UCLA alumnus Sam Ingraffia turns to Internet for new production methods

The far reach of the Internet has seemed to touch and transform virtually every industry in the modern world. The entertainment industry is no exception. From iTunes to Netflix, the easy access that comes with high-speed connection has opened up countless avenues for entertainment consumers and producers alike.

Sam Ingraffia’s work in the realm of new media is testament to this fact.

Ingraffia earned his degree in political science from UCLA, then became passionate about film and theater after taking an acting class that he enrolled in to satisfy his curiosity about the art. While in graduate school for business, Ingraffia said that even then he was more excited about landing a role in a play than about receiving his masters degree.

“That was a sign to me that acting was what I wanted to do with my life,” Ingraffia said.

Although Ingraffia has already established a 30-year career as an actor, writer and producer, it was only recently that he began using the Internet for filmmaking.

“There’s a lot of stuff out there for people to tap into that’s available if you’re willing to put yourself out there,” said Doug Burch, Ingraffia’s writing partner and co-producer on several projects. “Sam is more than willing to search things out and find what can help him best … there’s a whole new creative avenue to look into, so why not use that.”

With new technology evolving as quickly as it is, Ingraffia is nowadays experimenting with his new passion for producing. In the last two years, he has produced two low-budget features, “Atlantis Down”and “Wages of Sin,” and the hit Internet series titled “Night Walkers.” All of these projects were shot in high definition, edited on Final Cut Pro and distributed online.

“With the Internet, there’s all kinds of distribution options. While probably five years ago there were a half-dozen companies controlling domestic distribution for films, that’s all changing now,” Ingraffia said. “It’s possible now for a producer like myself to pay off investors, make money on the film and move on to my next project without even really dealing with a distribution company. For me that’s exciting both as an artist and as a businessman.”

The Internet has further evolved as a medium through which writers and producers alike can connect and learn more about their target audiences.

“In the past you had to do these giant research surveys … to get feedback on television or movies,” said John Wagner, who has been Ingraffia’s line producer for three of his projects. “Nowadays the Internet makes it so much easier to see how old people are who are watching the videos, where they’re stopping them and collect all sorts of data on what you’re creating. From that you can learn what’s popular, what’s not popular, who your target audience is and can tailor your product towards them.”

As for the future of this affiliation between Internet and television, Ingraffia, Wagner and Burch all agree that the revolution is far from complete. As Ingraffia put it, with the quality and level of online entertainment improving year by year, you can now find shorts, series and motion pictures on the Web that are just as good as programs running on cable or syndicated television.

“The Internet is a medium that’s going to be tapped into more and more,” Burch said.

According to Burch, comparable to the evolution of music going from eight-tracks to iTunes, movies have likewise made their way to the Web.

“It’s a whole new market that’s opening up and you need to be on that cutting edge and aware of it because it’s definitely where I think the next evolution is going,” Burch said.

Whether broadcast continues to have a prominent place in the world of entertainment or is replaced by direct downloading, innovation appears to be key. By utilizing new media, Ingraffia has enabled himself to have full control over any project he undertakes, from the processes of writing, shooting and directing, to producing and distributing.

“Everything is changing in the whole landscape of media. Recently we’ve been able to create quality projects for the Internet and get a lot of people to see them and potentially make money from them,” Wagner said. “It’s a smart thing to do and that’s what Sam sees … if you make something good people will gravitate towards it.”