Regression is the fourth collaboration between South African filmmakers Ronnie Belcher and Dr-Benway, founders of production company Black Milk, and is a frightening look at how obsessive love can spiral out of control, with an underlying theme of death and entrapment within a hell, of sorts. It is a short horror film Black Milk finished shooting this weekend, due for release during the SA HORRORFEST in October this year.
My involvement with Black Milk started out as a bit of a cheerleader act, since I’m married to the “infamous” Dr-Benway, who is well known in certain circles for his dark glam/fetish art photography and illustrations. Since he started collaborating with Ronnie Belcher, a talented up-and-coming filmmaker, the scale of each film they’ve produced has grown, and extra hands are always needed, be it dashing out to the shops to buy food or helping out on set.
In my case, my skills as a writer and editor have come into play, and I’ve employed my proof-reading skills, helped with dialogue development and even conducted interviews for “making of” documentaries. It’s not terribly glamorous but it’s been fabulous seeing how ideas thrown around a kitchen table eventually evolve into short independently produced art films with an underlying theme of horror.
More often than not, I end up mopping up fake blood, carrying boxes or sticking down props with super-adhesive gaffer tape, all in a day’s work for an author of urban and dark fantasy. Most of the folk getting involved in the assorted Black Milk productions are already involved full-time in Cape Town’s film industry, which has become a regular little Hollywood over the past decade.
With Regression, I’ve varied between proofing the script, writing promotional copy, running errands, conducting interviews and making sandwiches. Essentially, I’ve been on standby whenever the crew have needed someone to drive to the arse-end of the world to buy fake blood or collect a tripod... or even purchase linen for the set. Most of the time, however, is spent waiting around, which can get pretty boring. Luckily for me, I have my trusty netbook, so I’ve not been idle. In fact, I’ve finished most of my novels while waiting behind the scenes. And, of course, I’m the one who has to make sure Dr-Benway has clean clothes, food and a warm bed to keep him sane throughout the madness...
The highlight of the filming for me is always the sense of camaraderie going on between crew members. They’re all highly intelligent creative people, and sometimes it can be a bit explosive putting so many of them in one room, but what blows me away is how everyone focuses on their area of expertise, from cinematography to set design, and it all seems to fall into place without anyone getting his or her ego bruised. Some of the folk have been on board since the start, so we’re like a family that gets to hang out whenever the next film is in production.
Everyone involved in a Black Milk production is a volunteer. We don’t have much in the way of budget, and we all chip in where we can. Without the support of companies such as Visual Impact, which has given us the use of a lot of equipment, things wouldn’t have run nearly as smoothly as they have so far.
But the sense of purpose generated from the Black Milk Crew, as we collectively refer to ourselves, is worth more than money. Firm friendships have been forged and there’s an underlying sense that we’re onto something big, something very special, because each film completed carries with it that spirit of love for the unusual, the sometimes shocking and macabre. We’re making art.
None of this is easy. Movie-making is expensive, so we have to overcome our financial limitations creatively, which also has an impact on the locations chosen for filming. With previous films Emma-Õ and 23 Rue d’Amour, shooting schedules were quite hectic, so the directors overcame that particular challenge by assigning a much more relaxed schedule for Regression, which has made a world of difference. It was still pretty intense, however; being on set at 9am and leaving well after 11pm that night, especially after a busy work-week, can make you hanker after that appointment at Club Duvet.
I must make special mentions of some of the folk involved with Regression. Kirsten Holtshousen, who acted as producer; Este Kira for her fantastic set design and attention to detail; Leon Visser for the mind-blowing cinematography (and editing); actors Stephen Preston, Angie Kennedy and Georgia Brooker, who probably spent a fair amount of time freezing half to death; Henk (sound); Daniel (CGI); Stef (for the red dress); stills photographers Zoltan and Jim; Digital Brothers, who allowed Black Milk to use their studio for casting; but also Lohan; Leon Partridge for being the best evillist little brother; the make-up ladies; Donovan; and Pierre, whose antics “messing up” the primary location I’ll never forget. I’m almost scared I may have left someone off that list. Everyone has put so much effort into this film.
Everything considered, I wouldn’t trade the experience of being on set with Black Milk for anything in the world. It’s a lot of hard, dirty work at times but when I look at what has been achieved in less than three years, I’m blown away.
Join the Regression Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118385271533140
Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
John Everson's world of horror
This week I'd like to thank horror author John Everson for stopping by Frightening Journeys to share some of his world. I first got to know him a few years ago, when I was still thinking about writing fiction, and he's been an inspiration to me, especially when I've had doubts about myself and my abilities.
John, tell us a little bit about your latest release.
The 13th revolves around Castle House Lodge, an old resort hotel from the early 1900s that has been abandoned for 25 years, since an occult mass murder took place there. Now, David Shale, a cyclist in training to make the Olympic team, discovers that the old hotel in the hills outside of Castle Point has re-opened... as a private asylum for pregnant women. When his new girlfriend turns up missing, not to mention several other local women, David finds himself teaming up with rookie cop Christie Sorensen to try discover what is really going on in the newly opened and historically cursed asylum. And what is behind the red X on the basement door...
What frightens you?
Crazy people. Zealots. Narrow-minded people. Violent people. Backstabbing people.
I guess really just... people!
Where is the most frightening or haunted place you've ever visited? Tell us why.
There is an old abandoned cemetery near the town where I grew up called Bachelor's Grove. It's more of a sad spot, than a frightening one, but it is reputedly one of the most haunted places in Illinois. I visited there once to write a "haunted places" article for the newspaper I worked for at the time, and the sense of loss there was palpable. There aren't a lot of gravestones though the place dates back to the 1800s—from when the original settlers came to that area. No new graves have been dug there in almost 50 years. But the stones that remain are weathered and old and many of them defaced and fallen.
Because of its lonely positioning (in the middle of a forest preserve, just out of sight of the main road), it has been the site of satanic ceremonies and drinking parties. In other words, much abuse and desecration. And the local legends are rife with descriptions of phantoms being seen on the side of the road near the cemetery. Everything from what appear to be car headlights that spontaneously appear and disappear to farmer's wagons careening into the neighboring pond to a spectral woman walking along the side of the road with a crying baby in her arms. As a boy scout, I used to hear all sorts of legends about the place and it sounded scary, but intriguing. As an adult I finally visited there a couple times, and didn't meet any ghosts. But it was a sad place... almost a place outside of time.
Are there any common themes to your main characters?
I think many of my characters are driven by personal obsessions, whether it's the pursuit of pleasure or security or career. In Covenant there are a few levels of obsession going on, not the least of which is a "deal" to maintain security at the expense of all else.
In Sacrifice, there is a sexy serial killer who has rebelled against religion to become obsessed with the "dark side". Her obsession with the pursuit of power and pleasure and revenge lead her to perform any murder or degradation imaginable to achieve her goals.
A similar obsession drives the "villains" of The 13th, while our hero, David, is obsessed with his goal—that of making the Olympic team. All of my characters are driven by something that puts their lives out of balance, whether they're the heroes or the villains. But they tend to strive singlemindedly for a goal at the expense of their lives.
How do you go about outlining your novels?
Well... I didn't for the first three books! I started with a vague idea of the beginnings and the possible ends and I just... started writing. The creation of the story from... nothing... was what I enjoyed about doing those books. I ended up "backward outlining" them once I was substantially into the narratives because I needed some kind of cheat sheet to know what had happened in the plot as I got deeper into the writing (I have a horrible memory!) But I didn't carefully plan them out ahead of time. I wanted to tell myself a story... and I spun them as I went.
Since I've sold those books, I have since written one novel, Siren, where I outlined ahead of the writing, because the publisher, Leisure Books, had to know what I planned on writing before they would contract it. That novel turned out really well and was the first book I sold ahead of the writing, which was a different way of working for me. It will be out next summer. In some ways it was a better experience, because I knew I wasn't writing 90 000 words for nothing. On the other hand, it was challenging because I had to figure out so much in advance of the writing, and then stick at least fairly close to the outline I'd submitted... I couldn't just veer off into left field if the mood struck.
Research? Love it? Hate it?
Hate it! I like to make stuff up, and research only slows you down from the fun part! It is sometimes a necessary part of the writing, but it's definitely not my favorite.
Any useful links you'd like to share?
Well, I hope people will check out my website, www.johneverson.com. I've got information on all my books there, as well as my blog, free short fiction and samples of the bookcover art I've created and music I've written. I don't just work on fiction, I like working in other creative mediums too! People should also visit the micro-site for The 13th. It's got the usual information on the book, but it also has an interactive "map" which we created based on the map and character photos I used as my personal guide while writing the book. I had put together a "cheatsheet" kind of map at the start of The 13th so that I would consistently describe the places in Castle Point, as well as photos of people who looked like the characters—it was just a visual aid to help me get those details right. (I apparently still managed to screw up a character's eye color at one point in the text!)
Anyway the web map is pretty cool in that you can click on the various locations in the town and pop-ups appear with photos and bio-sketches of the book's characters. You can see that at www.the13th-horror.com.
John, tell us a little bit about your latest release.
The 13th revolves around Castle House Lodge, an old resort hotel from the early 1900s that has been abandoned for 25 years, since an occult mass murder took place there. Now, David Shale, a cyclist in training to make the Olympic team, discovers that the old hotel in the hills outside of Castle Point has re-opened... as a private asylum for pregnant women. When his new girlfriend turns up missing, not to mention several other local women, David finds himself teaming up with rookie cop Christie Sorensen to try discover what is really going on in the newly opened and historically cursed asylum. And what is behind the red X on the basement door...
What frightens you?
Crazy people. Zealots. Narrow-minded people. Violent people. Backstabbing people.
I guess really just... people!
Where is the most frightening or haunted place you've ever visited? Tell us why.
There is an old abandoned cemetery near the town where I grew up called Bachelor's Grove. It's more of a sad spot, than a frightening one, but it is reputedly one of the most haunted places in Illinois. I visited there once to write a "haunted places" article for the newspaper I worked for at the time, and the sense of loss there was palpable. There aren't a lot of gravestones though the place dates back to the 1800s—from when the original settlers came to that area. No new graves have been dug there in almost 50 years. But the stones that remain are weathered and old and many of them defaced and fallen.
Because of its lonely positioning (in the middle of a forest preserve, just out of sight of the main road), it has been the site of satanic ceremonies and drinking parties. In other words, much abuse and desecration. And the local legends are rife with descriptions of phantoms being seen on the side of the road near the cemetery. Everything from what appear to be car headlights that spontaneously appear and disappear to farmer's wagons careening into the neighboring pond to a spectral woman walking along the side of the road with a crying baby in her arms. As a boy scout, I used to hear all sorts of legends about the place and it sounded scary, but intriguing. As an adult I finally visited there a couple times, and didn't meet any ghosts. But it was a sad place... almost a place outside of time.
Are there any common themes to your main characters?
I think many of my characters are driven by personal obsessions, whether it's the pursuit of pleasure or security or career. In Covenant there are a few levels of obsession going on, not the least of which is a "deal" to maintain security at the expense of all else.
In Sacrifice, there is a sexy serial killer who has rebelled against religion to become obsessed with the "dark side". Her obsession with the pursuit of power and pleasure and revenge lead her to perform any murder or degradation imaginable to achieve her goals.
A similar obsession drives the "villains" of The 13th, while our hero, David, is obsessed with his goal—that of making the Olympic team. All of my characters are driven by something that puts their lives out of balance, whether they're the heroes or the villains. But they tend to strive singlemindedly for a goal at the expense of their lives.
How do you go about outlining your novels?
Well... I didn't for the first three books! I started with a vague idea of the beginnings and the possible ends and I just... started writing. The creation of the story from... nothing... was what I enjoyed about doing those books. I ended up "backward outlining" them once I was substantially into the narratives because I needed some kind of cheat sheet to know what had happened in the plot as I got deeper into the writing (I have a horrible memory!) But I didn't carefully plan them out ahead of time. I wanted to tell myself a story... and I spun them as I went.
Since I've sold those books, I have since written one novel, Siren, where I outlined ahead of the writing, because the publisher, Leisure Books, had to know what I planned on writing before they would contract it. That novel turned out really well and was the first book I sold ahead of the writing, which was a different way of working for me. It will be out next summer. In some ways it was a better experience, because I knew I wasn't writing 90 000 words for nothing. On the other hand, it was challenging because I had to figure out so much in advance of the writing, and then stick at least fairly close to the outline I'd submitted... I couldn't just veer off into left field if the mood struck.
Research? Love it? Hate it?
Hate it! I like to make stuff up, and research only slows you down from the fun part! It is sometimes a necessary part of the writing, but it's definitely not my favorite.
Any useful links you'd like to share?
Well, I hope people will check out my website, www.johneverson.com. I've got information on all my books there, as well as my blog, free short fiction and samples of the bookcover art I've created and music I've written. I don't just work on fiction, I like working in other creative mediums too! People should also visit the micro-site for The 13th. It's got the usual information on the book, but it also has an interactive "map" which we created based on the map and character photos I used as my personal guide while writing the book. I had put together a "cheatsheet" kind of map at the start of The 13th so that I would consistently describe the places in Castle Point, as well as photos of people who looked like the characters—it was just a visual aid to help me get those details right. (I apparently still managed to screw up a character's eye color at one point in the text!)
Anyway the web map is pretty cool in that you can click on the various locations in the town and pop-ups appear with photos and bio-sketches of the book's characters. You can see that at www.the13th-horror.com.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Mutts
Growing up, my dad always insisted on buying purebred dogs for pets. The few times I snuck a cat home, it disappeared. Once, I convinced my mom to adopt a pair of dogs from the local animal shelter (the SPCA brought 'pound puppies' to school and guilt-tripped us kids, but good), but the dogs chewed on something of my dad's then piddled on the floor - displaying their 'lack of purity' and out they went.
It left a mark.
Inside I was terribly conflicted. As a person, I'm this mish-mash Heinz 57 of cultures, but I was raised to expect a purity of design from my pets in breeding. Some of my dogs are AKC with papers, others are mutts, my cats are ... well, cats. The one is so dumb we named him Flat, as in his brain should have flat-lined.
In a way this conflict has carried over into my writing. I can almost never write "just a romance." Just like I can never write "just a horror." Face it, life isn't just one "pure" thing, why should a story limit itself?
Take, for example, one of my favorite horror duets, Frights&Delights. The two tales complement each other by being opposites. The first, Echoes of Yesterday, is a gentle ghost story set in the Appalachian mines with a little boy, his parents and his small terrier. The second, Rave On, is a dystopian zombie scream, slam-dancing in a lesbian freak-out fetish bar in Texas. In Echoes you feel the story ooze right up at you from the very beginning, but with Rave, the feeling is different, the sense of impending violence and horror comes from the actions of the characters and the setting, which is misleading. Passive/aggressive, victim versus aggressor... A lullaby and a seduction.
It left a mark.
Inside I was terribly conflicted. As a person, I'm this mish-mash Heinz 57 of cultures, but I was raised to expect a purity of design from my pets in breeding. Some of my dogs are AKC with papers, others are mutts, my cats are ... well, cats. The one is so dumb we named him Flat, as in his brain should have flat-lined.
In a way this conflict has carried over into my writing. I can almost never write "just a romance." Just like I can never write "just a horror." Face it, life isn't just one "pure" thing, why should a story limit itself?
Take, for example, one of my favorite horror duets, Frights&Delights. The two tales complement each other by being opposites. The first, Echoes of Yesterday, is a gentle ghost story set in the Appalachian mines with a little boy, his parents and his small terrier. The second, Rave On, is a dystopian zombie scream, slam-dancing in a lesbian freak-out fetish bar in Texas. In Echoes you feel the story ooze right up at you from the very beginning, but with Rave, the feeling is different, the sense of impending violence and horror comes from the actions of the characters and the setting, which is misleading. Passive/aggressive, victim versus aggressor... A lullaby and a seduction.
Echoes of Yesterday
Jackie sat on the shady side of the barn and peeked around the corner at his dad, he was back working under the old rusty car. Tiptoeing past the garage, he and his puppy Fearless Fred, or just Fred as his momma called him, made their way back to the hole.
His daddy didn’t understand! He and Fred had to patrol. They had to keep the chickens from wandering into that hole. He was being just like his Uncle Travis, the kick-butt state trooper, keeping things safe.
“Hello!” he yelled into the hole. Nothing replied back this time. “I’m back!” still nothing. “Be that way then! My daddy said you was nothing more than an echo anyways!”Jackie listened long and hard but he didn’t hear any voices, but he did hear the ting of a mattock hitting stone and the distant sound of laughter.
“C’mon Fred, we got to patrol. Maybe the echo will talk to us again later.”
Rave On
The night was young, the sun just dipping below the haze of air pollution tinting the sky a putrid whorl of cerulean, saffron and puce when I paid the bouncer at the gate. The place was painted black with a blood red floor and silver stools. Even the drink-slingers walked through the glaring Goth-Rock and vampiresque gloom looking bored and skewered.
The blue haired woman who took my order had her lips outlined with a twin row of pierced silver ornaments that resembled barbed fishhooks. But it didn’t stop her from snapping chewing gum as I ordered the evening special, an Impaler. When she returned, I opened my baggie and tossed back all the pills as well as the drink. It burned its way down like a combination of lava and glass shards. Roughly, I asked for another and the girl gave me a long considering glance from behind chrome-tinted contact lenses.
Pushing a spot on my shoulder, she prompted me to look at a willow thin girl with long pink-streaked hair, gracefully pirouetting like a broken stringed puppet in the center of the empty dance floor.
“Way you’re feeling tonight, sug, I think she’s your answer.”
* * * *
The first combines old fashioned storytelling, borrowing liberally from the tommyknockers and like stories I grew up with as a child, and adding a different sort of ending. The second was inspired by the annual Zombie Apocalypse Day. I figured anyone could be the victim of a zombie, how many could actually be the zombie - and really enjoy it?
Monday, November 2, 2009
SA-based horror team stab out with another scare
It’s not often that one has the opportunity to see the organic process in which indie horror movies are made, taking storytelling from a purely verbal medium to something that is so much more. This is something many authors dream of seeing as a reality for their fiction. From conception to execution, it’s a time-consuming, expensive yet artistically rewarding experience that is very organic. Here's a peek into the lives of two very talented artists and filmmakers who’re definitely onto a good thing in Cape Town, South Africa.
Ronnie: I grew up with horror movies, so it’s a genre that has been a part of me for many years. I love all the elements that make a good horror film, from the gore and guts, to the suspense and fear, to the hidden message. It is an extreme art form.
Thomas: I consider horror as an extremely underrated genre of movie. It normally deals with aspects of humanity most people refuse to face, often with a strong moral message. Almost anything can happen in a horror movie... Unlike other genres, you don’t have to have a happy ending or hold back on intense emotional content. Besides that, I’ve been watching horror since I was very young. I’ve found that horror movies have taught me a lot, morally and emotionally. I find the the genre covers a large ground of possibilities ... From early 1920s European movies, 1970s shockers... To beautiful Japanese ghost stories.
What were the influences of your soon-to-be-released short horror film, Emma-Õ?
Ronnie: The dominant influence was Asian horror, from film to theatre—which are some of the oldest in the world. We put a lot of research into this project, from Japanese to Chinese superstition, ghosts and mythology. The culture and superstition is fascinating.
Thomas: Japanese and Chinese ghost stories, movies and Japanese kabuki. Our tale is based both on a Chinese type of ghost called a Nǚ Guǐ and the Japanese Onryō, which are very similar and are both linked to water and tend to be women in white with long black hair and blueish faces (Indigo paint is used to depict her using Kumadori for Kabuki, as well as in Chinese theatre).
Japanese Onryō movies are a big inspiration. The 1960s Kwadian and its modern counterparts such as The Ring are all based on these stories. We have looked back to the original stories and also the modern adaptations for inspiration. Our story is a tradition tale. Like the traditional vampire story, it’s not totally original but we have put a South Africa spin on it.
Why did you decide to go with a predominantly Asian theme when the film is based in South Africa?
Ronnie: It suits our character back story completely: Asian husband and wife move to Cape Town, South Africa… We also wanted to juxtapose the two elements, which is always a good thing to do when writing horror.
Thomas: We have a massive, fast-growing Asian population and their myths are being imported with them at an extremely fast rate. Both Ronnie and myself have a growing interest in Eastern culture and, with it, eastern religion, myths and ghost stories. American filmmakers are adapting Eastern horror movies every year... And the style is growing in popularity.
What was the most challenging part of putting this film together?
Ronnie: The limited time we had. From “Action!” on day one to the final product render was only three weeks. No one believed we could shoot and post-produce a film in such a short space of time, but we managed to pull it off, thanks to everyone involved.
Thomas: Working within budget and the time restraints.
Are there any amusing anecdotes from the film you'd like to share?
Ronnie: Erin Wu (our main actress) informed us that we had to perform a ceremony before filming had to start. We had to ask for the permission and guidance of the ghosts in the other dimension prior to filming. We all stood around a table filled with fruit and incense (their offering) and I (as director) had to communicate with them and ask for their blessing. By the time the incense was burnt out, we could film.
Thomas: Well, where do I start? So much happened. I guess I could tell you about the fact that we filmed it during this years Chinese Hungry Ghost festival time period, without planning it. The movie is named after the statue in the movie. It is based on the Chinese Buddhist god of the underworld, Yan Wang. The God is known as Emma-ō in Japan. In typical horror movie fashion, we do have a little “extra” after the credits... So keep watching.
What is your advice to aspiring filmmakers?
Ronnie: Write a good script. The story is everything. Get good people to help you.
Thomas: It’s early days for me and this is just a short, so I really have no advice.
Useful links
Thomas Dorman
YoutTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/drbenwaymd
deviantArt: http://dr-benway.deviantart.com/
SA Horrofest: http://www.shadowrealminc.com/horrorfest/2009horrorfest.htm#lineupjump
Ronnie Belcher
Website: http://ronniebelcher.webs.com/
deviantArt: http://rodz69.deviantart.com/
Skype: ronnie.belcher
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RODZ69
Emma-O Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133808519871
Black Milk Productions Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75119293475
Meet Ronnie Belcher and Thomas Dorman
So far, both your film collaborations have been horror-orientated. Why horror? What do you love about the genre?Ronnie: I grew up with horror movies, so it’s a genre that has been a part of me for many years. I love all the elements that make a good horror film, from the gore and guts, to the suspense and fear, to the hidden message. It is an extreme art form.
Thomas: I consider horror as an extremely underrated genre of movie. It normally deals with aspects of humanity most people refuse to face, often with a strong moral message. Almost anything can happen in a horror movie... Unlike other genres, you don’t have to have a happy ending or hold back on intense emotional content. Besides that, I’ve been watching horror since I was very young. I’ve found that horror movies have taught me a lot, morally and emotionally. I find the the genre covers a large ground of possibilities ... From early 1920s European movies, 1970s shockers... To beautiful Japanese ghost stories.
What were the influences of your soon-to-be-released short horror film, Emma-Õ?
Ronnie: The dominant influence was Asian horror, from film to theatre—which are some of the oldest in the world. We put a lot of research into this project, from Japanese to Chinese superstition, ghosts and mythology. The culture and superstition is fascinating.
Thomas: Japanese and Chinese ghost stories, movies and Japanese kabuki. Our tale is based both on a Chinese type of ghost called a Nǚ Guǐ and the Japanese Onryō, which are very similar and are both linked to water and tend to be women in white with long black hair and blueish faces (Indigo paint is used to depict her using Kumadori for Kabuki, as well as in Chinese theatre).
Japanese Onryō movies are a big inspiration. The 1960s Kwadian and its modern counterparts such as The Ring are all based on these stories. We have looked back to the original stories and also the modern adaptations for inspiration. Our story is a tradition tale. Like the traditional vampire story, it’s not totally original but we have put a South Africa spin on it.
Why did you decide to go with a predominantly Asian theme when the film is based in South Africa?
Ronnie: It suits our character back story completely: Asian husband and wife move to Cape Town, South Africa… We also wanted to juxtapose the two elements, which is always a good thing to do when writing horror.
Thomas: We have a massive, fast-growing Asian population and their myths are being imported with them at an extremely fast rate. Both Ronnie and myself have a growing interest in Eastern culture and, with it, eastern religion, myths and ghost stories. American filmmakers are adapting Eastern horror movies every year... And the style is growing in popularity.
What was the most challenging part of putting this film together?
Ronnie: The limited time we had. From “Action!” on day one to the final product render was only three weeks. No one believed we could shoot and post-produce a film in such a short space of time, but we managed to pull it off, thanks to everyone involved.
Thomas: Working within budget and the time restraints.
Are there any amusing anecdotes from the film you'd like to share?
Ronnie: Erin Wu (our main actress) informed us that we had to perform a ceremony before filming had to start. We had to ask for the permission and guidance of the ghosts in the other dimension prior to filming. We all stood around a table filled with fruit and incense (their offering) and I (as director) had to communicate with them and ask for their blessing. By the time the incense was burnt out, we could film.
Thomas: Well, where do I start? So much happened. I guess I could tell you about the fact that we filmed it during this years Chinese Hungry Ghost festival time period, without planning it. The movie is named after the statue in the movie. It is based on the Chinese Buddhist god of the underworld, Yan Wang. The God is known as Emma-ō in Japan. In typical horror movie fashion, we do have a little “extra” after the credits... So keep watching.
What is your advice to aspiring filmmakers?
Ronnie: Write a good script. The story is everything. Get good people to help you.
Thomas: It’s early days for me and this is just a short, so I really have no advice.
Useful links
Thomas Dorman
YoutTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/drbenwaymd
deviantArt: http://dr-benway.deviantart.com/
SA Horrofest: http://www.shadowrealminc.com/horrorfest/2009horrorfest.htm#lineupjump
Ronnie Belcher
Website: http://ronniebelcher.webs.com/
deviantArt: http://rodz69.deviantart.com/
Skype: ronnie.belcher
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RODZ69
Emma-O Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133808519871
Black Milk Productions Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75119293475
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Horror with Heart: A few minutes with Keith Pyeatt
Today, I’m pleased to introduce author Keith Pyeatt. For the past few months I’ve had the privilege of editing his novel, Dark Knowledge, which is due for release through Lyrical Press, Inc. in October. Keith has been an absolute pleasure to work with and I'm not ashamed to say he taught me a thing or two about our craft.
So, without further ado, I'll begin by sharing Keith's biography, just to give you a little more background, before plunging into a little Q&A.
Biography
Keith Pyeatt spent a decade living in an isolated log cabin he built in northeastern Vermont. He began that decade an engineer and came out of it a novelist. One can only imagine what happened out there in those rural woods of Vermont that turned him, because he won't talk about it, but he writes horror.
Keith's first published novel is Struck, a paranormal thriller set in Albuquerque, a nearby pueblo, and the Anasazi ruins in Chaco Canyon. Dark Knowledge will be out on October 19.
In a nutshell, tell us about Dark Knowledge, and what sparked the idea for this novel.
Dark Knowledge is Flowers for Algernon with a Dean Koontz twist. It's about a mentally challenged man who can't resist a gift of knowledge, but it comes with a dark destiny. He's thrust into a deadly contest where he must fight for his life while piecing together his mind and his heritage. The more he learns, the harder it becomes to distinguish good from evil. The greater his intellect, the more difficult his choices – and sacrifices – become.
My spark was a desire to write a different kind of good vs. evil story, where the extremes couldn't be separated, sometimes not even identified. I also wanted to let loose my imagination in wild and wicked ways, and the alternate worlds in Dark Knowledge gave me that opportunity. The resulting novel is tough on my hero, imposing psychological tension on top of the physical threats, but it was tough love. He's stronger for it. The perk was that I didn't have to worry about momentum. Pace took care of itself.
Who are some of the authors you enjoy reading and look up to? What is it about their writing that fires up your imagination?
I read various genres and find inspiration from any writer who holds me in their fictional world by letting me move into the character(s) so I live the story as opposed to always being aware that I'm reading about it.
Like so many horror writers, Stephen King hooked me on paranormal thrillers, and I admire his character building and story-telling skills. Jonathan Kellerman triggered my love of psychological novels with his Alex Delaware series. The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler left me inspired over the power of characterization. Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz fired me up for well-written paranormal novels. More recent reads (not necessarily recent novels) that inspired me with story-telling, story, and characterization were Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and Pompeii by Robert Harris. The classic horror of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House inspires me as a horror writer who loves character development.
Have you ever had any weird, inexplicable experiences, or heard about some that may have crept into your novels?
I have had inexplicable experiences. They're too personal to put into my novels, but they opened my sometimes overly logical mind so wide it hasn't closed again. Letting my imagination wander into areas previously closed off has helped me write paranormal fiction (and, I think, be a better person). I'm still a bear about making my characters react logically and arrive at logical conclusions, but what they're reacting to often comes from that wide open area of my mind.
What scares you?
Writing has helped me understand some of my fears, and they often center on losing control, especially of my mind. Some aspect of being possessed and/or replaced and losing the essence of oneself tends to creep into my novels. Water and swamp critters with big teeth and dead eyes scare me--alligators, crocodiles, sharks and moray eels. Things I can't see but I can hear or smell or just feel are near and threatening scare me.
Are you willing to give hints about your next project?
I'm superstitious about my works-in-progress and don't discuss specifics, but I'm excited about what I've got going. I've enjoyed writing a few novels with distinct but somewhat subdued paranormal elements, but now I'm returning to some of the things I enjoyed about Dark Knowledge. My next novel will be even darker than Dark Knowledge, with a strong paranormal element, but if it works out the way I have planned (which isn't always the case with my novels), the threat will come from man, and it'll be the paranormal element that's in jeopardy, the opposite of Dark Knowledge.
What is your advice to aspiring authors?
In addition to the usual advice about reading widely and writing continuously, I recommend writers learn their craft and then learn some more. A clever or thrilling tale is great, but there's a lot of competition. Unless you're connected, famous, or infamous, you need every edge to get a publishing contract. I advise aspiring writers to finish their book or story, find good critique groups, work hard, be open, and learn from giving critiques as well as from getting them. Then write another story or book. Then another. Keep going back to early works and use sharpened skills to improve them.
Local writers' organizations can be a great asset and can even help writers find critique groups, but if there aren't organizations near you, go online. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the critique groups and helpful sites you can find on the internet. Keep improving. There will always be room to get even better than you are now. That's the fun and the curse of writing.
Link it! Find out more about Keith and his novels:
Keith's Website: http://www.keithpyeatt.com/
Keith's Blog: http://www.keithpyeatt.blogspot.com/
Keith's Author's Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/keithpyeatt
See what others are saying and purchase Struck at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Struck-Keith-Pyeatt/dp/1935053175/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246886110&sr=8-1
Prepare for Dark Knowledge by visiting Lyrical Press: http://www.lyricalpress.com/keith_pyeatt
So, without further ado, I'll begin by sharing Keith's biography, just to give you a little more background, before plunging into a little Q&A.
Biography
Keith Pyeatt spent a decade living in an isolated log cabin he built in northeastern Vermont. He began that decade an engineer and came out of it a novelist. One can only imagine what happened out there in those rural woods of Vermont that turned him, because he won't talk about it, but he writes horror.
Keith's first published novel is Struck, a paranormal thriller set in Albuquerque, a nearby pueblo, and the Anasazi ruins in Chaco Canyon. Dark Knowledge will be out on October 19.
In a nutshell, tell us about Dark Knowledge, and what sparked the idea for this novel.
Dark Knowledge is Flowers for Algernon with a Dean Koontz twist. It's about a mentally challenged man who can't resist a gift of knowledge, but it comes with a dark destiny. He's thrust into a deadly contest where he must fight for his life while piecing together his mind and his heritage. The more he learns, the harder it becomes to distinguish good from evil. The greater his intellect, the more difficult his choices – and sacrifices – become.
My spark was a desire to write a different kind of good vs. evil story, where the extremes couldn't be separated, sometimes not even identified. I also wanted to let loose my imagination in wild and wicked ways, and the alternate worlds in Dark Knowledge gave me that opportunity. The resulting novel is tough on my hero, imposing psychological tension on top of the physical threats, but it was tough love. He's stronger for it. The perk was that I didn't have to worry about momentum. Pace took care of itself.
Who are some of the authors you enjoy reading and look up to? What is it about their writing that fires up your imagination?
I read various genres and find inspiration from any writer who holds me in their fictional world by letting me move into the character(s) so I live the story as opposed to always being aware that I'm reading about it.
Like so many horror writers, Stephen King hooked me on paranormal thrillers, and I admire his character building and story-telling skills. Jonathan Kellerman triggered my love of psychological novels with his Alex Delaware series. The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler left me inspired over the power of characterization. Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz fired me up for well-written paranormal novels. More recent reads (not necessarily recent novels) that inspired me with story-telling, story, and characterization were Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and Pompeii by Robert Harris. The classic horror of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House inspires me as a horror writer who loves character development.
Have you ever had any weird, inexplicable experiences, or heard about some that may have crept into your novels?
I have had inexplicable experiences. They're too personal to put into my novels, but they opened my sometimes overly logical mind so wide it hasn't closed again. Letting my imagination wander into areas previously closed off has helped me write paranormal fiction (and, I think, be a better person). I'm still a bear about making my characters react logically and arrive at logical conclusions, but what they're reacting to often comes from that wide open area of my mind.
What scares you?
Writing has helped me understand some of my fears, and they often center on losing control, especially of my mind. Some aspect of being possessed and/or replaced and losing the essence of oneself tends to creep into my novels. Water and swamp critters with big teeth and dead eyes scare me--alligators, crocodiles, sharks and moray eels. Things I can't see but I can hear or smell or just feel are near and threatening scare me.
Are you willing to give hints about your next project?
I'm superstitious about my works-in-progress and don't discuss specifics, but I'm excited about what I've got going. I've enjoyed writing a few novels with distinct but somewhat subdued paranormal elements, but now I'm returning to some of the things I enjoyed about Dark Knowledge. My next novel will be even darker than Dark Knowledge, with a strong paranormal element, but if it works out the way I have planned (which isn't always the case with my novels), the threat will come from man, and it'll be the paranormal element that's in jeopardy, the opposite of Dark Knowledge.
What is your advice to aspiring authors?
In addition to the usual advice about reading widely and writing continuously, I recommend writers learn their craft and then learn some more. A clever or thrilling tale is great, but there's a lot of competition. Unless you're connected, famous, or infamous, you need every edge to get a publishing contract. I advise aspiring writers to finish their book or story, find good critique groups, work hard, be open, and learn from giving critiques as well as from getting them. Then write another story or book. Then another. Keep going back to early works and use sharpened skills to improve them.
Local writers' organizations can be a great asset and can even help writers find critique groups, but if there aren't organizations near you, go online. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the critique groups and helpful sites you can find on the internet. Keep improving. There will always be room to get even better than you are now. That's the fun and the curse of writing.
Link it! Find out more about Keith and his novels:
Keith's Website: http://www.keithpyeatt.com/
Keith's Blog: http://www.keithpyeatt.blogspot.com/
Keith's Author's Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/keithpyeatt
See what others are saying and purchase Struck at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Struck-Keith-Pyeatt/dp/1935053175/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246886110&sr=8-1
Prepare for Dark Knowledge by visiting Lyrical Press: http://www.lyricalpress.com/keith_pyeatt
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