"I said, รข??I bet my people are burning the phone up right now, making sure I go through,'" Epperson said.
Before competing on the show, Epperson was working in the Winchester and Lexington area directing commercials through his company, Eppic Films. He had also directed a few music videos in Nashville, but he admitted having little experience directing films.
It was a friend that told Epperson about "On the Lot" and suggested he give it a try.
"Someone sent me to Fox's Web site and said they're having a competition to be a filmmaker. They were looking for short films and all I had were music videos. I just took a chance and said I'm going to put a music video on here and see if they like it," Epperson said.
Turns out, the show's producers did like the film and Epperson was one of 50 directors hand-picked by Stephen Spielberg to fly out to Hollywood to begin competition. Before the show actually aired, the group of 50 was narrowed down to 18 and Epperson found himself sharing his films with a national television audience.
Epperson said that he and his fellow contestants were housed in small bungalows on the the CBS lot, which used to be the set for "Gilligan's Island." Life was far from glamorous - at one point, Epperson said his bed was infested with ants - and contestants were only allowed one 15-minute phone call each week.
After the TV show ended, Epperson decided to come back home to Winchester to continue to his career. He's currently in the middle of several projects, including music videos, and is excited about the possibility of directing his first feature length film.
"My goals have definitely changed. Here I am talking to the biggest studios in Hollywood, pitching projects," Epperson said. "It's difficult to get the money. It's a process."
Still, Epperson is confident that his career is on the right track.
"It's been good. I learned a lot from it (the show). You'll be seeing a lot of my stuff soon, coming to a theater near you."
Epperson's wife, Cindy, also attended the club meeting as a guest.
Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.com.
