LIFE INSPIRES ART
Todd Tucker looks to life in rock band to write, direct ‘Rockbottom’
Todd Tucker has experienced a lot during his life. He’s been in a rock band.
He’s a special effects artist. And he’s a film director. “It’s been a life that I’ve learned to appreciate,” Tucker says. “I’ve accomplished a lot of things and I’m grateful to have the opportunities still coming my way.”
Tucker’s latest project, “Rockbottom,” was an opportunity he created for himself.
“Rockbottom” chronicles the hilarious misadventures of a failed ’80s hair metal band as they attempt to reunite in the present day for one last electrifying performance.
Tucker, who also stars as the band’s drummer, says this film is a wild ride filled with nostalgia, laughter and a killer rock soundtrack that will have audiences tapping their feet and banging their heads.
The film also stars Tom Everett Scott, Jake Bongiovi, McKaley Miller, Toshi Yanagi and Teala Dunn.
Tucker began working on the film before the pandemic.
He says after moving to Los Angeles and working in the film industry, he wanted to make a movie that paid homage to the ’80s rock music.
“It was always on my mind,” he says of the project. “We got to record an album worth of original music. I’m really glad because people are wanting something to make them feel good. With all the negativity in the world, the film is sure to bring back some positivity.”
Tucker wrote the script based on events of his life while being in a rock band.
“I took different parts of my life as a drummer and singer,” he says. “My character in the film is literally me at 20 years old. Each of the characters in the film have a connection to my life. The events in the film are things that happened to me.”
Tucker credits his cast for the film’s success.
“I cast people that weren’t too far from the character they would play,” he explains. “If something wasn’t comfortable with the script, we would change it. Tom Everett Scott really set the tone of how I was going to play his brother. He was so grounded in his performance that I began to ground myself with my character.”
Tucker hopes to return to New Mexico for a future project.
He spent time in the state while doing special effect make up on the 1990s series, “Earth 2.”
“That was a fun series because we had some big characters,” he says. “I wouldn’t say no to coming to New Mexico. I almost had two projects that were going to be there but got moved somewhere else. There are a lot of reasons to do a project there. It’s an easy flight from Los Angeles and it’s just stunning.”