Your new movie Epidemic
- in a few words, what is it about?
An estranged
father saving his daughter from a deadly virus. With Epidemic
being a zombie movie of sorts, is that at all a genre dear to you, and
some of your genre favourites? And what do you think makes Epidemic
stick out of the crowd of undead cinema? I was always a fan
of George Romero, and zombies are a prime choice with horror. I
also enjoy the supernatural. With Epidemic, my
co-writer Adam
Romanchik and I tried to blend the two - as we have the physical
manifestations of the virus (the ghouls) as well as the mental &
psychological effects caused by the disease. (Other) sources
of inspiration when writing Epidemic? I
pull inspiration from my own life, weaving stories that punctuate
things that hit close to home. What
can you tell us about your co-writer Adam Romanchik, and what was your
collaboration like? Adam and I grew up together. We
met in middle school and started making movies since eighth grade.
The journey has not stopped. Our collaboration is uncanny.
We know each other so well, our strengths and weaknesses, but most
importantly, we are honest with each other. Adam and I are both
sculptors hard at work, feeding off each other's craft until the piece is
exactly where we want it. To what extent could you actually
identify with Rufus and the drama he's going through on a personal level? I
have faced, and continue to face, my battle with addiction.
Being in recovery, I have been able to face my demons and channel them in
a healthy and spiritual way - my art. What
can you tell us about Epidemic's
approach to horror?
Epidemic's approach to horror comes in
many forms I believe - it comes swift and aggressive with the contagion spreading, the
characters getting infected... and it also comes internally, as a
ticking-time bomb driving our lead character to the brink of insanity. Do talk about your overall
directorial approach to your story at hand? I spend a lot
of time in pre-production with my cast, from table-reads to one-on-one
discussions, giving as much backstory as I can and helping prepare when it
comes time to filming. And once we start, I conduct rehearsals
as we block, choreograph, and mold each scene together... and there were a
few moments as well when improvisation played a vital role. A few words
about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? The
shoot lasted for approx. 14 days - we averaged an 8-9 hour shoot
per day. The atmosphere was crazy at times, and sometimes very
quiet. The cast and crew were a joy to be around. Everyone was
on top of their game. The
$64 question of course, where can your movie be seen? DVD
and On Demand Sept. 4 - iTunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play,
Playstation, Xbox, Vudu, Fandango, Comcast iNDEMAND, Dish Network,
and Direct TV.
Anything
you can tell us about audience and critical reception of Epidemic
yet? Not yet... I've only showed a rough and polished cut
to my team and a pool of filmmakers I trust deeply. And the response
has been positive so far! Any future projects you'd like to share? Just
in the creative writing phase - nothing in the pipeline... yet... What
got you into filmmaking to begin with, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject? My grandfather was a huge
inspiration to me growing up, and my passion for film stems from him.
I did go to film school at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. What can you tell us about your
filmwork prior to Epidemic? I
spent years as an editor, working on trailers and feature films, after a
while getting that portfolio under my belt I wanted to pursue my passion
for writing & directing. It's been such a blast getting Epidemic
made. How
would you describe yourself as a director?
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I
am very much an actor's director. I grew up in love with the theater
and loved watching actors on stage. I chose film directing because I
am also in love with the visual arts. The cinema is the perfect
canvas. Filmmakers
who inspire you?
Stanley Kubrick. William Friedkin.
Charlie Chaplin. Wes Craven. Your favourite movies? The
Exorcist. City Lights. A Clockwork Orange. ...
and of course, films you really deplore?
Any horror movie
Michael Bay is responsible for remaking. Your/your
movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?
www.pomerantzpictures.com
www.facebook.com/EpidemicTheMovie/
Anything else
you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
Nothing!
Thank you so much for your time. It was a pleasure. Thanks
for the interview!
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