining a stronger and more dedicated fan base. Our podcast makes it easier to approach new stations and advertisers because we have actual numbers to prove a listener base without having to rely on the spottiness of Arbitron. Since our show can be picked up by any station in the world, (for no money, plug, plug!), it's a way to be in all markets at the same time and maintain a steady listenership. Since we only put our podcast online after our affiliates air it, we utilize our podcast as a place for listeners to go to if they have missed the show in its first airing. Plus, since our podcast is at much lower audio quality, listening on-air is a much better choice. 

5. Since you're a movie guy, we can't do this without asking a few movie questions.  How about this: What were the five best movies of 2009?  (It doesn't matter whether they got nominated or not; what five were your favorites, and why?) 

2009 was an awesome year for movies. 

My top five picks are:

1. District 9 - I love how it went from crappy documentary to thrilling big budget Sci-Fi adventure. 
2. Star Trek - J.J. Abrams made the Star Trek franchise, action-packed, exciting and actually watchable. This is truly a magical feat. 
3. (500) Days of Summer - If falling in love was hell, this movie proved it, brilliantly. 
4. A Serious Man - The best made boring movie of 2009; of course, nothing happens, but how well everything was choreographed from script to screen was done perfectly. Nothing was frivolous, not a single line of dialogue, or a single prop on screen. Everything was there for a reason, and it seems to be painstakingly planned.
5. Inglourious Basterds - A great Quentin Tarantino movie but not his best; there was so much to love about this movie -- the tension, the acting -- but there was something about the story line that just missed its mark. A must-see anyway.

6. The show started on an FM talker in Albuquerque, and you're presently on a mix of low-power FMs and online outlets as well as via podcast.  The show's been going for five years now; what are your long-term hopes for the show, and what would you tell stations that might be interested in giving it a shot?

I know it feels as if we're chasing pipe dreams, but if we've been doing the show for 5 years now, for little/no money, I bet we're gonna be doing the same thing 5 years down the road. We only have one reason to keep chugging along, with the hope of actually being able to live off of what we're doing: because we love radio. I have worked in television and on movies, and nothing compares to the magic of radio. We just need to be on a handful more FMs in larger markets, and I think our dream is very possible. We love to entertain, bring topical content while having fun, we have, can, and do bring ratings, especially when we don't cost a thing (except a couple of minutes of barter a week) to be on your airwaves. If I was a programmer with a target audience of males 18-34, and needed 2 hours of airtime to fill whereever I needed it, this would be a no-brainer. It's fun, it's fresh, and informative. We are the diamond in the rough you might need to make your station different. Or do you want to bet? If we don't have better ratings on your station in 6 months, I'll taze Ollie. 

7. The greatest movie of all time is... what?  You get only one, so, which is it? 

The Graduate - I love technical movies, this one is the best. It is a very simple story... Guy has affair with older woman, finds himself attracted to her daughter. Older woman doesn't like that. Hilarity ensues... Ok, everything but the last part. The cinematography is perfect, the dialogue, the pacing, the acting. This movie, if you give it just a moment, and really watch every scene, I believe you'll gain a better appreciation for movie making all together... plus, it's sexy.

8. Who are your heroes, mentors, influences, and/or inspirations?

My heroes include:

My dad (Rudy Gutierrez), even though he wants me to get a government job (for stability). He has always wanted us kids to be happy first and let us pursue any job we wanted. Plus he has helped me out millions of times before, borrow a dollar here, a dollar there, pick me up from work because my car broke down, etc. I've gotten kicked out of college, forgot to pay him back a couple times, and he hasn't held it against me.  Although he may not know about all of the times he has helped me out, because my mom has done it for him.

My mom (Annie Gutierrez), for all of the same reasons as my dad, plus she makes a mean lasagna.

Orson Welles: This man is a genius. Was in radio, made movies, considered the greatest director of all time. He completely changed the industry, all before he was 30. But eventually, he ate himself to death.

Howard Stern: changed radio by just speaking his mind and doing whatever he wanted to do. Spawned hundreds of copycats and eventually made a movie. 

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ____________.

...my cellphone. 

I can call, I can text, I have internet and email, it's the ultimate way to stay connected, and, yes, it's my digital hero.

10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?  The worst? 

The best advice I have ever gotten was from my dad, was "do whatever you want to do, and never give it up." It's true. If I did exactly what I wanted to do for a living, work would never feel like work. So far that's all I've done, and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

The worst advice I've ever gotten was from my buddy Antonio: "Have a baby with the girl before you get married, so you'll know she's right for you, so you don't have to be stuck with her forever if you don't like her." He did it... it worked for him... I think that would be completely idiotic. Plus, it makes no sense! You're stuck with her, no matter what! 

One more thing! I just got accepted to be a member of the BFCA! So, I am now an official movie critic!