The new action thriller Snitch, based on real events and starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a father who goes to bat working undercover for authorities when his teenage son is looking at a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence on an erroneous drug charge, is receiving fairly solid marks for its action, grounded relatability and exposing some of the hypocrisy of the United States’ war on drugs. Those facts might be less surprising if more people had seen Felon, director Ric Roman Waugh’s low-budget prison tale, which had both a certain gritty style and a clear aim to delve into grey morality.

A veteran stuntman and second unit director who, like David Ellis before him, pivoted into life behind the camera, Waugh isn’t shy about what drives him and his ambition to meld and shape his considerable experience with storytelling rooted in real-life stories. I recently had a chance to speak to Waugh one-on-one about his career, Snitch, some of his other forthcoming projects, and what to do when faced with a giant fireball rushing at one’s face. The conversation is excerpted over at ShockYa, so click here for the read.