I feel as if Ive been fairly successful with maintaining a cohesive tone between the work I make as a photographer and as a director.

My introduction to the Madonna Inn came as a young boy when we would take summer vacations to a nearby town. My dad would take us into their gift shop bathroom which was a huge waterfall that functioned as the mens urinal. So as a kid this was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

I like to mix pieces in my art direction from the 60s or the 40s and the 90s and present-day stuff. To me that feels very real. When I go into peoples houses its not all today.

Its just this little comedy about this group of guys and their local hangout is a pool hall and its starting to get taken over by this big corporate evil kind of guy. And its just about them trying to save the day and their little pool hall in the process of it all. Its called Think Tank.

The mindset that I have on every project I take on is How do I make this interesting enough for me to want to stop and look at it? So in that regard what I do behind the camera whether its still or motion picture is the same.

I dont want to do the nerdy goofy guy again. That was really fitting for the Napoleon world but thats kind of where I want it to stay.

Being an actor really really strengthens me as a director. Theres just a certain type of understanding that comes from having been there and knowing how much is really being asked of actors that helps me.

There are a lot of hardcore Napoleon fans and they do the research and find photos of what I look like when Im not Kip-ified. Those fans recognize me. It happens maybe once a week where someone will come up to me and be like Dude youre Kip. And Im Yeah my names Aaron.

With the work that I do as a director Ive got dialogue camera movement and character blocking to help create a tone to the piece. In photography those elements are somewhat void so that tone becomes a bit more subtle but still equally important.

If I do a certain number of ads I have to do a personal project in between just for my own sanity. I still consider myself a punk-rock kid.