Biografia
Richard serves as the Editor and Publisher of the action sports graphic novel series "SkateFarm," published by IDW Publishing, LLC, and distributed through Scholastic Book Fairs and Diamond Comics Distribution. He is also a Lecturer in film production within the MFA programs at The American Film Institute and Chapman University's Dodge School of Film and Media. Additionally, Richard works as an Entertainment Finance Consultant, assisting independent producers with equity, tax-driven, and traditional domestic and international film financing.
From 1987 to 2004, Richard was President of Vintage Productions, Inc., a film production and financing company. Through Vintage, he secured financing and co-executive produced the 2004 film "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" (Paramount Classics/Seven Arts), starring Clive Owen and Charlotte Rampling and directed by Mike Hodges. He also co-produced and arranged full financing for the theatrical film "The Opportunists" (First Look/Blockbuster/Overseas Film Group), starring Christopher Walken and Cyndi Lauper, with Jonathan Demme as Executive Producer. This film premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Moreover, Richard co-financed two films with British Screen Finance Limited: the theatrical feature "The Low Down" (Shooting Gallery/Film Four) and the television film "Jilting Joe" (BBC/Romance Channel), starring James Purefoy. "The Low Down" earned the "Best Newcomer" award for Aiden Gillen at the 2000 Edinburgh Festival and received three nominations at the Independent British Film Festival. It premiered in the U.S. at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
Between 1989 and 1993, Richard was President of Spirit, an independent development, financing, and production company. There, he produced the theatrical motion picture "Ambition," starring Lou Diamond Phillips (Miramax/Rank), and executive produced the television film "Frankenstein: The College Years," directed by Tom Shadyak (Fox Network).
Earlier in his career, Richard held roles as Vice-President of Production for the Producers Sales Organization, Vice-President of Creative Affairs for Embassy Pictures, Production Executive for Orion Pictures Corporation, and Acquisitions Director and Assistant to the Executive Vice-President of Distribution for Filmways Pictures. In these positions, he supervised development and production of films including "Flight Of The Navigator" (Disney); "8 Million Ways To Die," starring Jeff Bridges and directed by Hal Ashby; "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins," directed by Guy Hamilton; "Code Of Silence," starring Chuck Norris and directed by Andrew Davis; "Easy Money," starring Rodney Dangerfield; "Strange Invaders," starring Paul LaMat; "Lone Wolf McQuade," starring David Carradine and Chuck Norris; "Up The Creek," starring Tim Matheson; and "Flesh And Blood," starring Rutger Hauer and directed by Paul Verhoeven.
Before entering the film industry, Richard founded Multivision Films in San Francisco, producing television commercials and corporate instructional programs for clients such as Wells Fargo Bank, Amfac Hotels, and Crown Zellerbach. He has a background in theater from San Francisco and New York and has taught motion picture production at Stanford University and UC Berkeley Extension. Additionally, he hosted the Film Financing and Co-Production Forum for CreativePlanet.com.
Richard holds a B.A. in Theater and Communications from Oberlin College, an M.A. in Communications from Stanford University, and an M.F.A. from the Department of Cinema and Television, The Peter Stark Program at the University of Southern California.
