Meet Dale Thomas Cizmadia | Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dale Thomas Cizmadia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dale Thomas, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
“Success” is a funny word. For a creative person it is a mix of these objective accomplishments open to subjectivity. Did I make a film? For sure. Was it good? Who knows, right?
I can speak to the one thing that has helped me the most along the way – making an active decision to always trying to foster the most creative choice and maintaining a close distance to creativity even in “survival jobs”. If I had to mop floors, I always tried to make it a stage in a theater. Like that.
I should also say here, I don’t know anything but my experiences and by no means am I where I intend to be.
But staying close to creativity in all forms, theater, dance, film, creative writing, video production…the proximity is important and has worked for me. I tried being a cashier at Target, and I would never dunk on anyone, but I lasted 3 hours.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most proud of the winding road that brought me to Phoenix and the founding of Film Loft Productions. Nothing worth having is ever easy. I overcame the challenges in many ways. Taking one step back to take two steps forward. Giving myself the space to fail and fail big. Creating my own system of accountability that wasn’t rooted in the traditional mind sets of other’s expectations. But most importantly staying close to creativity and creative people and never quitting.
I think what sets me apart is the culmination of the creative experiences I have had. I used to build sets and work as a stagehand in New York. Those plays and people changed my life. I toured with Jesus Christ Superstar as a performer. I was an actor in LA. I got punched in the face photographing a hardcore show in the Underground at the Nile. All that stuff adds up when you are creating or trying to solve a creative problem.
Film Loft and the work we do is a culmination of all of those wild, beautiful, diverse experiences.
I would like people to know we are a young company, newly founded but with a deep pool of experiences.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Great question –

For shows and hangs – The Nile Theater in Mesa, Valley Bar & Cornish Pasty in Downtown Phoenix, Cobra Arcade Bar, Tempe Tavern is a great dive for mid day schenanigans,

For eats – Ritos Mexican Food in Downtown PHX is that best damn chimichanga you will ever had, Brooklyn Pizza, Mykes Pizza in Mesa, Torchy’s Taco has the best queso.

Plenty of cool street Art in the Roosevelt Row. Her Secret Is Patience is very cool at night in Downtown Phoenix.

What is cool about the Valley is every part has it’s own vibe. Scottsdale doesn’t feel like Tempe, or Downtown Mesa. You want strip mall bars and draft Bud Lights. Go crazy. You want character, it’s there in all neighborhoods if you look.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
For sure- Shoutout to Rollie Rathburn and The Nile Theater. Rollie was my first Arizona friend when I moved here from NYC and The Nile was really the first place I felt at home here in Arizona. Devon Dresback – a good human and fellow Film Director here in the Valley.
Kayla Windsor, without her my first film “Lights” would still just be 10 pages on my desk.
Casey Fehr, for passing my name along to you all and always pushing to make more creativity in the world.
nd my fiance, Bri Voorhees for having the infinite patience it takes to live with a creative crazy person.
So many others through the the years but those are the AZ folks.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/filmloftcreative

Image Credits
Devon Dresback Hunter Lee Avakian