Interview with Filmmaker Adam Barnick

If you’re not familiar with the name Adam Barnick, you soon will be! Adam is the director and writer behind the short film Mainstream, which was released via Fangoria’s Blood Drive II: America’s Best Short Horror Films DVD as well as producing, directing and editing the behind-the-scenes documentaries and featurettes for the films Frozen and Grace.

Adam is a long-time fan of the horror genre, and has contributed to many horror websites, including Icons of Fright and Dread Central. He is currently working on the exciting experimental horror documentary entitled What is Scary?

Sarah Jahier: Hi Adam and thanks for joining us today! Tell us a little about your background and how you first fell in love with the horror genre. 

Adam Barnick: I grew up in a wooded, spooky area in central New Jersey that gave me a deep appreciation for mood and atmosphere, both in its isolation and in the textures of Fall and Wintertime. Being forced through years of Catholic School as a kid definitely brought room to daydream and become familiar with talks of damnation and fear. And Halloween was always a big deal in our house. But I was introduced to the fantastic through a book on classic science fiction films that my Aunt gave me when I was 5 or 6. And my diet was primarily sci-fi for the next few years, whether through books or films. But I always enjoyed scary movies, I think we’re either wired to love this stuff or we’re not. My mother is a big horror fan so while I wasn’t, say, watching The Exorcist at 7, I was definitely seeing what I could on TV growing up and nobody minded within reason.

I think I was 12 or 13 when I got to see A Nightmare on Elm Street on cable one night, which scarred me good…but then I found out there was a part 3 coming out and managed to coerce my folks into taking me to see it. That’s really when the full-on obsession kicked in. Soon after that I had the Fangoria subscription and was diving in head first to catch up on any and all forms of horror.  That’s the best time in life as a horror fan, when you first jump in and discover classic after classic.

Sarah Jahier: After falling in love with the genre, what made you want to actually get involved in the horror industry and how did you go about accomplishing this goal? 

Adam Barnick: Well what Dream Warriors did was kick off an obsessive love for horror but also for practical makeup effects. Both the execution/artistry of them as well as the surrealistic ideas they depicted. That really got my brain cooking with all sorts of bizarre distortions of reality, human and inhuman form, etc. Originally I was thinking that as a career path. I absorbed everything I could that had to do with special makeup effects; started mold making and learning…And of course I began “attempting” films with neighborhood friends. But the preparing for filmmaking, brainstorming story ideas and capturing ideas on film/video really took over. It felt right and correct, and by the time I was 16 I knew it was filmmaking, not FX, that had really become my passion. But I’m obsessed with all genres of film…horror just happens to be the favorite.

I was always a fan, went to film school and worked on sets…and began doing genre interviews on my own website and for a site named Entertainment Insiders in an effort to meet more people in that area and learn from them. But it was my short film Mainstream getting picked up for worldwide DVD distribution that creaked open the doors a bit.

Sarah Jahier: How did you come up with the idea for your short film, Mainstream? 

Adam Barnick: The idea for Mainstream (the short) came about at a time when I was working in a video store, at the start of college; because that’s a requirement if you’re going to be a filmmaker, right?  While the film did deal with a lot of the themes that obsess me as a person that has shown up in other work (conformity, individual vs. a group, artists vs. non-artists), it was the clientele from the job that inspired it. I think maybe two percent of the people who I dealt with in the store were the types who were open to anything different or out of the mainstream, or who had a good attitude towards themselves and their lives. Two percent who didn’t have an angry/powerless/victim mentality. 98% seemed like whatever had made them unique at some point had been literally drained or burned out of them, that they’d given up. Anything creative or different, they’d snap at.

One day while at home I was contemplating this and the entire short film hit me all at once. Every image, sequence, beginning to end. I think only 2-3 times in life have I had “visions” like that for a project I wanted to do where it showed up fully formed. And I became obsessed with that surgical sequence that could be interpreted as symbol, or literal. As time went by I was able to articulate/understand every image in it as it pertained to the things I was haunted by as a creative person. And it still took like seven years from when I had the idea before we actually got to shoot it.

Sarah Jahier: As Mainstream was your first short film, how did you go about getting it from page to screen? What challenges did you face? 

Adam Barnick:  It wasn’t my first short, but it was the first to get out there and do well or be distributed. I’d prefer my older student films never get out there.

We never got the budget or resources to do it anywhere near the level I’d imagined, but for next to no money we were able to shoot something on film that affected people and got them thinking. While it’s “small” for a short film, it was the most ambitious project I’d done at the time; I was barely in the film business then, didn’t really know anybody well. Going about producing something like that without the resources/aid of a school, and trying to get talented people involved for next to nothing was the big challenge. Instead of waiting several more years, can we possibly do this on what we have now? As cheap as that short is, it took years to get to where we could afford to do it. Biggest challenge was just raising the meager funds. Getting people who don’t know you excited about what you’re doing was certainly a new and vital area a director needs to cultivate.

I don’t think we had many production-related snags once we got going though, once I’d accepted it had to be done at this scale or not at all. A few props malfunctioning, a few shots that had to be cut or combined, some minor personality conflicts on crew…but other than that, there weren’t many troubles we didn’t push through. I’m happy we accomplished it after so long, but I’d make it totally differently now, even if we were stuck with the same budget again. You almost make a film to figure out the way to properly make it!

Sarah Jahier: You’ve worked on the horror journalism side of the industry with several online publications. Do you have a favorite article or interview you’ve done? 

Adam Barnick: Interviewing Guillermo Del Toro for Pan’s Labyrinth was a highlight.  That was a brief but a seriously joyous moment. I saw him the following year again at the premiere of The Orphanage; we ended up nerding out over DVDs with some friends near the coat-check room when he should have been on the main floor doing press photos! He’s the world’s greatest geek.

I’m particularly happy I was able to interview Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni (Opera, The Third Mother), who’s since become a good friend. You learn a lot working on sets, but I’ve learned a lot as well with every interview I’ve done. Particularly from the interviews I did on the sets of Frozen and Grace…that’s one thing I think really helps those behind-the-scenes featurettes stand out. We didn’t settle for less when really getting into detailed questions on craft. And by then I’d worked enough in film to be able to interview actors/crew on their level instead of just asking for random anecdotes. And that was really the impetus behind getting into doing interviews in general…to get to know people and pick their brains while helping promote them.

Sarah Jahier: As mentioned, you’ve worked on the amazing special features for Grace and Frozen. How did you become involved with filming the special features for these films?

Adam Barnick: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed them. That started when I met Paul Solet. Fangoria and Koch Vision both picked our short films to go on their Blood Drive II: America’s Best Short Horror Films DVD. That was a big break for us both, and he and I really went to town promoting that. I read and did coverage on a bunch of his scripts, so I knew about Grace. And he was gearing up to do the short-film version of it to pitch the feature. He’d asked if I wanted to work on it and suggested doing a behind the scenes doc for the disc. I hadn’t done one before, but figured between my thorough interviews and having been a DVD geek I could stumble my way through it.

It’s really rough compared to ones I’ve done recently, but it did what they’d hoped it would do. While the short-form Grace showed Paul could direct a high profile project, the BTS showed who he was, what he was about and how he could pull it off. I know it helped in Adam Green wanting to meet him in the first place about producing this. Obviously he wanted to because the script was great but at least he knew Paul was a good, smart guy from seeing him work. That BTS also helped Paul get his world premiere of the short at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in LA, since I’d already given it to the heads of Fango and they were excited to see what was coming…but we’d hoped if the feature got going that I’d come on board to do more of the same.

It was a bit of a fight to get me on board for the feature because of the Canadian tax credit issues, limiting the amount of Americans you can hire…and we had almost no resources at all to make those special features. I didn’t care. I’d been involved since the start of that project on some level, and needed to make sure I was involved at its end. They weren’t as technically proficient as I’d desired but they had the smarts/visual finesse I was hoping to have. Green gave me a great compliment after seeing them, that you could tell a film director did them and not just an EPK guy brought on the job as a random hire, and that he was dying to see what shorts/features I would do in the feature. He and ArieScope brought me on board for Frozen soon after that, and I tried to kick it up a notch even higher than Grace. The response to the Frozen DVD/Blu-Ray has been overwhelming!

Sarah Jahier: Do you have any funny stories from behind-the-scenes of Grace and Frozen that you can share? 

Adam Barnick: We had fun on set even while busting our asses, but the strangest thing I can think of from working on Grace was the one night we went out, when I was there.  (Adam Green tells part of this story on the Grace DVD commentary). On our night off, several of the crew, Paul, Green and I went to a tavern in the middle of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. We walked into this place, and quickly realized we were right in the middle of Cerebral Palsy Karaoke Night. None of that statement is a joke. But it made for a unique backdrop for the rest of the night’s quirks.

The rest of the night’s events remained offbeat to say the least. This older, Wilfred Brimley-esque guy came over to Green and asked if he was interested in fighting. Keep in mind he says it in the most kindly way…I was sitting next to him when this happened and I thought he meant it like “do you like boxing?” But no, he clarified that he wanted to know if Green was interested in going outside to fight, just for the hell of it. Green politely turned him down. Then he asked if anyone else at the table was interested in fighting…We respectfully declined. But then at the next table, he found another older man who was like, “sure, I’ll come outside and fight!” And they went outside and fought.

So we decided to try out a different bar after that, and this one was supposed to be the one where the younger folks hung out. We get to that one, there’s a dozen flat-out hammered people falling down in the parking lot, and one girl trying to open a pocketknife to attack some other guy’s girlfriend. We sidestep this and go inside and it was just a whirlwind of strange Canadian drunkenness. And a lot of people beating each other up. Set to a drum and bass beat. People are really nice up there, but they let their hair down in a very unique way on the weekends it seems.

We told this story to other crew members on Monday and one of them explained the ‘Moose Jaw handshake’ to me. You break a bottle on your bar table, stick out the jagged end and go ‘pleased to meet you.’

Sarah Jahier: That sounds like quite the experience! You are currently working on What is Scary?, an experimental documentary. Can you tell our readers about this project and where you got the idea for it? 

Adam Barnick: After Mainstream I was trying to get several other projects going while working on other people’s films and developing my own work. As you probably know, everything’s built on sand and projects often take forever to come together…What is Scary? came about from being frustrated at a lack of resources to pull off bigger ideas I was developing. And after a few lean years where even getting a camera and lights was out of the question for any no-budget ideas I was trying to think of something that didn’t need anyone else but myself, really.

I’d participated in a similar project in which I was asked to call a voicemail and answer the question “What is sexy?” which right there can generate a ton of varied, thoughtful answers. I thought about taking a similar approach and asking people to answer ‘What is scary?’ however they saw fit, and it was an idea I could begin with just an answering machine. The answers are being edited into a visual tapestry of stills and possibly animations, akin to a Ken Burns documentary but with its own offbeat approach.  I invited people in and out of the horror world to call in with the answers to their questions.

So it became a project I could do on my own but I do have photographers including Paula Burr (Killer Eye Photography, Dread) involved; she’s been featured on your site a few times. It’s still a done-for-nothing passion project but it will be a bit more polished and involved than what’s been seen. I imagine it on the wall in a multimedia art gallery with a pair of headphones where you can drop in on this little world. There’s been a terrific response, both in the answers I got and in the film community/fans who’ve seen the teaser. I think it’s unique enough to grab people in and out of horror fandom who are open to something different. It’s become a smart dialogue between myself and the callers, though I only ask one question. I was concerned at the start that it might get too repetitive, but it’s the distinctive takes on what “scary” means to people that has made it fascinating to me.

Sarah Jahier:  I know the horror community, myself included, is extremely eager to check out this project! When can we expect to see What is Scary?
 
Adam Barnick: I only recently started postproduction and I’ll know what it’s truly going to take to wrap it up by this Spring/Summer…I’m kind of letting it tell me what it needs and it could keep changing- but I hope to wrap it up by the end of the year. I’ll be making more announcements about it at that time.

Sarah Jahier: The horror landscape is always changing, but right now mainstream Hollywood seems stuck in the remake rut with the only original ideas coming out of the independent scene. What’s your take on the current horror climate? 

Adam Barnick:  I think the past decade or so of horror’s been a complete 50/50.  Which is still better than the completely stale, sterile ‘90s in which I can only think of maybe four worthwhile horror films.

I can’t shit on remakes just because they’re remakes though…we all know some that surpass the originals and will remain classics. I recently read a script for an upcoming remake that was one of the best scripts I’d read in years. Scripts in general, not just remake scripts. You can’t really scream at Hollywood for playing safer bets, it’s completely rational from a business standpoint. But the fact is, if you look at what’s making money, they’re not seeing the support financially for a lot of original genre films.

A film on 50 screens isn’t going to make a huge dent, but it can make an impact and a decent per-screen average, which counts. And there’s ways to support original films, financially or promotionally even if you’re not fortunate to live close enough to see one you’re interested in. Sure, the Elm Street redo is going to have 30 million in marketing behind it; and a smaller film can’t compete…but it’s not hard to find what’s out there these days if you’re a serious horror fan. But every horror fan/filmmaker I know went to see Elm Street opening night last year, knowing they wouldn’t like it but they went because “they had to see it.” And then they went online to complain they didn’t like it.  Why bother if you’re certain it’s terrible?  And many of them just sit and wait for DVD when something unique comes out. So Elm Street made a ton of dough and people continue to be angry because they can’t get their scripts made and they don’t see enough variety at the theater. Every once in a while we get a gem, and overseas filmmaking continues to take chances, but I still believe people can vote with their wallets. Good horror may wax and wane but it doesn’t die.

Sarah Jahier: Who are your favorite horror filmmakers that really excite you today?

Adam Barnick: Not counting friends/people I’ve been fortunate to work with that I’m fans of…well obviously Del Toro is at the top. I wouldn’t call Neil Marshall strictly a horror filmmaker, but I’m up for whatever he’s interested in. Christopher Smith is another one who’s impressed me from the start who I’ll continue to watch. I will follow Tom Shankland around for life after he kicked me in the face with his film The Children. And I’m still down to see anything that the old-school masters of horror come up with.

Sarah Jahier: What are your picks for the 5 scariest horror movies?

Adam Barnick: This changes often since there’s usually a list of 20 from various eras that rotates…so I will pick 5 that are on my mind right now…not necessarily my favorites, but ones that continually freak me out.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Probably where I got my fear of “a group vs. an individual” in films…you can read so much into this film regardless of the period of history you’re from. A big unconscious influence on Mainstream.  The ‘70s follow-up is equally amazing but my heart remains in the original.

Don’t Look Now (1973) – A waking nightmare. This film made me nervous from the start and didn’t really ever let up. Literally two minutes in, it was unsafe.

The Shining (1980) – No explanation needed.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) – I grew up surrounded by woods and understand the primal scariness of them, all too well. The perfect film to me to utilize your imagination to scare the crap out of you. Plus, my friends and I were obsessed with exploring abandoned houses in high school…that film’s ending is like watching us get what we deserved back then. One of the few films that truly made it tough for me to sleep at night.

The Mothman Prophecies (2002) – I don’t know how much of a following it has, maybe people avoid it because it seems like a giant glossy star-driven horror film? But it’s seriously smart, has a visual approach unlike any other studio picture, has probably the most overt yet absorbing sound design I’ve heard, and it’s conceptually daring and quite subtly subversive for a big-ticket movie. It’s seriously eerie to see this film flirt with its spiritual concepts and ideas of the bigger picture behind the curtain that no human ever sees ‘til they die.  And then it doesn’t resolve much of the questions it poses about them.

Sarah Jahier: What horror movies (besides your own!) are you excited for in 2011 and beyond? 

Adam Barnick: I was beyond over the moon for At the Mountains of Madness and will remain hopeful the stars align someday and that film happens. Aside from projects directors I know or have worked with have brewing, I’m seriously excited for Insidious.  Any kind of supernatural tale always wins over real-life psychos with me. I’ll probably have seen Chris Smith’s Black Death by the time this interview surfaces. I know I’m not alone in thinking he’s consistently underrated. Bereavement is a seriously disturbing film just coming out now, though I saw that last year. Other than that, I’m definitely down for Don’t Be Afraid of The Dark’s redo even though I love the original…and there’s a film in prep called American Mary by the Soska sisters that won’t be out till 2012 but has already got me seriously intrigued from what little I’ve heard about it.

Sarah Jahier: How do you get inspired for ideas for your films? 

Adam Barnick: Music is a big help. And just trying to remain active and interested in people and life around me. Catching bits of conversations and imagining what came before and after. Spending too much time thinking about themes and ideas that obsess me. Traveling. As for developing scripts, and adding to the ideas I start with, I generate inspiration and ideas just through the process of working. And music helps a lot at that time. I used to wait till I was fired up and inspired before doing anything or working on any random ideas, but that resulted in basically losing ten years of being productive. It wasn’t until Summer 2009 that I kind of figured my own creativity out, and how to get the most out of it and demand of myself that I put the time in daily. The more digging I do, the more I find…but I rarely, if ever, find something before I’ve started digging. I’m still not at “full strength” yet, but I’m working out all the time now, if you get what I mean.

Sarah Jahier: What are your favorite things about the horror genre? 

Adam Barnick: It has no limitations. In terms of visuals, atmosphere, sound, subject matter, depth of intelligence. You can go anywhere and there’s an audience that can roll with it.  From the nastiest slasher to gorgeous, poetic films like Eyes Without a Face, there’s so many shades to horror and how you can approach it or what you can say with it.

Sarah Jahier: Besides horror, what makes Adam Barnick tick? 

Adam Barnick: Nature, Twin Peaks, French Onion soup, being around and having smart conversations with artists of any type, kickboxing/fitness, friends, reading, learning, New York City, London, pumpkin carving and dachshunds.

Sarah Jahier: What projects are you working on next? 

Adam Barnick: Besides what I’ve mentioned, I’ve got half a dozen scripts in various stages of development, in different genres. Though the main focus has been the feature-length version of Mainstream. It’s much more story/character based than the short was but still has a layered, smart and experimental vibe. I didn’t have an idea for a feature when I did the short, but came up with a take on it last year that has obsessed me, so I’m shaping that. I’ve got two music videos I’m in various stages of planning right now, and have written two other shorts I’m hoping to get funds for so we can shoot them this year. There are a few other behind-the-scenes docs I’m supposed to begin soon, but the films they’re for still need to get started, so I’m waiting at the starting line for the trigger to go off. And there’s a few other “maybes”, in and out of horror films, that are circling. I’m just trying to make up for lost time and continually improve myself, as a filmmaker and a person.

For more info, visit www.adambarnick.com!

Interview with Filmmaker Lis Fies

Lis Effing Fies is the producer/writer/director/adequate actor/hippie wrangler/songwriter/nudist in the acclaimed, fucked up horror feature The Commune. Lis was the associate producer of Conventioneers (2006 Spirit Award – Cassavettes). She is known as the blogger Kid Sis in Hollywood, and is the inspiration for the comic character Kid Sis featured in the Eisner-winning Mom’s Cancer (as seen on CNN). Her unproduced feature screenplay Pistoleras won first place in the Action category of Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s Expo Contest and second place in Fade In’s Thriller category. But what will be on Lis’s tombstone is that she played the monster who stole the Green Power Ranger’s powers.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre?

Lis Fies: Man, I was a late bloomer. Backstory: My mom used to call me “Carol Anne” because as a kid I was tormented by bizarre nightmares. Weird stuff a six year old shouldn’t think of, like people on meat hooks suspended over rivers of blood. My mom’s only explanation was I must have been a Vietnam Vet reincarnated as her little girl.

Because of how sensitive and unhinged I already was as a kid, horror movies impinged too much on me to watch. I was the girl at the slumber party who would be in the other room during the horror movies. I did fall in love with Poe short stories when I was a kid, but I was actually frightened of horror movies to the point that when I got my first job (it was of course at a video store), I made the other employees put the horror titles away. I felt afraid looking at the covers. And then when I worked at Eclipse Comics I positively cringed whenever I had to package a Clive Barker order. I’ve spoken to several other women in horror who felt strongly afraid of horror movies when they were younger as well and also avoided the genre until their 20s. I think it’s a testament to women’s emotional fearlessness that we needed to explore what held the most dangerous energy for us.

Long story short, I didn’t fall in love with horror until my twenties when I went through a lonely depression spell and felt that horror actually pulled me out of it. The more I watched, the better I felt.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you?

Lis Fies: To me it’s an incredible art form in which to explore taboos, emotions, and politics. I love that it’s an empty vessel that you can use as an allegory, yet still be entertaining to a broad spectrum of people. But at the deepest level, I’m a storyteller because I want to know what makes people tick. What better way to explore psychology and the subconscious than in the dark, walking on the dark side through the desires we lie to each other and ourselves about.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in the horror genre? 

Lis Fies: In undergrad at UCLA I interned at Debra Hill Productions because, well, she was the woman. I mean come on, Assault on Precinct 13, The Thing, They Live. I had learned to read on my big brother’s Avengers comics (Eisner winner Brian Fies) and Star Wars was a ridiculous influence on me, so I already understood genre. I think because Debra and John [Carpenter] had done so many brilliant movies I could understand, I was able to see Halloween and really get it, and realize it is one of the best movies ever made. An incredibly special film, by filmmakers who knew what they were doing and were purposeful. So that was a moment that opened my eyes. It was fortuitous for my movie taste growth that that pair was cagey and ballsy enough to be genre jumpers instead of staying pigeonholed throughout their careers.

I don’t get the snobby bias against genre. Industry folks talk about Scorcese and Coppola like they were the only ones doing edgy work in the ‘70s/early ‘80s and like only the dramas from that time period are valid, which is total crap. I still think Carpenter and DePalma are the most underrated living directors and expect to see at least one more genius work from each. Okay, and Larry Cohen. If you don’t love Q: The Winged Serpent, you’re dead to me.

Fatally Yours: What is one thing you’ve done within the horror genre that you are most proud of?

Lis Fies: I was able to portray the graphic rape of a character we loved and have the energy generated from the scene be empathy instead of unintended or prurient eroticism. That was one of the biggest goals of my filmmaking career, ever since studying the mistakes of The Accused and pretty much every other rape scene in mainstream films in my undergrad days at UCLA. I wanted to be informed enough to make filmic choices that would elicit the emotion in an audience I chose them to feel, in the absolute trickiest event to capture. And I decided to go for it on my first film. So if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, at least I’ve made a few men feel the betrayal and horror of rape both as the protagonist themselves, and as an avatar they empathized with. That’s huge. It’s been done successfully less than a handful of times in cinema.

Fatally Yours: How would you convince people who aren’t horror fans to give the genre a try? 

Lis Fies: I think Scream is a good gateway drug. And Rosemary’s Baby. My path in was through the holy trinity of Twin Peaks, Silence of the Lambs and The X-Files. Yet another reason I advocate genre-mixing: you open up the door to new fans who enjoy your action, comedy, or psychology and THEN they learn they like horror, too.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel women in horror get the proper recognition when compared to their male counterparts?

Lis Fies: No, I feel female filmmakers and the subject matter they’re interested in are completely discounted by both the horror audience and the majority of its press spokespeople. The cold reality is no one makes it in this business until someone higher up than them gives them their stamp of approval and a hand up. Look at the Masters of Horror’s epic exclusion of females. That series evolved out of those directors wanting to hang out and have dinner with each other once a month, and apparently there weren’t any women they wanted there. It doesn’t mean there aren’t any horror women period, it means women are still being excluded from the networking that leads to lifetime friendships that leads to favors and working together on film projects. The Big Problem is most men in Hollywood have no interest in a woman unless she’s their Significant Other, relative, or bros’ girl. Otherwise, they don’t know what to do with a woman and totally discard her instead of becoming friends and mentoring her. It’s the same way in the comic world, PS, and I imagine could be extrapolated to politics and the corporate world as well.

The real elephant in the room is can men and women be just friends? Does this pattern keep occurring because we’re not capable of platonic friendships? And/or is it because even as “cool” women emerge who could be brought into the boy’s club and crack it open for more women, men can’t risk it because of the lawsuit and gossip potential. I mean look, in our gossipy society and the nauseatingly sexist world of Hollywood, can an obviously feminist and well-intentioned man like a Wes Craven take a hot younger female director like me (wink, wink) under his wings without speculation that he’s sexually interested in her? Because no one is going to risk their own career to help an unattached woman. Or at least, no one has yet. The precipice female filmmakers balance on is very Edith Wharton The House of Mirth, and most of us are dying alone out in the cold.

So where we women horror filmmakers need help from our male compatriots, fans, and journalists is we need you to take an interest in us as humans; to take a stand and be our friends. We need you to be our heroes if we’re going to be able to ever truly progress and be heard. We need fellow female filmmakers to continue watching how men network, and emulate their teammate strategies that come from a sense of abundance as they create projects that include men and women. And we need both genders to have the humanity to allow male/female friendships to exist without projecting sordid intentions onto them. These are strategies that will provide a fertile ground for women to actually become visible and potent members of the horror community.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror, have you found it harder to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Lis Fies: It’s not even about being taken seriously, it’s about being discounted to the point that you’re invisible. To me the real holocaust in horror is that there’s a close-minded righteous clique attitude being promoted that only allows a few subgenres to be defined as horror. I was at a famous LA genre festival and I was late to see a good friend and female director’s slow burn psychological horror. On the way in I stopped to talk to some journalists who were eating and asked if they were coming in with me. They basically sniffed and looked away. No interest. Several were women. So what is a female filmmaker to do to get into a festival to get press to find an audience and a distributor when the very material we pick and our approach to it generates shrugs from the gatekeepers? Yeah, I’d call that pretty fucking hard.

And really all that subgenre pre-judgment is bullshit because horror journalists couldn’t write enough praise for Paranormal Activity once a big studio and flavor of the month ad campaign was behind it. But maybe if they’d championed Amanda Gusack and the far superior In Memorium that film would have been seen and adopted by Uncle Spielberg instead. See how complicated the problem is?

Fatally Yours: As a female filmmaker, do you feel horror directed by women is different than that which is filmed by men? If so, how is it different and why?

Lis Fies: I think that there’s a higher, more visible percentage of men who get into the horror genre with their first film because they think it’s lottery ticket money and an easy way to work their way up the ladder. That cocky twenty-something USC film school type who copies Saw again, or makes another unimaginative slasher rip-off but has nothing original to say and clearly thinks horror is beneath him. Nothing is more insulting to me than these filmmakers who come in and take a big steaming dump on the genre thinking it’s some chess career move. The women’s accomplishments I’ve seen seem much more premeditated and aware and auteur-esque. They’re raw and honest. You don’t really find women working in this genre who don’t love it and want to use it to explore personal demons, fears, the human psyche…all the great mind fuck adventures that really only horror safely offers.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within horror whether it be roles in horror films, women behind the camera, women writers, etc.?

Lis Fies: Yes. There are more and more deserving female filmmakers not being given the same opportunities of funding, press, representation, distribution, and studio deals as their male counterparts. I’m just hoping the internet distribution revolution hurries the fuck up. I’m out of dead relatives jewelry to sell, and giving platelets knocks me out the whole day.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire?

Lis Fies: My friend Katt Shea, who has been an incredible mentor to me. Debra Hill. Maya Deren. Mary Harron. Heidi Martinuzzi. Angela Bettis. Stephanie Rothman.

Fatally Yours: If you could direct one woman from the horror genre, living or dead, in one of your films who would it be and why?

Lis Fies: Oh definitely Jessica Harper. She’s still stunning, and seems like a down-to-earth, super interesting person. And I’d make her sing. I really wanted to work with Zelda Rubenstein. But you know what the Jesus answer to this question is? Mary Shelley. Hahaha I win!

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Lis Fies: A floating paper bag. Sooo beautiful. Just kidding. I always start with a question or idea I’m personally struggling with and want to solve for myself. I’m motivated by emotions, psychology, and a quest to understand human behavior. I’m inspired by other artists’ work. As much as I consume movies and TV, I can be just as inspired by the alchemy of music, live performance, and novels. I need to see a certain amount of brilliance a week to feel sane.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Lis Fies: I always fall for the intellectual, boundary-pushing films about rebels, underdogs, and outsiders. The Wicker Man, Don’t Look Now, The Shining, Carrie, Repulsion, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Angel Heart, Jacob’s Ladder, Evil Dead II, Tremors, Peeping Tom, Psycho, The Howling, The Thing, The Lost Boys, Blue Velvet, The Watcher in the Woods, Ginger Snaps, May, Bug, Surveillance, Poltergeist, The Craft, Django Kill!, The Frighteners, Videodrome, Misery, Alien, Silence of the Lambs. I’ve just started studying giallo, but I’m not educated enough to speak to favorites there yet. Basically if it’s got authentic emotions, intelligence, an original voice, and brass balls; I feel love.

Fatally Yours: Outside of horror what do you enjoy doing?

Lis Fies: I’m a comic book reader. I used to do stunts and have just started getting back into martial arts and working out. I’ve been blogging for five years. I love to talk with interesting people in small groups or one on one situations. Cuddle, have sex, swim, read, write, play with my dogs. Dance, poledance classes, listen to music. Fritter away hours on the computer chatting with friends on Twitter and Facebook. Being a rabble-rouser. I spend a lot of time laughing. My second favorite thing in the world to do is to drive around LA streets late at night, alone, with the wind in my hair and the radio cranked up to a punk song.

But my favorite thing to do is watch and/or make movies. Without that, I die.
 
Fatally Yours: What are your goals for yourself within the horror genre?

Lis Fies: There are so many movies I want to make. Pistoleras is up next, which is technically a teen chick Spaghetti Western. Though a true SW has incredibly horrific moments and Pistoleras will not disappoint. After that, if I can earn a middle class wage making a solid horror feature every year and a half, I’ll feel happy. Ultimately my goal is to explore more ideas and emotions I’m confused by to find answers, and to continue to expand the concept of horror to include women’s minds and the mixing of genres for fresh, frightening stories. I’m also starting THRILLEDFEST, the world’s first thriller film festival later this year. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that women are drawn to that subgenre, or that it is the most ignored by the current horror community. Time to do something about that.

And Heidi Martinuzzi and I are working on two female centric film festivals together. Heidi’s done an immeasurable amount of good for women and the men who love them, and gets no worldly thanks, by the by. Zeus knows The Commune would be nowhere if Heidi hadn’t found it, and I would have killed myself thinking I’d failed at the one thing I’ve been working at every waking moment since I was six. It’s different for a woman. I’d given up having children and a husband to make movies, and here I was broke and my movie was ignored. So I was tying up loose ends, donating my stuff away, planning on offing myself at a screening of Paul Blart: Mall Cop when Heidi emailed me out of the blue and said she loved my movie. The Commune hadn’t gotten into one festival or had one article written about it until Heidi saw it, got it, and took a stand. Everything good that’s happened to it has come from a sixth degree of her review. That’s how much change one person can make to a female filmmaker. So thank you so much Sarah, for being one of those people. And thank you to Hannah Neurotica for putting out the call for recognition and teamwork. And huge appreciation to Andrew Shearer of Women in Horror (Georgia) and Andrew Rose of Pretty Scary Bloodbath (Texas) for providing the film festivals we need to appreciate women horror makers in February.

Fatally Yours: It’s been an absolute pleasure! Where can people find more info on you?

Lis Fies: They can see my feature at www.TheCommuneMovie.com and keep up with me at www.LisFies.com

Interview with Filmmaker and Actress Kimberly Amato

Kimberly Amato has appeared in a variety of independent films, including Fistful of Sand, Deception, Perfect Criminals, Weekend Rental, Amity and Billy’s Choice. Most notably, she portrayed the title character in Susan Adriensen’s Under the Raven’s Wing. The role garnered Amato with critical acclaim with coverage from wide variety of places including Pretty-Scary.net, AfterEllen.com and Curve Magazine. The film was awarded the best film of 2007 by BumsCorner.com.

Amato has a knack for getting into a characters mind having in her arsenal a BA in Psychology from Hofstra University and a MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She’s been called a “Jack of All Trades” working behind the camera as well as in front as often as possible.

Along with the award winning television pilot Party Girl Amato has co-produced Under the Raven’s Wing and two other short films. Most recently she and Michelle Tomlinson created The Mis-Adventures of McT & A as sketch comedy series which will be screened at the Pretty Scary Blood Bath Film Festival in 2010.

As if that wasn’t enough, Kimberly Amato is also working with Bridge and Tunnel Media on a Spanish Novella trilogy and is in the final stages of editing her first novel.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with horror? 

Kimberly Amato: I don’t know exactly when, but I remember Nightmare on Elm Street being the first horror film I saw. There was something fascinating about it. I’ve always been interested in the macabre and this is just an extension of it.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you? 

Kimberly Amato: It’s the ability to take the simplest and most inane thing and make it terrifying.

Fatally Yours: What are others’ reactions when you tell them you are involved in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: Some people scoff at it asking how often have I taken my clothes off. Others ask to become part of my next project if I’m producing it. I’ve met very good mix of people and I truthfully enjoy hearing everyone’s opinions. It gives me more to work with on the next project.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think the horror genre has primarily been a man’s domain?

Kimberly Amato: I think it’s because there has always been the idea of women not being strong enough to combat evil. Fortunately, with the advent of the women’s movement, strong female characters have gained momentum.

Fatally Yours: As a woman, do you think you are viewed differently than your male counterparts in the horror genre? If so, how and why?

Kimberly Amato: I do think I’m viewed differently, partially because of my gender but also because of my background. The viewers are used to seeing women in certain roles, so it’s hard to bring a strong female character to life and still give the fans what they want. You have to bring sex appeal across even if you are fully clothed, buried in mud or just sitting at the kitchen table.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are less female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Kimberly Amato: I think it’s because it’s difficult to be taken seriously in other genres after you have directed horror. For men it can be a stepping stone, but it feels like for women it makes you a one trick pony. I co-produced a feature horror film and didn’t get credit for the hard work I did from people outside of the horror industry. However, once I co-produced, starred, co-wrote and directed a comedy television pilot – I earned more respect. The work load was the same, but the recognition and respect was not, unfortunately.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?

Kimberly Amato: I don’t think it’s that we bring something specifically different to the table. I think it’s the opposite. Women in general can make a movie just as well, complete with gore, nudity, and all the elements that make a great horror flick – but are not being given as many opportunities to do so.

Fatally Yours: Do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Kimberly Amato: In some ways, yes. If you notoriously have women being used as nothing more than skin, why would you take them seriously? Film has some basis in the real word – does a woman who sells her body for show get respect? Not really. Why would filmmaking be any different? Unfortunately, women in general are utilized for our bodies more than our talent or our minds. Slowly, we are dispelling these generalizations but in order to succeed we have to play the same game as men. We have to sell DVD’s or tickets and skin sells.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the industry? 

Kimberly Amato: I have seen more women taking strides behind the camera to make quality productions as directors, producers and writers. Having been in a horror film directed by a woman it’s wonderful to see the trend continue with more fervor than ever.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever get annoyed at how women in horror movies always end naked or with their clothes ripped off? 

Kimberly Amato: Very much so. I understand the main audience demographic is male, so that’s the driving force behind it. I wish it was different, but at this point in time it isn’t. Personally, if the female character is going through something where nudity will enhance the story line – I’m all for it. However, seeing a woman nude for the sake of nudity just seems wrong and such a step in the wrong direction for women in the entertainment industry.

Fatally Yours: What horror movie would you say is equally fair in terms of men being objectified or at least, losing the same amount of clothes?

Kimberly Amato: I wish I could name a few, but honestly none come to mind.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel you’ve become desensitized to stereotypical scenes in horror like the half-naked girl screaming and running for her life in slow motion? Or are these types of familiar horror tropes still effective and necessary? 

Kimberly Amato: I have become extremely desensitized at this point. I love horror and enjoy watching it regardless, but sometimes I wish the tired old adages would change. Heck, at least shoot them in a different way. To be blunt, my friends are not huge horror fans, but for them to tell me a film is very predictable with specific cliché scenes – things need a new point of view or a different presentation.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel that other people view women as being “soft” and not able to endure horror as well as men? How do you fight this stereotypical view?

Kimberly Amato: I don’t know if people view women as “soft” since we are expected to be easy going. So, I wonder if “soft” is the right term. However, some people would view women as incapable of making a good, solid horror film. The only way to combat this view is to keep our integrity, never quit and put the most amazing project we can out there. Once more people see what women are capable of, the more doors open.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Kimberly Amato: I admire Jamie Lee Curtis as a mainstream Scream Queen. She took her following and made it into a massively successful career. Then there is the obvious choice of Brooke Lewis, she can create a feature, a web series and anything else she puts her mind to – all the while bringing the best possible performance to the screen to accompany the project.

As far as up and coming actresses, I admire Michelle Tomlinson. I saw her film, The Cellar Door, and found she did more stuck in a box (literally, she was trapped in a wooden cage) than someone with a script full of dialogue and a huge set. Since I started working with her, I find her ability stretches much further than the average Scream Queen.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: You better have a thick skin. This industry is hard and there are women and men willing to knock you down a few pegs to get what they want. Be true to who you are, fight for what you believe in and don’t be afraid to say no. Sometimes passing on a project you feel ill at ease being a part of is a good decision. Don’t be afraid to say no.

Fatally Yours: What’s the last disturbing horror movie you saw?

Kimberly Amato: The Descent – I hate small spaces and seeing the women trying to climb through these little caverns, with no air, the roof collapsing. Yeah, it freaked me out a bit.

Fatally Yours: What’s one horror movie you think is HIGHLY overrated?

Kimberly Amato: Paranormal Activity – the new Blair Witch… all hype and very little return on my money. What makes it worse, they ordered a sequel.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Kimberly Amato: I read mostly non-fiction books about various criminals so that in itself is frightening. I have always been very partial to the Nightmare on Elm Street series, The Descent, the first Saw film (the subsequent sequels lost the essence of the original) and Silence of the Lambs.

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: To create films that showcase the worst of humanity in the most realistic manner possible. They don’t have to make a fortune, but they have to be good quality films.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects are you working on?

Kimberly Amato: I’m working on a bunch of projects this year. First, there is the web series, The Mis-Adventures of McT & A, Michelle Tomlinson and I have begun working on. The first episode is located on my YouTube page and we have a Facebook group where fans can send us suggestions, emails and images. Michelle and I are also working on two feature films this year. One called Touch – the teaser trailer is also available on my YouTube page. Then there is Dreaming Reality – both are in the pre-production phase. We’re also doing a benefit for abused women in Los Angeles.

I’ve also been brought on board to work with Bridge & Tunnel Media on a Spanish novella trilogy. We’ll be shooting the first episode of the first novella in the next few months. And last but not least, I’ve just completed my first novel.  It’s a murder mystery and the lead is a female psychotherapist.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

Kimberly Amato:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1742671/
http://www.KimberlyAmato.com
http://www.myspace.com/KimberlyAmato
http://www.twitter.com/KimberlyAmato
http://www.LittleCrownProductions.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/kkat76
“The Mis-Adventures of McT & A” Facebook Group

Interview with Filmmaker Maude Michaud

Born and raised in Montreal, Maude Michaud has been involved in various artistic activities – including music, theatre, dance, writing, and photography – for most of her life. When she was 14, upon spending a summer watching Reservoir Dogs and other indie hits from the ‘90s, Maude decided that she wanted to become a filmmaker.

She produced, wrote, directed and acted in her first short film, Finding Hope, which was screened as part of the official selection of the International Teen Movie Festival in Toronto. The following year, she directed her first horror short, Spirits, which screened at the same festival. She then enrolled in the Communication Studies undergraduate program at Concordia University where she got a hands-on training in film and video. She is currently directing her first feature length documentary on women and horror films as part of her master thesis in the Media Studies program at Concordia University.

Over the years, she independently wrote, directed and produced over 15 short films and video projects. In addition to the aforementioned film festival, her films also screened as part of the Young Cuts Festival (Montreal & Toronto), the Wreck-Beach Film Festival (Barrie, Ontario), the Short Film Corner during the Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France), and the Montreal Fetish Film Festival. In 2004, she was a finalist for the Jeunes Cinéastes (young filmmakers) contest for which one of her films won the best original music award.

Even though she is a huge horror fan, she loves to explore a variety of genres in the films she directs, which results in an eclectic body of work including: horror dramas, slightly surreal quirky tales, and explorations of unconventional relationships. She also works as a photographer and, occasionally, as a director of photography.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Maude Michaud: My love for the horror genre began when I was a kid. I don’t know why, but I was always attracted to dark and creepy stories, so I never missed an episode of the show Are You Afraid of the Dark? and was an avid reader of the Goosebumps series (and any other similar books). Contrary to most kids my age, I was not scared by the content, I wanted more! Then, one afternoon, I watched Poltergeist III on cable TV (I think I was 9 at the time) and this marked the true beginning of my long love story with the horror genre! I started watching every single horror films I could get my hands on and I became totally hooked on the genre!

Fatally Yours: What does “horror” mean to you?

Maude Michaud: I find that “horror” means different things at different moments in my life. It used to be about confronting my fears and getting an adrenaline rush or about making me uncomfortable and testing the limits of what I was able to watch. Right now, I feel true horror is all about pushing psychological boundaries and giving in to our deepest, darkest urges. We all have really sick ideas crossing our minds at some point or another, so I ask myself: what if we followed up on these ideas? To me this is truly horrific because there are no limits to the human psyche and how sick or twisted someone can be. If you can think it, then most likely other people are also thinking the same thing (or worse) and maybe even doing it! It takes you away from fiction because it has the potential to be real. I find this kind of horror that slowly creeps up on you much more effective than formulaic films that look like they’re made to show off special f/x! Of course I do enjoy almost all subgenres of horror, but in order to be truly bothered or horrified there need to be a twisted psychological or human nature element involved.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you become involved in the horror industry?


Maude Michaud: When I turned 16, I decided I wanted to become a filmmaker, so I wrote and directed my first short film using my father’s handycam. It was a really lame ghost story shot with no budget and no special f/x in my parents’ house with friends acting in it. I loved the experience, but realized that if I really wanted to make a good horror film, I’d have to get more varied filmmaking experience. I went to film school and kept making short films projects on the side, but I couldn’t find any like-minded people who loved the genre enough to work on projects with me. As a result, I put my horror ideas on the back burner and started experimenting with other genres. Then, fast-forward to a couple of years later, I decided to rework one of these ideas and made Recessed with the help of my friend and longtime collaborator Sandra Lombardi. The end result rekindled my love for the genre and convinced me I was finally ready to try my hand at horror again! Since then, I’ve continued to experiment with the genre and tried to contribute as much as I can to horror-related events by getting my films screened and collaborating on various projects.

Fatally Yours: I’ve had the pleasure to see two of your short films, Snuff and Recessed, and was impressed by how much you accomplished and conveyed through mood and atmosphere (both shorts had none to very little dialogue). What inspired the creepy, dark stories of both films and what draws you to the darker side of life in general?

Maude Michaud: I do like to keep the dialogue to a minimum in my projects. One of my film teachers used to say: “Remember the basic rule of filmmaking: show, don’t tell.  Cinema is a visual medium.” It influenced my way of thinking about films, so whenever I think of a story, I focus on how the story unfolds visually first, then worry about what needs to be said (or not) after.

In the case of Snuff, I was inspired by the medium itself (8mm black and white film) and the urban legends surrounding the idea of snuff films; I thought it would be interesting to use this specific type of film stock to create a fake ‘snuff’ film – with a twist at the end!  The inspiration behind Recessed is a tad more complex. At the time, I was really into Japanese ghost films, especially how they use everyday moments and domestic spaces as a menace for the characters, so that inspired some of the creepy parts of the film. I also really like the idea of telling the story from the madman’s perspective and exploring the human psyche, which is what Recessed essentially is. I just love to leave things open-ended and let the audience decide how they want to interpret what it all means. Don’t get me wrong, I do have an explanation for what happens in Recessed, but I much prefer to know what people make of it as I’ve heard so many different interesting theories! I guess I could sum up by saying that many things draw me to the darker side of life, but there seem to be recurring patterns such as the uncanny, the darker side of the human psyche, and playing with people’s expectations.

Fatally Yours: Can you tell us about your upcoming films Hollywood Skin (selected as part of the Viscera Film Festival) and your documentary about women in horror?

Maude Michaud: Of course!  I made Hollywood Skin for an anthology project helmed by director Lis Fies and titled I Hate L.A. (as the title suggests, the different segments have to deal with a negative aspect of life in L.A.). Inspired by my previous short film Reflection (which is a segment of the Frankenstein Unlimited anthology) in which the main character is the one inflicting the horror upon herself, I decided to follow a similar line of thought with Hollywood Skin. It’s a very introspective story centered on the main character’s descent into madness as she becomes so obsessed with her body image that she sees only one solution: self plastic surgery.

As for the documentary project (which will also serve as my master’s thesis project), I started it because I felt that women in horror were underrepresented (if not completely absent) from academic literature and mainstream media. As a woman who loves horror, I felt conflicted reading feminist critiques of the genre; was it possible to call oneself a feminist AND love horror films? I got started researching women actively working in the horror industry and started interviewing them to get their thoughts on the genre, their opinions of feminist critique, and how (if) they try to change the genre through their work. As I keep meeting more and more female filmmakers, writers, journalists, etc, the project keeps increasing, so I’m starting to seriously reconsider the scope of the documentary! I can say it is slowly transforming into a series of shorter documentary segments that will allow me to cover a wider variety of topics! I’m aiming to release the first segment this summer, but in the meantime you can visit the temporary website (http://www.bloodybreasts-documentary.tk/) to get more information!

Fatally Yours: Many (though not all) horror films feature violence that’s explicitly shown against women. Why do you think violence against women has usually been shown more explicitly than violence against men?

Maude Michaud: I think a lot of it has to do with stereotypes that are the backbone of cinema: men are often represented as being the heroes while women are typically the ones needing to be rescued. Horror films do play with these stereotypes by usually killing off characters regardless of their gender and by offering women the heroic role of the ‘final girl’. However, it is true that even though men get killed almost as often as women do, the scenes depicting the murder of female characters are usually longer and more explicit that those of the men characters. I don’t know why that is. I think there are a lot of societal taboos associated with the representation of violence against men; if we look at the news, we tend to see way more stories of graphic and brutal violence against women, while stories in which men are victims are usually only briefly mentioned. I don’t know why, maybe it makes people uncomfortable, maybe it shows a certain weakness that screws up with the stereotypes of the male’s heroic untouchable strength, or maybe it’s just easier to represent a cat-and-mouse game between the killer and female victims. Hopefully things are changing now as we start having more male victims (with graphic murder scenes) and seeing interesting reversals in terms of gender roles within horror.

Fatally Yours: In reference to the previous question, Dario Argento once said, “I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or man.” Alfred Hitchcock elaborated by saying, “I always believe in following the advice of the playwright Sardou. He said, ‘Torture the women!’ The trouble today is that we don’t torture enough.” What is your reaction when reading those quotes? 

Maude Michaud: Wow, I think I could write a whole essay on this weighting the pros and cons!  I’d say my initial gut reaction is that I feel very conflicted; part of me agrees with the quotes and understands what Argento and Hitchcock mean from a director’s point of view, while the other part of me feels like strongly reacting to the quotes because it just furthers the stereotypes of female as victims. Either way, I think they illustrate very well one of the driving force behind slasher films and I think it would be interesting to shake things up a bit by subverting these ideas and seeing if people react differently to them.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think sex and violence are so intertwined in the horror genre? How often would you say that nudity and sex scenes are actually relevant to the story in a horror film? 

Maude Michaud: The first thing that comes to mind is Freud’s notion of the two basic conflicting human desires: eros (the life/sex drive) and thanatos (the death drive). Also, there’s a very fine line between sex and violence; sex itself can be very violent… There is also this whole idea of struggle for power over another person, both in sex and in violence, which is something horror films represent very well.

In French there is this expression “la petite mort” (the little death) that is a metaphor for orgasm; I think that is an interesting juxtaposition of the two ideas. This might be why it is so easy to intertwine them in horror films… As far as how often nudity or sex scenes are relevant, I tend to say it depends on many factors such as the story, how the scene is shot, etc. I’ve seen as many relevant sex scenes as I’ve seen unnecessary gratuitous nudity, so I think it would be fair to say that it’s a good half and half.

Fatally Yours: How do you respond to people that believe that horror films can only be enjoyed by males or that feminists can’t possibly enjoy horror films? 

Maude Michaud: I don’t agree with this because I think horror can be empowering for women; there are so many great roles for women within horror that consist in way more than being the victim…  People tend to take horror too seriously or think of it in a way that is a bit too literal…

I think the main problem is that when we say the word ‘horror’, people automatically think of slasher films even though there are many other subgenres of horror! A lot of people also see horror as a misogynist genre because of its representation of women, which I think is a shame because I can think of other genres that are way more demeaning! Romantic comedies for example! (laughs) If we stop and think about it, defeating a psycho killer is way more empowering than finding the perfect pair of shoes or the perfect boyfriend, no?

Fatally Yours: Though the horror genre has primarily been a “boy’s club”, it seems that more and more women filmmakers are getting behind the genre. What is your personal opinion on why there are less female filmmakers than males?

Maude Michaud: I think some women might be intimidated by the idea of the horror genre as being a “boy’s club” and as a result, do not dare to try it or do not know where to start. I think it’s a shame because this kind of thought helps maintain the status quo instead of allowing new voices to be heard.

That’s why I have one thing I’d like to say to women who would like to make a horror film: “Go, pick up a camera and start shooting. Dare to try. Tell your story like YOU want to tell it.” At first, I had trouble finding people to work on my projects, so I went ahead and did (almost) everything on my own. Then I started networking, meeting like-minded people and it just went from there.

I feel like the horror genre is at a turning point where it needs new voices and new kinds of stories to evolve. Wouldn’t it be great if female filmmakers end up being the catalyst for change?

Fatally Yours: Have you noticed any new trends in the horror genre that empower women? If so, what are they and do you think they will change the way horror films are viewed?

Maude Michaud: In the last 10 years or so, there has been more stories that focus on women’s experiences and are told from their points of view, which I think is a refreshing change. Ginger Snaps and Grace are my two favorite examples as they both deal with very female-centric, horrific situations in a way that is different from how similar subject matters were represented in the past (by taking a male perspective).

Another interesting trend is the subversion of audience’s expectations. The segment with Anna Paquin in Trick R Treat is a great example of that (I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it!). I don’t know if these trends are going to significantly change the way horror films are viewed, but I certainly feel empowered by them and it just makes me want to contribute even more to their evolution through my work!

Fatally Yours: Have you faced any challenges in the film industry because of your gender? 

Maude Michaud: Apart from macho comments from classmates and the constant need to tell people I wasn’t interested in directing romantic comedies or chick flick (the genre people automatically assume you want to work in when you’re a woman), I can’t really say I faced any challenges because of my gender. Well, maybe a bit at first as I wasn’t always taken seriously when I said I wanted to direct horror films, but it stopped when I showed people what I can do and proved that I was serious about it.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire?

Maude Michaud: There are so many! The first one that comes to mind is Kathryn Bigelow because she devoted her career to genres that are traditionally considered as “boy’s clubs” so kudos to her for that. Also, Mary Harron for her version of American Psycho, Karen Walton for writing the wonderful Ginger Snaps, fellow Montreal filmmaker Izabel Grondin who always has crazy and wicked ideas, and Marina de Van, director of the French film In My Skin which is one of the most disturbing (and one of my favorite!) horror films. Of course, I also have to add Maila Nurmi (Vampira), Barbara Steel, and Elvira on the actress side of things. I’m sure I’m forgetting tons of others, but those are the first ones that come to mind.

Fatally Yours: What are your thoughts on the modern horror climate? 

Maude Michaud: As I quickly mentioned earlier, I feel that things are changing. It seems that the horror genre is at a point where it needs a good rejuvenation and I think that is why we see more films that are genre cross-over or throwbacks to older, lesser known films. I think it’s a good thing as injecting new blood into the genre will only make it stronger!

Fatally Yours: If you could direct one woman, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Maude Michaud: That is a really hard question; it’s nearly impossible for me to pick just one, but I promise I’ll keep the list short!  First I’d say Tura Santana as I’ve had the chance to attend a Q and A where she was the guest and she has a kick-ass personality which I’m sure would make working with her super fun! I’m also a huge Rose McGowan fan, so I would definitely love to direct her in one of my films. In terms of Canadian actresses, I have a few that I’d really love to approach one day to work with, mainly Katherine Isabelle and Mia Kirshner. Lastly, I also need to include Melanie Laurent because her performance in Inglourious Basterds completely blew me away.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Maude Michaud: I’m very influenced by psychology and perception! I love Freudian theories and I think a lot of them are fun to incorporate in horror stories. I also have a fondness for insanity and unstable characters, for telling the story from the madman/madwoman’s perspective… I read a lot of psychology books about personality disorders and I find them inspiring for characters! And of course, I love to play with people’s expectations by twisting the story in different ways and taking the unexpected route.

Fatally Yours: Do you have any upcoming projects you can discuss with us?

Maude Michaud: Of course! In addition to finishing my documentary and promoting my short films, I’m also finishing the script of my first feature film, which is definitely an upcoming project as production will start later this year if everything goes as planned. I’m also working on a DVD compilation of some of my short films that I’ll independently distribute through my website later in the spring.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you and your films?

Maude Michaud: I’m currently building a website for my production company, Quirk Films, but in the meantime people can find basic information about my films on my main website http://maudemichaud.com as well as my blog http://maudemichaud.blogspot.com, which is where I post upcoming screenings, events, news, etc. I’ll make an announcement on the blog as soon as the Quirk website is up and running, but until then I hope you’ll stop by and drop me a line!

Interview with Filmmaker J.A. Steel

One of the few female action film directors in Hollywood, and one of the first western women to study the art of Muay Thai kickboxing in Thailand, J.A. Steel rocked the film and music industry in 1999 with her first feature The Third Society. Steel drew on her experience in working on at least two dozen other feature films to write, direct, produce, edit, and music supervise the 35mm film which was released by Warrior Entertainment in 2003. The Third Society has won Steel numerous awards, including the 2004 Bare Bones Film Festival Indie Auteur and Best Soundtrack awards. Past projects include directing and hosting for the documentary television pilot Dive the Deep Blue and starring as the alien bounty hunter in Ford Austin’s Cerebral Print. Steel’s award winning second feature, Salvation, was released in June 2008 by York Entertainment. Currently, Steel recently completed her third feature, Denizen, for release in 2010.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the film industry? 

J.A. Steel: I was about three. There was a TV show called Kolchak: The Night Stalker. I would sneak out of bed and sit on the stairs, peering out of the bars on the railing. I couldn’t really hear the TV – but I do remember seeing the images and remember being really, really, scared. Sometimes my parents would catch me and put me back in bed. Usually, after watching the show I would have nightmares and have to fess up that I had snuck out of bed. No matter how scared I was – I kept watching and sneaking out of bed.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in acting and filmmaking?

J.A. Steel: I started acting very young in church plays. As soon as I could hold a pen, I was writing stories. In third grade, we did a skit based on Grease. I wrote it, directed it, and had a small role in it. Ever since then I wrote shorts plays and even a novel. I wrote my first feature length screenplay when I was 12 based on Buck Rogers: In the 25^th Century. I wrote my first original script at 13. At 17, I went to USC film school’s Filmic Writing Program. In my junior year, I had to take an 8mm film class, which I blew off and failed. At that time in my life, I could have cared less about editing, lighting, directing, and acting. I just wanted to write.

I interned for Silver Pictures on Hudson Hawk and The Last Boy Scout. I then interned for a season on Tales from the Crypt. I learned more from my internships than in any film class. Film is a craft where you have to learn by doing – there is no magical book one can read or class anyone can take.

I held all the jobs on The Third Society my first feature start to finish because I couldn’t find anyone who shared the vision of a kick-ass chick action movie.

Fatally Yours: You are one of the few women to direct action films. Why do you think there are so few women directing films in the action and horror genres?

J.A. Steel: Directing in such a male-dominated genre is really, really, hard. Most of the support positions (Cinematographer, Gaffer, Key Grip, etc.) are all men. The foreign buyers are men. The financiers are men. And unless you are married (or divorced) or otherwise related to a male in a power position in the film industry – the odds are stacked against you. As a director you’re dismissed to the realm of romantic comedies or drama or any other emotionally driven genre.

Blowing stuff up and killing people is an area in human history that has been typically reserved for men. Few women have risen to the ranks as world famous dictators or serial killers.
It’s hard enough to get any film made – let alone face the internal pressures of your own crew not believing you can do it.

Fatally Yours: Have you faced any challenges/discrimination in the film industry because of your gender?

J.A. Steel: I once had a buyer at a European film market tell me he would absolutely NOT buy any of my movies because they were directed by a woman.

I’ve had crew problems. I had a stunt coordinator in The Third Society tell me I couldn’t do a fight scene because I was girl and he was afraid that I would get hurt. It was kind of funny because at the time I held a professional full contact fighter license from the State of California, and actually got in the Muay Thai ring and fought. He was not asked back for part of the shooting and I had to take over some of the stunt coordination.

I’ve been told by agents that they wouldn’t represent me as a director/writer in action/horror because they couldn’t even get Kathryn Bigelow work (this was before Hurt Locker).

Fatally Yours: As a female filmmaker, do you feel films directed by women are different than those filmed by men? If so, how are they different and why?

J.A. Steel: It depends. Is the script written by a man or a woman? A script directed by a woman, written by a woman will be different than a script written by a man and directed by a woman. As well as any of the other combinations.

Generally, women will take a more emotional approach to the characters. However, there are some really good male directors out there – James Cameron is one, who can really create an all ‘round good film.
When you are writing for action/horror you have to follow to a certain extent the conventions of the genre that you have chosen to work in. You are also limited by your target audience and their expectations of the genre.

A good genre film is a good genre film.

Fatally Yours: In your career, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within the film industry?

J.A. Steel: Not really. It’s quite tragic. I’ve noticed a couple new names in the past few years on the romantic comedy side and drama. Women still aren’t in the power positions in the studios or in corporations as a whole. And the disparity in wage earnings doesn’t help with the financing side of indie films either.

Fatally Yours: What is your main goal as a filmmaker?

J.A. Steel: I really just want to blow shit up. I want to get inside your head as an audience member without you knowing I’m getting inside your head. I want to be Hitchcock, terrifying audiences with something like the shower scene in Psycho. I want to have audiences go – “that was a damn cool movie” without the fact that I’m a chick ever being mentioned.

Awhile back the press called me the “female Roger Corman for the 21^st Century”. I hope to live up to that honor. Corman propelled the B-movie genre into the mainstream. I want to keep moving the genre forward. Hopefully, we can get away from all of the horror remakes of the classics and come up with something new.

Fatally Yours: What women in the film industry do you admire?

J.A. Steel: Kathryn Bigelow of course. I remember seeing Point Break in college. It was the first time I ever believed women could direct action.

Fatally Yours: If you could work with one actress/writer/producer/director/etc. in one of your films, living or dead, who would it be and why?

J.A. Steel: Barbara Stanwyck. I remember her from reruns of the cowboy show Big Valley as a kid. I always remember her standing on the porch of the house wielding a very large gun. To me she is the quintessential “chick with a gun”. She was a really good actress. I would love to have her being a gun wielding granny against some army of the undead. In my last feature, Denizen, I would love for her to play the main female character’s grandmother.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

J.A. Steel: I am inspired by everyday life. I’m always in the wrong place at the wrong time. I take everyday stories and experiences and turn them into films. “Denizen” was based on my real life scuba diving experience in Lake Tenkiller, Oklahoma. I also have a very supportive core team at Warrior Entertainment for my projects, and a family who loves me for who I am and keeps me motivated and working hard.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

J.A. Steel: Anything Hitchcock. I love the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Aliens. The Exorcist. For books, Stephen King – but he gives me nightmares so I have a tendency to shy away from his books. My buddy, Vince Churchill, writes horror novels. He’s the only horror author I’ve read lately.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects can you tell us about?

J.A. Steel: We currently are working on another action film, Take Out Delivery, about a female assassin. Operation Overlord is a sci-fi/action/horror film. But since our budgets are still limited to what we can scrap together, Take Out Delivery is going to be next. Overlord needs the help from some capital investors.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

J.A. Steel: They can check out the Denizen trailer on http://www.WarriorEntertainment.com as well as check out all my movies and upcoming projects.

My personal website at http://www.jasteel.com
My Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.A._Steel
My Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JASteel
MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/maverickjasteel
Twitter at https://twitter.com/jasteel

Interview with Final Girl's Stacie Ponder

In addition to writing and directing horror films, Stacie Ponder writes about them for Rue Morgue Magazine, AMC TV’s Horror Hacker, and her own beloved site, Final Girl. In her spare time, Stacie enjoys a good laugh and looking at kittens.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with horror?

Stacie Ponder: The tale begins in college. Horror and I had a class together- some English Lit class, I just remember reading Jane Eyre – and we got to know each other a bit because of that. We started hanging out after class, getting coffee, whatever…then horror started to take it to the next level, I guess you could say. Leaving notes on my car windshield, calling me just because it was “thinking of me”…the next thing I knew, I was the one thinking of horror! A few months went by, and I finally realized, holy crap- I think I’m in love with horror. Horror felt the same way, and we’ve been together ever since.

OR, maybe it goes that my parents introduced me to horror movies when I was very young – watching Creature Double Feature on the weekends, taking me to the drive-in, buying me monster magazines- and I got hooked on the scary stuff. I can’t recall one specific incident; it was more a sudden, total immersion in the genre.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you? 

Stacie Ponder: If you mean what significance does horror have in my life, well, it’s huge. Simple enjoyment turned into a hobby turned into a passion turned into a career. Now I’m writing about horror movies and making them as well, so it’s pretty all-consuming.

Fatally Yours: What are others’ reactions when you tell them you are involved in the horror genre?

Stacie Ponder: No one seems to think it’s very strange – or, at least, they’re pretty good at hiding it. People who have known me forever are used to it, of course. When I meet new people and tell them I dig horror, I usually go out of my way to convince them that I’m not a weirdo who’s simply into watching women get butchered. I don’t know why I always feel the need to qualify my enjoyment or assure people that I’m normal. It’s weird.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think the horror genre has primarily been a man’s domain?

Stacie Ponder: It’s possible that the more stereotypical elements of horror – violence, blood, and nudity – tend to appeal to men more. That’s a huge generalization, of course. There are men who don’t find those aspects of the genre enjoyable, and there are plenty of women who do…and yeah, there’s lots of horror that doesn’t feature any of the features I mentioned. As fans tend to be the ones who “grow up” into writers and filmmakers, it’s no surprise that it’s largely a boys club.

Fatally Yours: As a woman, do you think you are viewed differently than your male counterparts in the horror genre? If so, how and why?

Stacie Ponder: It probably happens and it’s a bit out of my control, but I don’t want to be viewed any differently in terms of knowledge or ability. How much I know about horror and whatever writing skills I may or may no possess don’t have anything to do with the junk in my junk drawer, you know? Still, my gender is bound to come into play from time to time in my reactions and perspectives, and my views may differ from a guy’s – and yeah, that should be celebrated. But then all the zillions of varying perspectives should be celebrated…eh. I’d love it if women were no longer segregated, if we could simply be “filmmakers” or “writers” rather than “female filmmakers” and “women writers”. For fuck’s sake, I don’t go to the “Lady Dentist” or the “Doctoress”- why does a director need to be singled out based on gender? It’s irrelevant.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are fewer female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Stacie Ponder: There are fewer women than men in those roles NO MATTER the genre. Why is that? I don’t know. Maybe these are professions that many women aren’t drawn to, or maybe it doesn’t occur to some women that these options are available to them. There should be more women doing all these things, but that’s largely up to the individual.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?

Stacie Ponder: Again, it’s hard not to generalize, but women are likely to be more aware of “women’s issues”- misogyny, sexism, what have you. As far as filmmaking goes, men and women are, at times, going to react differently to the same situation: a man’s “pregnancy scare” movie may vary greatly from the same subject matter tackled by a female. Men and women have different fears, different strengths…but to reiterate, that varies from individual to individual as well, across gender lines. On the other hand, categorizing “male” and “female” viewpoints is ghettoizing, useless, and silly. Clearly, I’m torn on this…ha.

Fatally Yours: Do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Stacie Ponder: I don’t think so, but if it is, women can be as much to blame as men. How you handle yourself and how you present yourself can go a long way in shaping peoples’ perspectives of you. If you want to be taken seriously, then you need to take YOURSELF and what you do seriously. If you want to be known for your acting skills, don’t post topless pictures of yourself on Facebook. Perception is largely up to you.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the industry? 

Stacie Ponder: I know a lot of women who are making movies – there seems to be a real upswing in the number of female-helmed films, especially in indie horror. Lots of women are writing about the genre as well – new sites and blogs are popping up daily.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever get annoyed at how women in horror movies always end naked or with their clothes ripped off? 

Stacie Ponder: A little, but only when it’s especially gratuitous or somehow hateful- even then, I just roll my eyes and move on. Otherwise, I don’t really have a problem with it. I don’t know if it should always “serve the story”- I mean, sometimes it’s just mindless fun. I’m not sure why there aren’t more gratuitous shots of men, though, outside of the work of David DeCoteau.

Fatally Yours: What are your top three movies with gratuitous chick/boob/sex scenes?

Stacie Ponder: Any lesbian vampire movie! Sometimes they’re arty, sometimes they’re smutty, and they’ve got varying degrees of nudity…but come on. Who doesn’t love a lesbian vampire movie? Linnea Quigley’s naked graveyard dance in Return of the Living Dead truly deserves to be in the Horror Hall of Fame. My favorite, I think, is the sex scene in My Bloody Valentine 2009. If you want to throw around a tired word like “empowering”, well there you go- that’s it. The character is stark naked, in charge of her sexuality, and fighting for her life.

Fatally Yours: What horror movie would you say is equally fair in terms of men being objectified or at least, losing the same amount of clothes?

Stacie Ponder: As I stated above, pretty much ANY film by David DeCoteau. The Brotherhood, for example, features lots of bare-chested guys running around. Lots of homoeroticism…they’re all kinda gay on the down-low. Whatever that means.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel you’ve become desensitized to stereotypical scenes in horror like the half-naked girl screaming and running for her life in slow motion? Or are these types of familiar horror tropes still effective and necessary? 

Stacie Ponder: They can still be effective when they’re used by filmmakers in fresh or innovative ways. We all know that if you’ve got a group of people in a horror movie, at some point you need to split off the group so characters can get picked off one by one. The challenge, then, is to move beyond “Let’s split up and look around!”- otherwise, audiences are going to roll their eyes at the same ol’ same ol’. Everything becomes old if it’s used too many times. Put your own spin on it, filmmakers. Make the tropes YOURS.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel that other people view women as being “soft” and not able to endure horror as well as men? How do you fight this stereotypical view?

Stacie Ponder: I’m sure they do. All I can do to fight it is be myself – I’m a person who watches horror movies and who happens to have a vagina. Not all women are the same…I mean, I couldn’t care less about romantic comedies. It’s just my taste in films and it has nothing to do with my vagina, you know?

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Stacie Ponder: Does Kathryn Bigelow count? I know her only dabblings in the genre consist of the stellar vampire film Near Dark, but honestly, she’s kind of my hero right now. She makes movies because that’s just what she does. She’s obliterating gender lines simply by refusing to acknowledge them. I hope someday she’s not considered a “great female director” but simply a “great director” and she won’t continue to be tasked with somehow speaking for women everywhere.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Stacie Ponder: If you want to become involved in the genre, then…become involved. Whatever discipline thrills you- writing, acting, directing, etc. – get up and make it happen. Don’t use your gender or cries of “discrimination” to mask for your lack of skills. No one has skills when she (or he) starts out. You need to put in the work, study, learn, and ask questions – that’s the only way you’ll grow. You need to make it happen for yourself – no one’s going to do it for you. And honestly? Chances are good that no one’s going to tell you that you can’t be a writer or a director because you have girl parts. Get off your ass and get shit done.

Fatally Yours: What’s the last horror movie that made you think “this is some effed up shiznit!”? 

Stacie Ponder: Martyrs. A friend who’d seen it before me warned me that I’d kind of hate myself for watching it, but in the end it would be worth it – and she was totally right. I’m still wrestling with my feelings on it, trying to sort out my thoughts. I’d like to write about it in some capacity, but at this point I’m not really sure what to say. I’d need to watch it again, and I don’t know when I’ll want to do that. Really powerful, effective stuff – certainly not for the faint of heart.

Fatally Yours: What’s one horror movie you think is HIGHLY overrated?

Stacie Ponder: May. I like it. I like Angela Bettis and I thought she was terrific; I loves me some Anna Faris…but the movie didn’t really ‘wow’ me as I’d anticipated it would. It was good, sure, but I’m not quite sure why so many accolades are thrown at it. Eh, people connect with different things – I just didn’t connect much with that particular film.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Stacie Ponder: Ah, there are too many to list. I love Mausoleum and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre alike. I love cheesy slasher flicks and new French horror films that push the envelope and make you think. Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite genre novels, and the film it’s based on, The Haunting, is one of my favorite films. Really, there are too many to list.

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Stacie Ponder: Writing about horror movies, making horror movies, and working with friends who love the genre as much as I do. I’m already doing all that, so I guess I have nothing left to strive for! Well, that’s just great. Oh, okay…so I can strive to improve myself in all those areas, I suppose.

Fatally Yours: What projects are you working on now?

Stacie Ponder: My first major movie, Ludlow, is in post-production and should be ready for some kind of public consumption very soon. I call it “major” because it’s too long to be a short film, but a bit too short to be a feature…so, “major”. The second season of my webseries Ghostella’s Haunted Tomb, is currently in pre-production. I’m aiming for ten episodes, beginning in April. I’ve got a few other scripts and projects- features, mostly- in various stages of development. Other than all that, I’m writing…a whole mess of stuff for Final Girl and other sites and publications.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more your reviews and more info on you?

Stacie Ponder: My blog, Final Girl. That’s sort of my hub. If my work (in whatever capacity) appears elsewhere, I’ll still post about it at Final Girl. I love my blog like a…like a…lover.