Episoder
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This is part 2 of John Isberg’s interview. He goes more in depth about his story and possible future project ideas.
He started as an intern grip in 2014, five years later he’s working on friends music videos and five years from then he made his first feature, Final Summer. He talks about the money being in commercial work but the passion projects are a different matter.
John and Carlos talk about learning as they go because neither went to film school. He talks workshopping with other videographers on an mba program. He has extensive work history as a cinematographer in films such as Black Mold (directed by John Pata), Haunted House of Pancakes and of course Final Summer.
John talks about the specifics of Final Summer and what he hopes the audience feels and what it and the characters means to him. It’s not just a slasher, it represents mental health and an abusive past, this story is personal. He describes it as a crime scene in process. He focussed on having a mixed cast and the sometimes, heavy meanings behind the scenes and characters.
There are plans for a sequel in the future and possibly more, John talks about his plan for potential future Final sequels and it sounds great! I hope he can pull it off!!
Get ready for a physical release of Final Summer in the Fall of 2024! There’s talk of a 3D addition in the release. Keep an eye out!!
If you missed part 1 it is the podcast just before this one. Thanks for listening!!
Find John Isberg here:
https://www.instagram.com/finalsummermovie?igsh=bjMzNmlha21lNnI5
https://www.instagram.com/swedefilmscu?igsh=MTlhZXN4MXpxODB4Yw==
His work:
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm6533367/
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish
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John Isberg director of Final Summer, took time out of his busy schedule, while the set was being prepped, to talk to us.
He started making short films in high school and wanted to go to film school but only managed Intro to Film before he dropped out because of the expense and his ADHD.
In his 20s he was in bands and during the process of making music videos he became very interested in the cinematography and lighting aspect of it.
During the second music video while he was helping the director, it ignited a renewed interested in film. After moving to Champaign, Il and playing in bands and teaching middle school, a movie was being made in town called Consumed (directed by Daryl Wein and co-written, co-produced and starring Zoe Lister-Jones) and John joined the crew as Grip and he loved it, even though his interest was really lighting.
[Grip - A grip is a technician who sets up, operates, and maintains the rigging and equipment that supports the camera (i.e., dollies, cranes, tracks, jibs, tripods, process trailers, etc.) and lighting (stands, diffusers, nets, etc.) to achieve the director and cinematographer's desired shot.]
After wrapping Consumed he developed depression even in the midst of the euphoria. He had the bug, bought a camera and started shooting music videos for bands around town. Then he interned with a local production company, Shatterglass Studios where he helped on commercial shoots until he went out on his own.
This is part one, don’t miss part two coming up soon!
Get ready for a physical release of Final Summer in the Fall of 2024! There’s talk of a 3D addition in the release. Keep an eye out!!
Find Jon Isberg here:
https://www.instagram.com/finalsummermovie?igsh=bjMzNmlha21lNnI5
https://www.instagram.com/swedefilmscu?igsh=MTlhZXN4MXpxODB4Yw==
His work:
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm6533367/
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Mangler du episoder?
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Diane Foster is the director of Easter Bloody Easter and founder of Wallybird Productions. But before she became a filmmaker, she was an actor, singer and dancer. She trained her entire life in New Jersey, where she grew up in Union in a large family.
She started performing at 8 and was Little Miss Union and she did lots of regional theatre. Diane later went to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey every Summer throughout high school.
Diane went to conservatory for years with Anne Hathaway and after winning an award, she realized, acting, could be a career. She moved to New York and did lots of off Broadway and a stint on Law and Order: SVU.
By 21, she was living in LA and after 2 weeks there, she met Robin Antin who created The Pussy Cat Dolls. Diane became a dancer for the live show, Pussy Cat Dolls Live at The Roxy. Prior to becoming a group and it was a revue with 20 dancers.
When she wasn’t dancing Diane was auditioning for independent films, her first role she was in a movie called Iowa and a documentary called Dying For Meth, she was 24 years old and Iowa was selected to show at Tribeca. Soon the Orphan Killer franchise began and after the sequel, she moved on to create her own production company called Wallybird Productions in 2018 and so far has 17 projects completed.
Easter Bloody Easter was inspired by a play that began in an acting class. So Diane and some other actors (Allison Lobell and Miles Cooper) from the play got together and took the show on the road but then the pandemic put a stop to that. So Diane decided to turn it into a film, Allison wrote the script and she, Diane and Kelly Grant hit the ground running. This was Diane’s directorial debut.
Easter Bloody Easter is an indie holiday film with physical effects, lots of hilarious killer bunnies and a monster jackelope. It’s a slow burn that only gets better as you watch it. Plus if you like music, this one has plenty of it. Rocky Horror and Little Shop of Horror Fans, this one is for you! And Diane and Co. has already started working on the sequel.
Ms. Foster does not just do horror, she is socially conscious and Wallybird Productions is about giving people opportunity who are too often overlooked, in front of and behind the camera. It’s her contribution to change the landscape of the film industry and you can expect every one of her productions to be diverse.
If you like docudramas, keep an eye out for My Home Unknown, in keeping with Wallybird’s dedication to change, this film is an eye opening story about a houseless woman struggling with mental illness.
Last but not least, Easter Bloody Easter is out and streaming on itunes, apply play and Amazon on March 26, 2024! There will be physical copies that begin releasing on April 2nd and pre-orders are open! And keep an eye out for the soundtrack.
Find all things Wallybird Productions right here:
https://wallybirdproductions.com
Find Diane Foster’s socials here:
https://www.instagram.com/wallybirdproductions
https://www.facebook.com/dianefosterofficial
https://www.instagram.com/dianefosterofficial/?hl=en
Find the rest of us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Christopher Sheffield is a filmmaker who’s been in the film industry for 13 or so years, a decade in LA and three in Arizona. As soon as he graduated film school, he hit the ground running as making commercials for a trucking company.
But the dream began when he was a kid and received two video recorders, one that could record and one that could actually play the tape. He made shorts with his friends until he realized film school was an option.
Christopher or Sheff, saved a lot of his money from making commercials and used that to make his first feature at the end of that year, called Run For Your Life.
Sheff has a Youtube channel where he has shorts that he started back in film school called Split Lip. And inspired the name of his first action film called Split Lip.
He talks about how a feature fell through and he made a short instead called Welcome To The Sting. It was choreographed and co-produced by Billy Smith. A lead actor, James M. Black pulled a hamstring but the entire cast rallied and made it happen. This great short could one day become a series!
Sheff talks about navigating the pandemic and the strike and having to pivot and regroup.
Much of his work is examining mental illness and the struggle. Making it tangible and his upcoming film Eigengrau puts faces to mental illness by making them real life monsters. It’s an idea that lingered since he was a child and the concept grew as he approached his film career and his first stab at it was his first project, Run For Your Life.
But as the concept evolved and coalesced, it’s culminated in his feature to come, Eisengrau. Which is a German word that means the color of darkness behind your closed eyes. Sheff explains the concept and story behind the film and it’s an exciting story!
There are plenty of projects in the works! Keep an eye out for Christopher Sheffield!
Support indie filmmakers and check out the campaign for Eigengrau! This might be the only way to get a physical copy so there’s a blu ray pre-order and other perks. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/eigengrau-horror-film-monster-fund/x/29269334#/
Find Christopher Sheffield here:
http://www.christophersheffield.com
Instagram: sheff_shoots_indie
Tiktok: sheff_shoots_indie
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Anthony Moran is an independent horror filmmaker out of Detroit. His specific style mixes the counter culture of bikers, with diversity and in the case of his second film, Let Us In, zombies! With Detroit as the back drop. His actors and crew all hail from Detroit and is truly made by the people for the people.
He talks about his inspiration for his zombies and why biker culture? The man responsible for those great zombie FX is James Bell, also a resident of Detroit. Anthony also explains who his films are for because are not for everyone.
In 2024 he hopes to film another feature called the Evil 1%.
If you see Independent American Pictures, you’ve found Anthony! Look for him:
on IG: https://www.instagram.com/independent_american_pictures?igsh=MWt2ODQ2dng1ZnU5bw==
Support indie films!! And support films made in Detroit!
And Find US:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Our Carlos Ibarra catches us up on his progress of his current project, a zombie comedy horror, Duck & Cover. Some of the struggle, timing and filming in 3 days. But it’s just the beginning, editing is next, coloring, sound mixing etc. A band will even being making music for the short and Carlos will be making a music video for them. The hope was to get it done by Halloween but it’ll get done when it’s done.
We also talk about short films and the purpose of them and the opportunity they could create. Challenges and pitfalls that are just a part of filmmaking.
But Carlos and the crew are still grinding and if you can help, please do, a pre-order, merch, anything helps. Please support our indie filmmakers because let’s be honest, they’re the one’s bringing us new horrors and they need our support. Support a horror fan in making horror films that we want to see.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/duck-and-cover-post-production-and-distribution#/
Find Carlos here:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
And me, Kimberly:
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
You’ve probably seen this man in the background of movies, tv shows and in a certain Blockbuster commercial, you’re whole life and not realized it.
Bill was recently in a horror parody sequel called They Came Back From Somewhere, he was also in Puppet Master: Doktor Death and so much more.
Bill tells his story that is one of a blue collar actor, one that also started in Improv in Chicago back in the 80s. He was a bit of a contrarian earlier on but did find some commercial success in the 90s. You might recognize him from a ‘Perfect Store’ Blockbuster commercial, which shows up in the Last Blockbuster documentary as well as in the background of Home Alone.
He considers his first feature to be Wildcats, (the movie with Goldie Hawn) where he played a referee. He’s done America’s Funniest People and mystery series like Mysteries Unknown.
After a break, when his family came along, he returned to his Improv roots, teaching in 2014. He did some sketch shows in Second City, but because of his contradictory nature, Bill never sought the main stage there, like everyone else who aspired to act. But he was definitely inspired by a Second City success, Harold Ramis and actually auditioned for Ground Hog Day, three times.
Bill has a film streaming now called You’re Out, it’s not horror but you get to watch him play a huge a**hole in it! If you like baseball flicks, check it out. He will also be in the psychological thriller, Unseen (directed by Steve Merlo). Plus a slasher flick called Final Summer (John Isberg), check it out!! Bill has quite a few exciting projects coming out. It’s been a winding road but Bill is on his second wind of his career.
Follow him on IG to keep up with him. And if you see him at a convention say ‘Hi!’
Find Bill D. Russell on IG @ billxrussell
https://instagram.com/billxrussell?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Jill ‘Sixx’ Gevargizian is the director of The Stylist that first showed up as a short, in the 2018 anthology, Watch If You Dare. It was co-written by Eric Havens, who is also co-writer on Call Girl, Jill’s debut film and this year is the 10 year anniversary!
Jill talks her secret to success and why she surrounds herself with people who are good at what they do and who are better at it than she is. It’s been her version of film school. She points to her having a good network to source from when thinking about a project and that project’s success. Knowing people like Laurence Harvey (from Human Centipede) who she met at a convention and Tristan Risk (from American Mary) who she met through working with the Soska Sisters, knowing the right people just made it easy to execute her movies.
Jill brought her years of experience in her trade as a hairstylist in her film, The Stylist, to make it as realistic as possible. So she created the first hairstylist slasher flick! She talks about other amazing films and franchises that also got their starts as shorts like Saw and The Babadook.
Jill’s film career really began with the creation of Slaughter Movie House where weird indie horror shorts are shown.
She is producing on a film doing festivals right now (as of Summer 2023) called Black Mold, so keep an eye out!! Check out the Texas Chainsaw Massacre documentary, The Legacy of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Jill is also on that as a super fan and contributor!
There are some secret projects coming up including one produced with Ed Sanchez (Blair Witch Project) and written by Adam Cesare (Clown in the Cornfield book), so keep an eye out!
Support indie filmmakers!
Find Jill at:
https://www.sixxtape.com
And As usual find us here:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Robbie Lopez grew up poor and idolized Tom Savini, he always knew he wanted to be an artist. When he was 13 and was accepted into the Tom Savini School of Special FX with a scholarship he was elated but soon, crushed when he realized his family still couldn’t afford the $40,0000. Robbie gave up on that pathway to becoming an artist.
But he drew constantly and was supported by his art teacher who kept his art, that he’d thrown away over the years. She even helped him print out his comic strips and had them put in ‘zines that were distributed through the coolest places in town. He was just 14 years old.
A year later, Robbie got a letter from Kitchen Sink Press out of San Francisco, an adult comic publication, he became a paid illustrator. He drew comics he wouldn’t have been old enough to buy. Then he took his first check and moved out, his first place he had roommates, two 30 year olds and he drew tattoos for them. That’s when Robbie got into tattooing. He worked for a parlor for a year and later travelled the world tattooing.
Robbie’s first feature was about his comic book company, Crude Comics and Cinema. The dream was to make animated movies but it was too expensive and too much effort so he changed direction to features, the first was called Texas Death Trippin’. It was filmed on a road trip and is only the second film created on a road trip, (the other is National Lampoons Vacation) it was a two week trip, with 19 people.
He talks all of the trials and tribulations of the film industry including his time working on Troma’s Mulligan’s Monsters series. By his third feature film, it all starts coming together, it will be out on September 26th, 2023! Then another film, Protege Moi will be released in October, plus an accompanying game.
Robbie is also going to be making a sequel to Critters 2 called Critters: All You Can Eat! It takes place 35 years after Critters 2. (This is a SAG approved production.) He talks all about who might return from the originals, pre-production, including building crites which is inspired by the Chiodo brothers’ design.
And you can be a part of it too! Help us get the funding to get it feature length. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/duck-and-cover-post-production-fund/x/29269334#/
Let’s support our indie filmmakers to get the movies made we want to see. Even if you only buy a pre-order, that goes a long way!
Also, our Carlos is on his second fundraiser for Duck and Cover, a zombedy! Click the link and help him out too! Every dollar helps. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/duck-and-cover-production-fund/x/29269334#/
Find Robbie Lopez and his comics and releases here:
https://crudecomicsinc.com
Critters Instagram: https://instagram.com/critters2024?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
CrudeComicsCinema Instagram: https://instagram.com/crudecomicscinema?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
And find the rest of us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Justin’s dad would sneak horror movies home for him to watch on his sick days and it sparked the dream. He started making movies at home, remaking horror film scenes complete with physical effects.
He talks about meeting his former writing partner, Kevin Hutchison, who was an FX artist, they met as roommates and began collaborating on projects. But after 10 years, how was gone.
Now, Justin has a new writing partner, Serena Whitney. And though he’s made horror and thrillers, he has made three documentaries (and a fourth in production), Working Class Rockstar, Skullworld and Clapboard Jungle which are excellent. I highly recommend, Clapboard Jungle is a must see for fledgling filmmakers. And get the Arrow Blu Ray if you like commentary, there’s 26 hours worth, on it.
He explains his reasoning for making the documentaries and his format that he uses. Justin also explains that the business is completely different now after the pandemic.
He talks his Arrow deal and it shows why it’s important to go to festivals and to submit your films to festivals. And how the right distribution can get your projects in front of the right eyes for future projects.
Justin also explains how he filmed Broken Mile on a one day budget. And I wondered if he ever just wants to quit but he explains filmmaking is his calling. It’s tough but it’s all he wants to do. Even his work that pays the bills is still in the film industry for other entities. And in between, he works on his own stuff.
And stay for valuable advice for new filmmakers and screenwriters plus his argument in support of shorts and the shorter, the better. And why Justin says they are so important. He also gives important notes for contracts so you still have some control over your work.
Justin’s other features are Lifechanger and Broken Mile and check out other works, anthologies he was involved in like Blood, Sweat & Terrors, Minutes Past Midnight and Galaxy of Horrors, you can find them all on Tubi.
Support independent filmmakers and keep your eyes open for Justin McConnell’s future releases: It Came From Within, Clapboard Jungle series, Feed The Dark and Mark of Kane.
Find Justin McConnell at http://www.unstableground.net
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Duck And Cover by Filmmaker Carlos Ibarra
Our own Carlos Ibarra is making his 3rd project after the soon to be released anthology, Pendulum, directed by Mitch Wilson. He is half of the dynamic duo of Fill in the blanks productions with Christina Parker. Who’s also introduced in this episode. Carlos talks a little about how he got to this point and what’s next.
This project is a zombedy from the point of view of the zombie. He has a fundraiser live at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/duck-and-cover-post-production-and-distribution#/
Let’s support indie horror and support the films we want to see! Get yourself or a friend a blu ray, get a signed one, or do you want something a little different? Like your photo in the movie. Peruse the perks and help Carlos make it to his goal! Thanks so much for your help and please share!
Support indie filmmakers! We always say we want to see something different, so lets support something different!
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christina Parker on IG @parkertown
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
This is our first podcast on a train!
Scott Goldberg is a writer and the director of The Forest Hills! This feature is not released yet but will be shown at the Salem Horror Fest on April 30, 2023. It’s a werewolf film with an impressive line up of horror alum, including, Edward Furlong, Shelley Duvall, Dee Wallace, Felissa Rose and Debbie Rochon. With Chiko Mendez in the leading roll.
Scott talks about how he was able to get Shelley Duvall in the film who was originally supposed to just be a cameo but he got lucky and she’s in a few scenes.
Scott talks about the rough beginnings of this film and the falling out he had with a producer. The filming location had to change from Michigan to the Catskills. The film went from having a $20,000 budget to a $200,000 budget as the bigger names were attached.
He developed a love of film as a kid with a Vhs camera, filming family moments and recreating iconic horror moments. He was inspired by a Steven Spielberg and is a very technical filmmaker and just enjoys learning the ins and outs of filmmaking.
He’s always been an independent filmmaker because he never felt moved to move to New York or LA and work his way up from a P.A. He just wanted to direct.
Scott explains that it might be 8 to 10 months before it is seen outside of the festival rounds because it takes a while to secure deals with streamers plus determining if he’ll have to release it himself or sell to a distributor.
This will be a different kind of werewolf movie that is connected to mental health struggles.
Support indie filmmakers and put The Forest Hills on your watchlist!
Find Scott Goldberg:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1546298/
https://instagram.com/scottgoldbergofficial?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
And find us:
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
This is part 2 with Dave Made A Maze filmmaker, William Watterson
He explains the ending of Dave Made A Maze and what he would change and why. How the ending credits was an homage to the end credits of Buckaroo Bonzai and it was animated and why.
His belief that our society is not encouraged to be creative and that people are far more creative than we think. And that people, especially horror fans, do not get nearly enough credit for their creative intelligence. And a lot of his work is about being creative as an adult and coming to terms with it.
Bill puts a premium on working in spaces where creativity is the point and creative intelligence is valued.
He pitched and was hired on by Universal to make a Tremors but it was not to be. He talks being of service and the struggle to be creative in corporate America.
I asked if he’s thought about fundraising and he explains his struggles with that option and i how it clashes with who he wants to be. Bill talks about the opportunities he’s had that fell apart. It’s just the nature of the business.
He’s currently working a job he loves with miniatures and stop motion with Mattel.
I think Chris and I successfully changed his mind about crowdfunding and we’re excited about what’s to come! Support indie filmmakers and watch Dave Made A Maze!!
Find William Watterson here:
https://www.williamwatterson.com
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
William had the idea that he’d go into advertising because he could be artistic and make a living. But after a conversation with his best friend’s dad, he decided to be in a band and pursue music. He was in a few bands and life took a different trajectory when he moved to L.A to start over. Because L.A. is where people get paid to be creative.
He talks about fighting through decades of disappointments and his insecurities in the entertainment industry. Three bands later, with the help of a friend, he lands a production assistant job.
One of Bill’s first jobs in LA was as a P.A. (Production Assistant) for the directors of American Splendor for another movie that was narrated by James Urbaniak. Then he got quite a bit of work as an actor, during all this he started to learn about the movie business.
He then made some short films, learning the lessons and thinking about who would be on his team if he made a feature film. But he really started directing and editing on Youtube and he produced, hosted and directed a vaudeville show. All the while he connected with the writer of what would become Dave Made A Maze, Steve Sears.
While Bill talks he connects how he played as a child, is how he directs films. It’s a great and fascinating story. He likes to make something cool with his friends, whether he’s directing or not. He just enjoys the act of collaboration and creation and you can tell in Dave Made A Maze!
Bill credits production designer, Trisha Gum, with much of the ‘mazification’ of things like blood and how it was presented. And he explains that John Sumner is responsible for making all the puppets and that the most imaginative parts of the film were conceived of when production was all but complete.
Bill had an opportunity with the Jim Henson Company and for a new Tremors film but those projects fell through. Let’s see if we can convince him to try for a Dave Sequel. Support indie filmmakers and watch Dave Made A Maze! This is Part 1, follow us for Part 2.
Find William Watterson here:
https://www.williamwatterson.com
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Filmmakers, Don Thacker & Adrian Di Giovanni, Motivational Growth | Part 2
Part 2 Motivational Growth Director, Don Thacker and Lead, Adrian Di Giovanni, plus an amazing pep talk for aspiring filmmakers out there.
Don Thacker grew up, not rich, in Detroit and escaped into films because for him, movies are places you go and experience. Adrian Di Giovanni never thought about why he liked movies, he just did and always has. The theater, for them, is like church.
Adrian talks about giving up acting for a career in insurance. The one last part, he had no expectation because he already made up his mind to quit, so there was no pressure. He had one call back after another but still had no idea until he asked and one pivotal and hilarious moment got him that part.
Don and Adrian talk about their company Imagos and what they do. Don gives Carlos an epic but eye opening pep talk about being a filmmaker, if you like Alec Baldwin’s speech in Glengarry Glen Ross, you might enjoy it. This episode is especially for all the aspiring filmmakers. This might be one of the most important monologues you ever hear.
Don tells the story of how Motivational Growth was not meant to be a horror movie but he found out it is definitely a horror film after showing it in a horror film festival.
Adrian explains the difference between the kind of director Don is and Kevin Smith is. And Don explains how much the business aspect of filmmaking impacts the process and the final result. He mentions the film Millenium based on the short story called Air Raid.
He explains it’s a great concept but it was changed a ton by the director and they turned a great story into a mediocre film. He’d love to make Air Raid the movie but the business aspect of filmmaking makes the prospect probably unattainable. And how being a working director can also be an impediment to writing.
Watch Motivational Growth, it won best foreign feature in The European Independent Film Festival!💥Support independent filmmakers💥
Find Don Thacker and Adrian Di Giovanni at Imagos Films:
https://www.imagosfilms.com
https://instagram.com/imagosfilms?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on Twitter & IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
Carlos and I talked to Don Thacker and Adrian Di Giovanni from Motivation Growth. They became such good friends from working together on that film that they are now business partners at Imagos Films.
Mr. Di Giovanni is from Philadelphia and was originally in theatre and comedy improv in Chicago and just before he was about to give up the entertainment business for a career in insurance, he took one last audition and read for Ian in the independent horror, Motivational Growth.
We talk about what the inspiration was for them going into film. For Don it was tv as a little kid and the story is really intriguing! For Adrian, it was being in theatre, in school.
Mr. Thacker originally made and shopped an entirely different script about physics that would have been much more expensive. Don talks about the very unique way he pitched the physics movie. That movie did not happen but the compromise was another much smaller film made of an amalgamation of ideas which turned into Motivational Growth.
Don explains the effort it took to make the film and only masterful artistry of an incredible crew could have made that happen. He also explains his inspiration for The Mold and Ian.
Don talks about his goal and philosophy about art and how being compelling is the most important thing, any reaction is a win. If you’re still thinking about it later, even if you hate it, it’s a win. It doesn’t matter what it compels. “Art should compel.”
Support the arts and support indie films!!
Find Don Thacker and Adrian Di Giovanni at Imagos Films:
https://www.imagosfilms.com
https://instagram.com/imagosfilms?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
And find us:
Carlos Ibarra on Twitter & IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
This is Part 2, Behind the scenes of Erzulie with filmmaker Christine Chen.
Christine talks about the making of the film, the pitfalls and struggles, the changes that had to be made and what the cast had to suffer because of the weather/flooding.
Erzulie was filmed in a swamp and there was constant flooding, freezing water and cold nights. Christine worker on three other features on the same property.
The script was written with this location in mind which had it’s pros and cons. Almost all leads on the crew were women and this is the first black mermaid film and first black mermaid horror film. Christine even consulted a priestess to get the makeup right and researched history and culture to honor it as much as possible.
Christine also never forgets all those who helped her along the way. And she expects to makes two more sequels. Also, horror is not her the only genre she works with. Look her up, support indie films and women filmmakers. Her links are below.
Find Christine everything, here:
https://mothtoflamefilms.com
https://www.erzuliefilm.com/director
https://www.christinewchen.com
Find The Rest of Us:
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish
Carlos Ibarra on IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/ -
Christine Chen has always been in film in some capacity since college. She got her start in documentary filmmaking. Also making a lot of shorts, including A Bird’s Nest. She went to grad school at UT and started hustling in the Austin film scene. She then started making films and submitting them to a Louisiana film festival called Film Prize. All shorts have to be made in Louisiana and the big prize is $50,000. So from Austin, Christine moved to Shreveport for a year to work and submit to the festival. While there, she built her team and network.
Christine talks about how she eased her parents into her wanting to be a filmmaker. She also has advice for college students who want to go into film.
She talks about the difference between a director who earns their way and those who don’t.
The reason she made her film, Erzulie (Er-zuh-lee), and how that went from distribution deal to funding. The pandemic has a lot to do with it, of course. She wrote a script in a month that spawned from a short, and it was accepted so now they were suddenly making a feature. It’s quite a wild ride. Plus how they were able to shoot in 11 days despite problems. This is part one…
Find Christine everything, here:
https://mothtoflamefilms.com
https://www.erzuliefilm.com/director
https://www.christinewchen.com
Find Us:
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish
Carlos Ibarra on Twitter & IG @jekyl6669 and
https://www.fillintheblanksproductions.ca/ -
Part 2: Bordello of Blood came to be. Another movie was supposed to be made in it’s place but the machinations of Hollywood turned and suddenly everything changed.
They had a script called Fat Tuesday, a psychological thriller which was changed to Dead Easy. Gil had no interest in directing Demon Knight, so Ernest Dickerson was brought in. And Gil planned to direct Dead Easy afterward, set in Louisiana and got the green light from Universal and while scouting locations for weeks, the plug was pulled and it was decided that Bordello of Blood would be done in it’s place.
Then Steven Spielberg started Dreamworks and because of fear of losing Robert Zemeckis, the studio made a deal, which included buying a student script that Zemekis actually cowrote, for a ton of money and they ended up using that script that turned out to be Bordello of Blood. They had 3 weeks to rewrite and start shooting. With the making of this movie, they became pawns to everything.
And not in Louisiana but in Canada. And instead of Bridget Wilson they got Erika Eliniak as the female lead. Al and Gil they wanted Robin Givens as the villain but, the boss, Joel Silver, cast, then Sylvester Stallone’s soon to be ex fiancée, Angie Everhart instead. A part written for Daniel Baldwin was replaced with Dennis Miller by Joel, who improved all of his lines and didn’t even want to be in the movie. But he got a million bucks to do it.
Bordello was doomed from the very beginning. They were thwarted until the bitter end and by then, Al and Gil’s friendship and business partnership was over.
This story is a wild ride, you have to hear it!
Find A L Katz
https://howtolivebullshit-free.com/
On Mastodon:
https://lor.sh/@Alan
And his podcast, How Not To Make a Movie Podcast, is wherever you get your podcasts!
Remember on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 at NOON PACIFIC TIME, there is a table read of the movie that never was, Dead Easy, for the charity The Motion Picture Home (the MPTF). For retired entertainment industry artists who need help. https://mptf.com/ways-to-give/ Find out more at the link below…
https://how-not-to-make-a-movie.com/2022/11/26/the-dead-easy-table-read-for-charity/?amp=1
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish -
A L Katz’s love of film began as a child in Baltimore with Laurel & Hardy and Groucho Marx. He went to college in Vassar and really learned story telling there. After one audition, he decided he didn’t want to act but write.
After a high school friend moved to L.A. to be an agent and Mr. Katz was trying to put together a play in New York, she convinced him to write a screenplay and go to L.A., which of course he thought was ridiculous but he was convinced, won over by the people and the weather, after a short visit.
The first week, his agent set up a meeting with the first producer he ever met, Gilbert Adler, in 1985. Who was instrumental in Alan’s move to California and they were good friends for a decade. They co-produced and wrote together on the job of his dreams, Tales From The Crypt. But by the release of Bordello of Blood, their friendship was over.
Alan and Gil reconnected 25 years later to create, How Not To Make a Movie Podcast. Where they talk about their work together and have guests they once worked with to tell their stories.
Gil was hired by HBO to do something with More Stories, he worked on The Hitchhiker and the 3rd season of Tales From the Crypt that was struggling and was slated to end.
Alan and Gil resurrected the concept of Tales from the Crypt. Alan reimagined the Cryptkeeper played by John Kassir and his role in the series. Plus balancing the show with the budget, which priorly was always in a deficit.
They corrected it by hiring Gil. And Gil brought Alan on as a story editor. (“You manage the budget by managing the script!”) Alan’s first experience with the show was as a judge for the Cable Ace Awards and he viewed the first 3 episodes of the Tales from the Crypt and he loved them!
Since Alan was a DC comic and Mad Magazine fan and he wanted the show to be more black comedy than horror.
How it was working with Robert Zemeckis and Joel Silver? How HBO’s ad slogan came out of a screening of Tales with HBO executives? Great stories about MeatLoaf, getting Kirk Douglas for Yellow. And how Bordello of Blood came to be. Another movie was supposed to be made in it’s place but the machinations of Hollywood turned and suddenly everything changed but this story is for part 2.
This is a great story from a great story teller!!
Find A L Katz
https://howtolivebullshit-free.com/
On Mastodon:
https://lor.sh/@Alan
And his podcast, How Not To Make a Movie Podcast, is wherever you get your podcasts!
Also on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 at NOON PACIFIC TIME, there is a table read of the movie that never was, Dead Easy, for the charity The Motion Picture Home (the MPTF). For retired entertainment industry artists who need help. Find out more at the link below…
https://how-not-to-make-a-movie.com/2022/11/26/the-dead-easy-table-read-for-charity/?amp=1
Christopher Thompson on IG @theauthor__ and mastodon @https://mastodon.world/@WestReAnimated
Kimberly at http://www.macabreish.com and IG and Tiktok @macabre_ish. https://linktr.ee/macabre_ish - Se mer
