Exclusive Interview With Dave Patten
Dave Patten is an actor, musician, writer, and director from Philadelphia. He attended Temple University in Philly where he graduated with a film degree in 2010, and started his own production company. His breakout in acting was in Delivery Man (2013) alongside Vince Vaughn. Dave currently lives in Los Angeles.
Check out his exclusive interview below.
Acting, directing, writing, singing…do you have a favorite or a combination of favorites among those?
“At the moment it’s probably directing. There’s nothing like bringing together the final cut of a project you’ve slaved over for months. Bringing your vision to life. Also, the film industry is pleasurably collaborative versus the music industry which has more of the back-stabbing vibe.”
Your Kickstarter for season two of Escorts just got funded. Tell me about the show and how it started.
“It started with my business partner one afternoon drinking beers by the pool at his apartment complex in the valley. I’m a writer; I firmly believe that ideas are cheap and execution is what makes the difference, and that afternoon we landed on an idea we liked – a college kid running an escort service around campus – and developed from there over the next few months. Fast forward a year and some later and we’ve managed to hook up with investors to back season two as well as the funded kickstarter. It’s a beautiful situation to be in, I’m incredibly grateful. Sometimes, especially when you’re in the thick of it, it can feel like your hard work is never going to pay off.
Show summary: Pragmatic hipster Jay Miller’s successful small business of selling sex to his collegiate peers becomes infinitely more difficult when one of his employees dies while “working”. Facing blackmail and incarceration, Jay chooses his only option: expanding the company with his new business partners.”
When will you start work on the new season and when do you hope for it to premiere? Where can the first season be found for anyone who hasn’t seen it?
“Tentatively we’re shooting season two in November, and I hope to have post wrapped up by February. Quick turnaround, but I think it’s plausible. Especially now that we have a budget to make this second season.
At the moment Season One is on youtube to stream. (playlist link – https://goo.gl/86nmyk)”
What genre of music do you consider yours to be?
“I usually go with acoustic rock with a kinda urban vibe. Flavors of John Mayer, early Maroon 5, Ben Folds Five, early Kanye.”
What was your inspiration with your most recent album, Heavy Mind?
“I was going through some dark times when I made the album, hence the name. Most people only see my highlight reel via social media and I’m sure it looks like I’m living the dream, but from the minute I moved out here to LA things went straight downhill for a solid two years straight. It was absolutely miserable. I lost all my deals that were on the table, managers dropped me, agents bailed, I had some crazy relationships blow up on me, not to mention LA is a sin city; everyone here has lost their minds. But in those dark times is when you find your true character, and I’m both glad and proud that I made it out. I know too many people who never do, and it never ends well. Fortunately I had my music as a healthy outlet where I could release. Scary times though. I don’t want to ever go back to that. It’s certainly my darkest album to date.”
Your book, Run of the Mill, was an International Book Awards finalist. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, writing that book. It takes an incredible level of discipline to accomplish something of that caliber. I have so much respect for authors across the board. I’m also quite proud of my book.
Here’s what it’s about: Famous musician, 26 year old millionaire, and known playboy Tyler Clark finds himself launched into his repressed past after a chance encounter with an old friend during the after-party of one of his concerts. Under threat of blackmail, Tyler is forced to painfully reveal the truth behind a tragic summer of his youth… a summer that started with drugs, sex and good music, and ended in betrayal, hatred and suicide.”
Are you planning to write any more novels in the future?
“I’ve started my sophomore effort, I’m about 10,000 words into it and I can tell already it’s going to be twice as long as my first. It’s daunting, intimidating, exhausting. I look forward to the day I punch the period button at the end of the last sentence of the first draft.”
What’s next for you? Do you have any tours planned soon?
“No tours on the foreseeable horizon but I’ve got a few new digital series projects coming together as well as Escorts season two, an album in the works, and my next book. I’m staying busy!”
