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Your short M is for Marriage - in a few words, what is it about?
Well that is a complicated answer but I’ll try and do it in a few words.
It’s a peek into the world of our next feature film Love Sick and
shows a very unique doctor-patient appointment. Dr. Christian has been a
therapist for 15 years and is the foremost expert in the controversial field
of Bio-Medical Psychotherapy. His most recent case involves a husband
and wife who are looking for either closure or a path back toward healing.
Their stress has hit a critical stage and must be confronted in what Dr.
Christian calls a Bio-Transference session. This 3 minute peek will show
that session.
The
ABCs of Death - what do you find so appealing about the series you
want to be a part of it? To be honest I’ve hated short
films for as long as I can remember. I think it comes from the very
real place when I used to go to short film programs at film festivals and
was bored to tears. Too many don’t know how long is short and what
the right time limit is for something like this. The ABCs of
Death-folks have figured out the EXACT limit of time in which a short film
should be. It’s an awesome peek into a world that hopefully
showcases the best of the teams that make the short films. It’s
giving us a new platform and avenue to show what we are up to. We
are so very thankful for the opportunity and are attempting to stay in the
Top 12 for the next round of judging. There are over 300 amazing
submissions from around the world and we're just so happy to be in the
running. Since you had to pick a word
starting with M for your horror short - what made you choose
"marriage", and what were your sources of inspiration when
writing the film? Well like I said, this is a peek into the
world of our next feature film that is very much based on very personal
horror stories from a time in my life I didn’t know if I was going to be
with the woman that I have always thought I’d be looking into the eyes
of on my death bed. It’s a scar on my body that is healed but I
see it every day in everything that I do. This movie is based on
that scar... that wound that I never thought could heal. So I guess
my inspiration for the movie would be the pain of the past... and the
reality that people can heal.
How would you describe your
directorial approach to your subject at hand? Well I
don’t really know what my approach to it all is. I guess Natalie
Victoria (Deadheads) would know better than me since she watched me during
the process. “As an actress, the intensity and emotional trauma of
Louise’s character was intriguing for me to explore and I was hooked
after my first read. Todd is such a strange visionary to work with
too; his precision to every detail, his offbeat humor, his weird
creativity that thinks beyond what you normally would, and his methodical
pace in building this unsettling intensity yet engagement with the
characters and audience - all at the same time. It’s like when you
know a car crash is coming but you can’t tear your eyes away from
watching it happen. Intense, irreverent, poignant, and vulnerable
all tied together.”
So yeah... I guess that’s what I did. Still not sure if what she
said is a compliment or not... but yeah... I guess that’s what I did.
(Laughs) You just
have to talk about the effects work in M is for Marriage for a bit! Well
we had a hard time out of the gate with effects. Had an awesome game
plan and had tested everything perfectly but something got lost in the
translation to what we did on set. Day 1 we started with the hardest
effect in the movie and it just didn’t work. We’d wasted half of
the shoot day and had to clean the actor up so we could shoot the half of
the short with no effects. Everyone pulled together and we got the
day done. Effects had the time to figure out the problems with the
applications and we were off to the races on day 2. They truly are
amazing and I’m so lucky to be surrounded by the amazing people that I
am. What
can you tell us about your cast, and why exactly these people?
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Well
I have been talking with Natalie Victoria for a few months about the possibility of
working together on something. Co-producer Christian Burgess had
shoved us toward one another and it just clicked. She’s an amazing
source of inspiration and encouragement and I can’t wait to work with
her again... if she’ll have me. When I wrote the short scene I
actually envisioned Jeffree Newman. We hadn’t talked much and
didn’t know each other very well but I’d seen some amazing work that
he had done locally. I had him and others send in tapes online to
audition for the role of the good doctor. He immediately embodied
Dr. Christian. Not sure if that’s a compliment or not.
(Laughs.) But yeah it is... it says a lot about his abilities as a
performer. Lastly Michael Draper is just amazing. Saw him in
an actor’s piece I was shooting and knew immediately that he had to be
the infamous Steven. Again... can’t wait to work with these people
sooner than later. Do
talk about the actual shoot for a bit, and the on-set atmosphere! Well
we’ve been doing this for over 15 years now so we’ve definitely got a
vibe that we try and reach for on set. First off, I’m very
concerned about the well-being of the actors and crew each day.
These people are so amazing and the fact that they all came out to support
me on these two days humbled me immensely. Then I’d say I just
want everyone to feel comfortable... like they are having fun. I’m
a very relaxed person on set and always strive for a stress-free
environment. I mean it should be fun right? That’s why I got
into this in the first place... to strive for the impossible task of
creating something magical... something from another time and place that
could only exist because these people at this time decided to do it.
That’s exciting and I hope that’s the atmosphere on set... something
exciting, relaxed, and supportive.
Would you like
to talk about Love Sick for a bit? Well Love Sick is
about "Gwyneth and Amos who have been together for 10 years and
after much deliberation have decided to part ways. After separating
and being with others they quickly realize how hard it is to disconnect
from one another. The pain, lies, and betrayal all begin to manifest
physically within the both of them as well as infect the others who have
become involved with intimately. They love each other so much that
it hurts... some more than others." So it’s something I call
a Rom-Mon, which translates to a Romantic Monster movie. It’s very
personal and seated firmly within the reality that everyone can relate
to... and also a wacked-out body horror monster movie. I’m so
excited about it that I can hardly stand it. Can’t wait to share
with the world.
Any future
projects beyond Love Sick you'd like to share? Currently
my brother is finishing the latest draft of one of our next feature films
entitled Devil Rides Shotgun which is a Noir-Or film. (Horror
Noir) I’m also currently co-writing a movie entitled The
Elements of Murder with the always amazing Yam Laranas. What
got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject? Well I went to film school down in
Los Angeles for three years but I’d give my dad all of the credit for my
love of film as well as knowledge about the subject. He was an avid
16mm film collector and raised us with great movies, horrible movies, as
well as the making-of stories behind them. Film school was great
because of the awesome friends that I met... but I had already learned the
important stuff before going there... the “why” to make movies.
What can you tell us about your
filmwork prior to M is for Marriage?
My brother and
I have made movies since our early 20’s. Some are better than
others... but we’ve always had the credo that if what we do next isn’t
better than what we did last... then we have to quit. Everything has
been increasingly better in quality as well as response from the film
community... so I guess we’ll keep moving forward. Cell Count was
last year. M is for Marriage will take us to 2014 and Love
Sick.
Onward. How would
you describe yourself as a director? I really do believe
that my job as a director is done for the most part before we even get on
set. It has to be pre-visualized so you can effectively explain what
the goals are on set. Casting does most of the part when it comes to
actors. You cast the right person, at the right time, in the right
role and the only thing I’m there is to help guide them in the dark to
what moment they are in. In this instance on M is for Marriage I
can’t say that I had a single complaint about anything or anyone on set.
It really went that well... first time maybe in my life as a filmmaker and
that is SUPER exciting. Directing is just guiding talented people
toward intent, visual impact, and pacing. 100% of that has to be
absorbed before walking on set and then communicated well on the shoot
days. Filmmakers who
inspire you? I’m inspired by the amazing filmmakers
throughout the history of cinema... really too many to name. I try
and watch everything. Absorb good, bad, boring, and exciting all in
the same breath. The more you see the more you blur the line between
who you truly are as a storyteller and what movies you love. I try
to love and hate as many as possible but FW Murnau is a favorite of mine.
As for people who are still alive... I’m mostly inspired by all of the
other filmmakers in the horror world right now and the amazing work that
they are doing. Zack Parker, Alex Chandon, Soska Twins [Soska
Twins interview - click here], Gustavo
Cooper, Eric England, Yam Laranas, Mike Mendez, and Anthony Diblasi (as well as at least 50 I’m sure I’m
forgetting). These people
are the ones pushing to go further into the mainstream as well as making
interesting movies that people actually want to see. That inspires
me. Your favourite movies?
The Last Laugh,
Sunrise, Repulsion,
Blow Out, and In Cold Blood. ...
and of course, films you really deplored?
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John
Carpenter’s Village of the Damned. That’s the only one.
(Laughs) Your/your
movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?
You can rent or
buy our most recent film Cell Count anywhere online. Go to
www.cellcount-themovie.com for more information. M is for Marriage is
currently online and can be viewed at
http://26th.abcsofdeathpart2.com/entry/m-is-for-marriage-4/.
Vote for it by clicking the FB LIKE button above the video
and help us become a part of the ABCs of Death 2-anthology film!
Also stay up to date with us at www.lovesickflick.com. Anything else
you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Well
just thank you. I’m so very thankful to the entire film community
and the horror community in general for their continued love and support.
We can’t wait to show everyone what we are doing next. We’ll
make you proud. Promise. Thanks
for the interview!
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find Todd E. Freeman at adultvideouniverse.com
