Joe Carnahan rises from his director’s chair and systematically begins organizing the actors, cameramen and crew on the Lake Tahoe movie set in mid-October. The “Smokin’ Aces” scene calls for a camera to follow one of the lead actors toward the water. The shot envisioned by Carnahan, the writer and director, needs the camera to move over the actor’s shoulder and capture the extras looking for evidence of a murder on the shoreline. Here are about 20 extras, a couple cameras, lights, sound and producers all trying to make this one scene work together.

Carnahan yells, “Action!” The actor begins walking toward the lake. From his director’s chair, Carnahan scrutinizes the camera position. He again tells the cameramen to come up over the actor’s shoulder. The cameramen weren’t timing the shot right, so Carnahan yells, “Cut!” This shot seems to be repeated 10 times before Carnahan gets what he wants.

Carnahan, a former Sacramento State student who first gained acclaim with his 1998 film “Blood Guts Bullets & Octane,” is still going strong.

He says the best part of being on the set is the experience. “Moment by moment is amazing,” Carnahan said.

The 36-year-old Carnahan hails from the Midwest, but he graduated from Fairfield High School in 1987. He was an athlete and played football. Carnahan said he “wasn’t that fast, but he had some moves” on the field.

Carnahan stands just over 6-feet tall with a shaved head, muscular physique and deep, husky voice. His soft, humble demeanor contradicts his appearance.

After spending one year at San Francisco State, Carnahan graduated from Sacramento State with a bachelor’s degree in film studies. He chose Sacramento over San Francisco because it was close to home and he laughingly said, “I got tired of driving to San Francisco State.” He described the Sac State film studies department as “a low key program.” Carnahan not only enjoyed the campus, but also has fond memories one of the professors.

“Roger Vail taught a couple of great film courses,” Carnahan said. After graduating from college, he began working at UPN 31 in Sacramento and won Producer of the Year at the annual Promax Television Convention in Los Angeles after only six months working at the station.

Carnahan got his big break into the big leagues when he was accepted into the Sundance Film Festival in 1998. His film, “Blood Guts Bullets & Octane,” was made for a mere $8,000. The film ?” written, directed, produced and starring Carnahan ?” was shot in 13 days, over a six-month period, using 16mm film and included no music.

Carnahan worked on it using all of his free time and as much free equipment from the television station as possible. He says his drive and ambition stem from what was a “resistance, reluctance and refusal to punch someone else’s clock.”

Next Wave Films purchased the movie, added music, changed to 35mm film and again sold the movie off to Lion’s Gate Films.

Carnahan is a now an established writer and director. He has several projects in the works, including “Pride and Glory” and “Killing Pablo.”

He has no problem getting big names to flock to his films. Ray Liotta headlined his 2002 film “Narc,” while Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Ryan Reynolds and Alicia Keys were cast for “Smokin’ Aces.” He responds humbly to his success in acquiring A-list actors.

“For whatever reason, I have a pretty descent reputation,” Carnahan said. “I’m not a dictator or tyrannical and I think those are things people seek out.”

The flourishing director has not forgotten where he came from and those who have faithfully stood by him. He brought his newest film to Lake Tahoe because he says that it has been “criminally underused” by the film industry and it is one of his favorite destinations. He has also hired a local casting company, Forcier Casting, to fill a couple of roles in the movie.

Not only has Carnahan used local companies, but one local, Chris Holley, has landed the role of a lifetime in “Smokin’ Aces.” Carnahan noticed Holley while working as a bouncer at a Sacramento club. Holley said one night Carnahan came to the club, looked at him and said, “You look like a character I wrote about.” Now he plays the character “Beanie” in the movie.

Carnahan suggested perseverance to anyone interested in the movie industry.

“Be persistent above all else and dedicate yourself to succeeding,” Carnahan said. “Don’t treat your passion as a hobby.”

Tracie Donahue can be reached at [email protected]