A prominent producer in the science-fiction genre, Jack H. Harris spent much of his career at the helm of several successful cinematic projects.

During a 1960 interview with Variety, the Dinosaurus! producer was able to pull back the curtain and share a bit of the secret to his success with readers.

Harris frequently consulted the target audience for many a successful film: teens.

"I spent considerable time and money making a survey of high school students in eighteen large American cities," he said. "From this survey, I decided to make a picture to fit a ready-made audience."

Harris' method of developing a picture seemed to work in reverse to how many directors approach the project. Rather than approach a concept headfirst, Harris felt it was imperative to ensure that the movie would have a guaranteed audience.

Of course, this tactic helped Harris make many a successful picture, including one of the most popular films he had produced, The Blob.

"I literally made a picture from suggestions made to me of what the majority of high school kids in the country wanted - and would pay to see. The result was The Blob and I have so far recovered $2,000,000 on a $200,000 investment."

But while Harris kept a very grounded approach in his career, he found that some of the most advantageous projects would take the dreams of audiences and turn them into a reality.

See More

How well do you know the dinosaurs featured in the original Jurassic Park trilogy?

"Mine are examples of daydreaming," he said. "Everyone daydreams from time to time. I like to take teenagers' daydreams and make successful pictures that entertain and give the kids a thrill."