It may sound trite, but it’s true: Small towns hold some of the biggest secrets.

Arnold Leibovit is a writer, producer and director of feature films and musical productions. But for brief forays back to Los Angeles — “as Hollywood beckons,” Leibovit quipped — he has resided in Sedona since the mid-1980s. Though a longtime resident, he admits that he has kept a low profile.

“It’s really been a question of time,” Leibovit said, adding that in some ways he feels as though he and the Sedona art community have not had the opportunity to interact as much as he would like. “I’ve been active on other projects, but I would like to connect more.”

Leibovit has indeed been busy. Much of his time has been taken up with an exploration of the life and work of George Pal, a pioneering science fiction animator and filmmaker. In 1985, Leibovit wrote, directed and produced the documentary “The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal,” following it with 1987’s “The Puppetoon Movie,” directly inspired by Pal’s Puppetoon characters.

The connection between Leibovitz and Pal became even more pronounced — and recognizable by name to a contemporary audience — when Leibovitz’ took on the role of executive producer of the 2002 Dreamworks and Warner Bros. remake of “The Time Machine” featuring actors Guy Pearce and Jeremy Irons. Leibovit had earlier obtained the rights to the H.G. Wells book, as well as the 1960 MGM motion picture directed by George Pal.

Science fiction — and its sister genre, fantasy — is a subject Leibovit instantly warms to.

“I subscribe to George Pal when he said, ‘Something different: That’s what intrigues me most. When people say that’s impossible, that it can’t be done, I’m already interested.’ Science fiction and fantasy speaks to me because it takes us to places just a little beyond our everyday lives. It makes what is unbelievable, believable. What is unknown, known. The genre has the power to increase our understanding of our world, raise the human spirit and offer profound meaning.”

Leibovit’s love of the genre has deep roots. The names of authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov come quick to Leibovit’s recollection, but it’s the cumulative effect of film that really lit the creative spark.

“Seeing films like ‘The Time Machine’ and ‘The War of the Worlds’ in my youth was life changing,” Leibovit said. “Ray Harryhausen — ‘The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad,’ ‘Jason and the Argonaut’ — was a friend who I admired. When I was a kid I even met Walt Disney. In later years, I met with Roy E. Disney, Walt’s nephew, and he kindly assisted me with my projects at the Disney Studios.”

According to Leibovit, he eventually became friends and worked with many icons in the industry, such as “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry; director Robert Wise of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” [1951] and “The Sound of Music”; director Joe Dante of “Gremlins”; as well as actors Charlton Heston, Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Tony Randall, Russ Tamblyn and Barbara Eden.

“Incidentally, both Mrs. George Pal and Ray Harryhausen came to Sedona to visit in my early years as a Sedona resident,” Leibovit added. “They loved it here and felt right at home.”

Now, after years of keeping a low profile, Leibovit is working to make the connection between his filmmaking efforts and Sedona more substantial.

“I’m working on yet another reboot of ‘The Time Machine’ with Warner Bros., as well as ‘The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.’ They are both re-imaginings and center on a message of enlightenment. What excites me most is a personal project I have been developing that deals with the cosmos and extra-terrestrial contact in ways that have not been attempted before. I’m hoping that film can come together in Sedona with perhaps the involvement and assistance of the Sedona community.

“Sedona is a very special place that holds great power and spiritual growth for many of us. It’s what draws us in, in ways we are not fully aware. This film is an emotional exploration of the personal journey many seek, revealing higher realms of existence, enlightenment and love.”