Director's Bio

RICHARD ALAN ELIAS

Richard Alan Elias grew up in New Orleans, LA, and while attending UNO, took a position as a production intern on a feature film, "Zandalee", starring Nicholas Cage. Later he worked as a grip on "The Awakening" with Kelly McGillis. In 1991, he moved to Los Angeles with the goal to write and direct.

Richard continued to work as a grip and landed a job as a post-production PA on "The Power of One", directed by John G. Avildsen. On learning that John Woo was making "Hard Target" in New Orleans, he flew home, thinking he had been hired as Woo's assistant. However, after showing up on the start day, he learned someone else had been hired. Without no job waiting back in L.A. he landed a job as an electrician on "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" filming in Mississippi. When "Finn" wrapped, Richard was hired in the same capacity on "Hard Target" and remained in New Orleans for the duration of the film.

On returning to Los Angeles, he continued to work as a grip and electrician, then moved into the art department for a few months, but eventually returned to gripping and joined Grips Local #80, in late 1995. In January of 1996 Richard embarked on his first short film, “Ultima”, about a super hero working as a security guard because he was kicked out of the superhero union with a spurious sexual harassment charge. After three years of filming, "Ultima" was in the can, but the editing process turned sour and Richard wound up with a cut he disliked and no money to re-edit the film. In mid-2002, determined to finish "Ultima", Richard bought Final Cut Pro and began to re-edit the film. Meanwhile, he directed another short film on mini-DVD, "The Visitor", about a brother and sister dealing with their terminally ill father.

He entered "The Visitor" in Project Greenlight and his scene was chosen in the top 250, but lost out in the interview round. All the while laboring as best boy or grip in television, features and commercials. Richard worked on "Godzilla" and "Bowfinger" feature films. In January of 2003 he was nearly killed during the filming of a commercial. While operating a jib arm on the sidecar of a camera bike, the driver lost control and crashed into the side of a mountain. Richard's left arm was torn off about 90% through the elbow joint, severing bone, tendons and everything but the nerve bundle and a shred of skin. With the right side of his chest crushed, multiple rib breaks, a collapsed, bleeding lung and his severed arm, he remained conscious, waiting to be evacuated to the nearest trauma center.

Waking hours later to the sight of his wife, son and eight month old daughter, he realized the arm was saved, but was told it would never be the same. Unable to recover completely, Richard relied on worker's compensation for the next 2 1/2 years while enduring two more surgeries. As dire as it seemed, this time allowed him to pursue his dream to direct. The financial difficulty was severe, but with his family by his side, he determined to pursue his goals. The day before his civil case began (which he eventually lost) a cousin of one of his closest friends in New Orleans, called to say he had a story idea and funds and wanted Richard to write and direct. In a heartbeat, Richard agreed. "Down In New Orleans" which recently completed a succesful festival run has been picked up and is being distrubited by Anthem Pictures.

"Down in New Orleans" Produced by Laura Singleterry and Alex Petrovitch, Directed by Richard Alan Elias, Starring Nathan Grubbs.