Hot Picks

- Ready for My Close Up 2019

- Talk of the Dead 2016

- Tower Rats 2020

- Script of the Dead 2024

- The Bell Affair 2023

- Easter Bloody Easter 2024

- Velma 2022

- Everwinter Night 2023

- Main Character Energy 2023

- Stupid Games 2024

- Bittertooth 2023

- 4 Minutes of Terror: Night Slasher 2024

- Apart 2024

- The Abandoned 2006

- Becky 2024

- The Evil Fairy Queen 2024

- The Black Guelph 2022

- Followers 2024

- Silence of the Prey 2024

- Battle for the Western Front 2024

- Beware the Boogeyman 2024

- Subject 101 2022

- Driftwood 2023

- The Legend of Lake Hollow 2024

- Black Mass 2023

- Skinwalkers: American Werewolves 2 2023

- The Manifestation 2024

- Spirit Riser 2024

- Garden of Souls 2019

- It's a Wonderful Slice 2024

- Caleb & Sarah 2024

- The Thousand Steps 2020

- The Desiring 2021

- When a Stranger Knocks 2024

- Quint-essentially Irish 2024

- Son of Gacy 2024

- Saltville 2024

- The True Story of the Christ's Return 2024

- Whenever I'm Alone with You 2023

- Jurassic Triangle 2024

- Midnight Peepshow 2022

- Offworld: Alien Planet 2024

- The Swiss Conspiracy 1976

- Sex-Positive 2024

- Here for Blood 2022

- All Over Again 2024

- The Color Yellow 2023

- Des Töchterleins Leid 2024

- I Am a Channel 2024

- The Hermits 2023

- Murdaritaville 2024

- Inheritance 2024

- The Devil's Partner 1960

- First Impressions Can Kill 2017

- A Killer Conversation 2014

- Star Crash 1979

- Strangler of the Swamp 1946

An Interview with Scott Ballard, Director of Eyes Upon Waking

by Mike Haberfelner

March 2013

Quick Links

Abbott & Costello

The Addams Family

Alice in Wonderland

Arsène Lupin

Batman

Bigfoot

Black Emanuelle

Bomba the Jungle Boy

Bowery Boys

Bulldog Drummond

Captain America

Charlie Chan

Cinderella

Deerslayer

Dick Tracy

Dr. Mabuse

Dr. Orloff

Doctor Who

Dracula

Edgar Wallace made in Germany

Elizabeth Bathory

Emmanuelle

Fantomas

Flash Gordon

Frankenstein

Frankie & Annette Beach Party movies

Freddy Krueger

Fu Manchu

Fuzzy

Gamera

Godzilla

Hercules

El Hombre Lobo

Incredible Hulk

Jack the Ripper

James Bond

Jekyll and Hyde

Jerry Cotton

Jungle Jim

Justine

Kekko Kamen

King Kong

Laurel and Hardy

Lemmy Caution

Lobo

Lone Wolf and Cub

Lupin III

Maciste

Marx Brothers

Miss Marple

Mr. Moto

Mister Wong

Mothra

The Munsters

Nick Carter

OSS 117

Phantom of the Opera

Philip Marlowe

Philo Vance

Quatermass

Robin Hood

The Saint

Santa Claus

El Santo

Schoolgirl Report

The Shadow

Sherlock Holmes

Spider-Man

Star Trek

Sukeban Deka

Superman

Tarzan

Three Mesquiteers

Three Musketeers

Three Stooges

Three Supermen

Winnetou

Wizard of Oz

Wolf Man

Wonder Woman

Yojimbo

Zatoichi

Zorro

Your upcoming film Eyes Upon Waking - in a few words, what is it about?

 

Eyes Upon Waking is about struggle, it’s about empathy and it’s about hope. The main character, Taren, faces psychological issues that push her to extreme measures. The film explores the process of Taren facing the darkness within her in the aftermath of two suicide attempts.

 

What was it that initially drew you to the story, and to what extent can you identify with it?

 

A few aspects drew me to the project. Jennifer Scott’s [Jennifer Scott interview - click here] passion for the project is infectious and after speaking with her about the project, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of its success. The struggle against depression drew me to the project, as well. As someone who has battled depression through creativity, it was easy to find common ground with the film’s content. The script handles depression and darkness in a very raw and truthful manner while being very entertaining.

 

How did you first get involved with the project, and what can you tell us about your producer/writer/star Jennifer Scott [Jennifer Scott interview - click here], and what is your collaboration like - especially considering this is Jennifer's passion project?

 

I have kept up with Jennifer’s work over the past few years. When I saw she had a new script that she was producing, I immediately reached out. We are both extremely passionate about making films and our visions for the project were in alignment from our very first meeting. It is an easy collaboration. Jennifer is very open and honest with herself and her vision.

 

Anything you can tell us about your projected cast yet, and what will these people bring to the table?

 

Jennifer Scott

Right now, I can’t say too much about the projected cast. I am very much looking forward to directing Jennifer in her performance as Taren. The script is very personal to her and the emotions are very real. Other than that, I can only say that I am very excited to be working with such a talented team.

 

How do you plan to approach your story from a directorial point of view, and what can you tell us about the intended look and feel of your movie?

 

I am very visual and I like to approach each project from this perspective. The film largely takes place in one location and we are developing a look that will compliment the complicated emotional process that Taren goes through in the narrative. I am focused on the raw honesty of the performances. The script deals with topics that are rarely dealt with in the mainstream with such stark honesty. I want to push against some of the taboo of talking openly about depression and suicide.

 

Of course, a movie like this relies heavily on locations - anything you can tell us on that front yet?

 

Jennifer’s input and perspective are invaluable on this front. As a producer, she is skilled at getting exactly what is needed for the project. The fact that the film is based on her experiences ensures that our locations will be authentic and honest. Right now, we have locations in L.A. and Arizona.

 

As far as I know, the film is still in pre-production - so what can you tell us about the actual schedule, and any idea when the movie might be released onto the general public?

 

We are gearing up to shoot the first 6 pages in mid-April. We will use this footage to help get our final funding for the feature. Ideally, we would like to go into full-production in November of this year with it heading to festivals in early 2015.

 

According to my information, as we speak you have two ofther films in post-production, A Standing Still and Intertwine - so you obviously have to talk about those!

 

A Standing Still is my second feature film as writer/director. It will be released to festivals this fall. I am very excited about this project – I feel like it is the most honest piece of filmmaking I have completed to date. We shot at various locations around Oregon and Washington State. The film follows a woman who works at a Fire Lookout in a National Forest. She is called back early to deal with some family issues and has to face the dynamics that has led her to live a fairly secluded life. We shot the film in Super 16mm, 35mm and HD.

 

Intertwine is a television pilot created by Dylan Lawrence. We wrapped up in January of this year. It is an exciting and fresh drama starring some extremely talented Portland actors. The producers are currently shopping it around in Los Angeles.

 

What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and how did you actually learn your trade?

 

From a very early age I enjoyed photography and I have been writing for many years. When I first got into filmmaking, I was working in Seattle as a graphic designer. I did design work for a local film center and in return, I was able to take a few classes. I remember the first time I heard Super 16mm film running through the camera and I have dedicated myself to cinema since that moment. It combines all of the great loves in my life: Photography, writing, music, design. I taught myself how to shoot Super 16mm and eventually bought a digital camera. I made my own short films for several years and worked on large budget projects in New Orleans. These experiences expanded my knowledge of the camera department and the process as a whole. I attended Boston University’s Graduate Film Production Program and since then I have been living in Portland working as a filmmaker.

 

What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Eyes Upon Waking?

 

Eyes Upon Waking will be the third feature I will have directed. In the past 4 years, I have been heavily involved in 7 feature films, as well as several short films and documentaries. I have had the great fortune of meeting and working with several talented filmmakers.

 

Any future projects beyond Eyes Upon Waking you'd like to share?

 

I have several projects that I am currently involved with, including my third feature as writer/director that I will be filming this fall. The film, Death On A Rock, wraps up three films that I have made exploring death and dying. I work with a very close team in Portland and have promised them the next film will be more uplifting!

 

I am finishing up Lost Division, a WWII feature for which I am the director of photography and helping to produce for director Edward Davee. It follows a WWII chaplain as he faces the severe requirements of his job and the war. I just finished Brian Padian’s, The Black Sea, for which I was a producer and the director of photography. This drama will be ready for festivals in early 2014. I recently finished shooting the feature film, The Curio for director Dicky Dahl. It is an interesting slice of life tale that mixes personal documentary footage with the fictionalized narrative.

 

In early 2014, there will be four Portland-based features released to festivals that I have either shot, produced, directed or some mix thereof. Along with the directors I just mentioned, I have formed a collective of Portland independent filmmakers called Great Notion. It is an exciting time to be producing films in Portland, but I also am enjoying working in Los Angeles and on the East Coast.

 

Besides directing, you have also worked as a cinematographer on quite a few movies by other directors - so what can you tell us about Scott Ballard, the cinematographer, and your visual style?

 

I really enjoy cinematography and working with light. It is a pleasure for me to focus in on the image and I feel that I need both directing and cinematography in my life to be fulfilled with a career in cinema. One of the most exciting things about cinematography is discussing and discovering the look and visual style of each project. Each script, each story requires it’s own visual feel. Working with the director to discover that feel – discover how the camera can help tell the story, to help expand its potential without distracting attention from the narrative, is always exciting. I am trained in both film and HD and enjoy using both. As a cinematographer (and as a filmmaker, in general), I like to have several tools to be able to tell the story. Choosing a shooting format that is right for the script is one of those tools. The choice of camera, the choice of film or HD is, for me, a very valuable part of the process of discovering the visual style and look that each script demands.

 

How would you describe yourself as a director?

 

For me, directing is principally about two things: Interpreting the script and communication. As a director, the most important thing for me is to have clear communication with my cast and crew. In life, I am a patient and attentive listener. I apply this to my directing style, from casting through production. I feel I need to listen to the script, the characters and then be able to help facilitate the translation of the script with the actors. By listening to people, I can learn how to more concisely communicate my directing to those with whom I work. In my experience, the most productive sets and the most successful projects occur when the ego is left at the door. I like to dedicate myself entirely to the story’s needs.

 

Filmmakers who inspire you?

 

I am very much inspired by 1970’s American cinema and foreign cinema. Bob Rafelson, Ingmar Bergman, Michelangelo Antonioni, Yasujiro Ozu and Aki Kaurismäki are all big influences for me.

 

Your favourite movies?

 

So many! 5 Easy Pieces, The Passenger, The Prophet, Hunger, Notorious, My Life as a Dog – these are all favorites that I have re-watched recently.

 

... and of course, films you really deplore?

 

Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned)

The links below
will take you
just there!!!

Find Scott Ballard
at the amazons ...

USA  amazon.com

Great Britain (a.k.a. the United Kingdom)  amazon.co.uk

Germany (East AND West)  amazon.de

Looking for imports?
Find Scott Ballard here ...

Thailand  eThaiCD.com
Your shop for all things Thai

Something naughty?
(Must be over 18 to go there!)

x-rated  find Scott Ballard at adultvideouniverse.com

I don’t want to incriminate myself! I will just say that the films I love and enjoy are honest. Honest in their approach, their content, their reasons, as long as there is honesty in the film I cannot fault it too much.

 

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?

 

You can find my work at:

ScottBallardFilms.com

EyesUponWaking.com

AStandingStill.com

WelcomingDeparture.com

Facebook.com/AStandingStill

Facebook.com/WelcomingDeparture

Facebook.com/ScottBallardFilms

 

Anything else you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

 

I really wan to express my thankfulness to everyone who is supporting me in my filmmaking career. I want to thank the talented team of people that I work with and all those who support truly independent film and filmmakers!

 

Thanks for the interview!

 

© by Mike Haberfelner


Legal note: (re)Search my Trash cannot
and shall not be held responsible for
content of sites from a third party.




Thanks for watching !!!



 

 

In times of uncertainty of a possible zombie outbreak, a woman has to decide between two men - only one of them's one of the undead.

 

There's No Such Thing as Zombies
starring
Luana Ribeira, Rudy Barrow and Rami Hilmi
special appearances by
Debra Lamb and Lynn Lowry

 

directed by
Eddie Bammeke

written by
Michael Haberfelner

produced by
Michael Haberfelner, Luana Ribeira and Eddie Bammeke

 

now streaming at

Amazon

Amazon UK

Vimeo

 

 

 

Robots and rats,
demons and potholes,
cuddly toys and
shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

is all of that.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to
-
a collection of short stories and mini-plays
ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic
to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle, all thought up by
the twisted mind of
screenwriter and film reviewer
Michael Haberfelner.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

the new anthology by
Michael Haberfelner

 

Out now from
Amazon!!!