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Your new movie The Horror
- in a few words, what is it about?
The Horror
is a psychological thriller that deals with the post-traumatic
stress of living through a standard horror film. We
follow
a brother and sister after they survive a traumatic
incident
and deal with it in very different ways.
You dreamed up the
story for The Horror
together with Raymond Creamer and Sarah Carman - so what was that process
like, and what were your sources of inspiration?
The
film came from a want to see this story. Raymond and I
always
talked about how terrifying it was to think about what
happens
post credit sequence in horror films. We started at
that
place of interest and the film grew into what it is now.
Dealing
with different coping methods we show both sides of
the
coin with Isabel and Malcolm.
Speaking
of Raymond Creamer, who hasn't only written the screenplay but also
produced together with you and plays one of the leads - what was your
collaboration with him like in each of these functions? And how did you
two first meet even?
Raymond
and I have collaborated on a handful of projects
over
the 5 years we have known each other. We met at a film
equipment
rental house that I worked at when I first got to
LA.
We talked about what we wanted out of our LA tenure
and
the goals matched so we got to work. This film was
extremely
collaborative not only with Raymond but all of the
cast
and crew. Raymond and I would assemble the project and
then
the film would grow a little more in between trips to
Michigan.
We shot over 18 months to allow for the characters
to
actually age which I think really helped the project feel
more
real.
With The
Horror being a horror movie (duh!), it that at all a genre dear to
you, and why (not)?
The
horror genre is definitely a favorite of mine. When we
started
the film we wanted to add something to the genre and
I
feel like we accomplished this.
What can you tell us about your
directorial approach to your story at hand?
My
new project Little Hand has stretched me creatively
and
emotionally. This project is also very collaborative with
my
actors Raymond Creamer and Jessica Lynn Parsons. We
are
keeping the crew small and making an intimate project
that
I feel will hit home with a lot of people.
Do talk
about your cast, and why exactly these people?
When
you are making your first film you have to make every
Dollar
hit the screen. Some of the cast were friends that we
wanted
to collaborate with and we met the talented Callie
Ott
during casting. After meeting Ms. Ott we actually adjusted
the
script and made the world a little bigger since we were so
impressed
with her approach to the material. Getting to the
point
quickly though, they were right for the roles and
believed
in the project as much as we did.
What can
you tell us about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
We
lived in the lake house location for weeks at a time so it
was
kind of like summer camp (but way colder). One of our actor's
(Lexi Moeller) mother lived close and actually stayed
with
us and made 3 meals a day. Our cast and crew were like
family
and we had a blast in the cold Michigan days and
nights.
Any
idea when and where your film will be released onto the general public
yet?
The Horror
is available to pre-order on VOD at
www.moondog.media
and releases on April 1st, 2016. You can also
purchase
a limited edition VHS version of the film at
http://mmrentals.storenvy.com/products/13954572-the-horror
Anything you can tell us about audience and
critical reception of The Horror
yet?
The
response to the film has been overall positive. The audiences
seem to really like that we made them think and critically
they are impressed that the film is unique and not another
slasher fest.
Any future projects you'd like to share?
I’d like to share my current project Little Hand. You can watch
all of my projects on www.moondog.media.
What
got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject?
I got into filmmaking halfway through college. I started out in
advertising
and marketing but realized I would be stuck at a
desk
so I moved my focus. I kept those majors though so I
would
have a business focus to help with selling and getting
projects
out to an audience. I don’t have any formal training
but
I have been working in the film industry the past 6 years
as
a gaffer on commercials and corporate videos. I also gaffed two
feature films last year.
What can you tell us about your filmwork
prior to The Horror?
Before The Horror I directed multiple short films and a
webseries
called The Marriage Counselor, which was Moondog
Media’s first project.
How would you describe yourself as a
director?
I am a visual director and believe the camera is a very
important tool in the process. If placed in the wrong position or
at the wrong angle you can make an audience feel
something that was not the intended vision. I feel that a lot
of
modern filmmakers forget this is a visual medium, so I try
to
remember that what I do with the camera has an effect on
the
audience. When I am in pre production I always start with
a blocking map and find the exact shots I will need to stitch
the
scene together. This can always change on set but I think
you
need to do your homework before hand so you can stretch
that freedom once you actually get to work. Filmmakers who inspire you?
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A
few of the major ones would have to be Stanley Kubrick, Samuel
Fuller, Cassavetes, Cronenberg, and Kurosawa.
Your
favourite movies?
A
couple of my favorite films of all time are the original Texas
Chainsaw Massacre and The Shining. After that
there
are films I can watch over and over and never get bored of
including Animal House, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
and American Movie. I own over two thousand films so
its always quite tough to narrow down your favorite ones, especially
when they all mean something different to me.
... and of course, films you really
deplore?
I
feel like you learn the most from a bad film so there really isn’t
a film out there that I would use the word deplore for. There
are definitely some guilty pleasures though that aren’t really
the best movies in the world.
Your/your movies' website, Facebook, whatever
else?
www.moondog.media
facebook.com/moondogmedia
twitter.com/moondog_media
twitter.com/jerry_white
Instagram: @jerrywhite3
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have
merely forgotten to ask?
Please
go to www.moondog.media
and buy your copy of The Horror.
Your support in the indie film game is what makes it possible
for us and people like us to continue making films. My goal
is to not crowdfund to make these projects but to do that we
need help once they are finished. Thanks so much for helping spread
the word and I can’t wait to share my next film with you soon.
Thanks for the interview!
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