Marcella Selbach: Independent Film Angel

[caption id="attachment_1882" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Photo Credit: Miles Maker"][/caption]

Marcella Selbach is a true fan of film and has helped to fund numerous independent films. Follow her on Twitter @Movieangel. To learn more about Marcella and her projects visit http://www.movieangel.net.

What is the current project you are working on?

I‘m currently working on a list for the German Film Festivals next year (2012) to send it to different Independent filmmakers in the USA so that they can submit their films. I‘m also working on the organization of a little festival or so-called “Indie Film Days“ for almost a year now, but it‘s hard to find investors & sponsors to support this event. Let‘s see whether it will work out soon.

How do you handle rejection?

Sometimes it‘s difficult to accept rejection and handle it and you get angry & upset because it seems that all the plans you have won‘t work out. And there were times when I thought it would be better to quit. But my passion and hope let me go on. You can‘t always get what you want, you have to be patient. I like a quote of Silvester Stallone on rejection, he said: “

"I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat."


I think sometimes rejection is needed to push us on and give us strength & new inspirations.

What inspired you to become involved in the independent film industry?

Well, I guess it was my dedication and passion for film and the opportunity which social media (Facebook/ Twitter) gives us nowadays to get in contact with actors & filmmakers. About 1 ½ year ago my friend actor/producer/writer Gregor Collins introduced me to the Independent film "Goodbye Promise", directed by David Branin, in which he had the leading role. They had started a kickstarter campaign and I started to learn all about crowdfunding.

I was fascinated and got interested in the opportunity for Independent filmmakers to get their projects financed. Inspired by this new experience I got more and more involved in this film community which is amazing.

How has your life changed since you became involved with the film industry?

It has changed in a way I could never imagine. I am online almost every day, very ambitious and focused on everything regarding the Independent film world. I had to learn a lot about it and still have and I am grateful that the filmmakers I know, always try to support me with as much of information as possible. I meet a lot of interesting, passionate and talented filmmakers, actors and producers who enrich my life with their work. Often they ask me for help with their campaigns and I try to promote the projects & spread the word which I think is useful.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to support Independent film? Is funding films your full-time job?

During my studies I worked at a theater and saw almost every play they showed.

I still have a day job. It‘s a part-time job at an elementary school, where I work with kids between 6 and 10 years.

I can combine my work on funding films with this job and it actually works quite well. Sometimes the balancing act between school and Indie film work is stressful, but I love doing it , so there‘s definitely no need to complain at all.

What is the best thing about supporting films?

It‘s actually the fact to know that you‘re a tiny part of a great project, YOU… together with all the other supporters/ backers make it happen that a campaign is successful and reaches it‘s goal. Being involved in these projects makes me very proud and it‘s so inspiring to follow a film project from the beginning (script) to the ending(screening) . It‘s exciting and I mean, where else do you ever have the chance to be part of a film?

What is the worst thing about it?

Ha,ha,ha….you really want to know this? Well, you can get addicted to it, you start feeling responsible for the project and the filmmakers / producers. The day I started I was lost!

What is the number of projects you have helped to fund?

So far I helped to fund 14 projects on IndieGoGo and about 31 on Kickstarter and there are more to come…..

What are some of your favorite perks from crowdfunding campaigns?

The “sweetest“ definitely was the homemade apple pie I got from director David Branin of “Goodbye Promise“ but there were nice others like T shirts, DVDs or stickers and of course IMDb entries.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to help fund an independent film?

Find out about the projects your friends or friends of friends recommend and try to learn more about the campaigns. And go to platforms like IndieGoGo and Kickstarter and get inspired by all the wonderful projects THEY recommend. It probably depends on what you‘re interested in, which genre of film you like or which filmmaker you want to support!

Who are your favorite filmmakers?

I love the work of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Robert Altman, Francois Truffaut! These “legends“ impress me and their films inspire me.

How would you describe your film education?

MY film education was at home. As I mentioned before, my parents have been actors on stage before they decided to quit and have a family but my whole life was accompanied by film & theater. My dad took me to the movies for the first time when I was about 4 or 5 and I still remember that it was a German black/white film with the lead actor “Heinz Rühmann“ .

Film was always a part of our family life, we all LOVED to go to the movies and then discussed them within the family.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Our film “scene“ here in Germany is fabulous, especially the young generation is very interested in films, even in Independent films, but unfortunately the less known movies are only shown in movie theaters in the big cities, which is disappointing. That‘s why I‘m thinking of bringing some Independent films to some smaller cities in my neighborhood.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I think the main thing is that there are no big studios & millions of dollars behind the Independent films which absolutely doesn‘t mean that they‘re less precious or worth to see. I actually think that a lot of their stories are much better than those productions and the unknown actors often have more potential than their famous colleagues. Aside from that, a lot of the Independent films often have special issues as “main topic“ which I think is excellent but mostly doesn‘t appeal to a BIG audience. I think ‘mainstream films“ , so called "Blockbusters" often are produced to earn a lot of money, nowadays movies with spectacular special effects or 3D screenings sell best and let as many people as possible come to the movie theaters. That‘s NOT the intention of an Independent filmmaker, he has his own language to convey a message. He‘s much more interested in letting people deal with a special subject ( for example social issue ) .

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

It has changed the Independent film industry completely! I mean since Twitter and Facebook every filmmaker, producer or actor has the chance to promote himself. The word of mouth is powerful! By using social media, it‘s so easy to spread the word. You can tell your friends, friends of friends, even people you don‘t know, about YOUR projects & those of others that might be interesting & good. How lucky we‘re nowadays with social media which allows us to spread the word around the globe & involve people all over the world in the Independent films. With crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and others you have the chance to get support from people all over the world. They can be a part of your film by donating money for the pre production or post production process or the shoot of the movie.

Do you believe in life on other planets?

Sure…. already as a kid I thought of life on other planets and it still fascinates me thinking about it & that there might be “LIFE“ outside our solar system. I don‘t believe that there‘re creatures looking like us /human beings but yes, there‘s life out there, why not?

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?

Good question but difficult to answer because there is no specific right or wrong answer, it absolutely can go both ways. Art is an expression of life, it imitates life. A creative work can be inspired by true events which means for example for the film industry that a movie is based on a true story or on the other hand LIFE can be inspired by art, it‘s required to produce art. I like a quote by Oscar Wilde, he said: “The secret of life is in art.“

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

It‘s from Forrest Gump (1994) : My mama always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you‘re gonna get.“

I love this quote that much because MY mom told me almost the same when I was a teenager namely that life will always have surprises for us, like a box you open. And I think she was right!

What are some of your favorite German films? Foreign films? Television shows?

There are a few very fascinating & successful German films, here are some of my favorites:

- The Lives Of Others - ( Das Leben der Anderen)

- Downfall - (Der Untergang)

- Run Lola Run - ( Lola rennt )

- The Boat - (Das Boot)

- The Reader - (Der Vorleser )

And the foreign films ( only a small selection) I love are:

- The King‘s Speech -

- Babel -

- Fargo -

- Pulp Fiction -

- LA Crash -

- Sideways -

- Mulholland Drive -

- The Godfather -

TV shows I don‘t watch very often, but there‘re a few US ones I like:

- Grey‘s Anatomie -

- The Closer -

- The Mentalist -

- Shark -

- 24 - ( unfortunately it‘s finished now)

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for doing the interview Marcella. Thank you for all you do to support independent film. I hope you will come to Boston some time, so we can chat about film in person.

Screenwriter/Director Will Warner

Will Warner is founder of a small independent production house that was designed to meet the needs of the community, by creating programs which allows other local filmmakers, actors, and crews to showcase their talents in the industry.

I.C.E. Studios started out as an independent comic-book collective in 1995. Showcasing the work of many New Orleans artists with visionary series such as THE MYSTERIOUS SHADOW RUNNER, THE DYNAMIC B-STING, and THE EBONY ENFORCERS. Currently, I.C.E. Studios is in the pre-production phases of developing a feature length version of its popular comicbook series THE SHADOW RUNNER.

In 2007, Will Warner changed the direction of I.C.E. Studios by becoming a non-profit organization designed to educate youth on how to utilize healthy self-expression through the use of a variety of media, i.e., film, radio, and television production. Participants in the program would gain actual hands on experience during production of the popular live action internet series, THE BLACK GHOST. With the help of the many supporters that were accumulated, I.C.E. Studios moved forward in its efforts to educate both children and adult alike in learning how to change their perceptions of the world around them, and to become active and contributing members of an ever-evolving society.

It is Will's firm belief, that in order to make positive change in a persons life, there must be opportunity. However, most people follow the concept that there is no opportunity to change or grow, this is very evident especially here in New Orleans, because there are many who have developed a sense of "learned helplessness". They have lost connection with available resources, and developed a belief system that there are not enough caring individuals and organizations to provide them with their basic human needs. We see this in our urban neighborhoods, and in the behaviors of our children. They have lost hope, and have nothing to believe in. I.C.E. Studios means to assist in changing that perception. Thus was born THE BLACK GHOST.

THE BLACK GHOST was meant to be a symbol, as most comic book superheroes were intended. I wanted the BLACK GHOST to be a living, breathing hero that both kids and adult alike, could look up to and aspire to be like in both ideals and attitude. THE BLACK GHOST is a hero that doesn't engage in physical combat in order to defeat his foes. Instead, he utilizes the gifts of his intellect and supernatural abilities to solve cases, and take down the bad guys in a very non-violent fashion. This is what made the BLACK GHOST such a popular character, especially among parents.

Now, the first film in our series TALES OF THE BLACK GHOST is a darker, more violent story, but it has a purpose. It's meant to show, that even "superheroes" are flawed, and must choose the path that they take. 

What is the current project you are working on?

Currently, I am in post-production of a suspense thriller entitled THE BRIDGEWATER MURDERS, and I am in the development stages of the first installment of a series of supernatural action films entitled THE BLACK GHOST, which tells the story of a hero that has been chosen by Fate to battle an ancient evil in order to save the world. Award-winning film director Art Camacho has signed on as Co-Director/Fight Choreographer. I’m also working on an epic superhero film, THE SHADOW RUNNER (Not to be confused with the Chris Hemsworth film of the same name). I’m still in the process of attaching talent to that project, but some of the names already attached are Kee Chan, Tawny Cypress, and we are looking at Shemar Moore for the lead.

How do you handle rejection?

I would say that I handle rejection fairly well. I’ve always used rejection as a means of inspiration. I hate it when someone tells me that I “can’t” do something, because “it’s not viably marketable” or “it will never go anywhere.” I guess I just like to prove people wrong, inasmuch as I like to prove to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to do.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I guess you could say that. I was always fascinated with cinema, especially after the first time I say Gaslight starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. I’ve always loved classic films, and I would often find myself imagining myself in the director’s chair, working with the giants of the industry. I would always try to figure out how certain effects were accomplished. When I first came to New Orleans, at the age of 15, I joined my high school’s video club, and I guess that’s where it all really began for me as a filmmaker. My first film, Handmade, won a tri-state competition back in 1984.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

As I said earlier, I love classic films. The film that inspired me the most was Gaslight. As time went on, I became more and more fascinated with the works of George Zuccor and Alfred Hitchcock. I was also a huge fan of the B-Movie genre, and would stay up until the wee hours of the morning watching old Hammer Horror films, as well as old Japanese Monster movies.

What is the best thing about being one?

The best thing about being a filmmaker to me, is that I get to tell stories that will engage the audience on a very deep, and personal level. It’s kind of like sitting around a campfire and telling stories to an old friend, and watch them as they go on this journey with you. It’s very rewarding when you know that you have left an indelible mark on someone, and that they will take your story and share it with others.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Hmmmm…I guess I would have to say, money and time. The difficulty in finding the money needed to make my films, and there never seems to be enough time in the course of a shooting day to get all the shots off. Oftentimes, despite have a well written shot list, there will be shots that I see in my head that I want to try, and so my team and I have to make adjustments in mid-stream.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I’ve worked on four projects, not including the two 48 Hour Film projects that I competed in, and Michael Bay’s PEARL HARBOR. I was the Public affairs Officer for Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, and was involved with coordinating the use of the USS Lexington for the film.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Now that’s a tough question. There are so many that I’ve looked to for inspiration, but if I had to name one in particular, it would have to be Alfred Hitchcock. I have watched almost every film he’s ever made, including the silent films. One of my favorites is THE LADY VANISHES. He was truly a master in his ability to draw the audience in, take them on this rollercoaster ride of intrigue, and just when you think you’ve figured it all out, WHAM! He had a true understanding of the human condition, and to watch him work was like watching a game of chess being played by a genius.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

My life hasn’t really changed all that much, with the exception that now, when I go to the movies, I’m not going for just the entertainment factor anymore. Instead, the theatre has essentially become a classroom for me. I’m going to learn, to analyze, and if I’m entertained at the same time, then that’s a good day for me.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

I guess the best advice that I could offer to anyone wanting to make it in this business is, “Don’t give up.” I’ve spent the better part of my adult life as an artist. I’ve hit the target a few times, but I haven’t really hit the bullseye yet. But, I don’t let that fact deter me from my goal. I’m confident in my abilities, and I would say to them, “Be confident in yours.” Learn all that you can, and never become complacent in your knowledge. Be open to suggestions, and listen to what your cast and crew have to offer. Oftentimes, we let ego get in our way, and I hear a lot of directors thinking that they know it all. But if you’ve only been a director for a year, and you’re working with an actor or other industry professional that has 20+ years in the business, it might be beneficial to listen to what they have to say. There is no greater teacher than experience.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I like to read, play video games, spend time with my family. Mostly, I find that I enjoy cooking more than anything else. I love to watch as my family sits down at the dinner table and enjoy the dish that I’ve prepared for them. Being Creole, you can imagine that I’ve got a ton of recipes that I try on them.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

Well, aside from being a filmmaker, I am a former Navy Petty Officer, and I am currently the Clinical Director of a Partial Hospitalization program that treats individuals suffering from Chronic Mental Illness.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

My favorite American films would have to be the entire Harry Potter series. My favorite foreign film is Like Water for Chocolate, and my favorite television series would have to be Heroes.

How would you describe your film education?

My film education came from my own personal desire to learn the business. I’ve surrounded myself with many industry professionals and veterans of the craft. I listen to them intently, and I trust their advice.

What is the casting process like?

Much of my cast for my projects have been friends that I’ve worked with for years. These are people I trust and know will give me 110% once the camera starts rolling. I like to fancy myself as the Adam Sandler of sci-fi. However, as I continue to move toward becoming a seasoned filmmaker, I have begun to open myself up more to the standards of the industry, including holding auditions. Contrary to popular belief, there are many, many talented actors here in New Orleans that are often overlooked for principal roles. I hope to change that with my films, and as my studio grows, so will their careers.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Very competitive. There are some really gifted filmmakers here in New Orleans, and I am proud to be able to work with many of them.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Well it has given us an opportunity to get our work out there and seen by mainstream audiences, and to network. Once upon a time, you would be hard pressed to find and connect with those like yourself in this industry. Now, it’s a simple matter of a Google search and a Facebook connect. It also give us an opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from one another. You can now actually ask someone, “hey, what lens did you use on that shot?” or “What program are you editing with?”

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I think it’s fabulous. However, it’s still a crap shoot. You might raise the money you need for your project, and you might not. It all depends on how you market your product and how you sell yourself as a filmmaker.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I think the big difference between independent film and mainstream film would be that independents are allowed more creative freedom, and don’t always have big studio executives stepping on their toes, forcing them to alter their scripts or hire talent that is clearly wrong for specific roles. Independents can make their films as they intended.

You could go back in time and see any film being made. Which film would it be and why?

That’s easy. Republic Pictures 1941 Serial “The Adventures of Captain Marvel”, which to date is one of my favorite serials of all time. Despite the noticeable differences in the story of the serial to the comic books, it was very well written and engaging. Captain Marvel has always been one of my favorite comic book superheroes, and I’ve always felt that he has been overlooked and the most underutilized. I would just love to witness the film techniques used, the costuming, and set designs.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone, “I’m your huckleberry.” It’s just the coolest line ever delivered, and to this day, I still don’t know what the hell a “huckleberry” is supposed to be. But the way he delivered it made you think, “this guy is either completely nuts, or a total badass to refer to himself as a fruit.”

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

Remakes are fine, if they are done with the same beauty and grace that the original held. If someone were to do a remake of Casablanca, could you find an actor that could deliver as powerful of a performance as Bogart, or look as radiant as Bergman? Would the film have the same depth and meaning as the original, or would it just be a remake in name only? What bothers me are the constant reboots of films, such as Superman and Spiderman. Why do we need to see the same story that we just saw a few years ago? I want to see something new. I don’t want to see General Zod escape from the Phantom Zone again, I want to see Darkseid attacking Earth. I don’t want to see a combination of Sam Raimi’s version of Spiderman, with the 70’s live action television Spiderman. I want to finally see the Lizard attacking, or Kraven the Hunter. Do we really need to see another origin story? I’m just saying.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

That depends on the book, I guess. There are hundreds of films made based on some wonderful literary works, but of course the films are a stark contrast to the book. One of the things that perturbs me the most, is when a studio makes a film based on a long-running comic book series, and you get all excited to see the film. You buy your ticket, get your popcorn, settle in your seat, and within the first 20 minutes realize that this film is going to be one of the biggest disappointments of your life. I hate when studios take all creative control away from the writer, and place films like that in the hands of directors that have no clue about the history of the characters, and so they make these ridiculous changes that strip the character from what he/she were originally intended to be.

Aaron Marcusson Novelist/Artist

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Marcusson-Chronicles-of-the-Twelve/248430300158 is the author of two full-length novels, Chronicles of the Twelve: Vampire Redemption and its sequel, Vampire Rebellion, and is working on the third and final book in the series.  He is also working on a zombie novel, developing a series of zombie short stories, doing research for a non-fiction book about the current state of education in the United States, as well as writing various horror themes.  Aaron has recently started co-writing for Zombie A.C.R.E.S. as well as providing an exclusive cover for their upcoming Alice in Zombieland comic book project. His published works are available anywhere ebooks are sold.

Aaron holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he was in charge of the cadaver lab and spent countless hours dissecting human corpses. That is when the nightmares began; he suffered nightly from twisted visions of hordes of reanimated corpses slavering for his flesh. Aaron decided to start using those nightmares to fuel his life’s dreams, and it seems to be working out pretty well for now. Aaron lives in Dallas, TX with his wife, Melissa, several dogs and cats, and a bearded dragon.

What is the current project you are working on?

I currently have at least a half-dozen “open” projects, some of which I can share with you and some I can’t just yet.  The ones I am most entrenched in are the third novel in my Chronicles of the Twelve vampire series and the Zombie A.C.R.E.S. Alice in Zombieland comic book project.

How do you handle rejection?

I don’t.  Which is a good thing.  I received one rejection letter for my first novel, Vampire Redemption, after waiting for six months for a reply (it was supposed to be three).  It said, and I quote, “I appreciate the opportunity to read your submission, but I’m sorry to say that in the current crowded market, this does not sound to me like a book that we can make into a success.”  This was soon after the whole Twilight thing blew up, so interest in vampires was at an all-time high.  I had written Vampire Redemption long before ever reading Twilight, by the way, just to clarify.  I was determined that was going to be the last rejection letter I ever received, and decided to look into self-publishing.  I figured I would just have to make my book into a success myself!

Did you always want to be a novelist/artist?

Yes.  I was always writing stories and reading things that were way more advanced than most people my age.  I credit my mother for that.  She was an English teacher for the length of her professional life, and really helped to shape my precocity in regard to language.  I still have a few of the programs for young writers’ conventions in Nebraska and Iowa, where my work was first published when I was in elementary school.

 What inspired you to become a novelist/artist?

I started writing my first novel for one reason: To see if I could.  I was increasingly disappointed with the books I was reading and the movies I was watching.  How many times have you read a novel or invested two hours of your life into a movie only to get to a lackluster, anticlimactic ending that left you thinking how much you enjoyed the story except for the ending?  I noticed myself doing that a lot and decided to put my talent to the test and see if I could do better.

I’ve also always been a doodler and I have a Master’s Degree in anatomy and physiology, so I know how the human body should look (both inside and out; I worked in a cadaver lab for two years in college), so I think that helps to lend a reality to my artwork.  I am still working on hammering out a “personal style” for my graphic art, though I’ve been a comic geek from the get go, so I have a tendency to draw very muscular guys and very curvy gals.

 What is the best thing about being one?

There are several great aspects of being a novelist and an artist, but my absolute favorite is the fans.  I think most authors and artists are attention-seekers in some way, and when I read a comment on my work or see a Twitter post from a fan I get a little giddy.  I really enjoy being told by someone I’ve never met that he or she couldn’t put my books down.  It’s a rush for me.

 What is the worst thing about being one?

Every time I’ve interviewed for jobs I’ve been asked “What’s your greatest weakness?” to which my reply has always been “I’m a perfectionist.”  I know that’s like Interview 101 for what you should say, but in my case it’s so true.  I write a bit differently than most in that I get it right the first time.  I don’t write multiple drafts; everything has to be perfect in a certain section or I don’t move on.  Now I do occasionally miss something or create a plot hole that I have to fix once I’m “finished” with the project, but I strive to get everything spot-on while I’m writing it.  That can be maddening, but I’d rather work out the kinks and loopholes earlier than later.  As a result it typically takes me longer to write a story or draw a panel initially, though editing is a breeze.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I currently have two books published in my Chronicles of the Twelve series (Vampire Redemption and Vampire Rebellion), as well as a duet of zombie short stories (Drinks Before Dinner & Dinner Before Dancing).  I’m helping Josh Cook with some of the editing and detail work on Zombie A.C.R.E.S. and the Alice in Zombieland comic series he plans to unveil at ZomBcon this year.  I am providing the cover to the ultra-limited edition of the book, which is really exciting.  Then there are the other intellectual properties of mine that I am developing.  I am hoping to have some of those published in the coming months.

 Who is is your favorite novelist/artist?

My favorite novelist is Stephen King, whose work I began reading in sixth grade.  I remember my mom had to vouch for me and my level of maturity to the town librarian to allow me to check out Cujo.  As far as artists, that is a slightly longer list, though all but one are comic book artists.  Mark Texiera, Joe Madureira, J. Scott Campbell, Frank Miller, Dale Keown, and the Kubert brothers are some of my favorites on the comic book side, and Salvador Dali is my favorite “artsy” artist.

How has your life changed since you became a novelist/artist?

I now daydream a lot more about how it will be when I am a household name and can afford to buy a private island.  Just kidding.  I am a lot more active on Twitter than I used to be as it lets me connect with my fans faster.  Beyond that I can now call myself a novelist, which means a lot to me personally.  Even though I had written Vampire Redemption a few years before publishing it, I didn’t consider myself a novelist until I got my first sale.  Once that happened, it felt like my universe shifted a little, but overall, my life hasn’t changed much…yet.

 What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in your business?

Do your best and just keep at it.  Practice your craft and study the works of others.  Develop your own voice and focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.  I’m a very conversational writer; that’s my thing, that’s how I write.  I can’t expect to switch to a different style and I wouldn’t want to.  Find your muse and just write or draw or sing or whatever every day.

What do you like to do besides writing and drawing comic books?

I am an avid Playstation 3 gamer.  I’m currently playing Resistance 3, and I’m always up for a round of just about any first person shooter’s multiplayer.  I also like to shoot big guns in real life, though I don’t get to do that as much as I’d like.  I collect antiques (thanks to my wife) and do some gardening, though Dallas was too hot and dry to really do that this summer.

 You could go back in time and see any comic being made. Which would it be and why?

Amazing Fantasy #15 – it was the first appearance of Spider-Man.  I would love to see if Stan Lee and Steve Ditko had any inkling about how big Spidey and Marvel would become.

 You could have any first edition book. Which would it be and why?

That’s a tough one.  I own several antique books, though none of them are terribly classic.  I’m more a fan of modern writing, I suppose.

What's your favorite quote and why?

“That which does not kill us serves only to make us stronger.”  Friedrich Nietzsche said it, and while I don’t agree with his comments on God, I’ve liked that one ever since I was a teenager and started lifting weights.  I really used to ascribe to that one while in the gym!

 What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

Movie remakes seem pretty lame to me in a lot of ways.  It just seems like Hollywood continues to recycle played out ideas while there are thousands of independent, no-name writers with fresh, new ideas who would love to share their visions with the world.  Sequels are fine (as I am in the process of writing the second sequel to my first novel – LOL), but only if they are actually thought out ahead of time.  Several big series should have never gotten to be series; the sequels were garbage.  Cash cows can only be milked so long, Hollywood.  Seriously.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Lately there has been a welcome increase in film faithfulness to the printed source material.  The first Harry Potter movie was great in this regard, as was the second.  That faithfulness disappeared in the third film, though, and did not come back until the two-part finale.  The Twilight movies have also done an admirable job in sticking to the books.  I hope the movies that will eventually be based off of my books do as good a job.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I just want to thank you for the opportunity to talk to you and your readers.  Check out my books and the Zombie A.C.R.E.S. site, follow me on Twitter (@aaronmarcusson), and let me know what you think!

Author M. E. Patterson

M. E. Patterson spent his early years in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley of Virginia before finally heading south to Virginia Tech, where he majored in English with a focus on poetry and fiction writing, and a minor in Digital Design (because building web apps pays the bills better than writing).

From there, he moved on to the west, finally stopping in Central Texas, where he now lives with his wife and an easily-distracted, bright orange dog.




In addition to writing horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative fiction, Mr. Patterson is also an accomplished web software programmer and has been integral in the construction of a number of web applications, both high-profile and unknown, and has a frequently-trafficked blog devoted to the esoteric discussions of that programming field.

Visit his website at www.devils-hand.com

What is the current project you are working on?

With my first book, Devil’s Hand already available, I’ve begun the laborious process of tidying, tightening, and violently cursing at the draft of the sequel. I’ve also written half of the first draft of something completely different: a sci-fi novel set in the near-ish future that will be marketed to both adults and YAs.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I think two forces pushed me in the direction of being a writer. One was the excellence of my senior year English teacher in high school, who, for the first time in my school career, had me engaged with what it really meant to tell a story. The other force was my desire to simply write. I found, upon entering college as a Computer Engineer, that I *needed* to write. I switched to English for my degree and never looked back.

 What is the best thing about being a writer?

Having a certain degree of autonomy is really compelling to me; you only have yourself to impress when you're writing the draft. But most of all, I like building worlds and the characters that inhabit them. The feeling of bringing some unknown place to life and highlighting the people that live and operate there is hard to describe.

 What is the worst thing about being one?

Probably the other side of that same coin. You are your own boss when you’re writing. So if you procrastinate, no one yells at you or holds you to a schedule except you. Sometimes it’s helpful having external pressure.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Not sure how to answer this one since I’ve done projects from books to short stories to web-based software systems to logo designs for small businesses. So if you lump ALL the “projects” I’ve done together, it’s probably in the hundreds.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be come a writer?

Paraphrasing Joe Konrath here (becase I think he nailed it on his blog one day): Read a lot of brilliant stuff. Read a lot of shit. Write a ton. Keep trying and hope you get lucky. Luck goes to those who work really hard. When I tell someone I had my best sales day ever, and they say, “Wow, that was a lucky day, huh?” I usually smile and nod, but really I’m thinking, “I worked my ass off to convince those extra people to buy the book.” It feels like luck when it works. It feels like pointless tedium when it doesn’t. But you’re never gonna get the former without the latter.

What do you like to do besides writing?

I’m a HUGE film buff and spend altogether too much time and money at the Alamo Drafthouse here in Austin, TX. I also a read a ton (big, surprise, right?) Outside of that, I like building web software and gardening.

 Who is your favorite author?

So many to choose from. I think I’m most inspired by Neil Gaiman. From his beautiful stories in Sandman to his more recent works like American Gods and Anansi Boys, he has a magical quality that no one else can compete with. China Mieville is another huge favorite, as is William Gibson.

 What are some of your favorite books?

I think my two favorite books of all time would have to be Hyperion by Dan Simmons and the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. Coming in close behind would be The Once and Future King by T. H. White, Harry Potter, Mieville’s The Scar, Gibson’s Neuromancer, and Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Again, I enjoy quite a few different filmmakers and styles. And if you ask my favorite six months from now, I’ll probably give you a different answer. In no particular order, the filmmakers whose films I will pay to see without even looking at critics’ reviews:

Nakamura (not widely known in the US, but Fish Story and Golden Slumber are some of my very favorite films)

Jee-Woon Kim (directed The Good, the Bad, the Weird and I Saw the Devil)

Guillermo Del Toro

Quentin Tarantino

How would you describe your education?

Lots of writers have these great stories about getting kicked out of college, or bouncing around from school to school, or whatever. Mine is far less interesting. I  thought writing was dumb in middle school and high school, largely because I always got A’s without trying. I didn’t realize then that it was because I was actually pretty good at it, comparatively. I went to college as a Computer Engineer because I liked computers and wanted to get into this whole internet thing. Then I realized I didn’t like being an engineer, so I switched to English, got a degree in Fiction Writing/Poetry, and then proceeded to make a living during the day building the same software I would have been building had I gotten the engineering degree.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

I would be failing if I omitted the original Star Wars  trilogy. I also loved Hellboy 1 and 2, the Kill Bill movies, Up, and the Lord of the Rings trilogoy. Some of my favorites of all time are foreign films, including Fish Story, Golden Slumber, Breathless, The Good the Bad the Weird, and The Chaser. I don’t watch a ton of television, but I have a soft spot for The Venture Brothers, Ugly Americans, Archer, Modern Family, and Castle. And of course Firefly, the best show that was never given a chance to succeed.

 How would you describe the writing "scene" where you live?

It’s better to describe the ‘creative’ scene here. Austin, Texas is a hotbed of creativity, from filmmakers (indie and mainstream), to musicians of every stripe, to writers, from comic creators to novelists to bloggers and article writers. It’s inspiring to feel like I’m a part of all that, and I love being in a city that really embraces it.

 How has social media changed the publishing?

I think by now it’s become clear to most folks that social media is the new place to advertise fiction, at the very least. Sure, if you’re one of the top 25 known writers on the planet, you can still get a lot out of side-of-bus ads, book tours, billboards, whatever. But for the rest of us, the audience is waiting in the social media world and it’s just a matter of figuring out how to reach them with your product.

What is your thought process like when you're writing?

I’m more of a “let’s see where this goes” kind of writer. Everything I’ve ever written ended up very differently from what I’d expected when I started. Characters that I’m sure are going to stick around through the trilogy suddenly die halfway through; characters I don’t even like turn out to be so compelling that I rewrite them and they become my favorites. So while I sit down with some notes and rough outlines, I don’t so much follow them as use them as touchstones.

 You could have any super power. What would it be?

Teleportation. No question. If I could just step through thin air and show up wherever I wanted to be right now, my life would be nearly complete.

If you could have any first addition book. Which would it be and why?

I’m not really that into collecting artifacts in that way. To me, the story is more important than the physical object. <shrug>

What's your favorite quote and why?

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” -- Douglas Adams

Adams had a way of distilling great truths into these simple, funny little quotes. I think that one, in particular, captures both my writing process and the way my life tends to go.

 What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

I have no problem with movie remakes and sequels, though it bothers me that many studios seem to be using them as excuses to not otherwise fund riskier scripts by new writers or with untested stories. Sure, it’s easy to remake Spider-Man again, and it may be a blast, but someone out there has written a bad-ass superhero screenplay about an original character that would be different and new. Sure, maybe wouldn’t sell as much, but it could create a new franchise and end up being huge. Nobody makes franchise-starting movies anymore unless they’re already tied to a property like a successful comic. Those are fun, but I think we’re missing a lot of opportunities for something new.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Books can make great movies. And they can make absolutely awful movies. And it’s hard to predict which will be which. The best screenwriters and directors know that they should be using the book as a guidepost to a great screenplay. The worst try to match the book scene-for-scene and usually end up with a boring, muddy mess.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Nope. :)

Filmmaker John T. Trigonis

A poet primarily, John T. Trigonis has published work in a variety of poetry and literary journals all over the world. In 2007 he was a nominee for a Pushcart Prize in Poetry. He has also self-published a number of free chapbooks, including Fifth Avenue Bomb in the Covergirl Heart, Androids with Angel Faces, Wanderland, and Warehouse City Blues.

Between 1999 and 2006, Trigonis was an active presence in the NY/NJ spoken word/open mic scene, performing his signature “explicitly honest” verse. Since then, he’s taken time away from the written word to focus on his other passion: film.

Trigonis has written and directed seven shorts, including Cerise, Speed Musing, Perfekt, The Hotel Edwards and The Coconut, and a feature-length film. Each film has screened at various film festivals across the world. He also directed the pilot episode of an ongoing web series called Something About Ryan, which won four awards between 2008 – 2010.

He is currently working on a rewrite of a feature-length screenplay A Beautiful Unlife while outlining another dark comedy called Caput.

When not working on his creative endeavors, Trigonis teaches humanities and writing courses at various universities.

What is the current project you are working on?

The current project I’m working on is called Mating Dome, the story about an everyday Joe living in the super sexual utopia of the 22^nd Century where people go to a mating dome, walk around through neon lit corridors wearing only futuristic towels and flash one another to decide whether or not they’d like to “get a room” with each other. The script was written by my good friend and actor in the bulk of my films, Joe Whelski, and I’ll be taking on the roles of director and picture editor on this short comedic film.

How do you handle rejection?

With a bottle of red! Not really, no. As a poet primarily and having been submitting my work to magazines and literary journals for over fifteen years, I learned early on that for every 100 rejections, you might get one or two acceptances. I used to do all the cliché things writers are supposed to do with rejection slips (plastering an entire wall with them comes to mind most) but honestly, that can get too darn depressing. So I tore ‘em all down one day and noticed that on the back of a New Yorker rejection slip––by that time my fourth from the prestigious magazine––the editor had written on the back of it “These aren’t quite right, but I look forward to others.” That was the boost I needed to keep submitting, keep trying to break in. Now when I make a submission, I know that eventually all of the poems will be accepted somewhere, and that helps me to sleep at night and keep paying for the submission costs.

With film and screenwriting, however, rejection’s a bit different for me. The one thing I like about having your screenplay rejected by a studio or agency (and, granted, I don’t submit screenplays as often as my poetry, but when I do, the rejections are epic!), I always receive helpful and constructive criticism. On the flipside, film festival rejections are the most generic there are, and I wish they would cut to the chase instead of leading in with the same old line (“This year we’ve received a record number of submissions...”) I guess because I’ve gotten so accustomed to rejection, I only see the important words, “unfortunately” or “congratulations!”. But what I’ve learned is that with rejection comes eventual acceptance, and there’ll always be a festival that wants your work, just like there’ll always be a poetry journal that likes what a poet has to say, and a studio that will want to see your work lighting up a big screen somewhere, especially in this day and age. That alone makes rejection a bit easier to digest.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

Actually, I never dreamed of being a filmmaker. In a lot of ways, I don’t consider myself a filmmaker in its most proper sense. I don’t make films with any intention of one day making money from it, or even getting my work seen by influencers at Sundance, Tribeca or Hollywood. I simply make films when writing a poem won’t suffice because a deeper story needs to be told.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

What inspired me towards filmmaking was the fact that I wasn’t happy with the finished product of a film that my best friend Alain Aguilar and I made together. It was our first attempt at filmmaking (he was the filmmaker, I was the writer) called Cog, and it was based on an anti-corporate ode I wrote back in my early days of college. It was my first script, and I was proud of it. However, after I saw the final edit, I wasn’t happy with it and thought that I could have done a better job with the edit. So from that moment on, whenever I write something, I make sure to direct and edit it so that I have full control over the finished product. Ironically enough, however, the final edit seldom resembles the final draft, but I’m always happy with the end result due to the intense amount of collaboration that goes on not during the writing or the editing, but through the production itself. Admittedly, I don’t think exceptionally fast on my feet, hence why I’m a writer first and foremost; I therefore rely on the DP (always Alain), the actors, and all the other creative people around me while shooting to make my vision come about in its fullest form…and then some!

What is the best thing about being one?

For me, the best part of being a filmmaker is having a finished product that is a more fleshed out version of what had lived in your head for a long time that you can now share with others and get a message relayed that otherwise might have slept on a page and never touched the hearts of an audience.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Producing is the worst thing for me, which is why I don’t produce my own projects anymore. The older I get, the less and less I care to focus on any aspect of filmmaking that is non-creative (granted, there is creativity in producing, for sure, but not my kind of creativity.) I know, I know…I’ve heard the mantra before “it’s show business!” But as I mentioned earlier, I’m not a filmmaker to break into the industry and start a career for myself; it’s just another form of expression (an expensive one, albeit, but a rewarding one, too!)

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I’ve worked on probably about ten or so projects altogether over the last ten years. Most of them are mine––Cunnigula, a short script turned feature-length film that I don’t really mention much due to its risqué subject matter, The Coconut, The Hotel Edwards, which marks my first attempt at co-writing and only attempt at co-directing––never do that one again!), Perfekt, Speed Musing and Cerise––but I’ve also worked on two commercial pieces that yielded no real satisfaction but a paycheck, and a sitcom pilot called Something About Ryan, which won four awards at four film festivals. I also DPed on a short film called The Welcoming, written and directed by my good friend Louis Affortunato.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

My favorite filmmaker has got to be Krzysztof Kieslowski. I’m a foreign film buff, so of course I dig the films of Fellini and Bergman, some of Godard’s work. But Kieslowski is not as well known but definitely just as on point with the big wigs of neo realism and French New Wave cinema. My favorite film of his is White (from his Trois Colours Trilogy).

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

Though you wouldn’t think so by following my tweets and reading my Facebook status updates, but for the majority of my life I’ve been pretty much a solitary person. In high school I hung out with the headbangers, a motley assortment of long-haireds with motorcycle jackets in a school overrun by hip hop culture. By college I took to hanging out with the freaks and theater geeks, but I was always the quiet one, even in those circles, keeping my face buried in my journal. Since I became a filmmaker––actually, since I’d started acting and directing theatrical productions for the Hudson Shakespeare Company back in the late ‘90s––I realized that as an actor you have to be open to discussion, to learning from your director and fellow actors in order to become a better actor, or a more adept director, and ultimately a stronger and more sensitive individual. The poet in me kept me quiet and introspective, but the actor in me––and eventually the filmmaker––brought out the avid socialite in me, now always yearning to discover something new about myself and about everyone else I keep company with in the real world or through social networking.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

I don’t know what it means to “make it in the movie business,” but I can say for sure that a person should focus all of his or her attention on the story being told, and if possible, make sure that person is in love with that story. If not, scratch it and move on to another one. Filmmaking isn’t like writing a poem; you’ll be living with that footage for a lot longer!

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

Poetry’s my first and truest love––loved it enough to get an MFA in it! But I also enjoy strumming my guitar, reading French poetry, watching foreign and classic Hollywood films, drinking lots of coffee, lounging around at a street café, teaching humanities and, in particular, world mythology (I almost got a Ph.D in Mythological Studies, but at the last minute I decided to make Perfekt). I also enjoy Taoism and Buddhism, beatnik culture and literature, quiet bars and lounges where I can sip a charming Malbec or other red wine across from an open journal or some fine after dinner conversation, an occasional glass of absinthe, and comic books––mostly silver age stuff, but I’m addicted to Vertigo’s American Vampire series.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

Of course, and considering filmmaking is not a job for me, I still have jobs. I am a freelance professor (or “adjunct instructor,” as the university administrations label us) and teach everything from creative to college writing and the humanities. But long before that, I worked with my older brother selling French fries at street fairs, carnivals and flea markets from age thirteen until I’d started college and realized that I really don’t want to work this hard with my body, that I’d rather use my mind a lot more. Though I do miss how shoppers would trek all the way from Brooklyn just to get an egg cream made by “The Brooklyn Kid,” as they affectionately labeled me. Good times, but hard work.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Oh boy! Some of my favorite American films include anything by Stanley Kubrick and Charlie Chaplin, The Lost Weekend and most other Billy Wilder films, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Theives’ Highway, Donnie Darko, Strangers on a Train and most other Hitchcock films, and the movie that got me started––American Beauty.

My favorite foreign films include Farewell, My Concubine, Mamma Roma, Testament to Orpheus, Yojimbo, Fellin’s 8½, and Sawdust & Tinsel.

 

Regarding TV, I grew up with shows like Quantum Leap, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the golden age of sitcoms, including my favorites Family Ties, Growing Pains, and Small Wonder. My best memories of television revolve around cartoons like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Transformers, ThunderCats and SilverHawks. Today, however, I don’t watch any shows, mainly because I don’t have DirecTV or any other carriers––truthfully, I haven’t had a signal for over six years! I’ve tried to get into shows that friends recommend, like Californication and True Blood, but they just don’t have any substance for me. Even The Walking Dead, of which I greatly enjoyed the first two episodes, didn’t draw me in enough to rush out and get Cable.

But when I do occasionally (and mostly by accident) catch a little down time in front of a boob tube, I tune into Man v. Food or Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, or maybe a little Cash Cab, which genuinely gives me much enjoyment.

How would you describe your film education?

My film education consists of watching movies and making them. I’ve never actually taken any film production classes, which is why I’m strictly a digital filmmaker; the last film camera I used was a Super 8 camera I used to shoot some footage of Alain and I in London back in 2001. Most of my movie watching education is due to my Dad. Once we got our first VCR back in the early ‘90s, he cut our Cable and started renting action movies from our local PathMark. My favorites back then were Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Death Warrant, and just about anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steven Segal. Eventually, I moved into the realm of “narrative drama” and only now am I catching up on all the Hollywood gems starring Bogie and Cagney that my Dad had seen in theaters but had not thought to share with me. That’s really what’s been making me kick it into reverse with my own work of late; while most filmmakers today focus on the image and which camera to use, I focus on story and trust all that other filmic stuff the filmmakers I surround myself with during a project.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

In Jersey City…no comment, but I’ll let you know after the First Annual Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City makes its debut in October. But the NYC film scene is bustling from what I hear. I’ll admit, I’m not a big part of “the scene” just yet. Of course, the Big Apple has been very kind to Cerise; my latest short film has screened at NYC Downtown Short Film Festival, NewFilmmakers NY, and New York City International Film Festival, as well as Staten Island Film Festival, where it was nominated for three awards. And those are just a few of the many festivals that showcase NYC and international talent. Again, if I were trying to “be” a filmmaker, I’d be working on a lot more projects with other filmmakers so that they might, in return, help me out with my projects. This way, I get to pick and choose the projects I work on, so as not to be forced into working on something that I’m not in love with. As I mentioned earlier, I tried a brief stint at doing film for pay, and I just really didn’t enjoy the projects and at time couldn’t wait for it to be over. That’s no way to start a career or spend a weekend, if you ask me. But through Twitter and Facebook, I’ve met so many people “in the scene” in NYC, LA and beyond, and feel as though I’m a part of something much bigger than any local scene.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Social media has made it possible for the ordinary artist to become an extraordinary force, at least where getting one’s work out into the world is concerned, and I think it’s only going to get better from here. If it wasn’t for social networking through Facebook, Twitter, and even simple email, I’d never have been able to crowdfund for Cerise and successfully raise the additional $5,000 I needed to make the film I wanted to make. We even went above that, ending at $6,300 by the time our deadline struck. I also think that if all filmmakers got on board with social networking and all which it encompasses, the independent scene will not only rival the traditional Hollywood model of filmmaking, but I think it has the potential, if played smartly, to overthrow it many years down the line. But that might just be my anti-establishmentarian inclinations coming back from college. I think it gives the underdog the chance he or she deserves to be an alpha dog for a change; yet at the same time it replaces the idea of the alpha dog with a most important aspect: community.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I’m a huge advocate of crowdfunding! Heck, I have a blog series called The Tao of Crowdfundingwhere I offer up some tips and tactics on how to run a successful film campaign like my team and I ran for Cerise back in February of 2010. Similar to my thoughts on social media one day overwriting the traditional models of filmmaking, I think there’s a high potential for crowdfunding to be a major alternative to seeking out investors. In my “all artist, all the time” brain, I imagine a world where people freely give to projects because they believe in them, or because they want to help give a voice to the voiceless, and not because they’ll get back their investment with interest (In short, I believe in a world filled with Gavin Ap’Morrygans!)

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I’m a bit torn on this idea. Granted, I don’t watch as many independent films as I’d like, but I think the word “truly” needs to precede “independent” when describing the types of films people like me make, since even the “indie scene” has been overrun by the studio system (good luck getting into Sundance without a name actor or a foot in the door!) I think that a truly indie film is a film with potential. Our stories tend to be more interesting and take more risks than the mainstream, either in terms of narrative structure, visual story, or both. They’ll have problems with lighting, perhaps, and sound almost always (sound is the chimera in all my films that makes me want to drink hard liquor at Nat’s Bar!), but when you watch them, they touch you in a way that Hollywood has forgotten how to. But in a Hollywood film, you’d never lean forward to hear a bit of dialogue that was recorded too low, though you may shudder at the misuse of 3D to either advance character or move the story forward. In a nutshell, I think truly indie film has the potential to be Hollywood. One day. Soon.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

I love this question! When you asked this during my interview on Cutting Room Floor with Casey Ryan, I said that it would have to be Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend, and it still is. I think it’d be awesome to see how a film was made on location back then and compare it to today and see how films (and filmmakers) of the Classic Age and those of the Modern Age differ.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

I don’t actually have a favorite movie quote (well, maybe “When you’re slapped you’ll take it and like it!” Bogie’s immortal line from The Maltese Falcon, but that can’t really be applied in an advice-giving fashion), but I do have a quote from a book that should’ve made it into the movie version: “A person has to work hard, but a minute of perfection is always worth the effort,” which is a quote from Tyler Durden in Fight Club. In Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, we are introduced to Tyler on a beach standing up some logs of different sizes in a particular shape. He then lies down in a shadowy palm created when the sun hits those logs at a specific angle. It only lasts a minute. All that work for that!? Yes! I apply this idea to everything I do, ever since my girlfriend and the marketing mind behind Cerise Marinell Montales reminded me of this quote when she’d been reading the novel, which is why now I focus on making a script work on the page as best as it can before even thinking about putting together a production team.

And, of course, perhaps the only other quote I’ve lived by my whole life is from the immortal Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back: “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” Enough said on this one!

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

Ugh! At least for remakes, it’s quite simply “Ugh!” Sequels, on the other hand, I can handle only if they’re warranted (and seldom are truly warranted). Great sequels for me include Back to the Future, Part II, The Empire Strikes Back, Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight. Remakes are something I don’t understand at all. I mean, I do understand them as a way for Hollywood to keep out the talented and aspiring filmmakers who are bringing with them original material so they can bring back old and dead content instead (Last House on the Left? Really?) And the only real reason is to instill its power on the younger generation by making A Nightmare on Elm Street hip again so they can relate to an old concept in a postmodern age. (Man, I felt so old(-school) writing all that, but truth is truth, I suppose.)

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Interestingly enough, I’m actually cool with book to movie adaptations, especially if it means skipping out on the book (modern novels, mostly). For instance, I enjoyed The Lord of the Rings trilogy when I watched it in theaters, but I just couldn’t get through the first book, never mind all three. My belief is that if it’s a movie, I’ll skip reading the book and instead read a book that won’t or can’t be made into a movie, to maximize how much media I take in (plus, I find doing both can be redundant and needlessly time consuming when you’re trying to absorb new material and push your own ideas into a lightning-paced world.

Thanks for doing the interview John.   I wis you all the best with the production of "Mating Dome".

Filmmaker Marty Lang

Marty Lang is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Film, Video and Interactive Media at Quinnipiac University, in Hamden, Connecticut. His feature writing/directing debut, RISING STAR, is currently in post-production, and he raised $15,211 for it through crowdfunding on the web site Kickstarter. He is also the Assistant Director of the Connecticut Film Industry Training Program, a nationally-recognized state workforce development program. He has covered film for the New York Times, Filmmaker Magazine, and Film Courage. Follow him on Twitter: @marty_lang.

What is the current project you are working on?

Right now, I'm in post-production on my feature writing/directing debut, a dramedy called Rising Star. It's a story about an insurance adjuster who finds out layoffs are coming at his job. He tries to drink his troubles away the night he finds out, and he meets a free-spirited girl who, over the course of a weekend, makes him reconsider the weight he puts on his job, as opposed to hobbies he has outside of work. Our Web site for the film is www.risingstarmovie.com, and we also have a Facebook page for it at www.facebook.com/risingstarmovie .

We shot it last fall in Hartford, Connecticut, and we're starting music composition and sound editing this month. We're hoping to have it done by the end of the year. I also just started teaching full time in the department of Film, Video and Interactive Media at Quinnipiac University.

How do you handle rejection?

I think I handle it better than most. :) I used to be a journalist before I got into movies, so I'm used to editors tearing apart everything I write. If someone doesn't want to get involved with me on a project, I don't get too upset about it. It doesn't make me smile, of course, but I know now that I can just move onto the next person.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I didn't - I always wanted to be a writer, though. In my middle school yearbook, when I was 13, I wrote that when I grew up, I was going to be a reporter for the New York Times. And when I was 22, the Times hired me as a reporter covering Connecticut. So writing has always been a huge part of my life. I always loved movies, but it wasn't until I was in my early 20s (while I was working for the Times, actually) that I thought I could make a go of it as a filmmaker.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I started working in film in 2000, and since then, I've worked on around 75 feature film, short film and documentary projects.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Definitely, my favorite filmmaker team is the Coen Brothers. They've been at it for so long, they work with all the biggest stars, and they have such a distinct signature - when you watch a Coens film, whether it's a comedy or a drama, you KNOW it's a Coens film.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

It hasn't changed too much - I've always been broke, so that hasn't changed. :) I think it's changed in the fact that my life is a little more creative now, and that's something I really love. When I worked corporate jobs, the money was good, but I didn't get any real sense of accomplishment. Since I'm in a field now that's inherently creative, my work deals with being creative, solving problems, and telling stories. I get a lot of out of that.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Don't even bother with it if you want to make money. Studios are shedding jobs left and right, and the indie business has never been about getting rich. But if you have a drive to tell stories, to be creative, to collaborate, and to work really, really hard, the movie business might be for you.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I'm a huge basketball fan - I played in high school and college, and I try to play now when I can (and I'm a UConn sports junkie, since I went there). I also like to read, and I love dogs. Especially pugs. I really love pugs.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I've done all kinds of jobs - I've worked in construction, as a bouncer, at restaurants, at Blockbuster Video, as a newspaper reporter and copy editor, and in corporate video.

Why did you decide to become a film professor?

After I got out of graduate school, I thought teaching would be a logical next step. Also, I worked as a basketball camp counselor when I was younger, and I really enjoyed working with young people. So Quinnipiac University offered me a chance to teach film, and I jumped at it. I started working as an adjunct professor with them in 2005, and they hired me full-time this year. It's such a fulfilling job - a former student of mine wrote and produced his own independent feature, and another student sold a screenplay he wrote to a production company to be made this year. I really love it.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

For me, the great American films and TV shows are ones that deal with the state of our country, and the nasty underbelly of the American dream. So I love films like Fight Club and American Beauty and TV shows like Breaking Bad and Shameless. I think City of God is one of the best films ever made. I also love classics like The Godfather and The Deer Hunter ... and I'm a huge fan of The Big Lebowski.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

The film scene in Connecticut is definitely healthy. We have a 30% tax credit program in this state, so many studio films have made their way here to shoot in the last five years. But it's the indie scene that I think is more vibrant. We always have a number of indie films being shot around the state, including Rising Star last year. We have a strong crew base for those films because of the Connecticut Film Industry Training Program, a workforce development program I help run. The graduates of that program work on almost all the indie films shooting here, and some graduates actually make their own films as well.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

It's revolutionized the industry. Social media now allows filmmakers to round up financing for a film, build an audience for that film, and let that audience know about the film when it's released so they can watch it. It's such an exciting time to be in indie film - the rules are literally being rewritten, and people making movies now are helping rewrite them.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I think crowdfunding can be a part of any film project, and I think it's something that every filmmaker should do at least once. Don't get me wrong, it's not easy - raising money online for a film is really hard work. You need to be out there, promoting, every day, multiple times per day, and at the end of a campaign, the promoting becomes all-consuming. But the greatest thing about crowdfunding is that you're building an audience of people that truly want to see your work - so much so, they're giving you money to help bring it to reality. I think every film project, big or small, feature or doc, can benefit by that.

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

I'm not against remakes and sequels in theory, but I really think that if you're remaking a film, you need to bring something completely new to the story that didn't exist in the original. I'm not a fan of something like the Gus Van Sant remake of Psycho, that was literally a shot-for-shot remake. Why do it, then?

As far as sequels, I think that they can be good films, if they're stories that are thought of from the beginning (meaning, when you make the first film, you already have an idea for a sequel that continues the story on). Say what you want about Star Wars, there were nine films planned out, so the story at least was continuous.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I love some of them, I hate others. I think that if you're going to adapt a book into a movie, you need to keep the spirit of the book in order for it to be successful. I don't mind story points being changed (for example, the changes to Watchmen didn't bother me), but I think the characters need to be as close to the book as possible. (And I think you need to pick the right type of filming for a story. In the case of Watchmen, I think that was a blown opportunity; if a miniseries was made out of Watchmen, or a trilogy of films, it would've been OUTSTANDING. There was so much material there; some stories, I think, are too big to be made into one movie.)

Thanks for doing the interview Marty. I will do what I can to spread the word about "Rising Star". I am also a big fan of "The Big Lebowski".   I wish you all the best with post production.

Ryan Francis Actor in "ThanksKilling"

Ryan started acting at the young age of 5 years, and has been performing ever since. He played drums in a female-fronted political punk band called Overated for 9-years, before shooting his first full-length film, "Thankskilling". Overated toured all over the Midwest, appearing with bands such as The Riverboat Gamblers, The Misfits, Killola, Strike Anywhere, and many more. During that time, Ryan had a huge interest in film, attending Ohio University in 2005, right after high school, for a short amount of time, working as a sound tech for various college projects. One in particular, called "Pinned", directed by Patrick Norman, was favored by Ryan. He is residing in Columbus, OH where he runs his record label, REF Records, and performs as a nerd-core hip-hop artist that the locals know as "Huge Euge".

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

Well, set was always a good time! The location we shot at most was Jordan's (dir) fathers home... and it was out in the Middle of Nowhere, OH. Since the cast/crew was very very small, we all became friends pretty quick! So it was just like going to work with all of your buddies. Some nights, after lack of sleep was starting to take a toll, there were times when we'd have to shoot a scene 10 different times because we were laughing so much! I recall the scene when we're all around the campfire, and the baby bunny flies into it. AH! Hilarious. Such great days/nights on the TK set!

What's it like acting with a puppet?

Oh this was fun! I mean, you've got a little shit puppet being treated as an actor. It made it easier to realize how funny the movie is actually going to be. It was MUCH better than delivering dialogue to a green carpet or a steel rod or a football!

Did you always want to be an actor?

Eh, acting has always been a hobby of mine. When Jordan approached me with the idea for TK, of course I hopped on it. If you've seen the film, you can see, acting is not my forte'. However, it's very fun! I'm currently working as a referee (along with my good buddy CHUCK LAMB) for an all-female amateur wrestling league called, "Saturday Night Pillow Fights" based right here in Columbus, OH. Things are looking just amazing! Hey, at least I'm still getting acting gigs after this film! haha!

What inspired you to become an actor?

I've grown up in theater! Acting has always been something fun for me. Just not the passion I used to have. Believe it or not, I had a full ride to a university in Ohio for acting... I turned it down for full tuition at a state school to pursue video production. I think that was the day that turned it around. HOWEVER! I'm still always very eager to work on set! So, if anyone out there, anywhere in the world, needs an ex-Thankskilling actor in their horror-comedy-drama.... give me a call! (seriously!)

What is the worst thing about being one?

Eh, there's nothing too horrible. I hate the fucking makeup. Lets just be honest. Always have.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

TK is obviously the only one you'll ever hear about... but I've worked with so many different people on so many projects. I just love staying busy.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

I'm totally old school when answering this question. John Carpenter and Wes Craven could really put on a good horror show in the 70's, 80's, and early 90's. We lack that today. The monotony of remakes is absolutely classless and "Hollywood". All it's going to take is for ONE bright filmmaker, to make another original film. Quit taking gems and remaking them. It's hard to say anymore, though, who I like. Pockets are deep, and greed is way worse. Everyone wants to be the next MIchael Bay. Shut the fuck up.

How has your life changed since you became an actor?

Since Thankskilling, I've met SO MANY cool people! From all over the world. Between emails, and sometimes friend requests on Facebook, I try and stay in contact with everyone! I've met fans from all over the US! It's really pretty sweet. Sometimes, if I'm drunk enough, and its some poor blokes birthday on Facebook, and the sap has his number public, I'll give 'em a call. I mean, I remember being a kid and watching B-horror films... and if some random shitty guy from the movie called me on my birthday, I'd be stoked as fuck. I called one fan... and she was stoned out of her mind. She didn't believe it was me. And I think there's another guy I'm friends with, I'm thinking about swinging by a music venue in a couple of weeks to see his band play because he invited me! It's just really cool how many badass people out there share a passion for horror films! AND these fans are the GREATEST! Shit. Everyone I've met through TK knows who Bad Religion is. And Frank Turner. And No Use For a Name. Good shit guys!

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

It's all about originality. Stop making zombie films. Just. Stop. You're wasting YOUR time and your actors time. Who gives a fuck? Find an ORIGINAL IDEA, write an AMAZING script, and SAVE MONEY!!!!!!!! I recommend Lloyd Kauffmans book, "Make Your Own Damn Movie". It's got some pretty great tips in there about making amateur films.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Wall-E, Armageddon, Jesus Camp, Catfish, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I've been watching LOST recently on Netflix (Season 3, now)... and I love Law and Order: SVU, Judge Judy, Peoples Court, Doug, Rugrats, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and The Price is Right.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Columbus has a good amount of filmmakers here! There are a plethora of projects for people to get into, in any aspect of filmmaking. Genres are widespread! The 48-Hour film fest is a pretty big hit every year, too! I've met so many cool people here locally who have their game faces on. But let's face it. You want the big bucks as an actor? Get to LA or NYC. Don't fuck around locally. Follow your dream! Get out there!

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Oh, absolutely. It gives people the ability so share an opinion to potentially hundreds of people in mere seconds. It's great for the filmmaker and consumer. It's SO MUCH easier to get your movie out there, however, it requires a more unique marketing scheme in order for people to give a shit about what you're posting about.

What is the casting process like?

Honestly? Haha. Well, for TK, it was an absolute mind fuck. Aka, we shoot in 2 days... for 2 weeks straight... and there was no Kristen. It involved Jordan and I, sitting at a 24 hour doughnut shop late at night, while I sifted through name after name after name in my phone to find someone WILLING to be in it (Thanks Lindsey). So... other than that situation, I don't know. haha.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

"I wanted to run away that day, but you can't run away from your own feet" - Flint Lockwood (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)

Flint was a nerd. Flint invented "Spray-on Shoes". He couldn't take them off after he sprayed them on, and even when people gave him shit about what he did, he realized that he can't run away from it. They'll be with him forever. And he's just gotta accept that and move on. As the movie progresses, we know that Flint finally becomes comfortable with himself... and ultimately, he's very very happy. Bottom line: Be who you want to be, do what you want to do, and don't let anyone tell you no.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just a big thank you to all of the TK fans! Jordan and Kevin are not lying when they say this sequel is being made because of you guys. Trust me. I know how close it got to NOT being made... but you DEMANDED it... and it's really fun to watch from the outside.

Thanks for doing the interview Ryan.  I'm  going to check out your band "Overated".   While I'm at it I'll rewatch  the original TK. I'm looking forward to the sequel.