Meet Anglophile American Michael Manasseri, who came to Los Angeles to make it in the movie business and is currently enjoying success as a producer with acclaimed new movie Give Me Liberty.
What was your first impression of Los Angeles and has it changed since?
During my freshman year at NYU I came to LA during winter break to visit an actor friend. It was snowing and frigid cold when I left NYC and the next morning I went for a run along Ventura Blvd. in a tank top and shorts. I thought, “Damn, I could get used to this.” Three weeks later I dropped out of school to be an actor and eventually made my way west with all the other dreamers.
Sure, there are more people now, crazier traffic and non-stop development. But that feeling of eternal summer certainly hasn’t changed.
Was there a particular reason you based yourself in LA?
When I first came to LA it was the only place to be if you really wanted to make it in film and TV. Tax incentives for the industry hadn’t started yet. It was where the work was.
What do you find is the biggest difference between L.A. and other places you’ve lived?
There’s a dichotomy to LA that’s unlike anywhere else. It’s a paradise built on broken dreams. You can feel it in the air, the tragic beauty of it all. See the film LaLa Land by Damian Chazelle…
Do you have a hidden gem in Los Angeles that you want to share with our readers? Maybe not hidden so much but for me I love Bloom Café on Pico. Great, healthy food but more importantly, every time I go to lunch at Bloom I look around at the clientele and there’s just every walk of life in there, a melting pot of humanity that I just love being a part of.
What do you miss most from your home city of Detroit?
The people and the seasons. But I’ll take LA in January over a Detroit winter any day!
What would you suggest to people who might be thinking of moving to Los Angeles? Take advantage of this incredible city. We all can get mired into our routines, the day to day. But this place has so much to offer, so much to do, so much to see. Get out there and explore it. I sound like I work for the tourism office!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
When we were kids my dad used to tell us the make the most of the gifts God had given us. He’s more spiritual now than religious and he forwards us weekly Eckhart Tolle emails about living in the now. Then there’s my mother who used to tell me to “stop being so dramatic” when I got upset. Simply put, make the most with what you’ve got, stay present and don’t stress out.
What have you been working on lately?
I’ve been traveling the world this past year with, “Give Me Liberty,” and producing that film has been a life changing experience in so many ways – seeing the great reactions at the Sundance Film Festival and Cannes and with it now on release in US theatres and doing very well.
Any plans to travel to Britain soon?
Give Me Liberty is playing at the BFI London Film Festival in October so I’m hoping to jump across the pond shortly to help promote the film in Britain. I’ve heard that Christmas in London is pretty unforgettable… so we shall see if I go back again then. Maybe one of my Brits in LA friends could hook me up!?!
How can readers find out more about you and the work you do?
As the kids like to say, you can find me on the Gram @michael_manasseri or check out Flux-Cap.com (Flux Capacitor Studios site). And go see Give Me Liberty.
