Narrating A New Approach To Found Footage: My Interview With "They're Inside" Director John-Paul Panelli

Writer, Director and Producer, John-Paul Panelli is out to create interesting narrative stories. With an affinity for the found footage subgenre, John-Paul seeks to explore new ground and shed some much needed light on the over-done film style. Things like, plausibility, continuity of filming in the face of extreme danger, are just a few argument points that can be made about found footage. John-Paul Panelli is interested in addressing those issues.

His feature film debut, a found footage film titled "They're Inside", will hopefully clear some things up for both fans of the subgenre, as well as nay sayers. The film is co-written with Schuyler Brumley and tells the story of sisters, isolated, and seeking to film a personal project, trapped in a deadly passion project from Intruders. I had an opportunity to ask Panelli a few questions about the film. Read my interview with the director below.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What was the inspiration for They're Inside?
JOHN-PAUL PANELLI: To make a found-footage film that answered 2 questions: Who edited this film? Why are
they still filming when in danger?

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What was it like working with Schuyler Brumley?
JOHN-PAUL: Great. He’s a terrific writer and collaborator. He came up with this story, did the heavy lifting on the drafts… but he was also open for my take on it and things that I wanted to
get in the film.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What was the main objective or driving force behind such a creative, blended medium? Sort of a
story invaded by a darker story. And what do you hope horror fans take away from watching the
film?
JOHN-PAUL: We had never seen a film done this way before and we wanted to take an ambitious shot at doing our version of a home invasion film. We hope they feel it was something they haven’t seen before and it is worth watching a 2nd time.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: As a director, how hard was it blending the film's two concepts, in making sure the film captured the story without complicating the final product?
JOHN-PAUL: Impossibly hard. It’s a complicated story, with multiple timelines and moving parts. I
didn’t really find the right balance until our Editor, Rich Gilliam, was able to weave it in a way that made more sense.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: They're Inside focuses on a passion project that "collides" with another passion project, so on a personal level, was this a passion project?
JOHN-PAUL: It was a passion project in the sense that it was my first feature, so that was added pressure. But it wasn’t a story I had been marinating on, for a decade, waiting to make. I was just tired of hearing about others making films and me only watching them.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What can horror fans expect from you next, both as a writer and as a director?
JOHN-PAUL: Darker and more scary. They’re Inside really is just a fucked up family drama to me… I want to make something that shakes people to their core.

ASOUTHERNLIFE:  Who are some of the directors who inspired you, and what films of theirs got your attention?
JOHN-PAUL:
a. Mike Flanagan - Oculus: Origins of Evil
b. Adam Wingard - The Guest
c. Ruben Östlund - Force Majeure
d. James Wan - Saw
e. Karyn Kusama - The Invitation
f. Andrés Muschietti - It: Chapter 1 (and soon to be Chapter 2)
g. Ari Aster - Hereditary

A Dark, Yet Earnest Exploration Of Teens In Space: My Interview With Writer/Director Drew Bolduc

Drew Bolduc is best known for his film "The Taint", as well as his work on "Science Team". His writing and directing has garnered several film festival award nominations. His latest entry into the indie film world blends his love for classic horror with his equal love of science fiction.

"Assassinaut" is an ambitious, unique film exploring both sci-fi and retro thriller tropes with youthful action adventure flare. It follows four teenage astronauts braving an alien wilderness on a distant planet to save the Earth's President from a deadly assassin. I had a chance to interview Bolduc about his work and "Assassinaut", here is what he had to say:

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Where did the inspiration come from for ASSASSINAUT?
DREW BOLDUC: It originally started as a very violent Power Rangers-type movie. Some of the elements definitely remain in the final product in some of the monsters and SFX, but it evolved into something else.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: The film is genre- bending, mixing sci-fi adventure with arthouse thriller. Was that always present from the beginning or did your vision evolve into what we see on screen?

DREW BOLDUC: It started campier and more ironic. The more I worked on it, the less funny it became. I guess I was in a dark place. The tongue-in-cheek nature of a lot of indie genre stuff these days just wasn't interesting me. It seems safe now. I wanted it to be earnest. The visual look of the film also evolved and that changed the tone as well.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: There’s a strong focus on kids being responsible for the future of mankind, clearly expressive of our reality. How important was it to capture that on screen? Was it intentional?

DREW BOLDUC: I really wanted to show the conflict between an older and younger generation. We kind of just throw the next generation into a meat grinder in this country and yet get them to believe in all these impossible dreams and goals. We really don't prepare anyone for reality here.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: How was it working with a mostly young cast, filming such dark, heavy subject matter?

DREW BOLDUC: I think they liked it and thought it was cool, but honestly it was like working with adults. They were all very professional and awesome at their jobs.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What do you hope fans take away after watching ASSASSINAUT?
DREW BOLDUC : Life is hard, people die, you got to figure out things for yourself.

ASOUTHERNLIFE : Were you surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response from both critics and audiences? They tend to go into a movie from different perspectives? The feedback has been equally positive on both sides.
DREW BOLDUC: I feel in a lot of ways the movie is like an ink blot. I constantly hear completely different and contradictory views on what the movie is and isn't. I think it is a movie that you have to accept on its own terms otherwise people just won't get it. There are those that do not like it out there for sure, which is whatever, but it isn't a party movie. It isn't about being totally gratified and sedated when it ends. It was part of the theme.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Who are some of the directors that inspired you, and what are some of their films that inspired you?
DREW BOLDUC: Kent Russell - The Devils, Paul Verhoeven - Robocop, Katsuhito Ishii - The Taste of Tea

Filming The Great Getaway: My Interview With Writer, Director And Star Of "The Refuge"- Keith Sutliff

KS Pictures released action thrill-ride, "The Refuge", follows a getaway driver who finds himself in harm's way when he gets caught up in a job involving casino heist. The film comes from acclaimed filmmaker Keith Sutliff, who wrote, directed and starred as the film's lead. "The Refuge" released theatrically this past June. 

A Los Angeles resident since 2012, Keith Sutliff is originally from Tampa FL. After starting production company, KS Pictures LLC, he has gone on to produce, write, and direct multiple short films before making his first feature film in 2016- "The Mason Brothers". Now Sutliff has returned with his most recent action thriller, here is what he had to say about his filmmaking process and inspiration.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Where did the inspiration come from for "The Refuge"?
KEITH SUTLIFF: I always wanted to create a driver film for years. A getaway driver film to be specific. There has been so many great getaway driver films over the years. This has been a type of film I have always loved growing up. Also I wanted to create the sensation that the audience is in the backseat with this getaway driver doing jobs around town at night. A lot of the film is shot from the back seat. Like the old Back To The Future or Transformers ride at Universal Studios. You are in the back seat of this car driving around town (Los Angeles). The video game Grand Theft Auto is kinda like this too as the main character is doing all these jobs around town in a car. I wanted that video game type story line.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Was this a passion project?
KEITH SUTLIFF: For sure! All my films are. Touching base more from above. I have always loved driver films growing up and Grand Theft Auto the video game.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: As the film's director what was the hardest part of filming?
KEITH SUTLIFF: Balancing all the jobs. Directing while acting in the film as the lead, managing the project as a whole from a producers stand point even while on set, filming at night around Los Angeles at many locations.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Did you go into the creative process with complete understanding you would play the story's lead?
KEITH SUTLIFF: Yes for sure. I always wanted to play the role of a getaway driver since moving to Los Angeles about 7 years ago. I didn't believe anyone would give me that opportunity to act in such a role so I made my own role and film of it.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Did knowing you were going to be the film's lead make it easier or harder both in writing the script and directing?
KEITH SUTLIFF: And which do you enjoy more, the acting or the directing? I think it made it easier. Because I knew what I wanted for the character when writing it and also what shots I wanted to show the story on screen as a director. I enjoy them both a lot. But I think I like directing a lot because the director is the overall vision of the film and how it will be displayed on screen.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What can fans expect with "The Refuge"?
KEITH SUTLIFF: They can expect a cerebral type thriller film centered around a getaway driver at night in Los Angeles. A film that is centered and told through actions on screen carried out by music with not a ton of dialogue in scenes. Kinda like 2001 A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick or some of the older classical films from the early 1900s. The film shows a lot of the behind the scenes of this getaway driver preparing for jobs. It is not a car chase action movie and was not supposed to be. It really focuses on the music and actions on screen as mentioned before.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What other projects do you have in works, both starring and directing?
KEITH SUTLIFF: Yes I have a few. Suitcase City is my next feature I am working on and plan to do. It is a Action/Crime/Sci-Fi film based in the future around this martial arts tournament and gang leader of this city. I don't want to spoil more. People will have to check it out when it comes out in the future!

Chilling Entries Of Demonic Possession: A Interview With "The Possession Diaries" Director Juan Frausto

Start an entry in the frightening The Possession Diaries, featuring acclaimed actor James Russo (Django Unchained, Beverly Hills Cop), arriving on DVD and Digital this June from Uncork’d Entertainment. 

Juan Frausto, director of Road Kill and Once Upon a Time in the Hood, invites you to log on for a streaming screamfest that will leave one girl possessed… and you on the edge of your seat!

ASouthernLife:How does one get into filmmaking? Or let me rephrase that, how did you?
Juan Frausto: Ever since, I watched the making of Star Wars at the age of nine – I’ve discovered that I wanted to make films like George Lucas. I was fascinated on how movies were made. Around the age of 11, I got all my friends together and shot a little horror movie called “Run, before it’s too late” on an 8-milliter camera. I went to Columbia College for film studies, dropped out in my second year to work on music videos and on independent films for free. And, by doing that, for a couple of years, I decided to make my first feature film at the age of 21. It took 2 years to make “Change” and it premiered at many film festivals where I was considered the first Latino filmmaker in Chicago to make a feature film. In 1999, I made Drive By for $50,000 and was picked up by Artisan Entertainment. It became a huge hit on DVD across the nation and even premiered on HBO. With the success of “Drive By”, I became a hired gun directing films for many production companies.

ASouthernLife: Was it easy to get local funding for THE POSSESSION DIARIES?
Juan Frausto: Nothing comes easy on making a film, especially when it’s about financing. I broke the first rule in producing that you should never use your own money to make films, but I wanted to make another film so badly that I decided to do it. I also convinced two investors to put up the other half of the budget when I informed them that I had a couple of well-known actors attached to the film.

ASouthernLife: Did having known actors, like James Russo, onboard the film helped get financing?
Juan Frausto: Having known actors always makes a great difference on getting films financed. James Russo was the biggest draw and I knew his name would draw attention; I really needed him for this film. He gives the film more credibility and importance.

ASouthernLife: Munroe is remarkable in this movie. Can you tell us how you convinced her to play this part?
Juan Frausto: Yes, Katherine was an absolute find. During auditions, I like to go out of script and improvise on the spot, she responded so well and in character. I did not do any convincing on her; she convinced me that she was the one to play the role. This woman can cry on cue, it’s incredible.

ASouthernLife: Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
Juan Frausto: One of the struggles I dealt with it before signing on with Uncork’d Entertainment was really finding a good distribution company that is transparent and really care to promote your movie out there. At this point in time, I’m very impressed and happy with the way Uncork’d is really pushing the movie out in the market. I made the right choice with them.

ASouthernLife: Where do you think your strengths lie as a filmmaker?
Juan Frausto: It’s always good to be the director of your own scripts. I do both jobs very well; they come hand in hand for me. As a Director it’s easy to translate the written word on the screen because you clearly see the whole picture in your head. I always see my characters as my children and after many rewrites you see how much they’ve grown on you.

ASouthernLife: How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
Juan Frausto: Marketing is key. Promoting your film on social media can make a huge difference and it doesn’t cost a thing, but it takes time and hard work.

ASouthernLife: What do you hope audiences get from the movie?
Juan Frausto: I just want the audience to see the love and passion that was put into this film. I feel it’s a really well crafted film considering it was done on a low budget scale. I hope they find it interesting, entertaining, and creepy and have some kind of a psychological effect on them. I know the audience will not look at it as critics because they know it’s just a movie regardless of its budget and shortcomings. All they want is to be entertained; I know this because I am the audience.


The Possession Diaries, on DVD and Digital June 4,

Fight Flicks And B-movie Flare : My Interview With "Intensive Care" Director Jared Bentley

Filmmaker and TV director Jared Bentley's action thriller "Intensive Care" offers a strong female lead. The film also features one heck of a stuntperson who takes on that lead with some A-level, talent. Jared, himself considers actress Tara Macken's skill unrivaled.

"Intensive Care" follows three low life criminals who plan to rob an elderly woman’s home, but her caregiver turns out to be a former special ops agent with an agenda of her own. Ex-special ops turned nurse gives the thieves a fight they will not win.

I recently interviewed Jared Bentley about "Intensive Care" and his influences. You can check it out below. 

ASouthernlife: Where did the inspiration come from for "Intensive Care"?
Jared Bentley: My filmmaking partners and I were getting frustrated, attempting to get financing for a couple projects of ours, so we decided to take matters into our own hands and self finance a feature. We were only working with about a $100,000 production budget, and because the actors we wanted, needed to go with SAG, which meant that 20% would be taken up by fringe costs that don't end up on the screen.

So this meant we needed to come up with a concept that was mostly in one location, and did not have a lot of principal actors.

It initially was going to be a horror film, but co-writer/producer, Darrin Scane and I grew up on straight-to-video B-action movies as kids, so the writing kept moving more towards that direction.  Co-writer/producer, Eric C. Storlie's interests lie with more with indie, off beat films, so a lot of the humor and odd quirks were his influence.  All of us agreed that a strong female lead would be far more interesting than making Alex a man. So once that was decided, the story came together very easily.

ASoutherLife: How hard is the process of bringing together those action sequences as opposed to creating those moments on paper?

Jared Bentley: It's very complex and you have to have a lot of elements in place. Take the scene where Seth and Alex are being dragged by the truck.

I came up with the idea but I have never done anything like that before.   We knew we needed actors that were skilled and comfortable with doing their own stunts. And lastly you need a stunt coordinator and special effects coordinator that not only know ways to build it, but can do so safely and in a manner that can be duplicated numerous times. Oh, and in a way that costs very little money. It's no small order.

My father was a special effects technician his whole life, so I grew up around guys like that. So fortunately, when it came

time to do this film, I knew exactly who to call. Pete Porteous and James Fuentez are two old school guys who have worked in

the business for over 30 years, so we were in good hands.

ASouthernLife: Is there a lot of compromise, and does it making finding actors capable of meeting such a huge challenge?

Jared Bentley:  There can be compromise, but fortunately not for us.   We knew we did NOT want to use stunt doubles on this as it's more costly and the quality is compromised.  I'm a big fan of the John Wick movies, as well as Mission Impossible. One of the elements that make those films so successful is that their lead actors ware wholly committed to doing the stunts, and it adds so much to the film, seeing and knowing this.

We were about 6 weeks out from production and we still didn't have our "Alex".. We were having a difficult time

finding someone that was the whole package: someone that could act well on many different levels, do their own stunts, and was willing and available to be in a low budget movie by an unknown production company. Fortunately, Kevin Sizemore, who plays "Seth" int he film, and who is also a producer on the project, knew about Tara. I saw her stunt reel and knew that that would be the easy part for her. And when she came in to read for the part, we were all so relieved because she was able to seamlessly switch between tough, vulnerable, funny, and sexy the way that he character needed to.

ASouthernLife: I guess it helps when your leading actor,  happens to be a stellar stuntperson. What was it like working with Tara Macken?

Jared Bentley: Tara is such a badass. Her stunt credentials and nearly unrivaled. But beyond that, her work ethic and professionalism set the tone for the entire shoot. Which is so important. People take their cues from the lead of the film, and if they are weak or are not committed, the rest of the cast and crew quickly follow.  She was game for everything we wanted her to do. 15 takes of an intense, long fight scene? Sure! Throw you through a wall? Sure! Hang you? Sure!

ASouthernLife: What other projects do you have in works?

Jared Bentley: We have a high school suspense thriller called Covetous, that we like to say is "Dexter meets Glee" or "Mean Girls meets Death Wish". We also have a kind of "Silence of Lambs" type Sci Fi/Crime thriller called The Conductor.  Each would require a higher budget than Intensive Care, so we looking for financing or co-production opportunities. On a different note, we have a college comedy called Class of 95, but right now, indie comedy is dead so hopefully that will change soon.

ASouthernLife: Who were some of the directors who inspired you growing up,  and first starting out in the film industry?

Jared Bentley: As a kid, it was Spielberg. Raiders of the Lost Ark is still my favorite film.  Then I became obsessed with Kubrick, mainly for his dogmatic technical prowess and innovation..  We are very spoiled by CGI now. If you can think it, you can make it. It wasn't that long ago that this wasn't true, and Kubrick advanced technology more than anyone in film. Watching Dr. Strangelove, when I was 16, was the first time I ever saw a film as something more than just entertainment.

Some of my less popular influences were Howard Hawks and Tony Scott.  Hawks for his story telling and fresh dialogue, and Scott for this visual style.  And of course Quentin Tarantino. Pulp Fiction was not only a film, it was a cultural touchstone. It's very rare for that to happen. And he is still one of the most unique, edgy, and inimitable voices in film.

You can read my review of "Intensive Care" here: http://asouthernlifeinscandaloustimes.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-review-of-intensive-care.html?

Facing A Hollywood Future Producing Evil: My Interview With Horror Director Vito Dinatolo

Vito Dinatolo is an Italian writer/ director/ producer who has worked both in film and television. He also started his own production company, V-Movie, which has released its first title, "Face Of Evil". "F.O.E" has since been picked up by Gravitas Ventures for worldwide distribution.

Dinatolo has won awards for his short film work, and "Face Of Evil" has found some success on the film festival circuit. Vito is also hands on in post-production for most of his work. He edits, and scores the music for his films, most notably his feature film "F.O.E". I interviewed Vito Dinatolo about his work , "Face Of Evil", and plans for the future.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Where did the idea for "Face Of Evil" come from?

VITO DINATOLO: I always liked horror movies, so it was inevitable that my first feature film would be within that range. I had a nightmare when I was younger about these pale people with yellow blazing eyes and an evil sneer like joker, moving fast and trying to grab you, and it stuck in my mind. That's where the look of the infected comes from. I think with horror or thriller you can express yourself better, show your style, leave your footprint on the product, while with comedy or action you heavily rely on actors, their charisma. You hear of horror movies directed by such or such, but for most genres, you need a star. Plus low budget horror is safer since it always sells, even in the worst case, which I hope it's not mine.  As for the background issues, like the war vet, the epidemic etc, I had to place the horror in a realistic contest to make the series of unfortunate events believable, where everything is justified at the end. 

ASOUTHERNLIFE: The film blends classic horror with social awareness, bringing to light the difficulty military veterans face returning home from combat. What inspired that aspect of your story?

VITO DINATOLO: The main message is probably against violence, since violence generates violent people, but eventually it's up to the audience. I just wanted to bring up topical issues, such as vets post traumatic stress, suicides, mass shooting rampages (what's going on in a person's mind before pressing the trigger?). This movie also brings up many paranoia afflicting our society in the 21st century, like fear of epidemics, of terrorism, of being spied, even fear of each other, all of which inevitably leads to mistrust and hate. In fact, one tagline for the poster was "Trust Nobody" like Sarge (the other lead) recites, but that sounded like any cheap thriller. The other one was "What's your Demon?" but that sounded to devilish and may have been deceitful. So I decided to use none and keep the mystery - just the title and a smiley face with an evil sneer, simple, catchy, teasing, potentially viral, like an epidemic. Instead of making a plain horror movie, I thought to legitimate the horror in the movie through the eyes of a troubled  war vet with PTSD, which gives a deeper meaning to the story. It’s about the inner journey of a person on the run from his demons, real or not, from an unknown enemy, who may attack anywhere, anytime. Or perhaps it’s just the story of a victim, a scapegoat in a devious system. It’s a contemporary tale of realistic madness. And since we live in this world, we are somehow involved. It could read like the headline of any recent news: "Breaking News! Another war vet with post traumatic stress goes on a shooting rampage among the crowd and then he shoots himself!" Maybe he saw the enemy, monsters, zombies and whatnot… Maybe he was just fighting his demons…  But now I'm revealing too much - spoiler alert!

ASOUTHERNLIFE: How was the filming process for "Face Of Evil" ? What was it like on set bringing the concept to life?

VITO DINATOLO: I wrote the script thinking about the shoot and the limited budget. So I divided the film in two separate productions, and you saw they are almost two different movies. The first half takes place in a house I found in the valley. It was perfect as the owner was a hoarder so all I had to do is re-arrange the mess in a way that mad sense for the action of the story and the blocking of the actors. The second half was shot around LA, some permits, some guerrilla style. I also shot in skid row. One bridge was on sixth street by the industrial area. The other by Chinatown. The hospital was in LACC, as they had a nursing department and I knew people in the school. Finally, the desert scene, an homage to Sergio Leone's spaghetti western, was just outside LA, I was driving the day of the shoot with the two actors and a couple of crew members, knowing LA is surrounded by the desert, but not knowing exactly what to find, I believe on the 14 freeway, at some point I saw a town which looked exactly like a destroyed Afghanistan town, even better than what I was expecting, so we stopped and we shot. Note that every single shoot, location etc, was exactly planned in details in advance. The more you plan in advance, the more you can improvise on set, but that's true for any task in any business I guess. For example, the gas station scene was carefully rehearsed before hand - since they didn't let us shoot on the spot, we went through the blocking many times in another gas station, already knowing the map of the actual gas station which denied us. Then we went on location, to the actual gas station, and while one of us was in the market, buying something, acting as a decoy, we promptly parked, shot with the two actors, and left in five minutes! It came out great. The interior was instead shot in another market in the valley. I could go on forever, but I'll stop here, that's enough behind the scene trivia I guess...  

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Who had a bigger influence on your choices when creating the film's undead, Bava or Raimi?

VITO DINATOLO: I like both, from Bava's "Demons", to Raimi's "Evil Dead", maybe the latter has had more influence on me, including the absurd over the top surreal mood and  characters.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: The reveal at the end was a pretty cool choice. How hard was it keeping the story's continuity going from script to film?

VITO DINATOLO: I first draft was quick, about a month - I wanted to make a horror film and zombies were my favorites. But I needed a realistic background, with dynamics justified by plausible causes, thus him being a war vet, the mysterious vial he brings back, and all other possible causes of this mysterious epidemic, including conspiracies. So I wrote a seventy min story, plain horror/action, many zombie chases, lots of blood, but also comedy. Shortly after, zombie-mania exploded, catapulting the zombie genre into mainstream, which, along with the boom of affordable HD video and DSLR cameras, stimulated the production of zombie movies, with the downside of a rising genre inflation, as all kind of zombie titles were popping out, you name it! I had no intention to waste the following years of my life making just another stupid zombie movie, so I thought I should add a psychological element to it, with final twist, which lead me to re-write the script from Jay's (the lead) perspective (it will make more sense after you watch the movie, and when/if you watch it again). Bottom line, to get to the final draft it took me about a year, as I was also cutting down on blood and extras for budget reasons. The double twist at the end is the viewer's payoff and it leaves you flabbergasted, but in order to make ends meet at the end, as mentioned, it took ma a lot of work, almost writing backwards. 

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What projects are you working on now for the future?

VITO DINATOLO: I'm brainstorming on the sequel of Face Of Evil, and a couple of other ideas I'm not going to reveal yet, including a remake of a great 90's movie everyone will love to see again). I also have a psychological thriller ready, A Perfect Life (a man in denial realizes, in three surreal days, how fragile his apparently perfect life has become, as new memories arise, disclosing a terrible truth). I have a dozen synopses overall ready to be developed. But I will also look for other scripts. I like character based stories - if you notice, the most memorable movies are character based - once you know the story, it's no big deal anymore, but if the story is based mostly on the characters and not just on their actions, we will never get bored of watching those scenes, because we are no longer interested in the story, but in their character, you want to meet them, hang out with them, say the same lines with them. Those movies are evergreen, some become cults.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Can you talk a bit more about the sequel or franchise development for "Face Of Evil"? Maybe exploring the other issues that effect a soldiers psyche?

VITO DINATOLO:As I mentioned, I have written the synopsis for for the sequel of FOE, where we still don't know what's going on, whether it's real or not, but on a larger scale, closer to the terrorism theme. The lead characters would be Jay's sister, Katy, played by Jamie Bernadette, renown mostly in the horror genre but now making a name also in TV series, and Sarge, played by Chad Bishop, who is the most successful character in the movie, the funniest, craziest and most realistic one, so, it would be a shame to lose him. And who knows, maybe I will keep all other characters too, since they were all great, but they mostly die (ops! spoiler alert), from Janet Roth, to Scott Baxter, Bryan Howard, James Hutchinson, Chris Thorpe, Charmane Star (renown in the hardcore world) and all others (listed on https://www.foemovie.com/media/). By the way, investors are welcome to contact me!

The Psychology Of Creating Horror: My Interview With Director Lou Simon

Lou Simon's latest journey into the dark side of the human condition is a torture nightmare situation that balances shock horror with suspense. "3: An Eye For An Eye" is available now, but Simon is most notably recognized for her 2013 slasher "Hazmat". A film widely received and embraced by the horror community. She is truly a powerhouse and triple threat as Writer, Director and Producer.

"Hazmat" kicked off, what can only be described as a "true calling" experience for Lou Simon. She has gone on to release films that explore varied subgenres with horror from psychological thriller to survival horror, with "Agoraphobia" and "All Girls Weekend". Now with her latest twisted joint making its mark in the horror community I reached out to Lou Simon to talk about her career, "3: An Eye For An Eye", and her future.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What was your inspiration for "3: An Eye For An Eye" ?
LOU SIMON: It was a convergence of different things that happened at the same time. I wanted to make a film with a very limited cast so that I would then get a chance to really work with the actors. At the same time, the actress that plays She, Aniela McGuinness, had a double mastectomy and posted the pictures on Facebook. That got the wheels turning about a rape victim who exacts revenge on her rapist who has disfigured her. (I know, only I can turn breast cancer even darker.) Aniela was supposed to star in “All Girls Weekend” when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I had promised to write a role for her as soon as she was better. So this was written around her.

ASOUTHERNLIFE:  The film takes classic revenge horror tropes and gives them a more progressive spin, while making a clear statement about mental health. Why this specific concept? ( without giving anything away- as much as possible)
LOU SIMON: Mental health is a recurring theme in my films. I took a lot of psychology in college even though I was not a psych major, because the human mind and what motivates us is something that has always fascinated me. I had to do a lot of research on the mental health issues that are portrayed in the film, and I was shocked about the fact that this is reality for some people. Life can be so much more horrific than anything our mind can make up.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: "3" does a good job at keeping the twist ending concealed until absolutely necessary. How hard was it to maintain that element of surprise going from script to film?
LOU SIMON: In a way it was a group effort. If there was a line of dialogue or something that happened that might give it away, someone in the cast or crew pointed it out. When you write something, it’s hard to see any plot holes so it’s nice when your cast and crew can feel comfortable enough to tell you that you may have missed something.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: IMDb states that law was your choice of career before finding yourself in the film industry. How far into that first project were you when you realized that "this is it- this is what I want to do for the rest of my life?
LOU SIMON: Like most lawyers I know, I went to law school because I wanted some financial security, but it was never a calling for me. I had studied creative writing in college and wanted to be a novelist. When I discovered screenwriting, I knew that this was what I was meant to do. It comes so easily to me. I wrote several scripts before I decided to make one into a film. I could live without ever directing or producing again. I like both but my only true passion is writing. I can never live without that.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Your first feature as writer/ director, "Hazmat", garnered both critic and fan accolades, and was a hit in the horror community. What was that like- to get that affirmation?
LOU SIMON: It was amazing. “HazMat” is still the most well-received film I made, and it took me to the UK and Berlin while I was in the festival circuit. I had been through some very rough times right before I wrote that script. In fact, I was recovering from major surgery when I wrote it. It changed my life – not only professionally, but it changed my outlook about needing security and pursuing a creative life instead.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: Did you know from the beginning that you were going to make horror movies, has the horror genre always been a favorite for you?
LOU SIMON: I feel like I write suspenseful films, not necessarily horror per se. Although often horrific things happen in them. I’ve always loved suspense – being on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what’s going to happen next, or being surprised by a twist. I just watched “The Untouchables” the other day. That scene at the train station with the baby carriage. That’s one of the most well-done suspenseful scenes I’ve ever seen, and even though I know what happens, I was still tense watching it. Definitely not horror, but suspense at its finest.

ASOUTHERNLIFE: What project or projects are you working on now? (If you can talk about them at the
moment )
LOU SIMON: I am filming my segment of an all-woman-directors, horror anthology in September. It’s nice to go back into the genre after taking a year off to film a documentary about elephants in Thailand. I hope to have thedocumentary which is titled “Goodwill Ambassador – Thailand” done soon. Then, I’ll start work on a sci-fi/horror film I wrote earlier this year.

Documenting The Paranormal, "Darkness Reigns", And Casper Van Dien : My Interview With Andrew P. Jones

Andrew P. Jones' "Darkness Reigns" is a paranormal experience within a paranormal experience - sort of.  The film follows a documentary film crew on set as they journal the behind-the-scenes action of a paranormal film shoot. A mix of supernatural entanglement sets into motion a deadly sequence of nightmarish events

Jones, a lover of the paranormal genre, documentarian and indie filmmaker, creates an ambitious story, produced on a microbudget. He also snags genre icon Casper Van Dien, a legend in the making of the horror and sci-fi genres. I was privileged enough to have an opportunity to interview Andrew P. Jones about "Darkness Reigns" and working with Van Dien.

ASouthrnLife: Where did the inspiration come from for "Darkness Reigns? 

Andrew P. Jones: Darkness Reigns was inspired by my personal love of the paranormal, as well as my experiences working in the indie film business. I also wanted to figure out how to make a film in an unthinkably short amount of time, so the long, continuous takes was my answer to that.

ASoutherLife: Have you always been interested in the paranormal or did your interest come about from an experience?

Andrew P. Jones: I have always had a general interest in the paranormal.  It's fun for me to stay at "haunted" hotels.  I have made documentaries on the subject, and I have a TV show I'm developing that I think offers a fresh, new take on the ghost hunting genre.  I shot a pilot for that and it involved traveling all over the country and working with a multitude of paranormal researchers.  I would imagine I've been on more ghost hunts with more of a variety of paranormal groups than anyone on the planet.

ASouthernLife: Darkness Reigns" is sort of a "movie within a movie", the making of a horror film and the paranormal experience, how important was it to tell the story this way, and how hard was it to keep the fluidity of your concept?  

Andrew P. Jones: Creating a movie within a movie is challenging on a tight budget because you need to film what looks like a working film set.  The upside is that we didn't need to worry about equipment being in the shot, or clearing away things we might normally clear away.  I remember once my DP, who was operating the camera, stopped during a rehearsal and said, "I need to change this... I caught my shadow on the wall."  A normal thing for a DP to notice.  But after a moment of contemplation, I said, "wait, no it's OK... it's SUPPOSE to be there.  We know there is a cameraman shooting this.... it's his footage we're watching."  So, it was odd to break old habits but it gave us total freedom.

ASouthernLife: What classic films told in a similar style did you draw influence from- if any?  

Andrew P. Jones: We get the "found footage" thing a lot, which baffles me.  There is no footage that anyone finds.  It's documentary style.  It's "continuous footage."  So... I get the Blair Witch comparison a lot and there really is zero similarity.   I tend to pay homage to the 80's and 90's when there were more practical effects and movies were a little more about interesting characters.  I think there is a little nod to The Shining in that it's set in an old hotel and there is a cool bar that we had some fun with.

ASouthernLife: In the film Casper Van Dien plays himself, how was it working with such an iconic talent, and was it always your intentions to have him in the movie?

Andrew P. Jones: When I wrote the script, probably five or six years ago, I had no idea who that might be.  Once my casting director got involved, she pitched me a few names, and I pitched her a few... but honestly Casper was pretty much top of her list.  And I thought it was a great choice because he's not a cliche. It would have been easy for that character to become a joke, and I didn't want that.  He's respected as an actor and beloved by his Starship Troopers fan base.  He has a strong following in family films too.  More than anything he was a joy to work with and I'm at the age where that carries a lot of weight.  After thirty plus years in this business, I like to surround myself with good people who are going to make the experience as enjoyable as it can be, and that is Casper for sure.

ASouthernLife: What projects do you have slated now that "Darkness Reigns" is out there, and will it be paranormal in nature?

Andrew P. Jones: I am working on a family film called Harriet Houdini that is near and dear to me.  I also have a couple period dramas that are based on true stories that I am trying to raise money for.  I have a wonderful Christmas movie that I'm hoping to make soon.  All in all I have six features and three TV shows in various stages, so, I'm keeping pretty busy.

ASouthernLife: Who are some other big genre names you would like to work with? 

Andrew P. Jones: I don't think in terms of genre names.  I love actors.  I tend to love the really great character actors, and there is a long list of those I hope to work with like Stephen Root, Len Cariou, Bill Nighy, Timothy Spall... too many to list.  But, I still have a lot of movies to make, so, there's time.

Chatting With "Alice Fades Away" Director Ryan Bliss

Ryan Bliss is a up-and-coming Director who is unafraid to explore the surreal, somewhat darker life. With films like "Rot" and "Clover" he plays on the emotional tug-of-war, between the self and the psychological horrors one endures, with compassion to the humanist exploration. Now Ryan Bliss has a new feature project, "Alice Fades Away", a stylized thriller slated for spring 2019.

"Alice Fades Away" stars the notable Ashley Shelton known for Something, Anything (2014), Sollers Point (2017),  Award winning Tommy Beadmore, Emmy Award winning Blanche Barker, British film and stage actress Joanna Pickering, and Paxton Singleton of Mike Flanagan The Haunting Hill House, among a rising cast. Ryan Bliss has assembled a stellar cast, and "Alice Fades Away" premise reads like a dark, timeless, classic. I had the opportunity to chat with Ryan about his new project, and the film's stars. Check out our interview, as well as some exclusive stills from the film below.

ASouthernLife: How did the concept of "Alice Fades Away" come about?

Ryan Bliss: Post-WWII is a fascinating time to me. Most Americans were still healing from the wounds of the war, which then created a strong sense of community and of family values and prosperity. Alice is a character who completely rejects those ideals, making her someone out of place. I knew I wanted to do a character study on a person like her. But I wanted to do it using genre elements, most notably the home invasion angle.

ASoutherLife: What about the story really compelled you to want to make this movie,  and what do you hope fans take away from seeing it?

Ryan Bliss: More than anything, I hope the fans leave the film entertained. A movie with a message is nothing if it’s not entertaining. I want them to be thrilled, to be on the edge of their seat.

I was writing the film for well over a year and in that time it went through many variations. However, the core ingredients were always the same. Take the peaceful, idealistic early 1950’s and flip it on its head. I wanted to create two characters who go head to head. Alice, a woman trapped by the times who suffers an unspeakable tragedy, and Holden, a WWII vet turned assassin, hired by the family of Alice’s husband. The idea of this underestimated woman taking on a trained killer really excited me.

ASoutherLife: The film seems to blend the concept of idealistic life verses the uncontrolled one both environmentally and internally. Is that accurate?

Ryan Bliss:Yes, that’s very accurate. Well put. The group of people who take in Alice are not prepared for the uncontrollable id of Alice and the main antagonist, Holden, played by Timothy Sekk—who is superb. They represent the animalistic nature of the human condition.

ASouthernLife: I love the title, and the psychological implications have my attention. How was the writing process,  and how much of real experience did you draw inspiration when writing the story?

Ryan Bliss: Writing a story of this nature can be taxing. I knew I wanted Alice to be a flawed human being, but the real challenge was figuring out how unlikable to make her. She had to be disturbed enough to make everyone on the farm begin to question her, but relatable enough for the audience to side with her once the villain appears. Ashley Shelton pulled that off in spades and it would not have worked if it was not for her sympathetic and very human performance. I took the characters as far as I could in the writing process and then relied on the actors to give them the extra push to really make them their own. For example, Timothy studied American POW’s in WWII and found many disturbing, yet fascinating things which we then incorporated into the film.

ASouthernLife: What has it been like working with film legend Blanche Baker?

Ryan Bliss: Blanche was a joy to work with. She totally got the character and the movie we were trying to make. She is truly a professional and a sweetheart on top of that. On her last day on set, she gave me a jar of her homemade family honey. I’m saving it for a special occasion!

ASouthernLife: You have a strong female cast and added the talented Joanna Pickering to join Ashley Shelton (who plays Alice) and Blanche Baker. She is a great actress I am very familiar with, having followed her career from her avant garde performances in the UK and her Independent film projects here. What drew you to cast Miss Pickering for the role of Dylan?

Ryan Bliss: It was easy to spot Joanna’s passion for the project right from the start. She auditioned for the role and her initial read of the character won me over quickly. When I spoke with her soon after, it was clear she was the right person for the role of Dylan. Dylan’s character provides the backstory that drives the film so it was an important role for her to portray. I was also lucky with all my main cast—Jay Potter, Tommy Beardmore, Conor William Wright, Emily Eckes, Paxton Singleton, Nick Yiakoumatos and Benjamin Russell— check them and all the crew out on imdb. 

ASouthernLife: When can we expect "Alice Fades Away" to be ready for release?

Ryan Bliss: Expect Alice to be a theatrical release in US by spring of next year. We still have a little more filming before we wrap in a new location—in particular a scene involving an important character we just cast. I can’t say who just yet, but I’m excited to announce it very soon. The footage and performances we have already shot, helped the film evolve more than we imagined and it is attracting more major interest from star actors and regards distribution.

A special thank you to Jacqueline Cooper for photos from"Alice Fades Away"

"Alice Fades Away" IMDb