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Your webseries Fragments
of Fear - in a few words, what is it about?
Imagine a cross between Jackanory and Tales from the
Crypt where each week a creepy narrator tells you an original
horror story. Our incredible narrators range from up and coming stars in
the making like Kurt Wylde and Guy Barnes all the way through to
established icons like Hammer legend Caroline Munro. We also include
sound effects, music, and creative filmmaking to enhance the experience.
What were your sources of inspiration for creating Fragments
of Fear, and how did the whole thing fall together? And what can
you tell us about your co-creator Richard Gladman, and what was your
collaboration with him like?
Rick and I loved the old TV series like Tales of the
Unexpected, Beasts, and Thriller, but
couldn't find a modern day equivalent. We also knew so many gifted
writers, actors, and crew who found it hard to showcase their talents,
so decided to bring them all together. We met in a pub down a side
street in Brighton, brainstormed, made some calls, and a month later we
started filming the first episode Coronation in a barn in
Hassocks.
Rick passed away in February of this year and no one in the world can
replace him. He was my baby brother from another mother, my partner in
crime, my best friend. I had some of the best fun ever working with him,
and I carry his spirit and his naughty wit with me to this day. We
shared a passion for horror and for good writing, and a firm belief that
our friends deserve a chance to shine. I've worked around the clock both
prior to, and since his death to make that happen.
Georgina with Caroline Munro |
How do you choose the
stories you tell in Fragments
of Fear, and what do you look for in a story for it to qualify for
your series? And do talk about some of the writers on your show for a bit?
All of the Fragments
of Fear stories have to meet three very important
criteria:
1. Originality: For example, The Little Teeth by Sara Boyle
takes the well-worn tale of the ancient vampire and puts him into a
fresh context. Not all monsters are windswept and interesting - they
have flaws and faults and Achilles' heels, and for want of a better
word, souls. Fragments
of Fear treads a less familiar path. E.B. Stark,
Nicoletta Wylde, and Charles E. Butler also gave us intensely personal
stories with so much soul in them.
2. The Element of Surprise: Bull by James Stanger takes
place post nucear war, but veers away from Mad Max style
survival and instead focuses on the human element of the apocalypse,
which compelled me to read all of it. Chrissy Derbyshire turned a grimm
little fairytale on its head for us, and Carole Gill went all out with
demonic dolls.
3. It sounds obvious, but they have to be short stories. We had a number
of submissions that lasted a good half hour in the read through, and we
wanted sharp writing that told a good story but was to the point. Proper
campfire tales! Short story writing is incredibly difficult to pull off
- you have to be a really disciplined writer who can fully sell an idea.
John Paul Fitch and Rick Nightmare are both brilliant at that. John
Forth and Paul Flewitt also have immense skill at drawing you in
immediately and then punching you in the face from out of nowhere.
I'm in contact with all the authors and have interviewed them for our
blog which gets updated every week. Every writer comes from a different
standpoint, every writer approaches the art of storytelling differently
- this never ceases to amaze me, and they are all thoroughly nice
people, too.
The
directorial approach to the individual episodes of
Fragments of Fear
isn't exactly conventional and differs from one episode to
the next - so do talk about that for a bit, and do you have any guidelines
at all for your directors?
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Richard Gladman |
We give the directors carte
blanche - creativity is the key, and you end up with something marvellous
and artistic and interesting! With
Fragments of Fear
being a horror series, is that a genre at all dear to you,
and some of your genre favourites, in whatever medium? I
love horror - I have a penchant for old cheesy, camp horror, but for me
the story and the characters have always been key. I genuinely believe
that the horror genre is a tremendous barometer for the social climate,
and can be a highly therapeutic and cathartic arena for peoples' fears and
worries. After all, it's only a movie ;-) Do
talk about the actors and actresses on your show for a bit, and what made
each perfect for their respective episodes?
The actors chose the stories they wanted to tell out of the shortlist,
so it was a very personal relationship which I think works really well.
Rick loved horror - it was his happy place. And he had such a compelling
voice - both soothing and unsettling at the same time.
Lucy Clements has that wonderful old-fashioned Hollywood quality about
her and so was perfect for a glamorous tale of ancient, forbidden, and
somewhat decadent love!
Craig Johnson is immensely gifted at storytelling. He has a natural
sense of pacing and rhythm, and a wonderfully theatrical use of his full
body to bring everything to life.
I've always loved reading aloud. I've done voiceover, have DJ'ed on the
radio, and held story sessions.
Kurt Wylde is a genuinely exciting talent in the raw, who brings his
experience and energy as a rock musician to acting. I've never seen
anyone grow so fast or take on as many new challenges as him - he has a
very bright future ahead of him!
Emma Dark [Emma Dark interview
- click here] has had a meteoric rise over the last few years both in front
and behind the camera. She's a filmmaker's filmmaker and just innately
gets both the craft of acting and the craft of committing that to film.
She's an absolute delight.
Caroline Munro [Caroline Munro
bio - click here] is simply a legend writ large. She has that wonderful mix
of sexiness and devilishness that completely draws you in, and she's
also a seasoned professional so knws exactly how to play horror.
Dani Thompson [Dani Thompson
interview - click here] is another meteoric star who understands the entire
process of filmmaking and knows how to deliver.
Guy Barnes, like Kurt Wylde, also comes from a rock music background,
and has such a powerful screen presence. He really knows how to work
that camera!
Lucy Clements |
The
$64-question of course, where can
Fragments of Fear be seen?
I made the decision to go with
YouTube because I wanted EVERYONE to be able to watch, whenever, wherever,
and however they wanted. We're the Martini of Horror shows - anytime,
anyplace, anywhere ;-) You can find our channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReROBHUlnIY_
66Qur4DqRQ
What can you tell us about
audience and critical reception of Fragments
of Fear so far? Pretty much positive! My mum, who's
74 and absolutely isn't a horror fan in any way, shape or form watches
every week and thoroughly enjoys it. I put that down to the quality of the
writing - they may be horror but they're solid stories :-) Any future plans for the series?
And/or other future projects you'd like to share? Series
One finishes in January next year, with Series Two premiering in October
2017. We've already filmed about half of it so I'll let my team enjoy the
Christmas break before we head back to the grindstone! ;-) As far
as I know, you initially entered the filmworld as a makeup artist - so
what can you tell us about that aspect of your career, and did you receive
any formal education on the subject? I came from the
theatre - I'm particularly proud of the work I did for Hedwig and
the Angry Inch at the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2014 - and I try
and bring that sense of the spectacle and the show with me to Fragments
of Fear. I
studied at City College Brighton but my real education came from working
backstage in theatre - I honestly believe that there's no finer training.
I also have a background in journalism, PR, music work, theatrical
management, and sound editing, so have brought all those skills to the
table. What can you tell
us about your filmwork prior to Fragments
of Fear, in whatever position? Alongside the
theatre I've done make up for fashion shows - you learn how to be fast! -
and I've worked on a number of short films including Meat
Market, Johnny Boy, and Grand Macabre doing
make up, voice work, sound, and editing. What made you go
into production with Fragments
of Fear eventually? I'm a 24/7 creative person - if
I'm not writing I'm painting, if I'm not painting I'm DJing, if I'm not
DJing I'm editing, if I'm not editing I'm filming... you get the picture.
I get to play dress-up with my friends all day - it's the most fun in the
world. :-)
Dani Thompson |
Besides working on movies,
you're also the artistic director of Rainbow Carnage - care to
elaborate? Rainbow Carnage is a rock and roll theatre
company that I set up in 2015, and although it's currently on the back
burner, we have very big plans for the future ;-) Filmmakers who inspire you?
Rick always used to joke that I was the "arty-farty one"! I
seem to be drawn to anything that's out there and off the wall. I love
John Cassavetes' early work - Shadows is a particular
favourite - and am obsessed with Ben Wheatley. I also love Incubus, which was filmed entirely in Esperanto. Wim
Wenders. You can't go wrong with Hitchcock. And I do love an Amicus
portmanteau film - the colour palette alone is my ultimate goal in life.
Kubrick - God, Kubrick. There was a man who knew what a camera was for.
Anyone arty, really ;-)
Your
favourite movies? If I ruled the world, everyone would
watch Morgan A Suitable Case for Treatment starring David
Warner and directed by Karel Reicz at least once. Every single second of
that film is perfection. I'm biased. ... and of course, films you really
deplore?
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I absolutely hate, loathe, and despise so-called
"chick flicks". For me they're the cinematic equivalent of
someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard. Ugh. Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever
else?
www.FragmentsOfFear.com
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have
merely forgotten to ask?
I have a theory that washing machines spin fast enough to create a rip
in the time/space continuum, and this creates a vortex whereby single
socks get sucked into a parallel dimension and mutate into those weird
metal hangers you find in hotel closets.
Other than that, watch Fragments
of Fear because it's bloody brilliant! :-)
Thanks for the interview!
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