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Your upcoming movie The Legend of Six Fingers - in a few
words, what is it going to be about?
Two filmmakers set out to make a documentary about a rash of domestic animal
slaughters. After interviewing several local residents, the filmmakers
learn the Native American legend of Yá·yahk osnúhsaˀ - “Six
Fingers” in English. Believing that Six Fingers is responsible for the
animal slayings, the filmmakers set out on a terrifying journey into the
woods to discover whether or not the creature exists. Now how did the
project come together in the first place?
I
was taking a walk behind my house, out to the woods where I had set up a
Motion Sensor Camera. Then the idea started playing in my head of filming
a "Found Footage" movie. Some kind of monster movie, but where
the camera crew are a part of the movie and it's happening to them as the
story unfolds. I went inside the house and started writing and everything
began to come together.
The Legend
of Six Fingers is said to be based on a Native American legend - is
there any truth to this, acutally, and other sources of inspiration when
writing the movie?
Hmmm...
Is there any truth? Maybe you'll have to visit the locals and find out.
As
far as inspiration, I'd say movies like Troll Hunter (which I loved!)
would be one perhaps. Mixed with all the Bigfoot-movies from the past.
For The Legend of Six Fingers,
you've chosen the found footage approach - why do you think this approach
will fit the story particularly well? I
had it in my mind from the first thought that it was going to be a found
footage movie. So I kind of worked a story into the approach. Two nobodies
trying to make something of themselves stumble upon something they can hit
it big with and ignore the consequences. I think it's just fitting to tell
it from their perspective. Since The
Legend of Six Fingers is a creature feature, you of course also have
to talk about your monster for a bit! Well
from the first teaser poster we put out everyone just assumed it's a Bigfoot-movie. But Six Fingers is something different for sure. Something
similar, but he's a whole new kind of monster... I don't want to say too
much though. You'll just have to see for yourself. Creature features
tend to feature quite a bit of violence and gore - now how far do you plan
to go in that direction, and are there any lines you refuse to cross? I
see a lot of movies that try to shock you more than tell a story. Yes I
love violence and gore, but I don't think we have to use too much of that
to tell this story. It's more of a tale of two friends and the things that
they go through. I'm trying to make people care if these guys actually
make it out alive. I wouldn't say I refuse to cross any lines, I just
believe more in letting the characters tell the story instead of the
violence. With
Debbie Rochon [Debbie Rochon
interview - click here], Lynn Lowry and Tiffany Shepis [Tiffany
Shepis interview - click here], you have three horror icons
in your cast. How did you get them, and what makes them ideal for their
characters? And what can you tell us about the rest of your cast?
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Tiffany Shepis |
I have
worked with Debbie on 4 features since last year. I worked with all 3 of
them on Model Hunger and had such a great time working with them all. My
producer Greg Lamberson [Gregory
Lamberson interview - click here] and myself talked about where we can use them
in the film and then he got everything in motion to bringing them on
board. Debbie is such a fantastic actress, she brings so much to the
table. I had a role that she played perfect and put so much emotion into
when we filmed it. Lynn blew me away with her performance in Model
Hunger, so we gave her a very significant role in the film which tells
the whole story of the legend. I can't wait to see her do it!
Tiffany
will appear for a special appearance in the film. When I was making Snow
Shark she had actually approached me about being in the film. I was
ecstatic, I am such a big fan of her work! But we were way too far into
production for me to be able to offer her anything worth her time. We
joked about it while we were filming Model Hunger, and she teased how it
could have been a better movie with her in it. I couldn't make another
movie without her in it in some way or another. We had such a good time
working together before.
Debbie Rochon, Andrew Elias |
As
far as the rest of the cast, Andrew Elias is a good friend of mine and was
such a likeable character in Snow Shark that I had to give him a shot at
carrying this film. I feel like he's going to bring a lot to the
character.
Tim
OHearn is the perfect monster. He's a big guy. In creature costume,
standing next to my character (The cameraman) and Andrew's. He's going
to be very scary.
You
of course also have to talk about your location for a bit, in my opinion a
key factor for a movie like yours!
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Tim O'Hearn |
Yes!
There's 140 acres of land we can do whatever we want on for the film.
There's ponds, thick woods to film in. There is so much production value
with the wildlife alone we'll likely run into. We're going to set up tents
in the thick of it and get some amazing stuff. As far as I know, the
film is still in its fundraising stages - so what can you tell us about
your fundraising efforts?
We
launched an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign here:
http://igg.me/p/427406/x/20315
The
drive also will receive matching funds from independent media marketing
expert and home entertainment studio head Michael Raso [Michael
Raso interview - click here]. So
every dollar we make Michael will double.
It's
not easy to raise money on these crowd-funding sites. Now a lot of name
celebrities are using the source and making it even more difficult for
the indie movies to get the money needed. I see a lot of campaigns out
there too that take your money and never even make the movie.
We
used IndieGoGo to get some of the money for Snow Shark and got the rest
from investors. But we MADE the movie. It got a worldwide distribution
deal as well. So what sets this apart from other projects you might see
out there is that our team gets things done, and get them out there for
you to see.
Sam Qualiana, Andrew Elias |
Once your funds are raised,
how will you proceed - and any idea when and where the movie will be
released yet (which might be waaay too early to ask)? It
is a little too early to talk about any of that, but with Michael Raso on
the team as an executive producer, we're already in discussions with
a distributor, so it's almost certain that you will be seeing it on the
shelves of video stores. Any
future projects beyond The Legend of Six Fingers? I
never stop. I'll be working with Greg in some shape or form on his next
feature Killer Rack written by Paul McGinnis (who acts in Snow
Shark). I
am already planning on my next feature after this one as well. What
got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject?
I've
always just loved the movies. I have been making short films since 1998.
If I needed to learn how to use new equipment, learn a special effect or
wanted to learn techniques I'd teach myself things on the internet. I
took some classes of basic training in editing, lighting and
cinematography at a local television network. I've
worked on so many other features I try to take something from every film
I'm on. Last summer I was a 2nd Assistant Director on Model Hunger, as
soon as we wrapped I was the 1st Assistant Director on Troma's
Return to
Nuke 'Em High, and then went right into working as 2nd Assistant Director
on SyFy's BattleDogs. I also just worked as Director of
Photography on Dry Bones which I learned a lot from. As far as I know, you started
out as a director of numerous shorts - so why don't you talk about those
for a bit, and also about your evolution as a director? I've
made over 100 short films which most of them were only made for fun and
had myself and my friends playing multiple characters in different wigs.
We had such a great time making such stupid, silly shorts. I started
trying to make more serious stuff or at least evolve as a director and use
other actors. I made a little short crime drama called No Road Out and
entered it to a new film festival in Buffalo, where I met Greg Lamberson [Gregory
Lamberson interview - click here],
one of the guys running the festival. The film won me the Filmmaker to
Watch-award and I quickly decided it was time to make a feature. I
filmed my first feature with hardly any knowledge of how to make a feature
film with mostly a green cast and crew. I've learned so much since then.
But it was a fun ride. You
of course also have to talk about your debut feature, the ingeniously
titled Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast, for a bit!
Snow
Shark was originally a short film I did in 2004 which is included in the
special features of the feature. It's hilarious, you have to watch it. We
have a 12 year old sheriff and painted on facial hair. I was actually just
going to do a sequel and revamp it because it was one of my favorite
concepts, but when I announced it online it blew up and I decided to turn
it into a feature. I started filming before the script was even done,
which seems to be a trend with me for some reason. When
it comes to filmmaking, you've done it all, writing, directing, producing,
photographing, editing, acting and whatnot. What do you enjoy the most,
what could you do without? I
love acting, directing and filming the most. I could definitely live
without editing. But I get more satisfaction out of it than if I'm not.
Assistant Director work (1st AD and 2nd) can be tough as well. I get so
much out of everything I do though it's tough to say there's anything I
wouldn't do again. How would you describe
yourself as a director? I'm
not sure if I could describe myself, I like to tell people I would never
put them through something I wouldn't do myself. I like to be involved in
every single thing that is going on with my own movie. Filmmakers who inspire you? Alfred
Hitchcock. Roger Corman is a huge inspiration to me [Roger
Corman bio - click here]. James Wan and Leigh
Whannell are an incredible team too, with their story telling and style.
Every time I watch their movies, my mind is flowing with creativity and I
want to do something right then! Your
favourite movies? Death Sentence, 300, The
Watchmen, Breakfast at Tiffany's, A History of
Violence, Jaws, The Thing, and 500 Days of Summer are all movies I can
watch over and over again. I love them all... I know a little bit of a
variety of genre there making you probably say Whaaat!?! Huuuhh!?!? ... and of course, films you really
deplore?
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Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned) |
The links below
will take you
just there!!!
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A Christmas Story (said me and nobody else in the world), Project
X, While
She Was Out, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
No
offense of course to the filmmakers behind them, every movie, no matter
how bad had a lot of hard work put into it which I can admire. Those
films just make me mad though when I watch them, haha!
Your/your movie's website, Facebook, IndieGoGo,
whatever else?
IndieGoGo: http://igg.me/p/427406/x/20315
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SixFingersMovie
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MetroshiaProductions
Website: http://captbligh1.wix.com/metroshiaproductions
Follow
on Twitter: @Metroshia_Films and @SamQualiana
A
website to purchase some of my short films: http://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=118447
Anything else you are dying to mention
and I have merely forgotten to ask? I
think that about covered it. I just hope everyone can take the time and
visit the IndieGoGo and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Share the
campaign and help us make this film as great as it can be! Thanks for the
interview!
You're
welcome!
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amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
find Sam Qualiana at adultvideouniverse.com
