DIRECTOR STATEMENT
When does the victim become the bully? Where is that fine line where protecting yourself makes you the monster? Going even further into that theme: What if some entity was enforcing the social contract we all have that we are supposed to BE NICE to each other that not everyone is following. At what point does everyone feel like they have to but on a fake smile and BE NICE to each other like some sort of prison?

That, is the ideology of BE NICE but fit into a FANTASY HORROR short film that is easily accessible for all ages with it’s mix of escalation, quick gag shifts, and humor. I respect the audiences time so we waste no time getting right into it. They know what’s coming, so we use that to our advantage and kind of use that against them sometimes. They are in on the joke. Most importantly it’s FUN, just like movie’s where when I was a kid in the 80’s and 90’s. That lighthearted whimsy… but with a monster under the bed.

The biggest influences on BE NICE I would say first and foremost would be that segment from THE TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE called “IT’S A GOOD LIFE”. Following that: Everything Steven Spielberg and George Lucas did while I was a child. Big time shoutout to POLTERGEIST as well. IT, which funny enough gave me a fear of clowns as a childhood TV Mini-Series, then took it away as movies and made me a massive horror fan which I was not before. That opened the floodgates for me as an adult and I’m trying to sort of mimic all of those with BE NICE.

This is my FIRST time Directing and also my FIRST time Writing, Directing, and Producing at the same time and it’s the FIRST title under my Production Company: Observant Productions. I absolutely cannot believe we have gotten this far and at the same time I absolutely can because I was surrounded by the best cast and crew. They got us here, along with the newest member of the team that filled the missing gap: DWF:LA. Where is here? At the HISTORIC TCL CHINESE THEATER with carpets, press, and Q&A’s. Madness. Insanity. Also validation and Vindication.

It’s extra special for me because it took me a VERY long time to get here. My parents taught me the importance of education and hard work so my path thus far has been: Honors in Psychology, Pepperdine Law School, Pepperdine Business School, Intern, PA, Locations, Co-Producer, Producer, Production Company, Writer, Director. In exactly that ridiculous order. Funny enough he thing I am looking forward to most has already happened. I was so excited that my mom let me cut class and drove me to the Burbank theaters so I could be the first one to see it like a maniac. It was in that theater on June 11, 1993 that I promised myself I would make movies. My father has also, my entire life, been my Master Yoda and anytime I go to him with a problem, he still always says, “Don’t worry, Be Happy”. So returning to what my favorite
part is? That they get to see the result of their hard work and sacrifice for me and I get to tell them back: Don't worry, Be Happy.

DIRECTOR BIO
Eric Baktanian is a Writer, Director, Producer. He has an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Bachelors in Psychology with Honors. He owns his own production company: OBSERVANT PRODUCTIONS. He loves blending genres, being efficient, and having fun.