Director Ian Karr, the founder of New York’s IKA Collective, got his start as a filmmaker in the same way as so many precocious youngsters – shooting films featuring his friends and dog and blowing things up with firecrackers and model-rocket engine materials. As an adult, he is a man of many talents, making promos for the likes of Showtime Networks, Discovery Channel, and Penguin Group (USA). He stretched out recently with the Billy Ray Cyrus music video below, part of a project for Hallmark Channel. We asked him five questions about work, the iPhone, and a little funny business.

Q: What are you working on today?

A: Hey…you said these questions were going to be easy. There’s a lot in-house at the moment. We just wrapped a commercial with bestselling author Patricia Cornwell, and a Billy Ray Cyrus music video that ties into a holiday movie on Hallmark Channel. We’re also posting the first season of our original online series, The Midnight Archive. And next time you fly United Airlines, we’ll be telling you how to fasten your seatbelt. We not only created the new safety video, but (SPOILER ALERT) I have a cameo in it.

Q: What’s the best tool or innovation you’ve started working with in 2011?

A: You mean besides the iPhone camera? Seriously, we’re always looking for new tools to help us tell stories more beautifully and cost effectively. Depending on the needs of the project, we shoot on everything from RED to ALEXA to DSLRs and even on the iPhone. Technology changing by the minute, it’s tough to single out one innovation, but I’d say the Plural Eyes software for post-synching sound to DSLR footage has been a great time-saver for us. It automates a tedious process and enables us to produce a DSLR shoot with a smaller crew (no offense sound guys). Isn’t that why you opt to shoot with a DSLR to begin with?

Q: What’s the project you most enjoyed working on in the last year?

A: I think enjoying your work is a huge part of life, let alone IKA Collective’s mission. Our goals are 1) have fun; 2) create great work; 3) make money. In that order. This year has been a blowout year for us. We helped launch a top-rated primetime series, produced some memorable commercial campaigns, started our own digital studio and made a lot of clients happy. Sure, some projects are more challenging than others, but the day I stop having fun is the day I open a hot dog stand. You want relish with that?

Q: What have you seen recently that inspires you?

A: I’m completely inspired by the DOD – the democratization of distribution (I smell bumper sticker). Today anyone with a good story can share it with the world. That’s pretty cool.

Q: Know any good jokes?

A: Ha! I’ve co-hosted a comedy show on Sirius Satellite Radio called Jackie’s Joke Hunt for the past five years and I hear about 30 jokes a week. That’s 7,500 punch lines since 2006. I can’t remember a single one.

Okay…here’s one: How many Creative Directors does it take to screw in a light bulb? Does it have to be a light bulb?

For more information: www.ikacollective.com.