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Your new movie Gordon Finn
- in a few words, what is it about?
The best way to describe it is tense.
How did you get hooked up with the project in the first place, and
what made you choose exactly this movie as your directorial debut?
I was chatting with Willy Adkins [Willy
Adkins interview - click here] about the script and how the original
director couldn't do it because of a huge work load, so I had the bright idea
to take on the project myself. Never having any training in filmmaking
whatsoever, I figured I'd give it a try and see what would happen. I read
the script, I had a vision as to what it should look like, and most of all
how the mood would carry the story.
Do
talk about Gordon Finn's
look and feel for a bit - and why did you choose to shoot it in black and
white?
I've always loved black and white films. I'm fan of silent movies and
the mood those films created. Crime dramas like those early James Cagney
flicks. And even those old horror movies. It's big reason a lot films when
shot in color lose the effect of something might be creeping up behind
them.
A huge credit goes to Dragon Alexander for having the experience and
the know how to bring the noir idea to reality. Something simple like a
small LED light makes a huge difference believe it or not. He understood
the mood was a huge factor in making this film into monster in that sense.
I wanted shadows and very little light and I got that.
It translates not just for the audience I think, but the actors as
well. I mean, every art form created needs some kind motivating factor.
And when you have five people in one room and you're dealing with a
dangerous character like Gordon Finn, flooding the room with stadium
lights aren't going to make you feel the rising tension. All it's going to
do is give you a migraine headache.
Willy Adkins |
With Gordon
Finn being (among other things) a horror movie, is that a genre at
all dear to you, and how would you describe your approach to the genre? To
be quite honest, I'm not much of a fan of horror movies these days. Call
me old fashioned, I much rather have the experience of a mental trip of
suggestion rather than total graphic gore. Not disrespecting other filmmakers, but sometimes over abundance of blood and guts is too much in a
sense. I guess the idea of making the audience want to see what's behind
the door and seeing a small part of the bodies hanging by a hook is far
more fun than showing the whole blood bath beforehand. I like a story
where you're teased and teased and teased some more before the demon is
exposed. For me, I loved those twists and turns, rather than a splatter
fest. What
can you tell us about your cast and crew, and why exactly these people?
Hmmmm, Ann Sheehan was someone who wanted to take a chance and act in a
different role rather than the usual stuff she's done in the past. Sort of
the mom figure, or the straight laced conservative type. Right then I knew
she'd take the part seriously and go the whole ten yards.
Stewart Ogilvie, he was the logical choice for Dr. Odd. I met him a
year previous while shooting another movie and seeing how he approaches
his work, I immediately became a fan. He's a veteran actor who knows how
to bring the goods.
Willy Adkins [Willy Adkins
interview - click here] - let's just say, I knew he would kill, so to speak.
Knowing how sometimes confidence will wane a bit in most actors, he took
to my ideas to heart and made the character a thousand times more sinister than
I orginally imagined.
Chase and Kylie were troopers. They knew what to do and how to do it
and needed very little direction from me. I think the one thing that
stands out in my mind is the kids. They made all of us look like tools.
HAHAHAHAHA!
The rest of the cast and crew all together, and there are too many to
name, but collectively, gave this project the proverbial blood, sweat, and
tears. I got pretty damn lucky. Couldn't have done better without them. If
anyone can deal with me for ten or fifteen hours and not want to walk away
with one finger in the air, says a lot.
A
few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
The shooting schedule was long. The scenes that needed a lot of
attention was the interview. And I felt every angle needed to be filmed
and perfected to create what you see now. And when you're in a small room
for that long with not only the cast, but the crew, you get the feeling
the walls are closing in. Keeping a sense of humor makes the time seem
less dreadful. My only hope was to keep a clear head for myself so
everyone else can feel at ease around a rookie director. I mean, my head
was filled with a thousand and one bouncing balls, trying to juggle every
thought without losing my mind in the process. Jokes, pranks, whatever
needed to be done to keep everyone laughing, I encouraged.
One thing we did in particular, this sweet kid named Colin, he helped
with just about everything. He means well and I couldn't have asked for a
better production assistant. But we pranked his ass on more than one
occasion by sending him out to look for a fictitious PA named
"Larry". After two days of him looking for this cat, I had to
give him the low down and told there was no such person. I sometimes am
rough with people I like. And I admit, I do go overboard, but in the end,
I hope he knows I do care about him and hope to work with him on any other
project down the line.
The
$64-question of course, when and where will the film be released onto the
general public? Ummm, it will be available on Breaking Fate
TV. And any other independent online movie network. As for copies of the
movie, we just need to find a company to distribute it. And from what I
know, we'll have something out by the end of the year. Any future project you'd like to share? My
favorite author is Edgar Allan Poe. And I've always wanted to do a modern
version of The Tell-Tale
Heart. This past spring, I wrote the first draft
of a script of this story. And right now, we're putting a few touches on
it here and there so we can plan on producing it. I think that would be my
next major directing gig. Like Gordon
Finn, I have a deep vision of what I
want. And I hope to start production before the year is up. What
got you into the filmworld in the first place, and did you receive any
formal education on the subject?
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Wolf McKinney on set |
You know, I never really
had aspirations to be a actor, much less, a director. But what they say is
true. There is an acting bug. And it tore a hole on my ass when it bit me.
About five years ago, I had a speaking role in a vampire movie. As I
reflect back, I knew I had to do more in movie, at first, as an actor.
Since then, I've played small parts in independent movies. Had to two bit
roles in two TV shows. And had a lead role in a movie yet to be released
called Spilt Blood. And next year, I'll be playing the lead
role in a movie called Sister of the Wolf. Once the lead role
of Sister of the Wolf was given to me, I asked myself,
"Do I have the knowledge to pull something like this off?" I
said, "NO!!!" So, I signed up for acting classes for a year. And
I'm happy to say, I'm glad I did. Not only did it help me learn the ins
and outs of the craft, it gave me the confidence to actually bring out the
actor I can be. The directing thing is a bonus. What can you tell us
about your filmwork prior to Gordon
Finn (in whatever function)? I guess I answered
that already. Like anyone who starts out in this kind of field, you need
to pay your dues. And I accept that. I've been very lucky in a sense I've
been given chances by some incredible people. Namely Willy Adkins [Willy
Adkins interview - click here], Jason
Sullivan, and Dragon Alexander. I mean, if I didn't act in any of their
projects, I try and help in any other way. So, I owe a lot to them. Thanks
guys!!!
How would you
describe yourself as a director? Very green. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I have a lot to learn. And the first thing I need to perfect in myself is
being more of a leader, rather than a moody boss. My life has been devoted
to entertainment in some form or fashion. Whether it was music, radio, or
movies, I had my hand in something creative. And within that creativity,
sometimes I'll get moody and cranky. So, green is the best way to describe
myself. Filmmakers who inspire
you? Scorsese, Spielberg, Tarantino, Stone. I love wordplay in movies. For me, the acting is just secondary if you have a great
script and actors who know how to make a simple conversation enthralling.
The four names I mentioned, yes, tons of action, but there are those
moments where I feel if they just recited the phone book, I'd be
captivated. Tarantino especially. If I could pattern my movies in some form
or fashion like his classic films, I'd die a happy man. Your favourite movies?
Too many to say. All three Godfather movies. All the Tarantino movies.
Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi
Driver, Schindler's List, Saving
Private Ryan, Mean Streets, JFK, Natural Born
Killers, All the Saw movies,
The Exorcist, and many, many more.
... and of
course, films you really deplore?
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Musicals!!! There has
been a resurgence of the musical lately and I hate it. Oh, and Disney. Your/your movie's
website, Facebook, whatever else? You can find anything on
Facebook these days. Just look Gordon Finn. Also go to Breakingfate.com
for any info on all the films we produce. Anything else you are
dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
I just wanna thank you and many others who took the time to see my
film. Sincerely, it means quite a bit. And I wanna thank the cast and crew
again for making the whole Gordon
Finn experience a very special time of
my life. God willing, I'll get the chance to make more films down the
line. I can't wait to see what the future brings.
Thank you.
Thanks
for the interview!
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find Wolf McKinney at adultvideouniverse.com
