Your new movie The
Horrors of AutoCorrect - in a few words, what is it about?
The
Horrors of AutoCorrect is a 6-minute short film that puts a comedic
spin on a familiar horror set-up, pitting an old school slasher against a
tech-savvy teen. Basic
question: Why make a movie about AutoCorrect (and its shortcomings)? This
is my first effort as a director, and I wanted to do something short,
funny and horror-related. I had half-heartedly toyed around with other
ideas, but when this one came to me, I knew I had to make it. It's
something everyone can relate to, and it sets itself up for so many jokes. With
your movie playing with slasher clichés - is that a genre at all dear to
you, and some of your genre favourites? Yes! I'm a huge
slasher fan. John Carpenter's Halloween is my favorite film. I love the
whole Halloween series - even
Resurrection! - as well as the Friday the
13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street
franchises. I'm also a big fan of
Scream, Black
Christmas, Hatchet and
Slumber Party Massacre. I'd love to
make my own slasher some day. Other sources of
inspiration when writing The
Horrors of AutoCorrect? Scream was a big influence
on the set-up. I made it a point to mention it right in the movie so no
one accused me of ripping it off. The set-up was '90s inspired, but the
score has an '80s, John Carpenter synth vibe. Visually, I referenced Dario
Argento and Quentin Tarantino to my cinematographer. What can you tell us
about The
Horrors of AutoCorrect's brand of humour?
The humor
is intentionally varied. A lot of the jokes are crass or sophomoric, but I
like to think some of the others are pretty clever. There's also a fun nod
to A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 that always gets a big laugh when it plays
at horror festivals. I wanted to include something for everyone. You of
course also have to talk about the movie that plays on Jenny's TV for a
bit, Roger Corman's Creature
of the Haunted Sea [Roger
Corman bio - click here] - and why did you choose exactly that
film? Any time someone is watching a movie in an
independent horror film, it's always George Romero's Night of the Living
Dead. As I'm sure you know, the reason is because it's public domain so
you don't need to pay to use it. I love that movie, but I wanted to do
something different. So I looked at other public domain horror movies and
found Creature
of the Haunted Sea. It's perfect because it's a terrible,
cheesy movie that usually gets a chuckle. Plus it was nice to give a shout
out to the great Roger Corman. A few words about your directorial approach to
your story at hand? I believe filmmaking is a collaborative
process, so I'm always extremely open to input from anyone involved. I
trust my cast and crew a lot, so I always like to try their ideas whenever
possible. I'm new as a director, so I'm still developing my style, but I
try to keep things casual and fun. What can you tell us about your
cast, and why exactly these people?
For the role of the killer, I was fortunate enough to cast Nick
Principe, who most people know as Chromeskull in the Laid to Rest movies.
Before he went Hollywood, I knew Nick as the singer of an awesome local
metalcore band called Closer Than Kin. I asked him if he would do the
short, and he thankfully accepted. It was great because not only does he
get to play the menacing killer, which he's so good at it, but he also
gets to show off his comedic side. I can't picture anyone else in that
role. I'd love to see him do more comedy.
Jenny, the lead girl, is played by Jackie Fabian. I met her on the set
of a friend's movie, Dead Bounty, and was instantly taken by her charisma.
Not only is she captivating on screen, she also brings a boundless energy
and a great sense of humor to every shoot. I want Jackie to be in all of
my movies.
Do talk about the
shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? I quickly learned
that a shooting schedule is meaningless. I told the crew that the shoot
should take about 4 hours, but it ended up taking double that. They
graciously stuck it out at my house until 3 in the morning. That said, I
learned a lot about how to prepare better for future productions. The
on-set atmosphere was always fun. I have worked with most of these people on
many other projects, so we're all very comfortable with one another. A few words
about audience and critical reception of your movie so far? The
reaction has blown me away. I knew most horror fans would appreciate it,
but I wasn't sure how it would play to those who aren't familiar with the
genre. Thankfully, it's doing amazing! It has close to 35,000 views and
counting. Reviews are almost unanimously positive from both critics and
viewers. I've found no greater joy that seeing it with an audience. The
$64-question of course, where can your movie be seen? The
Horrors of AutoCorrect is available exclusively from Crypt TV,
the digital
genre studio co-founded by Hostel and
Cabin Fever director Eli Roth. You
can watch it for free on their Facebook page
(https://www.facebook.com/CryptTV/videos/vb.1394290797478133/1617895505117660/?type=2&theater)
or YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GCHLKESQpo).
Any
future projects you'd like to share?
I'm currently in
production on my next short, Trouser Snake. It's a throwback to
'50s sci-fi/horror movies... but with a giant, mutant penis. I think it's
going to be a fun one. After that, I'd like to do something more serious
so I'm not pigeonholed as a comedy guy. What got you into
filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal education on
the subject? I've liked movies since as far back as I can
remember, and I fell in love with the horror genre in my early teens.
Since then, I've been obsessed with it. I visited my first film set when I
was in high school and immediately knew I wanted to make movies. I do not
have a formal film education - I went to college for business - but I've
spent a lot of time working as a crew member on local indie productions. I
believe I've learned more from those real-world experiences than I ever
could in a classroom. What can you tell us about your filmwork
prior to The
Horrors of AutoCorrect? Although this is my first
effort as a writer and director, I've done everything from producing to
production assistant work in the past. We have an amazing independent
filmmaking scene in New England, and I'm very proud and fortunate to be a
part of it. Most often, I am a still photographer and a publicist. How would you describe
yourself as a director? In terms of personality, I'm very
laid back. Everyone is there to enjoy themselves and make something they
can be proud of, and that is not a responsibility I take lightly. In terms
of style, I like to think of myself as a visual storyteller. I want cool,
artistic shots, but they also have to serve the story. Although I've yet
to show it off too much, I like slow-burning, deliberate pacing that
builds tension. Filmmakers who inspire you?
John
Carpenter is my main influence as a director. I hold many of his works
near and dear to my heart. I have also found a lot of inspiration from
Adam Green, who's best known for directing Hatchet. His podcast,
The Movie Crypt, and his TV show, Holliston, were both pivotal in me finally making
the jump to director. I have since shown him The
Horrors of AutoCorrect and
he said it made him laugh out loud, so that is a true accomplishment. Your
favourite movies? John Carpenter's Halloween
is my all-time
favorite. I also love Jaws, Dawn of the
Dead, Day of the
Dead, Psycho, Suspiria,
The Shining, The Devil's
Rejects, Rosemary's Baby and The
Monster Squad. Outside horror, my favorites include Back to the
Future,
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Taxi
Driver, Goodfellas and Memento. ... and of course, films you really
deplore? I'm a pretty positive person, so I try to find the
best in any movie - even if that means it's so bad it's good. I will say I
can't remember being more disappointed in a movie than Boogeyman. It had
Sam Raimi's name plastered all over it because he was a producer, and he
just did The Grudge, but I still can't get over what a trainwreck that
move is. There's also House of the Dead, although I've come to appreciate
that one for how terrible it is. Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever
else?
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You can keep up to date on The
Horrors of AutoCorrect and all of my future projects though Grimbridge Productions on Facebook at
facebook.com/grimbridgeprods.
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have
merely forgotten to ask?
When I'm not working on movies, I also run a horror site called
BrokeHorrorFan.com.
I also wanted to take a moment to thank you so much for speaking with
me. I really love that you take the time to interview and review
independent filmmakers. So many sites ignore them, and I've always admired
the emphasis you place on covering them.
Thanks for the interview!
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