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Q: What's your favorite scary movie?
A: Texas
Chainsaw Massacre (Original, of course!).
Q: Fatal Pictures is the love child of yourself and Producer Zach Green,
how did you two get together?
A: I met Zach Green during
film school. He was taking the Post Production course while I was enrolled in Film and Television Production.
In my third term I was one of three Production students to successfully pitch a short film project to the faculty and have
it fully funded by the school. At some point I posted an add on the school bulletin looking for an editor and Zach was
the one and only person to apply for the add. We've been a team ever since.
Q: You play Writer/Director and Zach plays Producer, had you two always planned on it being that way?
A: It's never really been a plan, but more of a natural progression. Each of us has
inherent strengths and abilities and together we form a solid filmmaking entity.
Q: Was the horror genre your first choice?
A: Horror
was my first love growing up and I had always dreamt of working in the genre and bringing something new and exciting to the
table. Actually, I wouldn't even say I've written a straight laced horror film to date, despite my affinity for the
genre. I see myself employing elements of horror in all of my films, but the final results will always be slightly unrecognizable
as horror on the surface. Deep down in the cracks and crevices is where you'll find the horror.
Q: Did you have any trouble getting Fatal Pictures started?
A: None
at all really, we were confident in each other as partners from the start. We knew we had the same goals and dreams
and knew we would be stronger as a team than as individuals.
Q: Do you wear
any other hats, as far as Fatal Pictures is concerned?
A: Fatal Pictures is a two man show and everything you see coming from
that name is either created or paid for by us. It's an incredible amount of work but the pay off is that we decide what
the ultimate image, vision and direction our company and films will have. We try to be involved in all aspects of the
filmmaking process even when we rely on trusted peers. This amount of involvement reflects our desire to produce the
best work possible. We know the final results will always reflect upon us and we want to be proud of whatever is released
under the name Fatal Pictures.
Q: Now the first thing Fatal Pictures put out was a short film called Consumption,
could you tell us a little about it?
A: Consumption is closer to a conventional horror film than Worm,
but the film is still rather distinct and far more dramatic than anything else. Given the film's run time of thirty
minutes there are only three minutes of actual on screen violence. I feel this adds to the impact of the eventual
gore while also adding an additional layer of characterization which is absent from a lot of horror, modern and old school
alike. Consumption is a story of consensual cannibalism. My goal was to explore the motivation for such
a bizarre and violent act in a way that portrayed the participants as humans, not monsters. I tried to create a film
where the situation was horrific to the audience but normal, even ideal, to the characters within. Consumption is
a horror film for the viewers, but to the characters it is the utter fulfillment of all of their obsessions and desires.
The fact that the film begins in a way that portrays these characters as "normal" and well adjusted and slowly unveils their
intentions and desires only adds to the overall shock and horror of the reveal.
Q: It
is my understanding that Consumption is based on a true story, is that fact a true story?
A: Consumption is inspired by the true story of a man who placed an add looking for a victim willing to
be killed and eaten. A man did answer the add and was eventually killed and consumed. Consumption
begins with two people meeting for the first time after months of online chatting, what the audience doesn't know, but will
soon come to discover, is these two people aren't meeting for a date, but to fulfill a pact of consensual cannibalism.
This reversal comes slowly and by the time the audience is aware of what's happening it's too late.
Q: How about the new short, Worm, could you tell us about that one?
A: Worm
is essentially a character study which depicts a day in the life of High School teacher, Geoffrey Dodd. Throughout this
day the audience is allowed to listen in on Geoffrey's thoughts and as the day progresses these thoughts become increasingly
sinister, bizarre and disturbing. While the film isn't strictly horror I do consider it a horror film. Geoffrey
Dodd is a horror movie character placed in a real world setting and confronted with real world issues. His mind is the
horror movie and we are granted access to it for a day. What makes the film horrific is that the characters that inhabit
Geoffrey's world are unaware of his true nature and that ignorance could prove to be deadly for all involved.
Q: Did you run into any difficulties getting the shorts finished? Money problems, equipment
issues, actor's M.I.A., etc.?
A: There's a misconception that money solves all problems, and while that
saying is mostly true it's passion that makes the difference. Being Independent means money is always scarce, but
passion is free and it's the most valuable, contagious currency there is. We have worked with many talented and dedicated
actors, filmmakers and musicians alike and while there have been minor hiccups here and there we have always gotten the job
done. Locking down a High School location for Worm was definitely a challenge. In fact, finding
locations is usually one of the most difficult tasks involved in Independent filmmaking.
Q: You played a part in casting both shorts. After seeing the finished products are you satisfied with
the choices you made?
A: Considering Consumption was shot without any real
shot list or rehearsal time the performances are surprisingly proficient. I'm proud of what the actors were able to
bring without any real prep time. Bruno Talotta and Andrea Nettleton, as George and Claudia respectively, were
great choices and I only wish I had given them more time to bring all they could to the table. That said, they did a
great job telling the story and bringing the characters to life.
When preparing to shoot Worm
I was committed to dedicating the time needed for rehearsals. When we came across Robert Nolan I knew we had our Geoffrey
and each rehearsal helped us flesh out the character and his relationship to the other characters in the world he inhabits.
Robert is an intellectual actor and he came to understand Geoffrey Dodd in a way that allowed him to tap into the character's
warped mind frame and in many ways become him. I couldn't have asked for a more gifted, dedicated, thoughtful actor
to help me bring my character to life. No one could have done what Robert did in the film. Casting him was the
single most important, beneficial choice that was made throughout the entire project. His performance has garnered high
praise and will continue to do so, I'm sure.
Q: On the Fatal Pictures
website I see that both shorts won a few festival awards. Are either of the shorts still on a festival run?
A: Worm is still going strong on its festival run and we plan
to promote the film and have it appear at many more festivals, shows and conventions in the future. It is a work we
are immensely proud of and we aim to share it with as wide an audience as possible.
Q: Do you have any release plans for the shorts? Maybe a combination
DVD?
A: I imagine that when Worm has finished its festival
run we will release a DVD that will be made available through Fatal Pictures.com. Until then the film can be seen through
festivals or by contacting us directly and requesting a screener.
Q: The Fatal
Pictures website also mentioned that you were developing some full length scripts. Any plans to turn Consumption
or Worm into full length features?
A: I am currently in the middle of penning the Worm feature
and I'm extremely excited about how that project is coming along. Fans of the short will be pleased to see where Geoffrey
has gone since the last time they saw him and those new to Worm will have a character and story very different
from anything they've ever seen. The feature is coming and, like the short, it will be sharp, dark and take no
prisoners.
Q: Any other short or full length plans us slasher fans might enjoy?
A: Fatal Pictures next short project will be very similar in tone and theme to what has come
before, but this film will definitely have elements that appeal to the slasher fans out there. Being a huge slasher
fan myself I'm very enamored with the effects/gore component of filmmaking and plan on using much of it in my films to come.
With Worm hopefully being my feature film debut in the not too distant future, I do have plans for a second
feature which I promise will satisfy every gore-hound out there. While part of what Fatal Pictures does is more dramatic
character driven stuff, horror will always be a part of what we do. Rather than trying to do what's been done and over
done in horror, it is my goal to broaden the horizon of the genre by infusing it with rich elements often found in drama such
as heavier plotting, thorough characterization and an overall approach that focuses on craft and quality. Like all things,
the horror genre needs to change, to grow, and I hope to be part of that change with the help of my partner under the banner
of Fatal Pictures.
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