Friday 21 December 2012

Interview: Navin Dev ((producer, writer, director)


Today we´re speaking with Navin Dev, the producer, writer and director behind Red Kingdom Rising.
J.L: What are some of your favourite films?
N.D: There’s a very wide selection of films that I’ve enjoyed and that have also inspired me to progress further as a filmmaker. It’s an eclectic range; from films such as ‘The Passion of the Christ’, Ron Fricke’s ‘Baraka’ 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God' to ‘Batman Begins’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and 'Robocop'.

J.L: Who are some of your influences in your filmmaking?
N.D Each influence is respective of the particular project that I’m heading at the time. I’m a research nerd: I derive a great deal of influence from months of in depth research in literature, psychology, philosophy and artwork relevant to the particular project. Oddly enough, direct film influences on a particular project come towards the end of the research since I don’t like to blur the film I’m working on with others. Saying that, there are always a handful of films that always tend to influence every film I make – ‘The Passion of the Christ’ is one of them. The blending of cinematography, narrative, acting and sound in that film evokes a rare moment when a film becomes more of an experience. For my next film, a very, beautiful rare anime called 'The Belladonna of Sadness' by Eiichi Yamamoto is the main artistic influence.

J.L: I loved Red Kingdom Rising. Which films and what inspired you in the creation of Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: ‘Valerie and her Week of Wonders’ was the main crucial film influence due to the amalgamation of the fairytale motif, psychology, symbolic imagery and coherent surrealism in that film. I took that influence and merged it more towards a mainstream commercialism for ‘Red Kingdom Rising’. Above all, 'Red Kingdom Rising' arose from my personal need to narrate the story of an adult survivor of child abuse. I wanted to submerge the audience directly into the horrifying memories and fears that a survivor can always live with and to do that, I submerged them into her world of dreams - her subconscious. Lewis Carroll's insight into the occult, dreams and higher conscious mathematics made for an incredible backdrop to place those dreams within.

 J.L: What kind of budget were you working with on Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was shot on a very no to low budget, under £100K.

J.L: How did you raise the funds?
N.D: The funding was entirely from my own pocket, saved over a period of almost two years. I did that not out of arrogance or vanity but I very much wanted to ensure that I learnt and developed my understanding of the value of funding for filmmaking; it’s the only practical way to learn before engaging on and respecting bigger budgets with someone else’s money!

J.L: How did the shooting go for Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: It was vastly impressive as everyone who worked on ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was doing it on a voluntary basis. A few did it purely for their showreels and credentials whilst others were very much engaged and supportive with the total evocation of the story. However to undertake a 25 days shoot across various locations on a voluntary basis is a commendable effort and the shoot went very smoothly.

J.L: How was it working on Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: Personally, it was truly an evolutionary process yet it could be very isolating at times. You carry this visualised product throughout years of prep, production and post right up to aggressive marketing – it’s a lot to bear alone as writer, producer and director but it’s a disciplined passion. The isolation came from lack of support; the U.K film industry can be very clique and somewhat frowns upon anyone new that doesn’t have a form of previous validation within known circles, so it is difficult to have a voice. But creating ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was about creating that voice which has resulted in the film’s U.S distribution through Striped Entertainment. It’s been a long journey and, as with any film production, there were some that had utter faith in the film and others that didn’t. The real meaningful support however has now come from the reviewers and growing fans who continue to support the film.

 J.L: How different is the final version from earlier drafts?
N.D: Because the main influence for ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was more of an arthouse/surreal film, the original drafts of the film were much more introspective and symbolic rather than bearing a traditional linear narrative and definitive genre. The subsequent drafts were worked on to gear towards more commercialism whilst still retaining original integrity. Overall, I was very happy to find that the final version actually bore a great deal of the visual capacities I originally intended. That was indeed surprising, particular due to the budget.

J.L: What lessons did you learn while making the film?
N.D: There were lessons I was already familiar with but with ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ I felt more of a development of them; the value of film funding, the importance of extensive pre-production, developing my Method approach with the cast, the tactfulness, diplomacy, wit and business sense of being a producer and understanding the commercial viability of a film. The joy of being a filmmaker is that these lessons are never ending.

J.L: Were there any scenes that didn’t make it to the final film?
N.D: Oddly enough there weren’t any! Shots were amalgamated due to time but no scenes were dropped or compromised. That was entirely due to the organisation I undertook during prep which was diligently upheld by my crew during production.

J.L: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
N.D: Cast your mind back to when you were a kid; you wanted a bar of chocolate, you’d stare at it in the shop window for weeks, you’d beg your parents for money, they’d say no, you’d bribe your friends, they’d say f**k off, you’d convince someone to go halves on it, they’d go and buy it themselves. What do you do? Get your ass an after school job and save laboriously until you have the money, buy the chocolate, stuff your face, share it and enjoy it. That’s the same principle when it comes to starting out as a filmmaker. Many, many filmmakers I bump into are not willing to make that sacrifice and it is indeed a sacrifice. There will be comfortable aspects of your personal life that you will have to painfully get rid off at times until you make your first film. Sitting there, making a few shorts and hoping that someone else will give you the full funding for your first feature is not likely to happen since everyone is expecting that! It is particularly bad in the U.K where the funding is virtually nonexistent yet the idea of external funding has always been bred to British filmmakers. Only ever make a film if you have story to tell, a story that hits your core as a human being and that you objectively think has significance on a broader spectrum. Filmmaking is above all a business and don’t get into it if you don’t enjoy the business development, don't understand the international market and merely want to be a thriving artist. There is nonetheless a place for art in this business yet it has to be cleverly woven within that broader spectrum.

J.L: So where do you see yourself heading?
N.D: I’ll continue creating opportunities but now with the success of ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ there is ease towards broadening the scope of the films I wish to make and collaborating on bigger budgets. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean more expensive but it does mean creating and expanding upon narratives on a cinematic level whilst remaining cleverly economical as you would on a no budget.

J.L: Are there any more films in your future?
N.D: I’m currently in preproduction on my next film, a fantasy thriller feature film based on a renowned fairytale/legend. It’s exciting; ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was very psychologically thematic in nature whilst the next film is more spiritual, in the sense of fighting for the soul due to the film’s time period. So there will be plenty of witchcraft and elaborate fights along with the questioning of purpose and faith, the idea of being a prophet, all along with a significant twist.

I´d like to thank Navin Dev for taking the time to answering my questions.
/JL

Tuesday 18 December 2012

DVD review: The Super (2010)


George Rossi (Demetri Kallas), who immigrated to the US and served in the Vietnam war, is now a superintendent of a Queens' apartment building. He finds himself quickly slipping into a depraved world that is fueled by the tenants of the building. The Super is written and directed by Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver. For the most part we get good acting, special kudos to Demetri Kallas who portrays a truly frightening and somewhat bizarre character scarred by war.. It´s very nicely shot and edited. The cinematography is great, there are some very nice scenic shots of New York City . The soundtrack is very good. The pacing is nice, it´s quite obvious that Demetri Kallas character is unstable from the get go but we get to see his descent into madness. There are a couple of really awesome scenes showcasing Demetri Kallas talent. The violence is never glamourous, it´s savage and ugly. There is gore, practical make-up fx which looks good. Some of the kills takes place off screeen while a eye gouging is very graphic. There is quite a bit of good T & A in this, including full frontal nudity, incest, rape, and even necrophilia.
This review is based upon the Red Scare edition (region 1) DVD release from Noose Hill entertainment., this edition includes exclusive footage (approx 2 minutes) directed by Andrey Iskanov. Only available in this limited release edition.
Rating: 7 out of 7. The Super has that nice and gritty 1970s vibe (similar to The Turnpike Killer (2009) which is also written and directed by the same filmmakers). I like the fact that this movie surprised me, it wasn´t what I expected instead it delivered much more. This obviously  a film made by fans of the genre, for fans of the genre. Recommended!!

/JL


Tuesday 11 December 2012

Review: Out There (2012)


First i´d like to thank Randal Plunkett for providing me with a screener.
Robert (Conor Marren) wakes up deep in the woods on a beautiful summers day. Rob suffering from a head wound with no idea how he got there. He begins to walk trying to find his way out of the endless quiet countryside not seeing any one around. He finally finds an old beaten track, which he follows. He stumbles along an old farm, completely deserted, it is clear all is not well. Along his travels he gets jolts of memories of him and his girlfriend Jane (Emma Eliza Regan). Rob remembers the days leading up to his arrival in the woods and the breakdown of their relationship. Out There is written and directed by Randal Plunkett.

Honestly I´m not sure how much I should reveal about this short film as it is best to go in without knowing to much so Í´ll keep this short. Good acting, very nicely shot and edited. The soundtrack is very good. It´s something of a slow burner which is a good thing. it has a nice build up with a good unsettling amtosphere and a great finale. No gore and no T & A in this.
This review based upon a online screener provided by the director.

Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this! I enjoyed this a lot! Highly recommended!

/JL




DVD review: The Housewife Slasher (2012)


When a young girl is murdered in cold blood, the investigation leads two detectives into the heart of suburban America. With time running short and the suspect list growing longer by the minute, can they uncover the killer before more victims fall prey to the Slasher? The Housewife Slasher is ... The Housewife Slasher is written by Mike Lees and is directed by Christopher Leto. The acting is quite decent, a little uneven at times but it´s okay. The camerawork and editing is good, the pacing is nice. The flick shifts between the housewives, the kills and the policework. Actually the policework gets more than its fair share of screentime, I would liked to have seen more of the housewives and I ain´t saying that just because of the attractive cast. The bodycount is unexpectedly high. There are some gore, frankly I wish that would have been a little bit gorier. A couple of kills occur off screen but two of them are surprisingly pretty brutal (especially for the mainstream viewer) and it is those two scenes that provide most the gore in this. The gore fx is practical and looks decent. In the T & A department I can report some T & A, I actually found myself hoping for more of it as The Housewife Slasher features several attactive actresses that I would find myself label as MILF.
Support independent filmmakers and order a copy from http://www.reaperfilms.com/ .
This review is based upon the Region All Blu-Ray release from Reaper Films.
Rating: 5 out of 7. I enjoyed this. This is actually better written and made than I expected, sure there are a few flaws but those can be attributed to budget limitations. It´s a pretty good thriller, not too gory and makes a nice flick to see in the company of your girlfriend or boyfriend. I like the fact that it is hard to figure out who the killer is, the identity is finally revealed by the filmmakers during one of the kills towards the end of the flick which is kinda nice.

/JL

DVD review: Bloody Mary 3D (2011)


While making a music video, a group of filmmakers accidentally awaken the curse of Mary Worth (Veronica ricci), a young woman who was brutally murdered a hundred years before. Mary crawls through the mirror and begins killing them off one by one! Bloody Mary 3D is written by Keith Parker and is directed by Charlie Vaughn. Plenty of bad acting which gives us quite a bit of unintentional comedy but there is also intentional comic relief courtesy of Ron Jeremy, who has a small part, and Shawn C Philips as Steve who might be the most incompetent security guard ever. Bloody Mary 3D is badly shot and edited although some of the bad editing is probably due to cuts done by german censors. The soundtrack is awful and it doesn´t help that the flick is interrupted around the 15 minute mark by a full length music video (it seems to go on forever) featuring singer/ actor Derek Jameson. And that song is played several times throughout the flick, god I hate that freakin song. I´m confident that the DVD release that I watched has been cut as the kills are lame, very lame, and the amateurish/cheap gore fx is kept to a minimal. There are a couple of noticeable cuts. In the T & A department I can report that within less than a minute after the flick has started we get the first scenes of nudity and a prolonged scene featuring girl on girl action. Actually this is one of the best scenes of Bloody Mary 3D. There is gratuitous T & A in this, mostly provided by Veronica Ricci who sure is goodlooking but I wish we would have gotten to see more of Alena Savostikova. 
This review is based upon the 2D version which is featured on the german region 2 DVD release from Delta Music & Entertainment. There is also a Blu-ray release, and according to online sources there are significant differences between the 2D and the 3D version. The 2D version is longer by 22 seconds and contains some more gory details. In contrast 3D version contains many alternate shots with 3D effects.
Rating: 1½ out of 7. Bloody Mary 3D is a very mediocre flick, it belongs neither in the erotic genre or the horror genre.There are three highlights in this, it´s Shawn C Philips who is funny in this, then there is Veronica Ricci who obviously isn´t a very shy girl and finally we got the prolonged scene of girl on girl action in the beginning of the flick. I hesitate to recommend Bloody Mary 3D to anyone but I´m sure that it has a audience.


Please note that I bought the german DVD despite the fact that I was aware that it probably was a cut release, the runing time of 75 minutes was a BIG warning sign. But this is the only legit DVD release of Bloody Mary 3D that I´ve been able to find.  Now the question is, will I upgrade when a better/uncut release appears? Doubtful, it will depend on how much longer running time it has (an indicator of how severely it was cut by the german censors).

/JL



Friday 7 December 2012

Interview: James Cullen Bressack, writer and director


Today we´re speaking with James Cullen Bressack, the writer and director behind My Pure Joy (2011) and Hate Crime (2012). In My Pure Joy the main character Adam appears to be a normal teenager on the outside, but underneath...his mind has been so rotted by trauma from his past and the gory films he watches, that he has blurred the lines between reality and pretend! Hate Crime is a remorseless modern day Home Invasion/terror flick shot PoV, it´s a truly unsettling film that push the envelope and is not for the squeamish.

JL: How did you get into film making?
JCB: I guess it was just a natural transition really. I had been around the business my entire life, both parents being showbiz vets, and I happened to develop a love for film. I wanted to be a storyteller of sorts and so as soon as I had access to a camera I picked one up and started making short films, of which I made MANY. I actually made short films sometimes as school projects instead of actually doing the assignment. We were suppose to do a written report about the solar system? I made a short film parody of Mission Impossible where the villian stole the moon. Needless to say my teachers hated me, but I always had a one track mind.

JL: What are some of your favorite films?.
JCB: There are far too many to list so I’ve developed a system. I have one all time favorite film, all the other films I consider my favorites are in no particular order. My all time Favorite film is OLDBOY.

JL: Who are some of your influences?
JCB: Miikie, Chan wook Park, Kubrik, Hennelotter, Eli Roth, Joon Ho Bong, Robert Rodrieguz, and of course Quentin Tarentino.

JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of My Pure Joy?
JCB: My Pure Joy is a very heavily inspired film, I don’t think there is a moment in that film that isn’t heavily influenced by some obscure horror obsession I have. This being said, the movie is really inspired by my love for horror films in general rather then a particular film. Horror films and my life inspired this one.

JL: What kind of budget were you working with on My Pure Joy?
JCB: An embarrassingly low number that if I told anyone my producer would kill me in my sleep

JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of Hate Crime?
JCB: Hate Crime wasn’t inspired by any films but yet a primal fear I have and what I saw going on in the world. One of my top 5 biggest fears has always been HOME INVASIONS, so it felt like a natural thing to expose others to my own fears. I also had witnessed so much hate and prejudice and violence in the world I felt like it was my responsibility to shed light on that.

JL: What kind of budget were you working with on Hate Crime?
JCB: A bigger budget then My Pure Joy however again, my producer would kill me in my sleep if I said anything.

JL: How did you raise the funds?
JCB: I was lucky enough to have an amazing producer on both projects, Jarret Cohen, that believed in both me and the films themselves so much so that he fully funded bot projects out of his own pocket.

JL: How did the shooting go for My Pure Joy and Hate Crime?
JCB: My Pure Joy was a little rocky at times, because it was my first feature but overall it went smooth. As for Hate Crime I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing cast, crew, and experience, it was such a smooth process and everything worked so well.

JL: How was it working on My Pure Joy and Hate Crime?
JCB: It was a dream come true. Making feature films has been my life long dream.

JL: How different are the final versions from earlier drafts?
JCB: Hate Crime is pretty much the same in the final version but My Pure Joy actually believe it or not has 15 minutes shaved off of it!

JL: What lessons did you learn while making respective film?
JCB: I learned so much of what not to do when making My Pure Joy that I didn’t do any of those mistakes in Hate Crime. Everytime I make a film I learn so much that it helps me so much for my next film.

JL: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
JCB: Write a script that tailors to the budget you can get, even if thats only the $20 that you found under your mattress, and make a short or a feature. Jut go out there and do it. Make the best thing you can possibly make. Every time you make a film you learn from it and grow. Keep growing!

JL: Were there any scenes that didn´t make it to the final films?
JCB: Everything made it into Hate Crime, but My Pure Joy is missing 3 scenes that didnt make the final cut as well as some extra dialogue in the stoner scenes.

JL: My Pure Joy is widely available on DVD (it´s been released by Media Blasters) but can we find Hate Crime anywhere?
JCB: I will have release info on Hate Crime very very soon!

JL: So where do you see yourself heading?
JCB: Hopefully to another film set to make another film

JL: Are there any more films in your future, is there anything currently in the works for you?
JCB: In January I will be shooting THE NEW NEIGHBOR, in virginia, a film I was hired to direct.
After that in march I will be shooting a film called PERNICIOUS which I wrote with Taryn Hillin and will be directing in THAILAND.

I´d like to thank James Cullen Bressack for taking the time to answering my questions.

/JL




Thursday 6 December 2012

News update: A Wish For The Dead from Renegade Art Productions


From the creative team behind Girl Number Three (2009) comes A Wish For The Dead. It´s written by Herschel Zahnd and Nathan Thomas Milliner who also is the director. It is based on the comic book of the same name by Nathan Thomas Milliner.
The synopsis: People die every day and every day, those deaths have everlasting effects on those around them who loved them, cared for them and will dearly miss them.  Dealing with and facing with death is part of the human experience and the horror genre was created out of the fears, anxieties and pains of death.  A Wish For The Dead  is a film that deals with love loss and death--with multiple stories and people whose lives intertwine in the tradition of "Pulp Fiction" and "Trick r Treat".  You will meet a young woman raising her daughter alone after her husband is killed in Iraq.  A man who's wife is on her death bed, stricken down by a rare cancer.  A man facing the electric chair for a crime he didn't commit.  And a young girl who's suffering has driven her to want to end it all.  One of these people will make a deal with the Devil to escape their pain and unleash hell on earth.  Prepare yourselves for the ultimate living nightmare!
According to Herschel Zahnd they have one scene left to shoot before wrapping up and nearly a third of the film is rough cut. A trailer will be available in a couple weeks. I´ll bring you more information about A Wish For The Dead as it becomes available.

/JL

DVD review: Hate's Haunted Slay Ride (Video 2010)


The satanic supernatural serial killer known as Hate, causes all hell to break loose in a violent battle between good and evil, pitting Rabbi Shaw (Bret Warshawsky) and detectives Fletcher (Paul Kellogg) and NacNee (Dan Griffin) against the unstoppable Hate in his war against Judaism and Christianity. Will the powers of darkness prevail? Hate's Haunted Slay Ride is written, shot, edited and directed by Warren F. Disbrow. The acting is bad, there are moments of unintentional comedy due to this. The camerawork and editing is surprisingly good. There are more than one plot hole in this and some stuff are very far-fetched (character gets his hand chopped off, the surgeons manage to put it back and it magically heals in no time at all... but hey, he might have had god on his side, more about that later). The pacing is much slower this time, more time passes between the apperances of Hate. At a running time of 1 hour and 56 minutes this is quite boring at times and is overlong. I did like that Hate's Haunted Slay Ride picks up where the first flick ended but then instead of being a straight forward sequel they turn it into a movie about the fight between good (Judaism seems to be the saviour in this) versus Satan (portrayed by the character Hate. I really, and I do mean really, disapprove of the supernatural stuff they´ve added in this but we do get few good scenes/set pieces but as usual I won´t go into any details due to spoilers. All the religious stuff and supernatural stuff  almost ruins the whole flick for me. The ending is a big WTF moment and a big letdown. There is gore, it´s a blend of computer rendered and practical fx and it looks good considering the low budget. Most of the kills are graphic, most of them are on screen kills.There is no T & A in this.
For more information on Disbrow, his films and to order a copy, visit http://www.warrenfdisbrow.com/joomsite/ .
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Crystal Visions Entertainment.
Rating: 1 out of 7. This is a weak sequel and a huge dissapointment compared to Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie (2008) . Hate's Haunted Slay Ride could have been as great, picking up where the first movie ended and this is actually quite frustrating as I liked the first flick as it was a entertaining slasher despite a few flaws.

/JL

Wednesday 5 December 2012

DVD review: Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie (2008)


After permanently attaching a ghoulish mask to his face using an electric drill, Hate brutally dismembers his abusive police officer father and commences a wild killing spree which leads to his stalking and killing workers at an elaborate Halloween farm featuring a haunted hay ride. Fate has four young people on a collision course with this frightening maniac, which reaches a crescendo when Hate hi-jacks the last hay ride of the night and all hell breaks loose. Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie is written and directed by Warren F. Disbrow. The acting is bad which provides the flick some moments of unintentional comedy, the camerawork and editing is good. The pacing is good, bodycount is high but one of the flaws is that there are no character I can sympathize with as almost all of the characters are unsympathic or they only appear briefly on screen before they get killed. Yes this is one of those flicks were we cheer on the killer as he slice up, decapitate and mutilate his victims. There are a number of good scenes/set pieces but I won´t go into any details due to spoilers. There is plenty of gore, it´s a blend of computer rendered and practical fx and it looks good considering the low budget. The kills are graphic and tales place on screen. There is no T & A in this.
For more information on Disbrow, his films and to order a copy, visit http://www.warrenfdisbrow.com/joomsite/
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Crystal Visions Entertainment.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. Despite its flaws, Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie is enjoyable and kept me entertained for the 90 minutes of running time. Recommended if you're an independent horror fan.

/JL



Tuesday 4 December 2012

DVD review: Escape to Black Tree Forest (2012)


Two weeks after the events in "Terror at Black Tree Forest" young Mare Strode returns home from Falls City Memorial Hospital. She brutally murders her mother and "escapes" back to Black Tree Forest. There, she dons the original psycho's outfit and continues the cycle of murder with a whole new group of adventure-seeking teens. Escape to Black Tree Forest is written, produced, shot, edited and directed by Dustin Ferguson who also is involved in Special effects and Visual effects. Mediocre acting, badly shot and edited and it has serious problems with its pacing. On the topic of pacing, lets just say that it takes approx 50 minutes between the first and second kill. During that time nothing really happens, we get overlong scenes of driving and so on. This flick is in SERIOUS need of some severe editing. The gore is very lame in this, the only good scenes appear in flashbacks from the first flick (it actually contained some gore fx) being shown as the characters speak of the events that took place in it. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from RHR Home Video.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. It´s as bad as the previous flick, Terror at Black Tree Forest, slow paced and boring. I can´t recommend Escape to Black Tree Forest to anyone...

/JL

Interview: Edward Payson, the director The Cohasset Snuff Film


In 2009, the small town of Cohasset, Massachusetts was rocked with tragedy. A 17-year-old high school senior named Collin Mason murdered three classmates. All the murders were videotaped. Collin uploaded the video to the Internet, and for three days, the world viewed the murders of these three innocent teens. Through legal action, the parents of the victims were able to remove all footage from the Internet. The impact of this video is still being felt in Cohasset today. Bootleg copies of this footage are still passed around and downloaded through illegal means. The video has become infamous, and is now referred to as The Cohasset Snuff Film. The Cohasset Snuff Film is written by Darnell J. Taylor and Edward Payson who also is the director. Edward Payson took some time of to answer a few questions from Independent Flicks.

JL: How did you get into film making?
EP: I started with a video camera as a child. I made videos of my action figures and made minor animations. I then went to film school after high school and the rest is history.

JL: What are some of your favorite films?
EP: My favorite film is Oldboy the Park-Chan Wook Thriller which is suspenseful and chilling to the bone. I also am a huge George A. Romero fan. I remember as a child Night of the Living Dead was what really got me into horror.

JL: Who are some of your influences?
EP: George A. Romero is a huge influence. His films are always awesome and full of social commentary.

JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: I love films about Snuff Films. 8mm was a big influence and is one of my top ten favorite movies.

JL: What kind of budget were you working with on The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: We were under $100,000 dollars.

JL: How did you raise the funds?
EP: Most of it was out of pocket and through fund raising sites.

JL: How did the shooting go for The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: It went without a hitch. Everything went smoothly and the interviews went very well.

JL: How was it working on The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: We were such a small crew we were like a family and still keep in touch to this day.

JL: How different is the final version from earlier drafts?
EP: I added a lot to the film from the original story. About 40 minutes is completely different from the original piece.


JL: What lessons did you learn while making the film?
EP: I didn't really learn any lessons per say except that a lot can be done if you are prepared before shooting and your set isn't the blind leading the blind.

JL: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
EP: Don't say no to anyone. Take on everything and everything to get your foot in the door. If you are an actor work for free until you have a worthwhile reel. Don't join a union until you are ready because if you aren't experienced enough yet it could ruin your career.

JL: Were there any scenes that didn´t make it to the final film?
EP: None

JL: Can we find The Cohasset Snuff Film anywhere?
EP: It is in theaters nationwide as we speak and will have a nationwide DVD release in 2013.

JL: So where do you see yourself heading?
EP: I want to stay in the horror genre and continue making films that push the envelope.

JL: Are there any more films in your future, is there anything currently in the works for you?
EP: I have a horror web series I'm working on right now, a narrative horror/action feature in script form, another horror action coming out in 2013 and a documentary I am starting in 2013.

I´d like to thank Edward Payson for taking the time to answering my questions.
 
/JL