Jordan Pacheco’s Quest To Provoke The Dead

Jordan Pacheco is the director of the upcoming paranormal film “Provoked”. No this film will not be a found-footage or documentary styled melodrama. It is a traditional yet modern ghost story immersed  in the world of paranormal investigating. The film follows a group of researchers who decide to take extreme measures to produce the results they have sought out for so long with no result. After using paranormal techniques in order to “provoke” the dead to communicate things take a dire turn that finds more sinister forces at work around them. The movie is well into filming and should  be ready for horror fans by fall. In my interview with Pacheco we talked about "Provoked", his work on "Erebus" and his passion for paranormal investigating.

ASouthernLife: This is your first feature length movie director, is directing something that you have always wanted to do?
Jordan Pacheco: Directing has always been a dream of mine but until the last few years seemed unreachable. I didn't go to film school or grow up in a community that had much to offer for a career in the arts. I learned what I could on my own and dived headfirst into working on short films and student projects, any position I could get. I was fortunate enough to meet some great filmmakers like Richard Griffin, Ric Rebelo and Eric Rodrigues that I could learn from.

ASouthernLife:Where did the concept come from for Provoked?
Jordan Pacheco: Provoked is based on a personal fear of mine as a amateur investigator. The thought of being followed home by a malicious entity always and still does make me second guess if I should be investigating the paranormal.

ASouthernLife: So you have been on paranormal investigations? Did you experience any ghost activities?
Jordan Pacheco: I have been on investigations and plan on doing many more. much like my characters in the film I have never gotten any solid evidence of the paranormal. I have had personal experiences. When I was young I would hear foot steps going up the staircase and across 2nd floor, then I would hear the bath tub run. When I went up to check it out no one was there and the tub was dry. I was the only one home every time this happened. Years later I found out a older man committed suicide in the tub.

ASouthernLife:  You filmed in the Lizzie Borden house, how awesome was that experience?
Jordan Pacheco: Filming in the Borden house was a great experience. There were a lot of pictures from the trial and even some pieces of evidence. Besides what better places to film a paranormal film?

ASouthernLife: What kind of paranormal experiences did you have filming in the house?
Jordan Pacheco: We didn't have any experiences while filming but we did an investigation with some of the cast and crew. One cast member Sean Carmichael experienced the sensation of someone gently touching the back of his neck and humming, he was alone on the third floor at the time. We also got a hit on the k2 meter when ever the murders or our presence was mentioned.

ASouthernLife:  Where you tempted to use unconventional or extreme methods to "encourage" ghosts to interact with you guys?
Jordan Pacheco: I always encourage creative ways of investigating but would never attempt to provoke or anger a entity to get evidence. Everything we "know" about the paranormal is in all realism just theory and could be very dangerous.

ASouthernLife: You also do special effects/make-up but in Provoked you handed the task to Eric Rodrigues, was it an easy choice to hand over the effects to someone else for the look and feel of the movie in that manner?
Jordan Pacheco: In the past I have directed short films and wore many "hats" for all of them, but for Provoked and any feature film I feel it's important to give 100% to Directing. The choice was easy, I learned most of what I know as an FX artist from Eric and he is a very talented graduate of the Tom Savini school. The difficult part is resisting the urge to get in there and work with him, I love doing FX make up.

“Provoked” is Jordan Pacheco’s first film as director but it is far from his first movie project, having served as assistant director on other projects, most recently on another Indie project titled “Erebus”. That project is in post-production and is a horror anthology inspired by the well-documented history of supernatural phenomenon in Rhode Island. He is at the moment completely submerged in his directorial debut "Provoked". Pacheco told me that there are plans for multiple screenings around Halloween with Tony Moran holding attendance at some of the events. A venue has already been locked for when the project is complete with only minor set backs occurring, which is common with any movie’s production. Pacheco told me that everything is still on track with the project.