Hot Picks

- Ready for My Close Up 2019

- Talk of the Dead 2016

- Tower Rats 2020

- Script of the Dead 2024

- The Bell Affair 2023

- Easter Bloody Easter 2024

- Velma 2022

- Everwinter Night 2023

- Main Character Energy 2023

- Stupid Games 2024

- Bittertooth 2023

- 4 Minutes of Terror: Night Slasher 2024

- Apart 2024

- The Abandoned 2006

- Becky 2024

- The Evil Fairy Queen 2024

- The Black Guelph 2022

- Followers 2024

- Silence of the Prey 2024

- Battle for the Western Front 2024

- Beware the Boogeyman 2024

- Subject 101 2022

- Driftwood 2023

- The Legend of Lake Hollow 2024

- Black Mass 2023

- Skinwalkers: American Werewolves 2 2023

- The Manifestation 2024

- Spirit Riser 2024

- Garden of Souls 2019

- It's a Wonderful Slice 2024

- Caleb & Sarah 2024

- The Thousand Steps 2020

- The Desiring 2021

- When a Stranger Knocks 2024

- Quint-essentially Irish 2024

- Son of Gacy 2024

- Saltville 2024

- The True Story of the Christ's Return 2024

- Whenever I'm Alone with You 2023

- Jurassic Triangle 2024

- Midnight Peepshow 2022

- Offworld: Alien Planet 2024

- The Swiss Conspiracy 1976

- Sex-Positive 2024

- Here for Blood 2022

- All Over Again 2024

- The Color Yellow 2023

- Des Töchterleins Leid 2024

- I Am a Channel 2024

- The Hermits 2023

- Murdaritaville 2024

- Inheritance 2024

- The Devil's Partner 1960

- First Impressions Can Kill 2017

- A Killer Conversation 2014

- Star Crash 1979

- Strangler of the Swamp 1946

An Interview with Matthew Sconce, Director of Altar

by Mike Haberfelner

July 2017

Films directed by Matthew Sconce on (re)Search my Trash

 

Quick Links

Abbott & Costello

The Addams Family

Alice in Wonderland

Arsène Lupin

Batman

Bigfoot

Black Emanuelle

Bomba the Jungle Boy

Bowery Boys

Bulldog Drummond

Captain America

Charlie Chan

Cinderella

Deerslayer

Dick Tracy

Dr. Mabuse

Dr. Orloff

Doctor Who

Dracula

Edgar Wallace made in Germany

Elizabeth Bathory

Emmanuelle

Fantomas

Flash Gordon

Frankenstein

Frankie & Annette Beach Party movies

Freddy Krueger

Fu Manchu

Fuzzy

Gamera

Godzilla

Hercules

El Hombre Lobo

Incredible Hulk

Jack the Ripper

James Bond

Jekyll and Hyde

Jerry Cotton

Jungle Jim

Justine

Kekko Kamen

King Kong

Laurel and Hardy

Lemmy Caution

Lobo

Lone Wolf and Cub

Lupin III

Maciste

Marx Brothers

Miss Marple

Mr. Moto

Mister Wong

Mothra

The Munsters

Nick Carter

OSS 117

Phantom of the Opera

Philip Marlowe

Philo Vance

Quatermass

Robin Hood

The Saint

Santa Claus

El Santo

Schoolgirl Report

The Shadow

Sherlock Holmes

Spider-Man

Star Trek

Sukeban Deka

Superman

Tarzan

Three Mesquiteers

Three Musketeers

Three Stooges

Three Supermen

Winnetou

Wizard of Oz

Wolf Man

Wonder Woman

Yojimbo

Zatoichi

Zorro


Your new movie Altar - in a few words, what is it about?

 

On the surface, Altar is about a group of people who get lost in the woods and stumble upon something terrifying, disturb it, and then have to survive. At its core though, it is a movie about a sister and brother's relationship and how real people would react in scary

 

What were your sources of inspiration when writing Altar?

 

I wanted to make a found footage film that stayed true to its namesake and brought back the reasons for the genre's popularity in the first place. My inspiration was The Blair Witch, and Willow Creek.

 

Why did you choose the found footage approach for Altar, and what are the main challenges making a movie that way?

 

Foundfootage has always interested me and has been a genre I wanted to explore. I wanted a platform where amazing actors had freedom to exist as the characters for days on end and organically create real moments while filming. This was my first time filming or directing in the found footage style and it is not easy. The main challenge for me was that each moment the camera was on, where it was pointing, etc, had to be motivated by Bo's emotions and reasoning. I could not have a helicopter shot or the like. The movie had to be told through the individual lens of somebody's perspective. That was challenging and one of my favorite parts of filming.

 

Do talk about Altar's approach to horror for a bit!

 

Altar is not your typical horror film. This gets high praise or open hostility from people depending on what type of scary movies they love. It is not a mindless slasher or ghost film where you don't care about the characters. It is not a gorefest focusing on the most crazy death scenes. It is actually ALL about the characters and what they would realistically do in this situation. Altar starts out with a bang and then spends a lot of time getting to know the people in the movie (with a few jump scares and creepiness along the way), culminating in a crazy ending.

 

What can you tell us about Altar's cast, and why exactly these people?

 

The actors were my favorite thing about Altar. In the audition process we had over 1000 submissions for the lead roles in the movie. We invited 50 of them to audition in person and threw intense improvisational scenes their way. We looked for people who could realistically create moments without breaking character. Each actor we cast brought something unique to the role and I believe we not only found some of the best actors in the world for this movie but also some of the best human beings. I would work with them again in a heartbeat.

 

You of course also have to talk about your locations, and how did you find them and what was it like filming there?

 

Our main location was 7000 feet high in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Beasore Meadows, away from civilization, cell phone reception, and bathrooms. We were on a large piece of private property that was not usually filled with humans. We realized this when we were stalked by a mountain lion, paced by a bear, had a pack of coyotes run through our camp, and had a bobcat try to cut its way into our tent to eat our little Pekingese dog. It was absolutely beautiful there and absolutely wild. The first day we were there, we were hit by a surprise thunder storm (You can see scenes in the movie we filmed during it). Filming there in the deep snow was another adventure as well.

Along with other amazing locations, we also filmed in a beautiful hotel called the Tenaya Lodge near Yosemite National Park's South Gate. I highly recommend visiting it if you are in the area.

 

A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?

 

The shoot was a whirlwind of intensity and I could not have done it without my producers James Schumacher, Tina Johnson, Nicole Spate, Nicole Osborne and Gabriel Francisco. We were the entire crew and, along with my rockstar cast, we shot the movie in 7 days. 

The atmosphere on set was professional and focused. We shot linearly (in order of events in the movie as they occurred). The actors stayed in character as much as possible and, long after the shoot, still had trouble not calling each other by their character names.

 

Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of Altar?

 

The most common thing I hear after people watch Altar is that they loved the movie and the characters. We have won 22 awards across the film festival circuit. Some of these awards are very unusual for a horror film. We have won many best actor/actress/ensemble awards, many best film awards, an audience choice award, and two best director awards. I think this is because we focused on the characters in the movie and tried to tell an organic story.

Some things my team and I have been told by critics is that Altar has some of the best acting they have ever seen, the best found footage cinematography and sound, and could be the found footage film of the year. They also add that, even if they were not fans of horror movies,  they would still enjoy it. One of my favorite quotes recently was that Altar brought back some of the magic from the original Blair Witch and the early movement of the genre.

 

Any future projects you'd like to share?

 

I have several irons in the fire for the future but currently am focusing on promoting Altar and getting it out there for people to enjoy.

 

What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?

 

in 2004, my wife Heather and I won a national American Idol music video contest. We won a car, were in a music video with the idols, and were flown to the finale of the show and at the after party with the judges and idols. That was my first attempt at seriously making some sort of movie. After that, I shot short films for contests on the website DVXuser, receiving feedback as I honed my craft. The process of creating, learning from my mistakes, and growing through those early years was my film school. 11 short films later, I shot my first feature, Stricken, in 2010. I have produced 7 feature films since then and directed 3. I also just published my first novel, Stormbreaker. I love telling stories in any medium but making movies is my favorite way to do so.

 

How would you describe yourself as a director?

 

I love and respect my actors as the words on the pages of the story I am trying to tell. I try to empower them and give them freedom. I am always focused on the edit and not wasting time getting footage that won't be used. I know what I want and build teams of very efficient and kind people who share that vision. We shoot quickly and have an amazing time doing it.

 

Filmmakers who inspire you?

 

I am inspired by filmmakers in the indie trenches who are fighting to not only get their stories heard but (with their film festivals) give others the platform to do the same. James Christopher [James Christopher interview - click here], Fernando A Mico, Del Weston, Marisa Ferrell and Damon Blalack are some of them. Some indie filmmakers who inspire me are Troy Ruff, Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing, George Ohan, Alan Autry, Stan Harrington, Mark Maness, Marcus Spencer, Orlando Gomez, Drew Hall, Hoyt Richards, and the entire cast and crew of the amazing indie film Bad Frank.

 

Your favourite movies?

 

Before Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn made the movie Super. I absolutely loved it. Favorite super hero movie ever. I loved Gravity, The Matrix, Wonder Woman, The Shawshank Redemption, Oblivion, Unbreakable, Signs, The Sixth Sense, Equilibrium, Get Out, Don't Breathe, Ip Man, August Rush, The Book Thief, The Karate Kid, Braveheart, Despicable Me 2, Star Wars (all of them), Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter (all of them), Room, John Wick, The Equalizer, my list could go on and on.

 

... and of course, films you really deplore?

 

Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned)

The links below
will take you
just there!!!

Find Matthew Sconce
at the amazons ...

USA  amazon.com

Great Britain (a.k.a. the United Kingdom)  amazon.co.uk

Germany (East AND West)  amazon.de

Looking for imports?
Find Matthew Sconce here ...

Thailand  eThaiCD.com
Your shop for all things Thai

I despise The Mist. I do not like The Happening or The Last Airbender either. I also despise movies where people are just imprisoned and tortured the whole time.

 

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?

 

www.altarthemovie.com

www.mattsconce.com

 

Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

 

Thank you for the interview! 

 

Thanks for the interview!

 

© by Mike Haberfelner


Legal note: (re)Search my Trash cannot
and shall not be held responsible for
content of sites from a third party.




Thanks for watching !!!



 

 

In times of uncertainty of a possible zombie outbreak, a woman has to decide between two men - only one of them's one of the undead.

 

There's No Such Thing as Zombies
starring
Luana Ribeira, Rudy Barrow and Rami Hilmi
special appearances by
Debra Lamb and Lynn Lowry

 

directed by
Eddie Bammeke

written by
Michael Haberfelner

produced by
Michael Haberfelner, Luana Ribeira and Eddie Bammeke

 

now streaming at

Amazon

Amazon UK

Vimeo

 

 

 

Robots and rats,
demons and potholes,
cuddly toys and
shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

is all of that.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to
-
a collection of short stories and mini-plays
ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic
to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle, all thought up by
the twisted mind of
screenwriter and film reviewer
Michael Haberfelner.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

the new anthology by
Michael Haberfelner

 

Out now from
Amazon!!!