Gene Massey

Gene Massey began his film career as a television commercial Director/Cameraman, specializing in dialogue-celebrity/spokesperson spots. His most recent work includes numerous short films and documentaries and he has filmed extensively in rural villages in India (current ten-year Visa). Since July of 2003, Gene has filmed in 25 countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, India, and South America where he filmed volunteers in medical camps, informal settlements, hospitals, schools, and AIDS orphanages. His most recent work is a 51-minute documentary on the life of motorcycle stuntman Doug Domokos, known worldwide as "The Wheelie King," and a 10-minute documentary on the Circle K/Gene Woods NASCAR Race Team. In addition to his experience as a Director and Cameraman, Gene has extensive experience as an editor, having worked as an assistant to legendary feature film editor Jack Horger, and he now edits his own work in Final Cut Pro. Gene has directed and photographed such celebrities as Dwight Yoakam, Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Smokey Robinson, Alice Cooper, Tommy Smothers, Jean Stapleton, Melora Hardin (The Office), Kenny G, Jane Wyatt, Arthur Hill, Eva Marie Saint, Vincent Price, and Henry Mancini. He has also directed such well-known sports personalities as Johnny Miller, Sugar Ray Leonard, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Annika Sorenstam, Colin Montgomerie, Greg Louganis, Paul Azinger, Patty Sheehan, and motorcycle great Kenny Roberts. Ely Callaway on Gene As a commercial Director/Cameraman, from 1990 to 1997 Gene worked with Ely Callaway, producing, directing, and editing over four hundred television commercials for Callaway Golf, introducing and selling the "Big Bertha" line of golf clubs. He often wrote or co-wrote many of these commercials, and during the period of time Gene directed Callaway's commercials, their total sales increased from $21 million in 1990 to $843 million in 1997. Gene's commercials for Callaway were produced at an average cost of less than $15,000 each, while the industry average cost for a national spot made during that period was over $200,000. In addition to the Callaway Golf commercials, Gene has directed short films and commercials for clients such as Goodyear, Gucci, Chrysler, Pizza Hut, Toyota, Burger King, Epson Computers, Gallo, Polaroid, RCA, Case Tractors, the American Cancer Society, and the U.S. Army. His film and television work has received recognition from the Clio Awards, the Telly Awards, the New York Festival, the Houston Film Festival, the Art Director's Club of Los Angeles, and the Homburg Award. Gene is also a screenwriter and is best known for his original screenplay for the upcoming family feature film "Fungi - A Comedy about Pollution." This screenplay has now won four awards: the Award of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board, Best Comedy Screenplay from both the Houston Film Festival and the Charleston Film Festival, and Best Screenplay Finalist from the Arizona Film Society. Prior to his work as a director, Gene was an actor, appearing in a number of network television shows and feature films, and most notably working with Steven Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He studied film acting for nine years with Charles Conrad, and his background in film editing includes a job as an assistant to Jack Horger. He has taught acting for HAPPI, a class for handicapped actors in Westwood. Gene is a Certified PADI Advanced Scuba Diver. He is also a licensed pilot and flies his own plane, a Cessna Centurion 210. He has considerable experience with aerial cinematography from helicopters as well. Gene is active in community service and volunteers weekly at the Salvation Army in Santa Monica and teaches a weekly "Life Skills" class at Camp Kilpatrick, a Los Angeles County Youth Correctional Facility.