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Your new movie
7eventh 7irkle - in a few words, what's it about?
It's a deep and almost immediate dive into my visual interpretation of
Dante's Inferno
segment of his literary masterpiece, Divine Comedy, it's
wild, it's desperate, it's deeply contrasting at times, and the
epitome of experimental.
What inspired you to base a movie on Chant XIII of
Dante's
Inferno, and how did you go about adapting your source material?
I was in my late 20s when I got
familiar with
Dante's
Inferno, there was a video game for the PS3
and an animated feature film, and I never really dug into the
literature until much later, but when I did, I was immediately
fascinated with the way it was written, and hypnotized by the
supplemental art by Gustave Dore.
In 2016 I really began a self discovery journey and focused more on PTSD,
suicide and addiction
awareness, and that's also when i began the deep dive into CANTO
XIII, it had consumed me for a few months, I started researching
reactions, interpretations and everything I could about the sevnth
circle and at that time, I also began the layout of how I wanted
to tell my own story using that as an inspiration. Other sources of inspiration when dreaming up
7eventh 7irkle?
Any and all films. I am an avid cinema goer, sometimes 4 times
a week, no matter what movie it is, I learn something from it. I'm
absorbing it all, technical aspects, sound, cinematography,
everything, so basically everything I watched during the creation
process became a level of inspiration. My family, my sons and wife
are a high level of inspiration as well. Expanding on that, real
life situations and circumstances help drive the way I wanted to
tell the story, there is so much complexity in human emotions
that I really wanted to show that in a raw, unpolished way. I've read somewhere that
7eventh 7irkle is
the eleventh entry into your
Shucks cycle
of films - so what can you tell us about that cycle as a whole, and about
the other entries? And how are they all connected?
Shucks was the original piece of work. I wasn't able to tell
the complete story of that in the 50 minutes of runtime for that,
so I immediately began working on Meng Hua Lu to help bring
the dream sequence into the picture, I noticed early on that how I
shot black and white was a very unique way and it became the
staple for this cinematic world while simultaneously becoming my
trademark. There are characters that overlap in all the eleven
titles, there are new characters added in each entry, but it's all
about being watched and watching and the impact of toxic and
hypocritical judgemental actions that as humans we all tend to do
more than we should. Nearly half of the
Shucks Cinematic World
titles are music videos where they fit into the mind of the main
character(s), Shucks or Steampunk Willie.
Could you talk about
7eventh 7irkle's stream of consciousness-vibe for a bit, and what made
you choose this exact narrative approach? When it came to the approach, initially I knew I wanted to have a seamless
blend of visuals and music, with little to no dialogue, the music really
takes the wheel and drives the stream of consciousness, the music controls
the way you watch and helps guide the emotions that audiences will have.
It's like a collection of memories, and the footage was all shot by me, so
there is a blend of real life documentation along with blocked out and
scripted scenes on sets, it's a rare feat in the film industry and one
that pays off in the end, in my opinion. Ultimately I chose this approach
because it best fits the way I want to show the world this story and it
complements the uniqueness of me as a person. People have come to know me
as a very different individual, so I couldn't be anything else when I
create.
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About 90% of the film was scripted out. storyboarded and drawn
up, however there is a lot we didn't use from that script but will
use in a follow up. I had a different beginning and different
ending in that script as well. So when it came to actually editing
the beginning and end, those are the two parts of the film that
were pieced together in a post-production "light bulb" moment,
where it just fit so much better than what I originally intended,
however, it did get much more emotional with Neal Hoover at the
end, but it really drove home the point of awareness for those
topics I yearn to address. None of the actors see the script
or any of my notes though, I just tell them the story behind the
film, the intentions of the scene they are shooting and direct
them right there in the moment, giving them more freedom of
expression, and also they are all seen as equals no matter their
acting experience or background, because this is a whole different
ballgame than a large production fully scripted and funded film,
this of course is experimental arthouse. All of the cast did such
an incredible job taking that direction and making this classic
piece of filmmaking. I feel like especially with the vast majority
of it being non dialogue, the cast would get too lost in the
script if I let them see it.
Was some of the footage you used in
7eventh 7irkle
stock footage/archive material or
did you shoot it all yourself? And if the latter is true, did you shoot
all the footage specifically for the dilm?
I shot all of it, and most of it was shot specifically for
7eventh 7irkle,
there were some shorter clips that I shot with the intention of
having it in the
Shucks Cinematic World, I just didn't know at
the time of filming which project it would go in. I film and
document a ton, plus we have one of the best Zoos in the world in
my hometown of Asheboro, lots of natural habitat, and I used most
of the beginning sequences there. It's super-important to me to
use all my own footage, because that only gets me better and
makes everything truly mine. Do talk
about your overall directorial approach to your story at hand!
I kind of hinted about it previously but I'll go into more detail.
I have an extensive background in music, event planning, fashion
design, performance and teaching, so I have an incredible circle
of professionals in my network and also a handful of friends that
share my vision. I rarely work with anyone that I don't know or
have experience with. I've noticed that the better the connection
on a personal level, the better the end result is. It's never ever
about me being in control, it's about the yearning to make my cast
feel as comfortable as I can, I want them to have fun and be loved
while shooting, so when it comes to these really crazy, hectic and
heavily symbolic scenes they take my lead and excel. There's a
level of improv to it, and also repetition, It's usual that I
shoot some scenes at least four or five times but I think that's
normal for filmmaking.
What can you tell us about
7eventh 7irkle's
cast, and why exactly these people?
I don't really
want to go too much into character names and actual story roles until the
hometown premiere December 11, 2025. So bear with me!
Casting Ydalia Reimonenq was
a critical component of this project. I had worked with her as a
model for my clothing line, and my wife and I got to know her
better and even her lifestyle and taste in arts fit perfectly with
what I wanted to put on the screen. I had so much trust in her
that I didn't even have to go back and look at the footage after
we shot because I knew she would carry the role perfectly. When I
finished editing, she was the first person I reached out to, just
to tell her how the film wouldn't have been what I needed it to be
without her. Casting Brandon Shepherd was a late call. I
had met him well into the writing process. I always wanted Austin
Rich to reprise his role from Shucks, Meng Hua Lu &
Grieving
Process and have it evolve or go back to his youthful days, so
that's who I had originally had in mind for the role, but when I
started working more with Brandon on other projects, one day he
put on the Shucks costume and I was sold on the idea to have him
be a lead in this. He ended up playing multiple characters and
has been cast on other projects since then, so I hope this sparks
more in his acting career. Casting Josie Purdue & Abi
Sparks. Woah that was the only way
7eventh 7irkle was able to
reach that yin and yang, deep dark contrast. They both resemble
each other in different stages of their lives, and Josie is an
incredible performer with a thousand different talents. One of
them happens to be dance, and she was able to come into the
historic Sunset Theatre and knock out what we needed for that
scene in like 30 minutes. It was a rush, it was incredible and the
finished product lined up great. Then having Abi kind of observe
her "younger self", she had to get into a different emotional
state, which she did perfectly as you can see in the finished
product. Casting Mark Chewning was not quite
a longshot, but I knew I wanted him involved, I just didn't know
how. As a former teacher, i also film theatre camps, and that's
where I met him, I knew his acting kept improving every show on
stage, and I knew he needed to be in my film. He came for our back-to-back shoots at the
Randolph Arts Guild and became a very
significant character in the story. He was magic! He also played a
few different characters. The only thing I regret is that he was
always wearing a mask, hindsight shows me I would have loved to
have him in a quick shot with no mask or costume on.
Castin Avery Epps was another last minute call. I had already filmed a
paranormal short with him that is included in the
Shucks Cinematic World, and when he showed interest in being on the cast,
I had to write some more and adapt a current character into a more
visual existence. Avery was in the final two shoots, which were
about a year apart from each other. He actually is seen playing
one of the most iconic roles in the story and his evolution into
the final character he plays is uncanny. He has a great aura
around him, and is great to work with.
WIth that
being said, the entire cast and crew were perfect in this production, and
I feel the teamwork and comradery during these shoots were crucial in
getting this done. I can't thank them all enough. I'm looking forward to
our party and hometown premiere where we can all celebrate the completion
together. A few words
about the shoot(s) as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
I tried to construct the sets as close to the actual vision and
atmosphere of the source material. I wanted everyone to feel as if
they were in the Gustave Dore illustrations. That was much easier
to do thanks at the time to Rose and Josh at the Randolph Arts
Guild. I had a month-long exhibition there, and filming the scene
at the table was actually a live part of that exhibition, it was
all visionary, I know nothing like that has ever been done in my
city, and probably much much further. I also wanted to
incorporate people on set that have an appreciation for the
literature or similar literature and lore as
Inferno and that
helped tremendously. Casting Cheyenne Hunt from the paranormal
podcast East Coastal Ghost helped set the tone, because that was
someone who is dedicated in that particular lifestyle and it added
to the flair we needed for the scene at the table.
For the actual outside shoot, where it really does look like a
Dore illustration, I knew I had to call in help with setting that
atmosphere, so Carolina Antrim, Jennifer Mayorda & Brock McDaniel
came through the outdoor set to help make that atmosphere, and as
usual my wife, Megan Brueilly, helps with that as well.
You've also scored your film - so what can you tell us about the
music in your film, and your musical influences?
As I said before, music helps guide the audience's emotions on what and
how to feel. It's one, if not the most important aspect of any film, but
even more so when it's mostly a silent production. It's grimy, industrial,
distorted and layered with authentic hip hop, oftentimes either drum
patterns i have created or break beats that are the backbone of the hip
hop culture. It's eerie, it's chilling, it's bouncy which stems from my
influences of Rob Zombie, Kanye West (ye), Lord Huron and the Wu Tang
Clan. The $64-question of course, where can
7eventh 7irkle be
seen?
At the moment it's in the beginning stages of the film festival
run. We world premiered it at the TCL Chinese Theatre earlier this
month (Sept 5, 2025), the same day it was shown in NYC and India.
It plays next in London, followed by a few more LA/Hollywood
showings. Digitally, It's only available as part of a
press pack for publications, podcasts, blogs and critics. After our hometown premiere on December 11, 2025 at
Sunset Theatre in Asheboro, NC we will begin the talks on digital distribution
versus just putting it on YouTube and everywhere. Anything you can tell us about audience and
critical reception of 7eventh 7irkle? So far it's been pretty amazing to hear. So far though, I lean
on what my wife said to me when she watched it, "this is the best
thing you've ever done" and I've been with her long enough to know
when she is biased and telling me something she feels even if she
wasn't married to me. After the premiere, fellow filmmakers Sean
Haitz (Cannibal Comedian) and Kevin Smith Carrao (H.O.E.s) had an
in-depth conversation with me about it and how the growth I've
shown is on another level. So far not many people that I
personally know have watched it, but this is all brand new, less a
month long journey, I mean even the cast and crew have not seen
it, something I battle back and forth with! Like should i send
them the link or should I just wait for us all to be together and
watch it. I know it's killing some of them to have to wait, but
this is a strong decision that I feel will be better for the
morale of the team and trajectory of the film. I do like what
CineDump said though, "a triumph of experimental horror"
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Any future projects you'd like
to share? Working on a follow up, which I am in between names of, but I
know I want actor Carl J Grasso [Carl
J Grasso interview - click here] to be a part of it and some of the cast from
7eventh 7irkle.
I am also working on my ninth solo
studio album, tightening up the 7eventh 7irkle score so we can
release that on Halloween. Working hard on the MIGHTY GRAND FINALE
of 20 YEARS OF MTTS event on December 11, 2025 that includes the
hometown premiere of 7eventh 7irkle along with a concert,
fashion show, comedy hour and sculpture showing. Other
than that, juggling lots of post production editing for Laura Ashley Live
Art, Adventures In Theatre and several music videos all while working on
the programming of our third annual Mightier Than the Sword Awards at
Sunset Film Festival that take place in August of 2026.
What got you into filmmaking in the first
place, and did you receive any formal education on the subject?
The only formal education I have was minor filming sporting
events while I was at Appalachian State University, my degrees
were in the Communication and International Business fields.
When I hired some people to film my music videos, I saw how
obtainable it could be to produce something of quality that
didn't cost a million Dollars. I immediately began learning from
them through the process, and even joined them on some
legitimate sets and productions, and eventually got my own
equipment. When I got that equipment it was more for photography,
but after a few years of learning things like composition,
aperture, ISO, etc. I decided to document my honeymoon with my
wife in 2015. I always laugh when I see that footage because I was
unaware of how loud the auto focus was on the stock lens. About a
year later I began writing the script, story and characters for Shucks, then we had an opportunity for a really unique location that was
scheduled to be destroyed, so we didn't waste any time with production.
After the first day of filming, I was hooked, and honestly have never
looked back. Do talk about your filmwork prior to
7eventh 7irkle!
I do so much with filmwork. I've filmed weddings, funerals,
engagement proposals, Christmas events, political campaigns, live
performances, belly dancing, the news, music videos, theatre
productions, theatre camps, documentaries, commercials,
advertising, podcasts, interviews, fashion shows, pageants, real
estate, demolitions, renovations... I've done a ton. That's all my
for hire work, when it comes the work for me and what I want to do, it's
all based on and around
Shucks Cinematic World, for now
at least. How would you describe yourself as a director?
Unique. Rare. Determined. Self aware. Unafraid as an artist,
terrified as a person.
Filmmakers who inspire you?
Stanley Kubrick, Rob Zombie, Richard Elfman, Sean Haitz,
Christopher Nolan, Brian Yuzna and most recently Nico
Ballesteros. Your favourite
movies?
The Lord Of The Rings trilogy &
The Hobbit trilogy, 2001 A
Space Odyssey, Leprechaun,
Cannibal Comedian,
The Green Knight, Ghost Story,
Forbidden Zone.
... and of course, films you really
deplore? Pineapple Express,
40 Year Old Virgin, Scarface. Your/your movie's website, social media,
whatever else?
Trailer:
https://youtu.be/leA5A90FHP0?si=-J5TYu6Bgp0KMi5l
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38092804/
https://www.instagram.com/livebyacode/
https://www.instagram.com/filmbybrueilly
https://www.facebook.com/TyBruGoesGlobal
https://x.com/TyBru
https://linktr.ee/tybrueilly
https://www.filmandfashionbybrueilly.com/
https://www.YouTube.com/@MTTSTV Anything else you're dying to
mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
I appreciate you taking the time to go into this in depth
interview and being one of the first people to watch the film. I know it's not for everyone, so it means a lot you watched it.
Thanks
for the interview!
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