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Your new movie Slaying Dragons - in a few words, what's it about?
It's about the inevitable consequences for the paths we take. I wrote a
proverb which opens the movie and it goes "We all walk a tall and narrow
tightrope, it goes on for miles. If we hesitate and look down, it's
definitely certain death. If we keep our eyes forward and inch our way
along, it's still certain death... It just takes a little longer.
Now how did the project fall together, how did you all come to the
conclusion that you wanted to do a film with one another as a family of
filmmakers? Kind of a dark story that produced a
rather dark story. My wife and I were visiting a loved one that was in
Hospice care and didn't have much time. As we stood bedside the television
on the wall started playing this tragic song from my childhood Just When I
Needed You Most by the late Randy
VanWarmer. It made the whole setting feel errie and it stuck with me long
after we left the facility. The boys (Wesley and Wyatt) had been talking
with me about learning the trade and expressed great interest. I told them
about how that song made me feel and that I knew in time that feeling
would manifest a story and it did.
With Slaying
Dragons being a crime drama, is that a genre especially dear to
you, and some of your genre favourites?
Crime seemed like the right avenue to go with this tale. I'm mostly known
for horror, but have spun a few tales in the crime drama genre before. I
believe it's always a good thing to test your range as a storyteller and
behind horror is crime and suspense for me. So definitely a favorite.
Michael, what were your actual sources of inspiration when writing
Slaying Dragons?
Michael: Along with the song mentioned earlier my son Wyatt and I
recently revisited the late Duke Mitchell's crime saga Massacre Mafia
Style and Gone with the Pope. He and I find the duo of films highly
entertaining and both thought "Let's give this material the Duke Mitchell
treatment with gun violence, punchy dialogue and a monologue or two. We
did just that.
Wyatt, what can you tell us about your directorial approach to
your story at hand? Wyatt: My directorial approach really comes from the movies I've watched
over time and the style is really what I think how a movie should be
directed by how its edited and it shot where you get everything
established the way where you know everything that is happening in the film.
Wesley, do talk about your camerawork on
Slaying Dragons!
Wesley: When shooting
Slaying Dragons, I wanted shots that flowed and
matched with what was going in the story to make you feel more immersed
into the film. So, depending on the scene, I'd had to switch lenses and
use different techniques that made the scenes very engaging to see as a viewer.
Michael, you also play one of the leads in
Slaying Dragons
- so what can you tell us about your character, what did you draw upon to
bring him to life, and have you written him with yourself in mind from the
get-go? Michael: I play Mike Parker, a bit of a stretch from who I really
am. Parker sees the underworld for what it is. A carnival game that he
will never win and when he's tired of playing and quits... well we can
draw an idea of how the organization deals with that. I really brought a
lot of focus on the situation to the table and the fact that Parker holds
right to some personal demons. It was a great test to evoke those feelings
and bring them to the screen. I plaid Parker only to save my son's budget,
not to hog the spotlight. I hope the audience sees the dedication as it
was out of love and admiration for these talented young men.
Do talk about the rest of
Slaying Dragons'
cast, and why exactly these people?
Manuel Ramirez and I had to do the together. We're both big fans of
Michael Mann's Heat and both thought it is time to have our De Niro/Pacino moment. Oh what fun we had on set. Ronald Valenzuela who played my
boss is new to the acting game, and I thought he did a tremendous job as did
his scene partner Pablo Gonzalez.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
Wyatt: The atmosphere on set was really magnificent because it was really
fun on set behind the camera whenever I would talk with everyone including
the cast and just our way of how we film stuff made it easy to have fun on
that set Wesley and Wyatt, you've also edited the movie with one another -
so do talk about the editing process for a bit!
Wyatt: When I first started editing the film and cutting it together I
really wanted it to be a smooth back to back camera conversation to get
the film moving fast.
Wesley: We did encounter a few minor hiccups in the editing room, so you
could say we were slaying dragons of our own putting together this film of
ours. The $64 question of course, where can
Slaying Dragons
be seen? It's currently free on YouTube. Just type Slaying Dragons
short film and enjoy! Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of
your movie? So far reviews have been positive and encouraging. I believe we meshed
well as a production team. Now what can you tell us about the collaboration between the three
of you on Slaying
Dragons, and based on that experience, could you imagine to ever
work with one another again, and/or any other future projects you'd like
to share? Michael: We had so much fun bringing our skills together. I felt like I had just shown
them how to drive and handed them the car keys as I stretched out in the
backseat. Saying, I can say this. We're aware of the talent and the
possibilities and cannot wait to get the next one going.
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Wyatt: We do plan on working again all three of us I mean I do wanna
direct again as well so yeah, and also about future projects we are still
planning what it could be so we'll see what the future holds
Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?
My feature films can be found on Fandango, Tubi,
Apple TV and Amazon Prime currently as well as a few free
short films on YouTube. Please check them out.
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
Be on the lookout for the my next feature releasing soon titled Cinefiend.
Thanks for the interview! Thanks for having us!
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