Thomas Hamilton
He is the Productor Assistant of Albert Hamilton‘s Fletcher Dollar Baby film.
SKSM: Can you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?
Thomas Hamilton: Hello! I’m Thomas Hamilton, I’m Chilean and I study high school at Greenhill College. I’m 15 years old and I’ve been part of a fantastic program to adapt a Stephen King story in the southern city of Punta Arenas, Chile.
SKSM: What experience do you have in production?
Thomas Hamilton: I started supporting Albert (my father) when I was very young. I used to attend the shooting of commercials and action spots. At home it has always been an everyday thing, but this dollar baby production, now that I am older, allowed me to debut as a production assistant.
SKSM: What is the key to carrying out production in order to make it viable?
Thomas Hamilton: Being a very young debutant, I ask those who know more, I observe a lot how things are done, and personally I like to see the economic issue, planning and management of the shooting plan. I think that if you lose control of the administration of human and financial resources you are in trouble, for this reason, for something to be viable, good administrative control is required. It is the basis of all human endeavor.
SKSM: Can you define what the working spirit of an assistant producer is based on?
Thomas Hamilton: My father and older brother have set an excellent example for me by treating people with good manners and always with respect, solving problems with patience and not getting stressed out about anything, not losing control. Being good-humoured, charismatic and serious when appropriate is part of having a “good working spirit” in my humble opinion, a sense of humour is essential.
SKSM: How do you approach the joint collaboration between directors and other film professionals?
Thomas Hamilton: A good working environment is key to improve communication and therefore generate good collaboration between all those involved.
SKSM: You worked with your father on this film, how was it?
Thomas Hamilton: It was very special, Albert Sr. stayed at home, and Albert the director was another person on the set, but not on bad terms, but helping my brother and I gain experience in the working world, regardless of whether we follow other professional lines in the future, these experiences make us mature and improve our performance in the real world.
SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment during the making of the short film that you would like to tell me about?
Thomas Hamilton: On one of the most important days to save time on the shoot we prepared everything thoroughly the night before. The day was to start very early, everything was ready until it was time to put makeup on our protagonist and we realized that we had forgotten one very important thing… the blood! What were we thinking? Of course at the time it wasn’t funny, but seeing my brother run to the car to avoid a bigger delay in the shoot and everything that this meant, in the end it was very funny. The funniest thing is that the director (our father) never found out. Hahahahaha. Everything ok, no stress.
SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?
Thomas Hamilton: As a student I obviously don’t work yet. In my free time I’m taking my first steps composing music. I want to compose a full band for a movie by my Father in the not too distant future.
SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King?
Thomas Hamilton: Yes, I’m just now getting into his written works, but I like his movies from the 70s and 80s, as well as modern adaptations for streaming platforms.
SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Thomas Hamilton: Well, in my family apart from being the footballer and the musician, I am the biggest fan of economics and finance. In fact I want to study that. They joke that my father’s films will be very profitable when I am an adult and the executive producer of his projects. I am so thorough that they say that not a single dollar will be lost, hahahahaha.
SKSM: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you would like to say to the fans reading this interview?
Thomas Hamilton: Thank you for reading this interview. I understand that the dollar babies responsible for an adaptation were from the age of 16 onwards. That was not my case, but being 15 years old, collaborating in the production has been a privilege and tremendous honour for a teenager like me. I am very grateful for the experience, and to share it with fans around the world.
SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?
Thomas Hamilton: From this remote place in the world, and on behalf of the new generations of teenagers of which I am a part, I would like to thank Mr. King through this medium for his wonderful legacy and fertile imagination that he gives to the entire world. Thank you for creating the dollar baby program, and calling us as humanity, to never stop dreaming and imagining, no matter our age. Thank you very much!
