Palisadian David Pregerson Remembered: ‘A True Original’

David Pregerson, a talented filmmaker who had an unforgettable way of breaking down social barriers and encouraging others to be authentic and true, was killed in a hit-and-run accident that occurred on December 27 in Pacific Palisades.

The 23-year-old Palisadian was working with Blake Freeman at Wunderkind Pictures in Brentwood at the time of the accident. The team had premiered their latest film, A Journey to Planet Sanity, just weeks before Dave’s death. It was his first credit as executive producer.

A film three years in the making, Dave headed the project’s marketing efforts, demonstrating savvy for production well beyond his experience.

By the end of his first week at Wunderkind, Dave had already surprised everyone with his skill and character. Freeman was blown away that Dave had never worked on a set of that caliber before.

“He rose up and picked up where he was needed without being told. He saw holes and was able to fill them and do tasks to make things better. He saved the day,” Freeman said. “There was this defining moment where I said, ‘He is going to work for me forever.’ But I think maybe I would have ended up working for him.”

While Dave was immensely talented behind the camera and behind the scenes, it was clear to Freeman the budding producer had immeasurable value on a deeper level.

“During the the darkest times in filmmaking, which is basically every other day, Dave would keep it bright. That was huge. Sometimes there were 80 people on set and I guarantee he touched every single one of them every day,” Freeman said. “He was on this path of greatness. Dave gave 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. We spent every day together for two years and I never saw him have an off day. I’m striving just to be half the man he was. It’s hard to explain how awesome he was.”

Dave’s promising career was just beginning, but he had been making films for years before stepping on to Freeman’s set.

“As soon as Dave got a hold of a camera he was making films. It was very unique, the way he saw things in frames,” said his mother, Sharon Pregerson. “We’re still finding little army men all over the house from his stop-action projects. He made so many films in the neighborhood and with kids from Pali High. He was always asking the neighbors to play the villain in his films. That was the fun of it; there were always lots of kids around the house making movies with Dave.”

To hear Sharon and Dean talk of their youngest son, it seems Dave was always surrounded by friends and his brother Bradley. Cliques or social constructs never bound him. When he went to UCLA to study film, Dave sat in the front row in a class of 300 students and the professors knew him by name.

“Dave was friends with the kid who had no other friends and the girls who had all the friends in the world. It was amazing the way he could cross boundaries like that,” Sharon said. “He had such a big personality; he needed a big school. He loved and lived every day to the fullest. He would do anything to help a friend. That’s just how he rolled. He was interested in others and in turn, he was interesting to them.”

At Pali High, Dave’s peers gravitated to him, drawn by his extreme antics and positive energy. Uniquely authentic, it was easy to accept Dave for who he was.

Adria Bonillas remembers the first time she met Dave – as if she could forget. During their junior year, the two landed in the same AP U.S. History class and Dave walked in dressed in a bright red, full-body Onepiece suit. Provoked by another classmate, Dave zipped off the top half and proceeded to count out one-handed pushups in front of the class.

“It was so hilarious and so classically Dave. I remember thinking ‘I need to be friends with him.’ I don’t know anyone else bold enough to do that. I think a lot of people who know Dave had similar experiences; they met this guy and it was a memorable moment,” she said.

Bonillas’ friendship with Dave grew through their senior year. By graduation they were attached at the hip, spending afternoons at the Santa Monica Pier with the third member of their trio, Ramtin Sarbaz, feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving with Dave’s family; everything was an experience with Dave.

“He always wanted to go off the beaten path. His life didn’t revolve around what everyone else was doing and he always found a way to make everything fun. A hike, walk on the beach; we could sit and spend an entire afternoon watching weird documentaries on aliens to how the universe works to time machines,” Bonillas said.

“I’m so happy to have experienced Dave. It’s very rare to find someone like that. Whatever Dave’s doing now, he’s doing it well,” she added.

Dave’s undeniable talent had already brought him great success in his young career, but it was his belief that those around him could – and should – succeed with him that was so attractive.

“Not only was he confident in himself, but he was confident that all of us were going to make it. He always believed in me and I could always count on him,” Bonillas said. “He really did believe in us all and wanted us to succeed. He would have done anything to be part of that with us.”

Among the many circles he so effortlessly flowed through at Pali High, Dave was very involved with the theater program, starring in the production of Donnie Darko and a number of others.

“I remember he was the pirate in The Princess Bride and he got to take his shirt off. He worked out a lot for that one,” his mother, Sharon, said. “He was great.”

However, Dave’s greatest role may have been in recruiting his peers to join the department – his magnetic personality drawing them in – including Kristos Andrews, who credits Dave for piquing his interest in theatre.

“We clicked as soon as we met. I was visiting the school before I was to attend and the first thing Dave did was invite me to class after lunch, in which he introduced me to everyone as his brother,” Andrews said. “We quickly became best friends – we were constantly together and always had a great time.”

Like so many, Andrews admired Dave for his relentlessly genuine personality and refusal to follow the social norms that so often push people to conform.

“Fitting in was the least of Dave’s concerns and in turn others were drawn to ‘fit in’ with him. He’s a true original. He was easily the most popular kid in school, and for the best reasons,” Andrews said. “He was himself, totally free spirited, and he inspired and influenced others to just be themselves too.”

Andrews describes countless occasions when he witnessed Dave’s kind heart and brilliant sense of humor make others feel comfortable in their own skin.

“What a beautiful quality to have,” he said.

Andrews grew up skateboarding and surrounded himself with others on the skate team at Pali High, but his friendship with Dave encouraged him to diversify not only his peer group, but his passions – and ultimately his career.

“Dave was a major catalyst for that transition in my life. I could care less that he didn’t skate, I just enjoyed his presence and it opened up my mind. Knowing someone like Dave who totally supported all the skating we were doing, yet helped open my eyes to even changing my career path; he played – and continues to play – a big role in my life.”

By graduation, Andrews and Dave had both declared their intention to pursue careers in film, either as actors, directors or producers.

Dave went to UCLA for film school while Andrews dove into the business, partnering with Gregori J. Martin at LANY Entertainment. When Dave finished school, Andrews immediately brought in Dave to work as a cinematographer on The Bay, a web series nominated for a Daytime Emmy, now dedicated to Dave’s memory.

“He was a natural with endless talent. If you were to see the scripts he was developing, or his concepts, you would see just how creative he was. He’s a creative genius, truly, and had so much potential to do major things in this world,” Andrews said. “Dave helped inspire me to continue in pursuing my aspirations in filmmaking. I had so much of myself invested in him for the future. I saw us as a couple peas in a pod, coming from the same place, going off to do big things together. That’s how it would have been.”

As Andrews sings the praises of his friend, it is clear both the love and respect were mutual. In one of Dave’s first films, he cast Andrews as the lead. When Andrews made his directorial debut on The Bay, Dave was his go-to cinematographer.

“It was really interesting to watch them work together. On the show we still use Dave’s camera as a tribute to him. It’s like the show is still coming through his eyes,” said Martin, who worked with Dave and Andrews on various projects over the last five years.

“I’d love people to see the work side of Dave and recognize the special connection that he and Kristos shared. I want people to know about the work he did because it meant so much to him. He took it so seriously and was so much more than just a fun-loving kid – his work was a huge part of who he was,” Martin said.

Like so many have expressed, Dave was never all work or all play, but balanced the two with maturity well beyond his years.

His skill and dedication coupled with his charisma and loving spirit left a lasting impression on those who counted themselves privileged to know him.

“What defines a life that has meaning is how you’ve interacted with others and if you’ve left a good mark on the lives of people you come in contact with. In that sense, Dave had such a full life – of goodness and kindness,” his mother said. “He really touched a lot of people and I don’t think we had any idea, until now, that he was quite as important to so many people. He loved and accepted everyone for exactly who they are – and we miss him.”