Filmmaker J.S. Mayank

With an MFA in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University, and a Masters in Communication and film from Wake Forest University, British-Indian filmmaker J S Mayank lives the life of a Hollywood screenwriter, pitching his own ideas and reworking others’ work.

His first sci-fi feature – SLATE earned him a spot on the BLOODLIST, and he was invited by Robert DeNiro to the prestigious 2010 Tribeca All Access Program for his feature script - MARATHON. Most recently, his script for EMIT won a Grand Prize, winning him a trip to Sundance (2012) where a table-read of it was performed.

For his directorial debut, Mayank was granted an opportunity by the band Radiohead to create a concept music video for their song WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI. He's currently doing the film festival circuit with his short film EMIT, starring veteran TV actor Jack Coleman (Heroes, The Office). He resides in Los Angeles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcJqMafK_9g

LINKS:

1) IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3270768/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

2) Radiohead Music video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKsWH6x7HUo

3) EMIT Table Read Clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDiHoip1Fms

What is "EMIT" about?

EMIT is a sci-fi short film about a world where time flows backwards. In this movie,
an old man looks forward to greeting his wife for the first time, as her body’s
exhumed from the ground, taken to the morgue, and eventually the hospital, where
she takes her first breath. We juxtapose this moment of joy, with the man’s 7-year-
old granddaughter contemplating her looming mortality.



Why use Kickstarter to fund your film?

Kickstarter is an incredible resource to independent filmmakers. Not only is a
fantastic way to get funding from like-minded people, it also helps get the word out
for your projects, before they even exist.

Why do you think your campaign was successful?

Preparation, subject matter, and people’s love for sci-fi. Going into the Kickstarter
campaign, my team and I were very confident that our story was somewhat unique,
and that it had a built-in “hook” for sci-fi fans. Beyond that, my producers and I went
to great lengths to do as much work (put together a teaser, do storyboards, talk
about the rest of our team etc.) as we could, before launching our campaign. We
wanted people to know that they were giving their money to someone who had a
plan.

Is there a message in the film?

I’d like to think so. To me, all great science fiction strives to say something, to
examine a philosophical aspect, or bring new light to something we deem very
ordinary. Keeping in line with the great tradition of the TWILIGHT ZONE, I
constructed EMIT to be a short glimpse into a world where time flows backwards.
While the film has its moments of levity, by and large, to me – this is a very bleak
world. It’s a world of predetermination… one that lacks choice. You wake up,
and you’re told your name, introduced to your husband and children, assigned a
profession, etc. That’s not a very happy world. So I hope people watch this movie,
and think – our lives aren’t so bad. If we want to change something, we can actually
do it. We can try for a new career, or move halfway across the world.

Would you ever act in one of your films?

Oh, God no! Trust me. Nobody wants to see me in front of the camera! I’m very
happy having my worlds represented in the (waaaaaay more) capable hands of my
actors.

How has film school influenced you?

Film school was a great place for me to experiment. Having come to film school with
virtually no technical knowledge (I had more of a writing background), I was very
fascinated by cameras, lighting equipment, editing software etc. And while I still
don’t pride myself as too skilled in any of those departments, I have enough of an
understanding, and more importantly, an appreciation for what’s required in each of
those disciplines, that it helps me as a storyteller.

Beyond that, film school was also where I met most of my collaborators. To me, that
is the biggest reason for going to a film school. You meet like-minded, incredibly
talented people, who push you to be better. What more can one ask for?

Had you seen "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" before you started
writing the film?

I first had the idea for EMIT in 2006, when the movie didn’t exist. I hadn’t read the
original story either. However, when I officially wrote the first draft of the script (in
late 2010), I had seen the movie. To be quite honest, beyond the aging backwards
aspect, I really don’t see much other similarities in the two concepts.

What was it like working with Jon Chesson, Jesse Morrison, Maxx
Burman, Alexandra Creswick, and Antonio Lepore?

I’ll go by each department:

Jesse and Alex, my indomitable producer and co-producer respectively, were the
foundation of this movie. Without them, EMIT would not have happened. I had the
story and concept in my mind, but it was their unending support and championing
my vision, that led to us making EMIT. Jesse worked tirelessly, every day, for over
a year with me, and was the main hands-on producer. From location scouting, to
hiring crew, to rolling up his sleeves and doing craft-services if needed, Jesse did it
all. Alex was my consigliore at every step, solving problems left and right, keeping
me sane, and always talking me into remaining true to my vision. Together, they
were the perfectly balanced producing team I could have asked for.

Maxx and Jon are incredible VFX artists, and in my mind, in a league of their own.
From the first moment that I talked to Maxx about my vision for the movie, to the
day when Jon delivered all the final VFX shots to me, I had nothing but the best time
imaginable working with them. They are brilliant technicians, but also, gifted artists.
What they did in terms of visual effects in helping me create the world of EMIT, was
nothing short of magic. And being a relatively new director, I certainly learned a lot
from them about how to construct shots, how to talk to VFX artists so as to get them
the most flexibility, yet give them precise directions, and how best to handle the
work-flow in a VFX driven shoot. I had a blast working with them, and hope to get
another opportunity to do so, very soon in the near future.

Antonio Lepore is a consummate storyteller. He just happens to do so via music. A
brilliant musician, and an absolutely stellar collaborator, Antonio brought a level
of music to this film that was both seamless and yet haunting. As Antonio likes to
say: “If you notice the score, I didn’t do my job.” And that’s what’s so great about
his music for this movie – it fits so perfectly with all the scenes. It helps bring out
the eerie and unsettling qualities in some parts, while showcasing the beautiful and
moving moments in other scenes, without us paying attention to them. Antonio
composes music for the movie, for the story – he isn’t flashy just for the sake of it.
That kind of finesse and restraint, is the mark of competence far beyond his year, I
believe.

I would just love to talk about a few more people. I had the unquestioned support of two very important people – Kevin Chu and Anantshree Chaturvedi – my Executive producers. They were there at every step when we needed them, and I honestly couldn’t have made EMIT without either of them.

Two other key collaborators who helped me set the look of this film, were my
Production Designer – Derrick Hinman and my Costume Designer – Mandy Mitchell.
Both of them worked hand-in-hand on making the world feel authentic, yet askew.
Derrick did a phenomenal job with some very clever production design. He helped
me bring to life some very subtle things, like a TGI-Monday’s advertisement, or a
museum gallery banner that went from Sep 2013-Feb 2012. And while Mandy didn’t
have a lot of flashy costumes to pick out (we were trying to go for verisimilitude in
terms of clothing), she added little touches to each person’s wardrobe that made it
memorable to me – especially with Katelyn’s broach that was a timepiece.

And most of all, I have to thank one of my most key collaborators… my partner in
crime, my editor – Mark Sult. In terms of actually making the film, I think I spent the
most time with Mark, sitting at the edit bay, talking about the story, the characters,
the world, the themes, and the broad strokes ideas. It was so amazing to work with
someone who shared my filmmaking sensibilities yet didn’t necessarily look at
everything from the same perspective. He judged every cut in terms of story, not
continuity. As a director, I couldn’t ask for more.

Have would you live your life if time moved backwards?

Not very happily, I can tell you that much. As a storyteller, I live for invention,
imagination, and uncertainty. In the world of EMIT, everything is predetermined. I
would be very very sad, and most likely, out of a job.



Why did you decide to cast Jack Coleman, James Keane, and Katelyn Hunter?

I had been a fan of Jack Coleman’s for a long time. HEROES was such a great show,
and his character in particular was so interesting. What Jack brought to that role,
was so incredibly fascinating. When I first started talking to my casting director (the
amazing Jeremy Gordon, CSA), he mentioned Jack as a possibility, and I immediately
perked up. There were no second options. I asked if he could get the script to Jack,
and once he read it, the rest, as they say, is history…

James “Jimmy” Keane was another actor recommended to me by Jeremy. I watched
Jimmy’s demo reel, and immediately recognized him from an episode of MAD MEN. I
asked if I could have dinner with him to go over the concept, before offering him the
role. We sat down for a meal, and as he regaled me stories about convincing Francis
Ford Coppola to give him his first role (Apocalypse Now), or auditioning for Steven
Spielberg (for Close Encounters of the Third Kind), he did so with a childlike glint in
his eyes. I knew then that he was my character!

Katelyn Hunter was one of hundreds of little girls we auditioned for the part. She
was the only child who came into the room wearing glasses (she does so in real life),
and once I saw her perform, I just knew… I had to cast this little girl. She had a sense
of wisdom in her eyes – like she’s lived a life. And I went with my gut. Thankfully,
she turned in an absolutely riveting performance that still gives me Goosebumps
every time I watch the movie… (And that’s not easy, considering I’ve seen my own
film over a thousand times now).

How have you previous films influenced the way you approached
making "EMIT"?

With every film you make, you learn what works, but more importantly, what
doesn’t. Having made short films before, I knew I wanted to do something on a
grander scale with this one. My big priorities were – working with more seasoned
actors and creating a world (by really playing with VFX). I think I’ve grown
tremendously as a filmmaker over the course of the past year, and look forward to
learning more as I continue my journey.

Is the Arri Alexa the best camera out there?

Not having worked with every single camera out there, I don’t know if I can say so
without question. But it’s pretty darn stellar! Besides, I defer to all camera related
questions to my incredible cinematographer – Patrick Meade Jones. He made my
movie look better than I had ever imagined.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

In closing, I’d like to thank you for this opportunity to help me spread the word
about EMIT.

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Thanks for doing the interview J.S.  I hope you will consider  submitting "EMIT" to the 2014 Boston Sci Fi Film Festival.  Please let the cast and crew know that I would love to interview them as well.

Ben Of "Ornana Films"

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/64493407 w=500&h=281]

Why did you create "Ornana Films"?

Ornana started as an umbrella to make films under as a group of friends. Really, that is what it still is. We’ve all known each other for years and have become trusted collaborators through working on each other’s projects.

What is the current project you are working on?

We just self-released our first feature, euphonia, after premiering it at SxSw this March. It is available for free on Vimeo. We are working on putting together a little fall tour for the film to screen at film programs and be able to talk to students about the film, and how it was made.

We are also a year into production on a new hand-drawn animated short, Confusion Through Sand. It is story of modern desert warfare, done on gorgeous recycled paper. We are hoping to have it finished in time for next year’s festival season, as long as we don’t have to take any shortcuts in production or post-production. We believe deeply that you only make each film once, and you have to take that opportunity to do everything for it. Not that you can make something “perfect”—but I can’t imagine watching your own film and wishing you had worked a little harder.

How does it feel when your films win an award?

We always feel appreciative. When someone gives you an award, they’ve watched your work and had a genuine connection to the film. Making films is a little like driving at night, recognition can be a nice sign that you’re going in the right direction. I think it is the connection though, that is most satisfying. I deeply appreciate anyone who takes their time to give something we made a careful watch.

Where do you see independent film going in the future?

The digital world is a little like the wild west, but with no gold rush. I think there are going to be a lot of heroes and a handful of villains to come out of this transition. First hand, I’ve seen tremendous, hard-working, talented filmmakers that are creating staggering work. In the last year, I’ve cried more times in the movie theater watching small independent films (These Birds Walk, Call Me Kuchu, In the Family…) then I have the rest of my life combined.

The issue is how do we make sure these amazing creators can have viable, sustaining careers. There are plenty of great folks working on that problem too—new projects like Simple Machine and Elevision, as well as more established groups working on progress like Vimeo and everything involving Ted Hope. I think there is a lot of opportunity in the new independent film landscape, but we need to figure out monetization and how we can scale it. I hope these changes bring a lot more artistic freedom for the filmmakers and that we can narrow the gap between ourselves and the audience, make theses changes in community. Cultivating and growing the platforms will be as much of a challenge as building them. It will be all of our responsibility as filmmakers, media, and audience members to create the independent film world that we want to see.

What do you want people to take away after they watch your films?

On the wall at our office I put up a quote by the Portuguese poet Machado, “Wanderer—there is no path; the path is made by walking.” I think that message is in all of our films. If someone can walk out of euphonia and feel inspired to go home and do something genuine (in whatever their own polymath form is), then we have added into the positive feedback loop of creative inspiration. I just hope people can watch our films and want to create a path for themselves.

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Thanks for doing the interview Ben.  I applaud you and the Ornana crew for releasing euphonia for free. It's great that anyone, and everyone can see this film.

Amy Vansant: Blogger, Author & More

Amy Vansant is a humorist at her web site Kid-FreeLiving.com (@kidfreeliving on Twitter) and on various other sites. She was the East Coast Editor of SURFER Magazine for 5 years and has been published in Modern Maturity, Caribbean Travel and Life, Yankee, Chesapeake Bay Magazine, McSweeney’s Internet Tendencies, Skirt! and others.  She is the author of The Surfer’s Guide to Florida (Pineapple Press, 1995) which is currently out of print because the urge to drive up and down the Florida coast interviewing surfers has long since left her. She has a contemporary fantasy novel about to be shopped to agents about pirates and angels-type-creatures and other things that sound really silly when you say them out loud.

Why did you decide to create "Kid Free Living"?

I was a freelance writer/East Coast Editor of SURFER Magazine for years, but even after publishing a book (The Surfer's Guide to Florida) living on writer income is rough. I started creating web sites in the mid '90s and found it much easier to buy things like food and shelter. In the end, I embraced my inner nerd,  stopped writing and worked on building my web company (http://www.VansantCreations.com).

In 2009 a friend told me I should start a blog because I tended to post jokes on Facebook. So I did. I called it "Kid-Free Living" (http://www.Kid-FreeLiving.com)  because I figured most of my content would come from the fact my husband and I don't have kids and the lack of responsibility sometimes leads to trouble... but mostly leads to stupidity. Sometimes this domain bites me because people think it's a diatribe about not having kids. It's not. Just humor people, settle down. I actually have a lot of mom fans.

How does being a blogger differ from being an author?

I like writing short bits. I've been doing short skits for that reason, too. It's immediately gratifying and you can polish it 1000 times in an hour and get it as perfect as possible.  I just finished a novel and it was a lot more painful keeping things together over the course of 200 pages.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors and/or bloggers?

Find a day job.

Ha!

No seriously, you're going to starve.

Seriously seriously.... Beyond not sucking, blogging successfully is all about working social media and growing an audience. Get enough audience and you can maybe get other opportunities (advertising offers, content development, writing gigs). Also, engage with people on social media. You never know where a contact might lead.

My biggest advice to authors would be to get a good person to read your work and tell you where you're going wrong. Get friends and family to help too, but also find someone who knows what works and what doesn't and won't blow smoke up your tush. I was dead in the water until I found Nicole at http://www.ncdediting.com - she saved my book and my sanity.

What does success mean to you?

I'm supposed to say health and happiness here, right?

When did you feel you became a "celebrity"?

Um... are you some sort of fortune teller, because if you're telling me that's going to happen, that is AWESOME.

Have you ever been "Memed"?

The nerve! *SLAP*  storms out of room.

How do you define humor?

It is, of course, different for everyone. People apparently watch Two Broke Girls, for example. But for me it is seeing the obvious joke and then avoiding it like the plague. When I think I know where the joke is going and the writer pulls a fast one on me, I love it.

Have you ever played wine pong?

No... but that is a fantastic idea. Or maybe it is wine abuse. I'm going to have to chew on this. Maybe over some wine.

==============================================================================================

Thanks for doing the interview. I'm enjoying reading your blog. Anybody who gets fan art (http://www.kidfreeliving.com/i-got-fan-art/) & has over 23,000 followers on Twitter is a celebrity in my book.

The Creators Of Indie Fantasy Film "Harmion"

Please explain exactly what your film "Harmion" is about.

ADAM: Harmion is set in a fictional mythical world about a father who goes on a journey to find a cure for his dying son. He's an ex-soldier who is suffering from not just physical scars, but emotional ones as well. As a result he struggles to fit back in to his family life at the farm. The journey is an excuse for him to leave but also a proving ground for him to
come to terms with his demons.

  What is your opinion on crowdfunding?

ADAM: Crowdfunding has been a revelation for us. It connects the creatives directly with the audience, which allows the quality control to be upfront. The buzz about crowdfunding is very exciting and it's just one of the those new things to come out of social media but I think we are in for some big surprises with crowdfunding in the coming years.

  What makes a crowdfunding campaign successful?

RICH: There's no formula, I guess ultimately people have to believe in what you're doing and believe that YOU believe in it! Ultimately if you're passionate and working hard to get something off the ground people will respond to that. If you take a lazy approach without really thinking about what you're doing or why you think you need money straight from your fans or audience then perhaps it's not going to happen. It's good to communicate with your backers and actually you will find inspiration through them by learning about their own stories and creativity.

Are you fans of the TV show "Doctor Who"?

RICH: Well, I worked on it some years back so maybe it's not good for me to say? I will tell you that Blink is the best episode I have seen to date and Carey Mulligan is a large percentage of the reason why. It was a buzz being on set with her and thinking to myself she's definitely destined for bigger things. Next thing you know she's in Hollywood. I'll leave it at that!

How is your film different from other films in the fantasy genre?

ADAM: I guess the difference comes from the characters, which are obviously unique in this story. Everything we are trying to do is driven by our lead character, Tritan and so the realism and the fantasy of the film are inspired by that characters journey. Some of the best fantasy stories I know are the simple stories and not the imminent world ending ones. It's all down to taste ultimately but we're concentrating on a select group of characters in this much larger world but as a result the story is identifiable, we hope!

Why did you decide to shoot the film in Wales?

RICH: We met in Wales when working on the original short about 8 years ago and the Brecon Beacons were just up the road. One look around there and I was sold! It was actually Chris Wright, our fight choreographer for the promo who showed me around to begin with. I met Chris in a medical testing trial when I was raising money to shoot the short film. I then jumped off a rock in the mountains to show Chris how the action was going to play out for one particular scene and busted my ankle. It was a long walk back to the car! Bit of a tangent, but Wales is beautiful and I love the language, history, and the folk tales of the Mabinogion. It all just came together there really. I grew up in Brighton so not really much chance to make a medieval period film in my youth. (you'd struggle to even shoot the 70's there now!)

  How did making your previous film "In This Room" prepare you to make  "Harmion"?

RICH: 'In This Room' started out as an experiment. I'd made about 50 short films by this point but not really Directed a long form project for a while and so it just fell together. I never expected to win any awards for it or anything but I guess for a micro budget film it turned out pretty well as we swept up an award in Greece last year! The great thing was just concentrating on the performance and the story so that probably gave me a kick up the ass as far as Harmion is concerned. I work a fair bit as a Cinematographer, which I love and will continue to do but I have a few stories that are bursting to get out of me and Harmion is one of those.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

ADAM: Being successfully funded for our development on kickstarter with 8 days of our campaign left to go is an amazing feeling and we've had some great support for this film so that really inspires me with confidence to continue pushing to get it made.

This is the link to kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/harmionmovie/harmion-independent-fantasy-feature-film

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Thanks guys for doing the interview. I hope I'll get the chance to see the completed film. Also, seeing the sights in Wales is on my bucket list. "Blink" is one of my all time favorite "Doctor Who" episodes.

Filmmaker Jo Custer

Jo is a New Orleans film community writer / director / producer, a playwright and theatre director, a journalist, a photographer, an actress and a scrappy cab driver.Since 2009 Jo has been whittling away at a short story collection as Jules Alder. In 2010 The History Press published her personal essay, Chopsticks, in the journal collection Western Pennsylvania Reflections: Stories from the Alleghenies to Lake Erie. 
Jo’s 19 minute neo-noir film HOTCAKES (2012) represents the first of the “Short Stack Series,” a set of short film challenges the director has identified for herself en route to making her first feature. SONUVABITCH, the second entry in the series and a comedic Western about the illusion of the American Cowboy spirit, has been cast and crewed and is now pending funding on Kickstarter.Jo holds a B.A. in Journalism from the Pennsylvania State University and hopes to someday make a documentary as an environmental and social justice advocate. Her “Cab Fare” writing entries can be followed by subscribing to her blog, by following her  ‏@Sonuvab or via the #cabfare hashtag or by adding her on Facebook.

What is the current project you are working on?

Sonuvabitch, a postmodern Western about what I consider to be the last real cowboy theme on earth -- the loss of independence with the loss of the frontier. Frank Hooey wants to be a real Old West cowboy, but he's too much of a fuck-up to pull anything off and even if he were, he can't.

Ain't that a sonuvabitch?

Why did you decide to make a trilogy?

It's about challenges. Independent filmmakers can get so pigeon-holed by cost concerns that I wanted to focus on what I felt like I really needed to learn before I made that first feature. So I chose a trilogy with shifting characters and protagonists so that the writing wouldn't become too dependent upon existing properties, but left room for development and greater understanding of costuming, set design & ensemble directing.

Where can people watch "Hotcakes"?

Vimeo. Here's the link: https://vimeo.com/42000706

What is your opinion on crowdfunding?

It's a lot of work for one person, so I recommend getting a tech savvy team who is up on their social media skills, for sure. But it's totally worth the effort, even if it means educating your team first. As a filmmaker currently based in Louisiana, this is a challenge, but not going into debt to fund a film and having a captive audience when you release outweighs those hardships, certainly. Angel investors can and will come later. For now, crowdfunding.

How has making "Hotcakes" prepared you to make "Sonuvabitch"?

This time around, I've learned to avoid the sand traps. No hiring crew members without vetting them first. No writing parts for actors who won't be dedicated or hard working enough to show up to an audition. No backbending to make a location work when there will almost certainly be a better one around the corner. You have to learn what to take on faith and what to be totalitarian about. I now fire people who aren't dedicated. The work is too hard for half-assedness and it brings the bar down on everyone else's work when others don't manage their time or lose heart. Also, while I was glad to shoot Hotcakes New Wave style, I don't think I'd ever like to shoot again without solid pre-production. It's too maddening in post.

What is the indie film scene like in Louisiana?

Too industry-dependent right now. A fair amount of us see that and get what that means, especially since the tax credit has been threatened, and we're working on making it stronger.

What is your favorite western?

I'm a fan of so many. In the modern era, probably Unforgiven. In the days of yore, probably Stagecoach or Yojimbo, if you'll count Yojimbo. I do.

What is the casting process like?

I definitely prefer to have a dedicated casting director to deal with all the confusion and personalities. I'm more of the show up on the day and decide who I like then type. I don't spend hours gazing at head shots, though I do like to look at resumes. I sort of go on my gut sense of talent, my aftertaste on their handshake and what their resumes tell me about them. We have a lot of hustlers in this town who like to splash their names everywhere but aren't necessarily team players. I'm wary of that. Louisiana is a very wild place, not unlike the Old West. With the tax credits bringing so many studio films into town, the whole place has a goldrush vibe to it. Avoiding hustlers is priority number one some days.

When & where are you choosing to release "Sonuvabitch"?

We wanted to release it over Labor Day weekend here in New Orleans and just keep showing it for weeks and months. But if we don't make the goal on Kickstarter by Sunday night, we'll have to push that back.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Just that you're a peach for fitting me in. I know you're busy, John. Thank you for your time and attention.

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Thanks for doing the interview Jo. You're a classy lady and I'd be happy to interview you again when you ready to make the conclusion to the trilogy. All The Best.

Actor Dave Vescio

 

Born in Somerset, Pennsylvania in 1970, Dave Vescio began making his own way through life at a very young age, joining the U.S. Army (25th Infantry Division) when he was 18-years old as a combat light infantry soldier with a specialty in jungle warfare. He studied Broadcast Journalism at Virginia Tech after his service, and Vescio soon found himself working as a TV Photojournalist for CBS News.

Performing on screen was always a natural medium, and it was only a matter of time before Vescio was accepted as a full-time student at the Atlantic Theater Company in NYC led by an impressive ensemble, the likes of writer/director David Mamet and actor William H. Macy (Fargo). Dave quickly found his passion for playing the villain in theater plays and feature films.

For ten years Vescio has meticulously perfected his craft, focusing on the antagonist and offbeat roles and developing his own unique style of acting. With his stunning ability to step into the mind of the character, and a preference of provocative and controversial roles, Vescio offers a performance that invades audience’s comfort zone.

Always attracted to the darker side of life, Dave Vescio has performed in over 40 horror and science fiction films, including Syfy’s Gemini Rising, and the thriller Lost Soul. A rapidly rising star, Vescio takes the helm of the villainous role in the blockbuster Hick (2012) alongside a star-studded ensemble including Alec Baldwin, Blake Lively, Juliette Lewis, and Chloe Moretz.  

Other credits include The Millionaire Tour with Dominic Monaghan with upcoming movies in the works that include The Trials of Cate McCall with Kate Beckinsale & Nick Nolte; and The Odd Way Home with Rumer Willis (daughter of Bruce Willis & Demi Moore).

What is the current project you are working on?

I’m actually co-producing and co-writing a feature film script that I’m going to star in.  Now, I actually can’t talk about.  But, let’s just say that it’s going to be very controversial; and if you know anything about me, I LOVE doing controversial and provocative movies.  I just love getting underneath the skin of the audience, and fucking with their head. :)

But, I also have a lot of different movies coming out in 2012 and 2013.  I have an end of times movie coming out this summer called ‘Revelation Road 2’ (starring Eric Roberts, Brian Bosworth, & Sting the wrestler).  And at the end of the year or the beginning of 2013, my movie with Kate Beckinsale and Nick Nolte will come to movie theater near you, and it’s called ‘The Trials of Cate McCall’.  And sometime later on in 2013, my Rumer Willis (the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) movie will come out as well; it’s called ‘The Odd Way Home’.  Plus, I have a lot of different straight to DVD movies coming out as well, from horror to sci-fi to crime thrillers.

What was it like on the set of "Hick"?

Man; that was the best set that I ever had the privilege to work on.  Everyone brought their A-game to that movie.  My god, it was definitely a great set to work on, and the cast & crew were just phenomenal.  And the director and the writer were the best of the best.  Man, I miss working on a set like that.  That was a great movie shoot for sure.

Why did you become an actor?

Good question.  Umm, for a lot of different reasons… It makes me feel like that I’m still a child again, and that I’m playing all the time.  Plus, it’s so emotional and so real (if you allow it to be), and that definitely gets my blood going.  To turn an imaginary circumstance into an actual truth for not only my self but for the audience as well.  And I just love being able to do that! :)   And it’s truly a challenge like no other.  So much to know, so much to learn, and so much to do to have a career that lasts from decade to decade.  It’s truly competitive, and probably one of the most competitive businesses in the world.   And plus, I have an actual life before acting, because I started acting at the age of 32, so, I’m always trying to incorporate that into my art as well.  As you know, I’m the only ex-con method actor in the world.  So, I’m always trying to bring the truth of the criminal world to each and every one of my characters, and show the younger generations that crime just does not pay.  You will get caught or you will get killed / horribly maimed.

How has David Mamet influenced you?

So much…  I still read his acting book called “True and False” at least once every single year for the past eleven years, and I trained at his acting conservatory in NYC.  I don’t know; the way he teaches acting is just unreal.  It’s all about making the character you, that there is no character, it’s just you up on stage or on the film/TV set.  But, I’m also a Method actor, so, I’m always combining the two techniques and making them as one.  And I will always be in debt to David Mamet.  Always!

What advice would you give to aspiring actors?

The best advice that I can honestly give to any actor on this planet is that: Applied Knowledge is POWER!  The more you know, the more you apply, the more power / success that you’ll have in the end.  So, read every single acting book, business of acting book, business book, and leadership book that you can.  And we’re called Lead Actors for a reason.  It’s our job to not only lead the audience to the story, but, to also lead them through the story.  And it’s called Show Business for a reason as well.  We have to *show* our art to the audience and to the industry by using *business tactics*.  But, the other thing that I truly recommend is that you have to start making your own movies, TV shows, webisodes, theatrical plays, or whatever.  Because once you do that, you’ll then have full control over your art form.  And you won’t just be an actor for hire anymore.  You’ll actually be creating Art that you personally care for, versus what the industry cares for.  And to me, that’s the whole point of being an artist in the first place; to show our own unique truths to the world.

What is your dream role?

I just love creating art that connects with the world’s audience.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a smaller project or a bigger project.  As long as it affects them, and it gets them to want to share it with their friends & family members.  And that’s what ‘Hick’ is doing right now across the world.  Every single day, dozens on dozens of people are Tweeting about the movie and the performances that they just saw.  And my movie ‘The Millionaire Tour’ is slowly doing that as well.  It stars Dominic Monaghan and it’s currently playing everywhere overseas right now; it just has not been released in North America.

If you could arm wrestle anyone who would it be and why?

That’s a funny question! :)   Hmm, most likely a female; I got to have fun you know! :)  Now, I would probably say one of the Playboy Playmates that works at Playboy Radio.  I’ve been interviewed by that radio station twice in the past two years (in person), and I honestly had so much fun on those shows. :)  These Playboy Playmates are great, fun, adorable young women, and super smart, and so, so playful.  They definitely know how to have fun! :)  So, one of them for sure!  And if I had to choose, probably Nikki Leigh; she is so beautiful and such a blast to talk to.  She’s an awesome interviewer!

What's your favorite quote?

That’s a tough one.  I actually like Dr. Scholl’s quote: “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.”  So, that’s probably my most favorite one.  But, I also like the one that I learned in the U.S. Army when I was a combat infantry soldier.  And that’s “Failure is just NOT an option!  Do or die.  There is no try.”  So, as you can see, my two favorite quotes deal with competing and out winning your competition at all costs.  And that’s how I see my life these days.  Always competing and always outsmarting my competition.  Or at least trying to! :)

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Yeah, that anything and everything is possible in life.  You just got to figure out how to exactly do it.  And then do it.  But, EVERYTHING is possible in life.  Just don’t ever quit.  And I mean NEVER.

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Thanks for doing the interview Dave. You really creeped me out as "the stranger" in 'Hick'. I'll be on the look out for you in 'Revelation Road 2', 'The Trials of Cate McCall', and 'The Odd Way Home'.

Filmmaker John Shackleton

 John co-wrote and Produced PANIC BUTTON and now WE ARE MONSTERS, which he will also direct. John has directed a number of short films and TV documentaries. Broadcasters include BBC1&2, ITV, Channel 4, Discovery, Sky One, Sky Sports, Extreme Sports Channel, S4C, MTV & CNBC. Short films include BALANCE, ONE OF THE CROWD, FIXED PENALTY, SLEEP TRACKS and GHOSTS OF ABERCWMBOI.

Follow @MovieMogulLtd to keep up with John's latest projects.

Why did you decide to create Movie Mogul Ltd?

I was a freelance producer/director in Cardiff when I hit upon the idea of creating a ‘community generated film fund’. This was before filmmaking had entered the crowd-sourcing arena in the early days of Sellaband. MM was set-up on the back of a Technium award to help pilot the idea. Movie Mogul Fund (MMF), garnered much press interest and support, but sadly failed to generate sufficient funds to take the winning film into production. This was a film called RETREAT, which later went into production on a much higher budget with Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton & Jamie Bell.

MMF’s commercial failure cost me personally and facing bankruptcy, I was forced to review the direction of my company. Re-aligning my own personal filmmaking career with the objectives of MM, and with the help of a modest injection of private equity, MM became a film production company. The business plan was simple – to make commercially oriented feature films for the lowest possible price point. Everything turned around with PANIC BUTTON.

How has the horror genre changed since you started your company?

The Horror genre is becoming increasingly hard to categorise. There are so many sub, sub-genres and widely differing takes on exactly what constitutes horror that just about anything within the low-budget realm with the odd scare, token reference, or splash of blood seems to qualify nowadays. This is a good thing, you only have to look at the diverse range of emerging films that Film4 Frightfest showcase each year to understand that horror is more a place where you can have fun and let your imagination run riot - without fear of too many reprisals!

What is the current project you are working on?

Our next film is a Sci-Fi / Action movie called WE ARE MONSTERS. It nods to many of the horror sub genres, such as vampires, werewolves, alien invasion, mutants, survivalist, but it is also a hearty rites of passage of tale with a pertinent hook, surrounding the difficult financial times in which we now find ourselves.

How did making "Panic Button" prepare you for making "We Are Monsters"?

Panic Button was always a very ambitious, concept-driven project. With the exception of making TV programmes and numerous short films, making PB was my first personal opportunity to test the theory behind filmmaking, and to see if I really did have a grasp over what it takes to make a commercially successful film.

It wasn’t a simple or straightforward process by any stretch, but as a company, myself and producer Gareth I Davies took great reassurance from the fact that the company knowledge and business approach wasn’t too far off the mark, and we chalked the rest up to experience. This gave us confidence as a company to remain concept driven and to keep punching hard above our weight, safe in the knowledge that provided we have the passion project – we can and will make great things happen.

Why do you think the crowdfunding goal for WAM was tripled?

I guess it was kind of inevitable that at some point MM should have a dabble in crowd-funding, now that it has become more established as a viable, alternative means of audience building and fundraising. The truth is that nobody knows or fully understands the mechanics of crowdfunding - who exactly is backing and why? So it’s very much a ‘spray and pray’ tactic that you must undertake, staying on your toes and reacting as you go, it’s hard work for sure.

We actually ran two campaigns – the first was very optimistic with a £100k target. Using the Kickstarter ‘all or nothing’ platform really added to the stress of the 60 day campaign, which closed at around £35k – meaning we received absolutely nothing, despite the masses of support and interest WE ARE MONSTERS garnered. The toughest aspect of this is that the project then carries an ‘unsuccessful’ stigma, which feels counter-productive to all PR efforts!

We rebooted with a sure-fire strategy for success, with a 30-day campaign and a £5k target – which we smashed within 24 hours. We raised a further £5k over the next 27 days, and the final £5k came in largely within the very exciting final 24hrs. We clearly lost the interest of several of our early backers, but 300% funded did wonders for the films image, not least company morale. It wasn’t just the people and project however, a lot of the campaign success  was attributable to the relentless efforts of our campaign/social media manager - Justin Tagg.

Why do some campaigns fail?

Most campaigns succeed when they can appeal directly to an existing fanbase, take Veronica Mars or the BBC Micro Elite video game reboot as prime examples. Most independent films seeking finance however, are new and (hopefully) original ideas, so they have to work a lot harder to convince people to take a punt of them.

Named cast and crew of course can help with this, but not always to huge effect. The old saying that people invest in people is proving to be very true, so filmmakers who cower behind glossy showreels are less likely to find crowdfunding success than those who really put themselves out there and try to infect others with their genuine passion for their project. This is counter-intuitive to many of us, who made a firm decision to stand BEHIND the camera (many with good reason) a long time ago. Unfortunately it’s all part of the process now, so this is no time to be shy!

How did Doug Jones and Maisie Williams become attached to the film?

We’ve taken a conventional approach to casting and have a wonderful agency in Jeremy Zimmermann’s, who love to embrace a bit of lateral thinking as we do. So both Doug Jones and Maisie Williams responded brilliantly to the screenplay and the key antagonist and protagonist roles respectively offered to them. We’re really thrilled to have them onboard, and we have more cast members shaping up now too. WE ARE MONSTERS is becoming a very exciting property!

What is the independent film industry like where you live?

There’s a thriving independent film scene going on in Cardiff right now, and people just seem to be going out there and getting on with it. A few years ago this wasn’t so much the case but the indie ‘get out there and do it’ ethos seems to be riding strong now. You only need to attend nights like Cardiff Mini Film Festival to see how popular the scene is.

Who are your favorite up and coming filmmakers?

Gareth Evans is a really exciting talent to watch, THE RAID just blew me away. In the US, Evan Glodell and the BELLFLOWER guys I find exciting too.

But there’s so much UK talent out there at the moment struggling to break out of their local film scenes that it’s difficult to point at anyone in particular, safe to say that we’re living in exciting times where more and more filmmakers can, and do come from nowhere and achieve a decent level of commercial success.

That’s mainly why we got the short film challenge ‘666 Short Cuts To Hell’ off the ground with Horror Channel and Frightfest. There’s £6,666 prize money up for grabs, Horror Channel, Frighfest and professional jury exposure and a mentorship with us here at Movie Mogul to be won.  www.shortcutstohell.com

Filmmaking competitions like these can be a real leveler that help so many people progress in their careers - not just the competition winners. We’re all very interested to see if this will introduce even more sub-genres to the world of horror too, mix things up and murky the waters that bit more!

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Thanks for doing the interview John. I look forward to seeing WAM.  Let me know if WAM and the Movie Mogul crew ever come to Boston.