Interview with filmmaker, David Stagnari: "People going through an emotional conflict and looking for answers really understand the film. It's not for those in denial."

In 2006 I saw Christopher P. Garetano's low budget documentary about low budget filmmakers called, Horror Business.  As an aspiring filmmaker myself I've always found it fascinating how filmmakers struggle to make good, efficient films with little to no budget.  It turns out that one of the directors featured in that film was struggling to complete his own film.  David Stagnari's Catharsis is one of the many films talked about in Horror Business.  Catharsis continues to challenge and inspire me each and every time I watch it.  In order to completely understand Catharsis I had the great opportunity to speak to its maker.  The insight he delivered was more than what I expected.  In the interview we talk about his love of movies, the origins of his idea for Catharsis, and some anticipated projects coming up in the future.

You can purchase Catharsis here: http://www.catharticcircle.com/filmMENU.html

Another link to an article I published on this blog:http://somethingslurking-hook.blogspot.com/2014/05/speaking-to-subconcious-look-at-david.html


At what age did you realize you wanted to become a filmmaker?

My love of film began around 5 or 6 years old.  But I was 12 years old when it dawned on me I could actually make a movie.

What were some of the films that inspired you as a child?

It's hard to answer that.  Many movies obsessed me.  The triple features at the drive in theater was an amazing place for a film education.  I kept a book of all the movies I saw in the movie theater.  I started writing it when I was very young.  Here is a portion of the first films I saw, in the order and year I saw them.  You can get a sense of the variety.

1969 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1970 Patton
1971 Bed Knobs and Broomsticks
1971 2001 A Space Odyssey
1971 The Anderson Tapes
1971 The Andromeda Strain
1971 The Beguiled
1971 Mary Queen of Scotts
1971 Evel Knievel
1972 Tales From the Crypt
1972 Pinocchio
1973 Fantasia
1973 Paper Moon
1973 The Mechanic
1973 Live and Let Die
1973 Planet of the Apes
1973 Dillinger
1973 The Neptune Factor
1973 Tora Tora Tora
1973 The Stone Killer
1973 West World
1973 Tales That Witness Madness
1973 Asylum
1973 Soylent Green
1973 Don't Look in the Basement
1973 Last House on the Left
1973 Dirty Harry
1973 Magnum Force
1973 High Plains Drifter
1973 Billy Jack
1973 M.A.S.H
1973 Panic in Needle Park
1973 Dracula vs. Frankenstein
1973 Frankenstein's Bloody Terror
1973 The Day of the Dolphin
1973 Cisco Pike
1973 take The Money and Run
1973 Horror Express
1973 Death Wheelers
1973 The French Connection
1973 The Seven Ups
1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
1974 Blazing Saddles
1974 99 44 100% Dead
1974 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
1974 The Devil's Nightmare
1974 Bambi
1974 Freeble and the Bean
1974 The Super Cops
1974 Bullitt
1974 Papillon
1974 The Laughing Policeman
1974 The Man with The Golden Gun
1974 Mr. Majestik
1974 Badge 373
1974 The Longest Yard
1974 Phantom of the Paradise
1974 The Taking of Pelham 123
1974 The Parallax View
1974 Death Wish
1974 Night of Bloody Terror
1974 Night of the Strangler
1974 Macon County Line
1974 Joe Kidd
1974 Vampyres - Daughters of Dracula
1974 Young Frankenstein
1974 Airport
1974 Earthquake
1974 UFO Target Earth
1974 The Devil's Triangle
1975 The Devil's Rain
1975 The Getaway
1975 Walking Tall
1975 Junior Bonner
1975 Aloha Bobby and Rose
1975 Breakout
1975 White Line Fever
1975 Sleeper
1975 Serpico
1975 Jaws
1975 Vanishing Point

What were your experiences like in film school?

The year I went to SVA was very disappointing.  I felt more productive and inspired before I went to film school.  Teachers constantly cancelled classes, equipment didn't work properly, and there was a feeling that high school was continuing instead of a serious college and artistic study.  But of course I did learn a few things, such as recognizing underlying themes and secrets which I feel are important to good filmmaking.  And I made a few lifelong friends.

What prompted you to make a film?

After years in the music business I realized all my inspiration for music came from film.  I had been away from filmmaking for a long time and wanted to return to it with a maximum effort and see if I could make something interesting.  That's when I wrote Catharsis in 1998.

Speaking of Catharsis, it's been out for many years.  How has the response been to the film so far?

I made the film without intention of anyone seeing it.  I never had an audience in mind.  So getting amazing responses to the film has been beautiful.  I've had some people get violently angry about it and some that called it artsy-fartsy crap.  It's not everyone's cup of tea.  People going through an emotional conflict and looking for answers really understand the film.  It's not for those in denial.

I see your point.  It's a very challenging, yet fulfilling movie.  Can you tell me what inspired the idea for "Catharsis"?

I believe it started with that insecure voice in your head that sabotages your ideas with negativity.  Then I thought about the idea of emotionally running away and the mental journey of where you go to avoid those emotional obstacles.  Then the images of the thing you're running away from following you and making a film about the entire conflict and resolution.  So the final inspiration was to turn a thought process filled with sadness, artistic impedance and loss into a physical journey of confronting fear. Humans are strange in that we run away from traumas we think we can't deal with.  But emotional obstacles are always there and they want to be confronted.  The more we run the more they present themselves in our subconscious or even physically.  The very thing we run away from, when faced, is the thing that frees us.

Dylan Murphy portrays that sadness so impeccably.  Was he your first choice?

No.  A photographer, named Jack Roman, who worked on the production, was my first choice.  But a set of strange occurrences brought Dylan Murphy to the role.  He was not an actor but I think he did a great job.  He understood the character.

How difficult was it to try and tell a story that almost entirely has only one character?

It was challenging.  I looked for answers to the character in his face.  He had to look like a nice, well dressed, together person in complete denial.  His hair and clothes had to look the direct opposite of what he is going through emotionally.  Sometimes when dealing with emotional trauma you feel a sense of isolation.  In the script the character was referred to as THE WANDERER and GOD'S ONLY MAN.

I was going to ask what you called the character.  That's fascinating.  I love that because he does really feel isolated throughout the entire film.  How many drafts of the script were there?

I think there were 30 different drafts.  The script was only 13 pages.

Was the internal dialogue part of the script or was it something that you experimented with in post production?

It was there from the beginning.  It was a poem I wrote when my Mother died in 1994.

It's no secret that Catharsis is a work straight from the heart and it took a few years to complete. First, was finance an issue?  And second, how difficult was it as an artist to stay idle during those periods when the film wasn't in production?

I didn't have a lot of money but I wanted Catharsis to look as polished as possible.  David Lynch said, "You don't have to sacrifice quality because you lack money.  There's always a way."  That became a mantra.  Even when selecting the crew.  You don't have to take the wrong people.  You can find talented people that will work for nothing.  The gaps between shooting can be tough because you feel you don't have any control.  There are shots in Catharsis when the main character is walking and there's a cut and it's a year later.  But those gaps afford you the opportunity to over prepare and perfect upcoming scenes.  When I make my next feature film I want to shoot the whole thing in 45 days!   

What were some films that inspired you during the making of Catharsis?

I remember watching Alexander Nevsky, The Magnificent Ambersons, and Begotten during shooting.  But I don't think there were any particular films that inspired me during that time.

Let's talk about some of the locations because they're beautiful.  My personal favorite is in the cemetery.  It's just our one character filled with nothing but white tombstones all around him.  This is the most loneliness of all the scenes.

Thank you.  All of it was shot on Long Island and Westchester.  The locations were heavily photographed prior to shooting and then every shot was storyboarded.  But I don't think I looked at the storyboards once during the entire shoot.  I left myself opened in case a better shot presented itself.

What are some of your memories working with the director of photography, Stephen Panariello?

We got along great.  He's very talented and a great human spirit.  We inspired each other artistically and still do to this day.  He was the third DP I interviewed.  The first one read the screenplay and threw a chair against the wall in anger.  I learned later that he was in denial over a death in the family and the script touched a nerve.  The second was interested but seemed, in the phone interview, he would be very difficult to work with.  Then, when Steve read the script he threw the script in the garbage pail in anger.  In the middle of the night he pulled it out of the garbage and re-read it.  He called me and said, "I have to do this movie."  He was willing to go on the emotional journey we all were on.  I'm very happy he did.  An early meeting with Steve was on his boat.  He took the time to hang pages from the script all around the boat that inspired him.  I was immediately impressed by the artistic gesture.  He's a dear friend and we both look forward to working with each other again.

The visuals are stunning.  No doubt about it.  The score compliments the visuals beautifully.  

It took an entire summer to score the film and create the sound effects, which, I consider part of the score as well.  I wrote 44 pieces of music on a Roland sequencer and various synthesizers.  Many of the pieces I liked but didn't work properly with the scenes in the film.  I remember watching the final scene with the piece of music that's in the film for the first time.  I welled up with tears.  I knew it was right.

And how long did it take you to cut the entire film?

Principle photography began in October 1999 and was completed in April 2001.  Editing and sound was completed October 11th 2002.  Credits and color correction completed February 7th 2003.

When you saw the final cut was there any fears with the pacing?

The pacing was deliberate.  I was going for a dreamy, mysterious atmosphere and felt the ending wouldn't work without establishing a substantial journey.

I love the final scene of the film where the character is reborn.  That must have been a messy shoot.

I wanted three days to shoot it but the bathroom was located at a Catholic school and the priests only gave me one.  And they had no idea what I was going to film in that bathroom so there was always fear someone would walk in at the worst moment.  So we arrived at 9am and shot until 5am.  the bathroom had to be cleaned and then re-shot four different times.  Those twenty hours went by very fast.  And we left that bathroom cleaner than when we arrived.  It was tense and beautiful.

Christopher P. Garetano's documentary, Horror Business introduced me to Catharsis and yourself.  What was the experience like and how important was that documentary for helping spread the word about your film?

I was happy to be a part of it.  Chris put so much heart and soul into that film.  It was a great success for him.  If it wasn't for Horror Business, many people would not have seen Catharsis.  For that I'm grateful.

Was the final cut of Catharsis what you envisioned?

It was very strange seeing scenes come to life exactly how I imagined them.  There's always moments in the final cut you wish were different.  I haven't watched it in many years but overall I'm happy with the end result.  The film cost $7,000 but most of that money didn't end up on the screen.  Much of it was transportation, food, post production, and equipment rentals.

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers?

Challenge your taste.  Watch a variety of films.  Strive for originality and perfection.  Pencil into the schedule that some days you will feel insecure and lack inspiration.  It's part of the process and a temporary feeling.  Don't give up.

Do current films still inspire you?  If so, who are some of your favorite directors working today?

I marvel at Martin Scorsese still making compelling, youthful films in his 70's.  He's the last man standing of his generation of filmmakers.  I'm a fan of Nicholas Refn, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jonathan Glazer.

What are some projects that you have in the works?

I've spent years trying to secure a few million dollars for a feature length horror film I wrote.  I came close a few times but it didn't happen.  It's a shame because It was so scary and very deep.  It took a long time to let go of it.

I spent a few years shooting a documentary about an autistic painter taking over an abandoned gas station to create an art school for special needs children and war veterans.  I just showed a portion of it this week at an autism awareness event and the audience loved it.

I have another documentary in the works I might do.  But I'm very excited to start shopping an original screenplay I've been working on over the last 15 years.  It's not a horror film, but all I can say is... it's surreal.

David, it was an honor and thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

The pleasure is mine.  Thank you for your interest and kind words.




 

Interview with Oz Bloodcurse: "I hate any religion that has that grip on a person's thinking and free will."

It's been ten years since Oz Bloodcurse formed Pennsylvania's black/death metal machine, Neldoreth.   And it's no secret that in those ten years Oz has been very opinionated on his view on the music scene, and religion.  The band went through a few line-up changes, one very significant change in 2007 when guitarist Darrell Creel joined the band.  From then on the band has always persisted forward, holding nothing back and having no regrets.  Still, with an ever changing roster, one thing remains:  Oz will not be stopped!  I had the honor to talk with Oz a few months back about the history of the band, his future with the band and some of the members both past and present.

It's been ten years since Neldoreth started.  Overall, how do you describe fronting one of the most evil bands to ever come out of PA?

Well, it's been a long ride! Sometimes it's very hard to imagine that it's been ten years since I made this pact! 

Take us back to the beginning.  Where did the idea for Neldoreth come from?  

Neldöreth was formed in November of 2004 by myself and original drummer Brad Feist. We had been together in a symphonic black metal band called Dark Symphony. We decided to quit that and form something more to our suiting to our Satanic beliefs and thus Neldöreth was spawned. The first line up was myself (vocals), Andy Check (guitars), Nathan Bailey (guitars), Jay Smith (bass), and Brad (drums). 

As far as the name, it's taken from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Silmarillion". It's a forest that was part of the kingdom of Doriath. However, I think it's taken on a whole new meaning and when people hear the word Neldöreth, they think something totally different than a forest in a book.

Musically you've come a long way.  How do you feel about some of the eariler Neldoreth demos?  

To be very honest with you, I haven't even thought about the demos and early albums in some time. I don't even own the first two full lengths. I would have to agree with you though, the band has changed very much since 2004. As for how I feel about the old material, I really don't have an answer to that, as it's been so long. 

Somewhere in '07 you completely rebuilt the band.  Was it an easy choice separating from the original members?  Are you still in contact with any of them?

No, it wasn't. The line up at that time was not getting along, especially with Bryan (Anderson, drummer). The recording sessions for 'Under Azazel's Dark Wings' was a nightmare! There was a lot of negativity during rehearsals and live rituals that was unneeded and it was beginning to effect the energies, so I had to make a change. Then I met Darrell (Creel) and that all changed. The approach to writing changed, the atmosphere changed, everything changed except the original pact and goal I had made in 2004. As far as communication with the 2006-2007 line up, the only one I still speak with on occasion is Jay (Smith, bass).

When Darrell joined the band, Neldoreth really came out with a vengeance.  How was it to work with him and will there be a reunion with the two of you?

Working with Darrell was a good experience. It was different than the other guys because him and I never argued about shit. We were pretty much on the same page on most things...even at the end we never fought. But at the end of the day he just decided that Neldöreth wasn't for him anymore, which is a shame. As far as a reunion, I don't see that happening for various reasons. 

With all the tours and countless rituals, who is the best band you've shared the stage with?

I've played with Hubris a great deal, and they are great...the future of USBM for sure! But I'd say my favorite had to be touring with Vulkodlak back in 2012. They had to do the tour without their bass player, and for just two guys they were so tight! 

For the new fan, where should they start when listening to Neldoreth?  

I'd say the latest album, "The Saints of Blasphemy - I: Baptized in Blasphemy". It has that classic Darrell Creel writing style but I went back to my black metal vocal style so I think it was a good combination. It was also the best written and best production wise. 

What is the best song you've written as a band? 

"Ritual Suicide" hands down! It was also up to that point the most personal one for me, although on the next album there is two that go along with that one that are even more personal to me. 

You don't have to be  a rocket scientist to figure out that Neldoreth and Christianity are enemies. When did your hatred for Christianity begin?

I hate any religion that has that grip on a person's thinking and free will. I always knew I was a Satanist from a very young age, even before I knew what that was, and it wasn't until I made a pact with the Devil that I truly embraced it and understood my reason for being on this planet. 

What are your thoughts on the current metal scene?  Specifically in your area.

To be completely honest, and don't take this as having an ego or anything like that, but I do not consider Neldöreth part of the local scene. Neldöreth is not your typical metal or black metal band. It is a temple...a temple to worship of worship . Those who understand this, come to our shows, which we call rituals, not for just entertainment, but to worship and feel the energies that come forth through our music. This does not mean that there are not great metal bands in the area, but I feel what they do and what Neldöreth does is two completely different things. That may sound like an elitist statement, but it's really not meant in that way.

What vocalist/musician would you love to collaborate with on a future Neldoreth album?

Pete Helmkamp.

Will you be taking the band outside the US for any international tours?

Been working on that. There has been some offers but we just have to work out the small print details first to make everything worth it. 

What is your favorite album of all time?

Watain's Sworn to the Dark

What are your religious views?

I usually do not like to discuss my spirituality in interviews because many readers do not understand such things. Something so powerful cannot be explained to it's full potential in a paragraph or two. And it goes so much deeper than words. One must sacrifice the ego and give up such mundane pleasures to fully understand it. Satan is not just a name to use as shock value, as so many groups do, but is something that deserves the utmost respect and worship.

What vocalist has been the most influential to you in your career?

Jon Nödtveidt (Dissection)

Tell me about the upcoming album!

"The Saints of Blasphemy - II: Communion of the Abhorrent" is the second part of the Saints of Blasphemy trilogy. It begins with the Saints of Blasphemy receiving their first unholy communion. On earth, a disciple of Satan begins his walk towards becoming a Saint himself. The album will be recorded at Ahhie/Little Room Studios, Inc in Pittston, PA under the work of Val Valenti. Then it will be sent to Josh Freemon (Hellgoat) to mix and master. Originally I had planned to go back to Billy Slusser again, but with his busy work load I felt it better to go this route. Although I had a great time working with him on it, and the album is the best produced album we've done.

As far as players, Loki Syx is doing the guitar work with some help from Ricktor Ravensbrück (Electric Hellfire Club / Wolfpack 44). Bass will be recorded by my long time friend, Ixitichitl (Manticore) and drums by Vehemence (Vulkodlak). Jason Burnett will also return to do some spoken rituals. There will also be four guest vocalists in the one song. Vincent Crowley (Acheron), Steve Tucker (Warfather / ex-Morbid Angel), Dana Duffey (Demonic Christ), and Xaphan (Kult ov Azazel). 

What are your thoughts when the CD is complete and the artwork is finished?  As an artist that has to be the best moment to finally hold it in your hands then release it to the world.

By that point I am usually in the middle of booking the tours to promote it, or doing interviews, so at that point it's hard to focus on much at that time. But once I get a chance to sit down then yes it's a great feeling of course.

Tell me a little about the current Neldoreth lineup.

Well I mentioned above who will be on the album. As for live rituals I am talking with a few people at the moment, none of which I can really mention yet. I can say that Vehemence has agreed to do drums for the fest dates and the touring in 2015 for the next album.

Where do you see Neldoreth in the next ten years?

To be very honest, I am not sure Neldöreth will still be active in ten years. Once I feel that Neldöreth has done everything it was meant to do, then that's it. And when that time comes there will be no reunions down the road! And then I will possibly have one final choice to make. And all this may take another ten years and it may not, so I am not sure.

What do you mean by one final choice?

When it's my time to leave, I will do so knowing that I accomplished everything I was meant to and I will not linger.

What is your favorite horror film?

Exorcist III

If you could dig up one musician from the grave and share the stage with him, who would it be?

Jon Nödtveidt (Dissection)

Interview with director Steve Cuden: " I believe everything is related, and making Lucky is just a part of the fabric of my entire life’s work."

Lucky was a film I picked up at my local video store back in 2004. The cover depicts an overweight male standing in his backyard. A dog is in the forefront with beer cans, hands and a skull surrounding him. The image was so intriguing that I just had to give it a shot. But I had my reservations about it. I had wasted so much money on indie horror pictures by this time that it was a gamble just to rent one. Somehow, I knew this would be just another five bucks down the toilet. Boy, was I wrong!

Lucky is proof that you can make a great film with little money and without the help of the Hollywood machine. The film is about Millard Mudd, a down and out cartoon writer, who is having a bad case of writer's block. After an uncanny friendship, and a Frankenstein-like miracle, Lucky is brought into Mudd's life and helps him begin a lucrative writing career. Or does he?  I've had the great opportunity to talk with Steve Cuden, the film's director and producer. We talk about the making of the film, his experiences in the field, and his future in feature filmmaking. 

1.  What prompted you to make a feature film?

I grew up devoted to movies and TV shows.  I’ve wanted to make features since I was a boy.  Sometimes life has a way of molding your dreams in unexpected and interesting directions.  After graduating from college with my BA in Theater from USC, I wound up writing musicals for almost ten years before spending the next twenty years writing TV animation scripts.  In the middle of the year 2000 an opportunity arose to collaborate on a small budget horror movie called, Lucky. And I took up the challenge.  I believe everything is related, and making Lucky is just a part of the fabric of my entire life’s work.

2.  How did you get directly involved with Lucky?

My longtime friend Steve Sustarsic wrote the script when he was working as a Co-Executive Producer of the animated TV show, Dilbert.  He and I had collaborated on a number of writing projects over the years, and when Michael Emanuel, an actor who was another friend of ours, found himself out of work due to the SAG Commercial actors strike, the three of us joined forces and decided to make Lucky as a showcase for our work.  The movie is the truest example of an “Indie” you can find.

3.  It's been nearly ten years since its release.  How have the fans responded thus far?

It’s a strange, dark horror comedy, and not to everyone’s taste.  Those who love Lucky, really love Lucky.  We received amazing reviews when it was released.  We even had a beautiful spread about the production in Fangoria Magazine, which was an awesome honor.  Lucky won Best Feature awards at four different film festivals, including the inaugural New York City Horror Film Festival.  But over the years it has fallen into a bit of a dim, dusty, cobwebbed corner of the market and I believe very few of today’s horror crowd even know of its existence.  Maybe it’s time for a revival.  Maybe you‘ll the one to make that happen!

4.  How many drafts were written for this script?

I honestly don’t know, but I don’t think too many.  Steve banged it out at night as a reaction to his intense dislike of working on Dilbert during the day.  Many of us who worked on the movie were concerned about what might lie beneath the surface of Steve’s back yard.  Or in his mind.  Makes me shudder just thinking of it.

5.  Stephen Sustarsic and yourself made up 2/3 of the producers.  How influential were you in the writing process?

I had nothing to do with Steve’s writing process.  He wrote it on his own long before showing it to anyone else.  But I was very influential in the interpretation process.  For example, the very long car ride that Mudd takes to and from the liquor store at the beginning of the movie, when he rambles on in an intense, mostly bizarre philosophical manner about his life and the unusual world he lives in, was, on paper, about three straight pages of free-form monologue.  No stage direction of any kind.  There was no indication from the writing as to what happens during that long, fairly warped rumination on everything.  I had to break that down and figure out what to shoot.  None of the imagery in that sequence is called for in the script. The shots mainly came from my interpretation of Mudd’s mania.  Most of the script had good action indicated in it, but we added lots of things on set, too. When we got to post we decided to rearrange the order of some scenes from the way they were originally written.  In the script, Lucky didn’t appear until the second act.  We bumped that way up and made Lucky appear quite early on.  I think it made a huge difference in how the story unfolds. So, in that way I suppose I had an impactful influence on the ultimate storytelling, but not on the initial writing. 

6.  Cinematographer, Byron Werner shot this film almost entirely handheld.  How do you feel this style helped tell the story as opposed to locking the camera on a tripod?

I believe it helps the audience get into the off-kilter world of Millard Mudd.  Not much in the imagery is stable, or steady, or static – and neither is Mudd.  We shot a lot of dutched angles and POV shots for that same reason.  I think it also gives a significant boost of energy to what could have otherwise wound up as a fairly slow moving story.

7.  Was Michael Emanuel your first choice in the lead role as Milliard Mudd?

As a co-producer of the movie, he was the only choice.  We cast every other character, including Sydney, the female terrier mutt who played the male Lucky.  Michael as Millard was part of the package.

8.  I imagine filming an entire film with a dog can be very difficult.  Was it difficult working with Sydney aka Lucky?

Sydney was the best-behaved actor on the set.  She was a hard worker.  She never complained.  She always hit her marks.  And she gave us an exceptional performance.  There’s that old adage that says you should never work with children or animals, but the truth is that working with Sydney was a fantastic experience.  Sydney was a very well trained movie dog.  Check her out getting stoned in “Dude, Where’s My Car?”

9.  I think the interactions between Sydney and Michael were played perfectly.  If not, it could have ruined the authenticity of the world you were creating.  Do you think it was difficult for Michael to act with Sydney?  Particularly in the scenes where she's laying on Michael's chest?

I think you’d have to ask Michael that, but, no, I don’t think he had any problem working with Sydney.  The two of them got on famously – except when Mudd had to scream at her.  Sydney didn’t like being screamed at.  But that was part of the story.  I think Michael had a good time working with her because she was so well trained and so calm most of the time.  Sydney was a real pro.  My recommendation is that if you ever shoot a movie with an animal, it is worth the cost to hire professionally trained animal actors and their trainers.

10.  Narration in most films gets a bit overwhelming.  Lucky is full of internal thoughts and it works well.  Was it difficult to piece all of this together in post?

Well, yes, kind of.  The narration is all there in the script, so finding it wasn’t hard.  Putting together the dialogue in post was challenging, but Tim Stepich, our fantastic editor worked hard to make the cut happen.  And then we had the great good fortune of having one of the best sound cutters in all of Hollywood, Chuck Smith, do all of our post sound.  Chuck’s worked on dozens of famous movies, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and various others for Quentin Tarantino, a number of films for Robert Rodriguez, and he’s worked with many, many other well-respected directors, too (check out his impressive credits on the IMDB.com).  Chuck made Lucky truly come alive.  The hallmark of really bad movies is bad sound.  We were fortunate to have one of the best in the business on our team in Chuck.  I think that helped us to stand out from the crowd.

11.  Where did you find the beautiful Piper Cochrane?  According to IMDB Lucky was the last film she did.

Piper came to us through a basic casting call.  She’s the only actress who auditioned who understood how to play Misty – especially when it came to how she treated Millard, which was nothing but patient understanding and light and love.  Many actresses came in and read the part as if Misty was upset or hurt.  Piper got it that Misty is in Millard’s mind (or is she?), and so she was compliant with his every wish and desire.

12.  You've said that Lucky is not based on actual event.  I see a resemblance to the Son of Sam case in New York.  Was there the slightest bit of inspiration in the script from the real life monsters of the world?

You’d have to ask Steve Sustarsic, but I don’t think so.  Maybe in Steve’s subconscious, but I don’t think there was any overt or intentional reference to the Son of Sam.

13.  With a very small budget and an extremely tight schedule, what were some issues you ran into during production?

Well, we shot the thing in nine and half twelve-hour days.  We did over 420 set-ups.  You do the math.  We were hustling every day all day long.  The biggest issues were not being able to spend enough time with the actors doing multiple takes.  I’m pleased we were able to get such great performances, but there were a few things I would have liked to do again and/or get more coverage.  Despite shooting in Simi Valley (just outside of L.A.), we experienced rain and even a bit of snow.  That slowed us down.  We had nudity on the set and that has to be handled with care and respect and it does slow you down some. 

We also had a scary/funny incident.  The yard in which Mudd buries and unburies Lucky was next to the house that we shot in.  But the yard was part of the house next door.  It turned out that the owners of the house were somewhat unsavory people and someone had made a death threat on their lives.  While we were shooting, every time a car rolled past the location we all thought we’d be shot.  We weren’t, obviously, but we got those images as fast as we could go and got the heck out of there.

14.  What was your favorite aspect of the filmmaking for this film?

I really enjoyed prepping the shoot and directing on set, though that was so hectic that my memory of some of it is a bit foggy.  I loved what we did in post, though that took ten months to go through because Tim Stepich had a full time job editing at E Entertainment and we could only work nights and weekends when he was available.  That part of the process was a bit frustrating for me because I was eager to get to a cut.  But it all worked out beautifully in the end.  So, the time it took was well worth it.

15.  There are so many cuts in the film - over 2,000 I believe - was this something you and your editor had in mind going in or was the editing process experimental?

No, we had no expectations going in.  I knew we had undershot coverage of some stuff.  And we had footage that, in some cases, wasn’t all that great.  We found that by manipulating the footage through quick cutting, we were able to mask certain issues.  And that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I believe the chaos of Mudd’s mind and erratic nature of his character is extremely well-supported by the speed with which the movie flows.  In large part, that is due to the editing.  I think Tim did a masterful job.

16.  This film has a lot of dark comedy in it.  Towards the end it takes a drastic turn and gets very dark and bleak.  Michael's character literally transforms half way through.  This is a true testament to his acting ability in this film.  How important is it for filmmakers to get it right in the casting process?

It is everything.  I always tell my students that the three secrets to making a great movie are casting, casting, and casting.  It is well known in the industry that if you cast well you are about 90 percent there.  Of course, the script has to be there, too, but get the casting right and so many problems go away.

17.  The score is prominent in some scenes but deliberately subdued in others.  Take me through the process of the score.

Our composer, Ken Mazur, worked closely with me to develop the “tone” of the music.  We set out to give the movie an off-kilter, child-like, almost goofy sensibility in any number of places.  This, too, I feel is reflective of Mudd’s mind, and helped to lend the story a weirdness that seemed simultaneously inappropriate while being perfectly on-the-money.  It felt both science fiction like, and playful at the same time.  What we wanted to do was run counter to what might be considered a normal expectation and work against “type” with the score.

18.  There are different ways one can interpret the ending of Lucky.  In the end it is revealed (or hinted too) that everything that transpires in the film is all in Milliard Mudd's head.  Do you think this was the true ending that Stephen Sustarsic had in mind?

I don’t think even Steve knows what he intended at the end.  We changed the ending various times prior to production, shot a couple of different ending possibilities, and wound up where we did.  The original script called for Mudd to live out his life successfully in an estate in Malibu.  Two things happened: 1) None of us really believed that seemed right – except maybe Steve, and 2) We couldn’t afford to rent a Malibu estate, and no one was willing to lend one to us.  So, the ending came to us like all good things do, as a necessity of having to solve a real world problem.  We figured out the ending as we shot.  It was a bear setting up that whole house as Mudd’s filthy, chaotic hole, and then when we took everything away in that room, which was a big ordeal under such time constraints.  But I love the way he lovingly touches the photos of Misty and his past and that wall of memories turns out to be something completely different. 

Here’s the thing: I think the ending is ambiguous.  We don’t see the result of the gunshot we hear.  Do we need to?  No.  Do we know what actually happened?  No.  But some people will find that kind of ending to be unsatisfying.  Is a catharsis reached?  For me there is, but others may disagree.  And that’s fine.  That’s what makes it an art form. 

19.  Has your perspective on filmmaking changed from the time you started this project until the time the film was completed?

Yes.  I think I gained a much better grasp of the nature of storytelling by employing an interconnected group of people.  Though many filmmakers consider themselves “auteurs” the truth is that it is a group exercise.  No one makes a feature film entirely alone.  Most of the time it takes the whole village.  I also gained a much better perspective on the importance of preparation.  I have always been a preparer in life, but making Lucky showed me just how valuable it is to be as prepared as you know how to be for any eventuality.  Then you have the ability to punt under duress.  Otherwise, you waste valuable time and energy just figuring out how to save your bacon.  And you can be sure there will be some bacon to save.

20.  Do you plan on making another film?

Yes.  I have a new horror script that a producer is working on putting together funding.  Raising financing is almost always incredibly time and labor intensive.  I have had a number of projects on their way to being set up only to fall apart.  That, by the way, is a far more common experience for filmmakers than actually getting into production.  I am more patient now than when I was younger, but I still have the drive, ambition, and the desire to put more images and performances up on the screen.   I truly hope you have the chance to see another movie of mine one of these days. 

Meantime I continue to stay busy.  I teach screenwriting full time at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.  I recently released a book called, Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations (available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Drama Book Shop, Samuel French, and other fine locations).  You may know I wrote the original book and lyrics for a hit horror musical, Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, which has played Broadway twice and plays steadily around the U.S. and the world.  I am also planning on writing a book on screenplay structure that I hope you’ll have the chance to read soon.  And I occasionally still pick up an animation script here and there.  So, my creative life remains full and fulfilling.

Steve, it was an honor and thank you for your time.

Thanks so much for being such a great fan of Lucky, and for spreading the good word!

 

For more info on Steve and his work visit him at his website:  http://www.stevecuden.com 

 

Interview with Wind Hawk: "Playing songs I truly love to a capacity crowd of die-hard horror rockers. There's nothing like that and I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Wind Hawk is a busy man.  He's constantly staying creative and has his hand in numerous projects.  He's the former guitarist for Utah's horror punk band, DieMonsterDie and contributed his guitar work on their upcoming album, October 21st 1976.  Recently he's enrolled back into film school and is currently writing a screenplay. Wind Hawk worships horror and we here at Something's Lurking welcome him with dead, lifeless arms.  I hope you will do the same.  His new band, Shadow Wind Hawk and the Morticians can be found here:  http://shadowwindhawkandthemorticians.bandcamp.com/music 


1.  At what age did you decide you wanted to be a musician?

You know, I don't think it was ever really a conscious decision on my part. I began to take playing guitar seriously (around age 12 or 13) and was introduced to Social Distortion, The Cramps, Dead Kennedy's and Agent Orange by a friend of mine in middle school, Sam Roberts. Sam showed me how to play a power chord for the first time and my 7th grade music teacher (Judson Armstrong) showed me how to play some open chords and a pentatonic minor scale. Suddenly the door to the world of rock n' roll was opened. It was instant love. I became completely obsessed with the electric guitar. Since that time I have never stopped playing and over the course of it all I eventually ended up where I'm at today. It was never a case of 'when I grow up, I'm gonna be a real musician'. It was simply my love of the guitar and of all things punk rock that pushed me into being a musician. I spent much of my teenage years daydreaming of being in a real working punk band. The fire that I had to do it one day lead me to where I am. I'm certainly no virtuoso and I'm not really striving to break new ground in music. I'm just being myself and doing what I love for the love of it.

2.  Have you always played guitar?

Hah, no. The first instrument I ever owned was a Mexican made Fender Stratocaster that my step-dad gave me for my 10th birthday. I also had a little Pignose travel amp. I remember being in awe of how fucking cool the Strat was and at the same time I had no idea what the fuck to do with it. I couldn't play anything at that point. But I knew right away that I had to figure it out somehow. So a couple years later when I started middle school, I started taking some lessons from the school music teacher, Judson. I also picked up whatever I could from my friends who were into punk rock. It just went from there and I never quit. I got to the point where I'd listen to songs and teach myself how to play them by ear. Long story short, I've been playing electric guitar for roughly 10 years now.

3.  Who were some of your earliest influences in music?

Oh man. There's a lot of them, but I'd have to say the main ones were Social Distortion, Agent Orange, Nirvana, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedy's, The Ramones, NOFX, The Misfits, Type O, Danzig, Pearl Jam, Pantera and White Zombie, among others. When I was a kid my dad would blast "Nevermind" by Nirvana and "Vitalogy" by Pearl Jam through his old stereo while making dinner. I was a child of the 90's and inevitably grunge has remained the earliest influence on me as far as rock n' roll goes.

4.  Tell me about some of your earlier musical projects? 

When I was in high school I came up with the idea to start a punk band called 'The Gravedancers'. That never went anywhere though. We really had no direction or any clue of what the fuck to do to write a song. Throughout High School I remained without a musical project but kept on playing my guitar. Shortly after I graduated High School, I joined the long tenured Salt Lake City Horror Punk / Shock Rock outfit DieMonsterDie as their new Lead Guitarist. A couple months after joining DMD, I started as lead guitarist for another SLC horror punk band called Zombiance, but left after playing three shows with them to put all of my time into DieMonsterDie.

5.  When did you begin playing horror punk?  And why?

From a very young age I was drawn to and enamored by the traditions of Halloween (Samhain) and subsequently horror films. When I was around the age of three, I would stay up late with my father watching old episodes of the 60's soap "Dark Shadows". I remember hiding under the coffee table and banging my head on it whenever Barnabas bared his fangs on camera. As I got a bit older, the Horror VHS section of Blockbuster became a paradise for me as a child. First I absorbed the Universal Monsters and Vincent Price drive-in movies over and over again, renting them constantly. I connected with the monsters; I felt for them. Then around the age of 10, on nights when my parents weren't home I began to sneak in viewings on tape of slasher flicks like John Carpenter's 1978 film "Halloween" and Tobe Hooper's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre pt. 2" from 1985. Because of this early fascination I developed, horror has always been pretty deeply ingrained in my psyche. When I had first started listening to punk rock in middle school, the infectious energy and raw power of the music spoke to me in a similar way as the horror films did. It was angry music for the outcasts, for the people who chose to remain outside of normal society, who wanted listen to something other than the typical boring pop bullshit. It was amazing to me. At that time I was young, angry and never very popular in school. I never felt like I fit in; from the time I was born I had a very rare birth defect which prevented my adult front teeth from coming in and by the age of 13 I still had no front teeth. I faced a lot of ridicule from other kids for that all the way until I underwent surgery to have the teeth pulled down in 8th grade. Because of my feelings of being an outsider punk was more than just music for me. I adopted it as part of my identity. I started sneaking out to all ages punk shows at Lo-Fi Cafe in Salt Lake where I saw bands like Throw Rag and Lower Class Brats. When I later discovered how both horror and punk rock blend so seamlessly…it was immediate fascination and love. I wasn't aware of horror punk actually being a genre / scene of its own until I saw a great (now dissolved) SLC horror punk band called Left For Dead. They played the parking lot of Rocky Point Haunted House in SLC when I was about 14 years old. I knew of and loved The Misfits, Samhain and Danzig, but had no idea there was a whole group of bands out there actively playing music that was specifically horror / b-movie themed. At that show my friend Parker won a copy of Horror of It All, Vol. 1 in a raffle that Dr. Cyclops Records was having. He let me burn a copy of it and that's how I heard Calabrese, DieMonsterDie, Lugosi's Morphine and The Rosedales (among others) for the first time. I became obsessed with the concept of blending horror film imagery with rock n' roll right away; I craved it and wanted more. So when I caught word that DieMonsterDie was actually local and were playing a big all ages gig opening for GWAR, I knew I had to see them live. I went to the show with Parker. It was bloody, gothic, romanticized horror / shock rock like I'd never seen in my life. I stood in the front and got sprayed with stage blood and after DMD came off stage, we immediately approached Zero Delorean who obliged to take a photo with us. It was during this time that I began dreaming of a day when I too could throw my hat in the ring and take the stage with a monster band of my own. I remained friends with DMD and followed them around the local circuit at their live shows, screaming along with them at all of their all ages gigs. Little did I know that my friendship with Zero and later with Shane Diablo (Meatwhistle), would later lead to my one day joining DieMonsterDie as the 3rd guitarist in their long history.

6.  Give me a list of horror punk/rock bands you've played with.

As an active member, I've played lead guitar and sung backing vox for DieMonsterDie, played lead guitar for Zombiance , played guitar and sung backing vox for Argyle Goolsby and I currently sing lead vox and play guitar for my new band, Shadow Windhawk and the Morticians. I've shared the stage at shows over the years with bands such as shock rock legend Lizzy Borden, The Independents, Darrow Chemical Company and Captured by Robots…over the summer at GNO (where I played guitar for Argyle Goolsby's debut solo gig) we shared the stage with Order of the Fly, The Cryptkeeper Five, Lurking Corpses, Serpenteens, Nim Vind, The Big Bad, Sardonica, VAGORA, Black Cat Attack, The Renfields, Kitty in a Casket and many others.

7.  Of all these projects which do you have the fondest memories?

That's hard to say, man. I've had a lot of good times with every band I've been a part of. I loved every minute of being in DieMonsterDie. We played some wild live shows together and made an angry, brutal album last Summer. Our gigs were unlike anything I've ever done with anyone else. It was always bloody, intense, raw and loud as shit…just insane. DMD was everything I love about horror punk. However I think the fondest memories of my career to this point were made at Ghouls Night Out Fest '13 last July. I met a lot of genuine, great people in the horror rock scene at that show and got to perform alongside a lot of truly amazing bands. Being there as a member of Goolsby's solo project at his debut solo performance is something I'll be proud of and remember for the rest of my life.

8.  This past summer you were on the east coast playing with Argyle Goolsby.  Tell me about the overall experience.

It was a blast. Goolsby is a fun guy to be around and play music with. He's a very talented performer and musician. Being asked to participate in his first solo show was quite an honor. It was a lot of work preparing for it, but I was happy to give it my all and it was worth every minute. It helps too that the material I learned for the gig is stuff I absolutely love listening to in my free time. Just all around it was one of the best experiences I've ever had, as a guitarist or otherwise.  Playing songs I truly love to a capacity crowd of die-hard horror rockers - walking on stage to their screams - there's nothing like that and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

9.  What are your thoughts on the current horror punk scene?

It seems to be getting larger all the time, which is cool. At the core of it there are some truly great, unique and gifted people. Some of the nicest people I've met are involved in the scene in one way or another. I am thankful that a niche exists for those of us who like their horror imagery infused into rock n' roll. As I've said, it is a great marriage of imagery, music and the raw energy of punk rock. I hope it continues on forever.

10.  Favorite band in the current scene?

Hard to say. If you place Danzig and Doyle in the scene, I'd say that still remains the end all. The Misfits set they played on the recent 25th anniversary tour was one of the best horror punk sets I've ever experienced. It doesn't get anymore classic than that, I mean for fucks sake those guys invented the scene. Fast, brutal, energetic, catchy. Glorious. Outside of that I'd say the best bands in horror punk today are The Other, Nim Vind, Goolsby and Darrow Chemical Company.

11.  You share some of my love for all things horror.  What are some of your favorite horror films?

Ah, this is a tough one…I love so many horror films. All kinds of sub genres. Among my favorites of all time are Dracula (1931), Phantom of the Opera (1925), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Last Man on Earth (1964), Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954), House of Dark Shadows (1970), Horror of Dracula (1958), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dellamorte Dellamore (1994), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Halloween (1978), Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943), Return of the Living Dead (1985), Friday the 13th pt. 6: Jason Lives (1986), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Shawn of the Dead (2004) and The Invisible Man (1933). An honorable mention that isn't truly a 'horror' film (more a comedy) would be Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988).

12.  You said recently that you're going back to film school.  What is your favorite aspect of the filmmaking process?

Yes, I am going back to film school to finish my degree at the University of Utah. Filmmaking is a magic I've admired and adored since I first saw all of the Universal monster movies on VHS as a kid. I also have very fond memories of going to see the Star Wars Special Editions on the big screen with my dad and I remember walking out of the theater thinking how I wanted to make movies of my own one day. There was nothing like that. I loved it. I have an interest in just about every aspect of the process of it and would love to one day have a career in basically anything to do with it, outside of producing. To this point, I've studied makeup, acting, film history and theory at the University and I am returning now to study directing, screenwriting, cinematography and production. However it isn't clear to me as of now which I would want to do most. Directing is what most people acclimate towards in film school, however, that is a hell of a job. Not saying that I wouldn't one day try my hand at it. But it would take a great deal of planning and funding to get a picture off the ground. A massive undertaking. In a perfect world, I would like to be a screenwriter but again, everyone thinks they can be a screenwriter. It's another extremely rough job. Usually it takes a lot of failures to get a screenplay bought by a studio and getting options on properties for adapting into a screenplay is very difficult and expensive. To be an actor that makes enough bread to live on, you pretty much have to be in the Screen Actors Guild and that is extremely expensive and tough to break into as well. So honestly, to make it in film you gotta have equal parts luck, talent and motivation…and ultimately a lot of it does come down to who you know. So it's going to be interesting man. I definitely feel I have it in me to break into cinema with a fully original picture of my own, but damn…writing / directing is a hard game to play. It's gonna take a lot of work to get there and I'm still plugging away at college, but ya gotta start somewhere and that's what I'm doing, damn it!

13.  I know it's early but can you tell me a little about your upcoming solo project:  Shadow Wind Hawk and the Morticians?

Absolutely. We are a three piece horror punk band, all of us are locals here in Salt Lake City. The band is: Rich Misery (Burn Your World, Curseworship) on Bass, Trip MD (Seventking) on Drums and yours truly on Guitars and Vocals. I attempted to start the band up for the first time in June 2013, after I was told that DieMonsterDie would be on hiatus. Initially it was conceived as a 5 piece, balls out experimental project with death metal incorporated into it. However with 5 guys involved it kind of became a situation of too many cooks in the kitchen. When I got back from GNO we tried to get ready for a couple shows I had booked, one opening for Darrow Chemical Company in August and one opening for Calabrese in September. But things just felt a bit forced initially and I had to bow out of both gigs. I think it was just a bit too soon for me coming out of DMD and to be honest I was feeling burned out from having just recorded with DMD and with traveling for the Goolsby gig. Stikki, who had stuck with me through everything with DMD wanted to stay in the Morticians as bassist but had to bow out to finish his degree, which was definitely a mature decision on his part. Stikki is an absolutely fantastic bassist, I have loved every minute of being in DMD with him and it was fun trying to get Morticians going with him, but he has a growing family with two adorable (very young) kids and his bigger goals for them had to come first. So I shelved the project for a few months to take a break from music. In October, I began to write a new EP which was to be my first all electric solo release, following up my acoustic live solo album, "Tales From the Black Lodge". I wrote a bunch of brand new material and decided to call the new EP "Casket Spray" (referring to an arrangement of funeral flowers which sit atop caskets and coffins). Before I knew it, Halloween passed by and I decided to call up Rich and Trip to see if they would be interested in being my rhythm section for the new release. They both were very enthusiastic and said fuck yeah, so we met up at the rehearsal room (where October 21st, 1976 had been primarily written in), which Rich's band Burn Your World and I had continued to keep after DMD moved out in June. I showed them the new songs I'd written on my acoustic and they took right to them like fish to water. Before I knew it we were blasting out wicked, full on electric versions of these tunes that were born on my acoustic guitar. After the first rehearsal we agreed that this would be the final lineup of Shadow Windhawk and the Morticians and that Casket Spray, rather than being a solo release, would instead be released as our debut EP. We have been making huge leaps of progress in the short time we've been a fully functioning band, I can't even describe how awesome it is to have bandmates who not only support my vision but encourage me to go all out with what I'm writing and who want to work on the same timetable. These guys genuinely enjoy playing music with me and we have a great time working together, which has made a world of difference from a creative standpoint. We have fun. Casket Spray is a heavy, dark, doom metal tinged horror punk EP. It's going to be a big surprise for most of my listeners, hopefully a good one. I've never done anything like it before. When we're in the room working on it, the music just flows out without being forced at all. It's great. Rich and Trip add a lot to the songs and create a good dynamic that needs to be present for a three piece to function well. They're also both around my age and are just as hungry as I am to make a mark on the horror punk scene with this band. I look forward to doing a full length with them one day that is much more a collaboration than a solo record, although just because much of Casket Spray was written initially by me doesn't take away at all from their contributions to the songs. The songs all began as one thing and have since evolved into something even better. A lot of that is thanks to Rich and Trip working on them with me. And now that we have a solid lineup that has that drive and motivation I've been looking for, we're already booked to go into Boho Digitalia in SLC for the weekend of February 1st and 2nd to record our new EP. I've never been more excited to go to the studio, I can say with certainty that this record is gonna be a total blast. I've had a ton of fun already just rehearsing it with the guys. "Casket Spray" will be available digitally in March 2014 via Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Spotify. You can expect it to see a physical release of it shortly after that via my indie label Black Flame Records, on small batches of CD and possibly 10" mixed color vinyl, with our debut live gig to be announced in the relative future as well. Oh yeah…we also have t-shirts that are available now through the merch section of my bandcamp page: http://www.shadowwindhawk.bandcamp.com

14.  If you could bring back any horror icon from the dead and get the chance to work with them, who would it be?

Vincent Price, without question.  That man was an actor of the highest caliber.  All class.  Inimitable.  I would do anything to bring him back and work with him, in any capacity.