Okay, Jeremy Campbell may not be on a personal mission of vengeance but he does have a clear intent to create a new breed of killer in his feature length adaptation of “Velvet Vengeance”. A killer of killers. In the spring of 2012 I had the pleasure of screening a short film from 13 Elm Films that melded the worlds of slasher scenario with action packed ass kicking. It was a film I considered to blend genres well and created a fresh new level of hell in horror story telling. One filled with martial arts and gore and all those things that make Indie horror such a great place to be. The short film The short followed Alice on a quest to prove once and for all that her brother’s death was the result of more than one killer. After a year of visions and dreams guided by her brother’s ghost she sets out to revisit the area where he died. Accompanied by her friends a new nightmare begins that pits her against a psycho sister act with a masked ax wielding sister as the co-antagonist. Now Jeremy Campbell is setting out to bring the story to life with even more action and horror in a the feature but with a added twist. “Velvet Vengeance” is in the early stages of production with Campbell in the process of bringing together the cast. Something that brings an obvious joy and excitement to surface in speaking with him about this project. We talked about the feature film, his vision for Alice, the bad ass girl next door who can take down psycho killers, plus the short film which is still gaining attention in film festivals and the directors love of action, horror and movie making. Here is what Jeremy Campbell had to tell me about this adventurous new path his passion has led him on. We start off talking about the short film that set things in motion.
ASouthernLife: How has the success for the short film "Velvet Vengeance" been since it's release last spring?
Jeremy Campbell: It's been a lot of fun. People have really responded to the movie and enjoy getting to see the girl next door turn into a bad ass. It's given me the chance to meet lots of cool people. One highlight was going to The San Antonio Horrific Film Fest and spending the weekend with the original cast of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I kind of feel like a boxer fighting my way up the ranks and just trying to prove I have what it takes to be a contender.
ASouthernLife: Where did the concept for the short come from, what was the inspiration?
Jeremy Campbell: It honestly started as a Friday The 13th fan film. The original plan was to make a fan film based on the novel Jason's Curse by Eric Morse. It was a book I read when I was 12 and it was about a teen girl that goes to Camp Crystal Lake to hunt Jason. While I was writing the script I started thinking of how fun it would be if I added a few extra elements. Like what if instead of Jason it's a killer that dresses like a Doll, and what if the girl looking for revenge carried a big gun and knew martial arts. Everything came together and it really feels like I'm getting to make the type of movie that I would want to see when I was 13. A mix of action and horror with a nice 90s crust. Very nostalgic. ASouthernLife: When did you realize that you wanted to make a feature length of "Velvet Vengeance" or was it planned when you made the short film?
Jeremy Campbell: A feature came up while we were shooting the short. I started writing it about mid way through shooting that project. I'm not sure what was the factor that pushed me over the edge. It was late 2012 when I decided that the Velvet Vengeance feature would be the next project and after that everything just started falling into place. It really feels like it was meant to be.
ASouthernLife: The feature adaptation will approach Alice's story differently, how is the new story going to differ and will it still focus on Alice's desire to prove the truth of her brother's death?
Jeremy Campbell: The movie is still very much about the journey Alice must take but now the journey is filled with new twists and turns. Everyone's roles are fleshed out more. Her brother Scott is almost an entirely different character than he was in the short. There are also new characters that help add a new level of humor and horror. The feature is kind of Alice finding out that this is all just a small part of a big picture. Alice is meant for a higher calling. The girl next door becomes the hunter of killers.
ASouthernLife: What made you decide to tell the story different in the feature film version as opposed to just elaborating the existing story?
Jeremy Campbell: It's a little bit of both but I wanted to kind of build a bigger roller coaster. The first one was fun but now we've got more money a bigger crew and a bigger story. I Figured instead of one loop why not add two and when you expect it to zig we should zag.
ASouthernLife: Do you worry about how the fans will react to the new version of the story?
Jeremy Campbell: Not at all. I don't chase trends or worry about what I think people want to see. That is a slippery slope that can really make you start second guessing what you knew was a good idea all along. I've got the chance to make my dream movie. A cross between late 80s early 90s action and 2nd wave slasher films. I figure if I like it then there should be someone else out there that likes the same thing. If not then at least I like it. The best thing for me to do is just focus on what feels right. Otherwise I'll just drive myself crazy.
ASouthernLife: "Velvet Vengeance" is still being accepted at festivals and has won awards, are you surprised at how well the short film has been received?
Jeremy Campbell: In hindsight I see the flaws and all of the things I wish that I could have done better so sometimes when people are telling me how much they liked it all I
I keep thinking is that they are messing with me. One funny story about that is after we screened at a film fest recently I was sitting in the hallway and we had a decent line of people buying dvd's and t-shirts. People were wanting photos and I was going to do a live radio interview right after so I thought I was king shit but then this guy comes up to my booth and tells me that him and his dad were at the film fest the year before when I showed a short film called "Try To Survive." He told me he liked that movie better. He kind of thought this new one sucked and was a real let down. That is the funny thing, as hard as you try and you feel like you've started to arrive you realize you still have a ton of work to do.
ASouthernLife: When did you first realize that you wanted to make movies? And was it always going to be horror movies?
Jeremy Campbell: I've always loved movies and the horror genre is without a doubt the one that really grabbed my attention when I was a kid. I was so in love with movies that when I was 10 I would go the video store without money just so I could read the back of the movies. It was when I was 13 that I bought a copy of the shooting script for A Nightmare On Elm Street and my eyes were opened to the idea of directing. The script was loaded with directing notes from Wes Craven but because of tough life conditions I did not get to start directing until I was 26. I got my start with a $200 camcorder from Best Buy and Windows Movie Maker. I'm totally self taught so to be where I am now 3 yrs later getting ready to make my first feature based off an award winning short is a real blessing. As far as genres I've done a little work in comedy and I plan on really bringing the action with Velvet Vengeance, so I'm down for where ever this road leads me. I do, however, prefer that feeling of making something that has roots in why I fell in love with movies to start with.
ASouthernLife: Who were some of the directors that inspired you growing up?
Jeremy Campbell: The four big directors, I would say were John Carpenter, George Romero, Wes Craven and Clive Barker. As I've gotten older I've discovered guys like Howard Hawks and John Ford but for me as a kid those were the names that I studied. Wes Craven being the guy that made me want to make movies but John Carpenter to this day is my film idol and sensei. I honestly keep a John Carpenter collector card in my wallet at all times.
ASouthernLife: Are there any other projects in the works that you care to mention?
Jeremy Campbell: All of my focus is on this project. I've even canceled projects just so that I could focus on this one. This is by far the most important moment of my film career.
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