Declan O’Brien [Interview]

Today we have another showcase of an absolutely amazing writer and filmmaker who has managed to strike fear, joy, and happiness into the hearts of millions for many years. Declan O’Brien may be known best for contributing to several different film franchises that we all know and love. The one franchise that has been showcased here at Trainwreck’d Society would be the Wrong Turn horror series. We’ve spoken with the original writer behind the series, several actors from that world, and now…we are fortunate enough to have a few words who brought us three of the most amazing chapters from the Wrong Turn franchise. O’Brien brought us the 3rd, 4th, and 5th installment in this beloved and absolutely insane series that we all know and love.

But, Declan has proven to be a mastermind in his craft on so many different levels. He’s created some amazing SyFy films, and breathed all new life into the WWE’s The Marine series, and just so much more. And we are so happy that he agreed to share a few words with us here. SO ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy this amazing interview with the great Declan O’Brien!

When did you realize you wanted to become a filmmaker for a living? What was the real jumping off point for what has become your career?

I knew I wanted to be in film since I was a young child. I’m the youngest of seven and my entire family was musical. I wanted to move in a different direction to film and television.

When you are jumping into a series like Wrong Turn, what is your main mission in continuing on a franchise? How do you put your own personal stamp on an established series?

I always want to explore new ideas and themes while still maintaining the structure of the series. I often juxtapose classic themes or movies into the horror franchises. Wrong Turn 3 for example was really a riff on greed. You could say it was Treasure of Sierra Madre meets Wrong Turn. Same for Wrong Turn 5, if you look closely it has the feel of Rio Bravo about it.

How about The Marine series? What is your personal seal/watermark placed in those films?

I wrote Marine 3 right around the real estate market collapse where all these banks were taking people’s homes after giving them predatory loans. I created a militia group that wanted to get back at the corporate banks by robbing them and burning the money. It wasn’t about the money but about payback.

What was it like working for Roger Corman on Sharktopus? Was your experience as fabled as I have heard with break neck pace and budget restrictions making you become that much more creative?

Roger is a legend. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him on two films and we’ve developed others together. Roger is a no nonsense producer. He gives you the parameters, the budget the schedule and you have to find a way to make it work. But most importantly Roger is a filmmaker first and foremost. If it’s for the good of the film he always has your back.

When you are working on a SyFy film, what would you say is generally different about the filmmaking process? In watching the films, there is a very different feel many other films, but still so enjoyable. So is the experience of making one different?

SyFy has produced so many films over the years it is difficult to stand out. You have to have a good hook. Something that sells it in a sentence or a title like Sharktopus. the trailer that played at Comicon back then made it go viral. There were clips on The Tonight Show and Letterman. It just became a meme almost before there were memes and long before Sharknado.

When did Utopia Pictures come about? What inspired you to start your own company?

Utopia Pictures is a company I was partnered at over a decade ago. I am no longer there. My company is Fairport Filmworks. It’s always good to blaze your own path.

What is next for you? Anything you would like to plug?

If I told you I’d have to kill you….

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My daughter getting her driver’s license.

Check out the official trailer of the fore mentioned film The Marine 3: Homfront, right here courtesy of the WWE Network: