Carl Mazzocone ’81 is the executive producer for “The Hill,” a 2023 baseball drama and biopic for minor league baseball player Rickey Hill (Colin Ford). The film depicts Hill’s life in Fort Worth, Texas and his troubled relationship with his father, played by Dennis Quaid. The faith-based film follows the prodigal young Rickey (Jesse Berry) as he learns to play baseball with leg braces. Though he can’t run, he can hit. Rickey decides to combine his love of baseball and his faith to keep himself motivated to become a baseball player. 

Mazzocone has been working on the film since 2010 in Los Angeles, producing films like “Alone,” “Leatherface” and “My All-American.” Life and Culture Co-Editor Vivian Rose spoke to Mazzocone via email about the most recent film he has worked on, “The Hill.”  

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Vivian Rose: How did it feel to be able to host a private screening of “The Hill” in the town where you learned how to be a filmmaker?

Carl Mazzocone: Presenting this film at the Regal Cinema after 42 years elapsed since graduation was a full circle experience. I’m thankful to return to a place that taught me filmmaking and to have the honor of having Ithaca College’s president La Jerne Terry Cornish in attendance! What a wonderful night! I never dreamed I’d be standing in front of a cinema again and introducing one of my movies. Who knows, this may never happen again, and that’s why it’s so fitting that it occurred in Ithaca. I’ve had the honor of introducing movies I produced at film festivals around the world like Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance, LA, NY and even recently my hometown of Bryn Mawr but to present a film again in Ithaca was an honor. Standing in front of an audience about to watch your film is a very personal and a vulnerable position where you’re sharing this art form that you labored over with friends and strangers. It opens you up for praise or criticism.

VR: How long did you work on the film for?

CM: When Director Jeff Celentano presented me with this project in 2010, I spent a year with Jeff researching and interviewing Rickey Hill. This included investing six months developing detailed story notes, a guideline for a screenwriter to follow as we continued to develop the screenplay into a commercially viable result. 

VR: What were some thoughts you had while watching the film for the first time?

CM: I always try to clear my head when watching a film for the first time. It’s rewarding when you see your inspiration on the screen and working, but I would be misleading you if I didn’t see a few places I’d want to make some changes.

VR: How do you feel Ithaca College prepared you to pursue a career in filmmaking when you were a student?

CM: When I graduated IC in 1981, I was blessed to have been educated by an excellent academic staff teaching cinema studies in the basement of Dillingham building, most notably Professor Skip Landen. Skip developed a personal connection with all his students and followed their career path, supporting all of us years after we graduated. He was determined in making sure IC Communications alumni stayed connected and helped each other succeed while pursuing our careers in Los Angeles. I believe the class of 1981 produced some of the most prolific and successful individuals in the film business. It was Skip’s vision to establish a base in Los Angeles, so IC communication students could build industry relationships prior to graduation.