Gabrielle Stone [Interview]

Welcome to Day 11 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

We have yet another great actress to talk with and about for our Month of Horror showcase! Today we have some words from the wonderful  actress Gabriel Stone. Stone has actually worked with 3 previous Trainwreck’d Society interviewees….at the same time! Long time readers will remember that last December we spoke with the amazing  co-writer of the equally film Rock Paper Dead, Kerry Fleming. And in those words, you may remember a bit of talk of the film’s director being one Tom Holland, and the other co-writer being brought out of retirement to help on the project, one Victor Miller. All of which have been so kind to grace our digital pages. And now, we have Gabriel, who happens to be one of the brightest stars in Rock Paper Dead. I tell ya folks, it really does all come back around.

Of course, RPD is far from Stone’s only work. Gabriel has been putting in great work for a good amount of time. She has appeared in other classic horror projects like Zombie Killers: Elephant Graveyard and Speak No Evil. Outside of the horror realm, she can be seen in films like A Place Called Hollywood and Ava’s Impossible Things. She is a fine talent for the modern world of cinema, and we are so happy that she was able to share some brilliant words with us here today! So ladies and gentlemen, the brilliant Gabriel Stone!

When did you decide that you wanted to play pretend for a living? What drew you to the world of acting?

Both of my parents were in the industry while I was growing up. I spent lots of my childhood on set with them, so it’s always been something I thought I wanted to do. It wasn’t till I shot my first project where I remember walking off set and saying “Oh, I never want to do anything else again.”

Recently you appeared in the brilliant film Rock Paper Dead, which was written by our dear friends Kerry Fleming and Victor Miller, as well as directed by the legendary Tom Holland (all of which have appeared on these digital pages!). So with that, how was your experience making this film, and working under the guise of some of the biggest names in the world of horror? Was there anything that made working on this film a unique experience for you?

I had such a blast on this film. Luke McFarlane is such a wonderful person and tremendous actor. It’s definitely a new fresh take on the serial killer story. I think the horror fans are really going to love it… And you can’t go wrong with Tom Holland! I had some pretty intense facial prosthetics and shooting in them was definitely challenging.

You also recently moved behind the camera a bit to team up with legendary horror filmmaker, Roze, to write, direct, produce, and appear in the dramatic short entitled It Happened Again Last Night. What compelled you to tell this story? What made you want to jump in the (co-) director’s chair and tell this harrowing tale?

I’ve always been told I should take a stab at directing. My first time I definitely wanted to co-direct to learn the inns and outs especially when I had to be in front of the camera as well. We wanted to tell a story about a human who wasn’t necessarily categorized as ‘gay’ or ‘straight’ but just a human who happened to fall in love with another human. I also think domestic violence isn’t portrayed in a very real way enough in cinema. We wanted to bring that to the screen.

While your roles have been especially varied over the years, you have done some amazing work in the world of horror. And seeing as this is our Month of Horror special, I am compelled to ask what it is about the horror genre specifically that you enjoy? What keeps you wanting to work in this world?

Horror fans are some of the best fans out there. Their love for the genre and the work we do in it is really special. And who doesn’t love getting bloody on set! As long as there is a solid story I will always be open to a good horror flick.

What is your favorite scary movie?

That’s tough. I loved The Strangers. To me anything that can really happen is what is most terrifying.

Do you have any plans for this coming Halloween? Any traditions you try to uphold each year, or are you trying anything new?

Not yet, I don’t even know what my plans are for next week. I don’t have any traditions for Halloween but always love to celebrate and do something fun.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Besides Rock Paper Dead I have a romantic comedy releasing later this year called The Competition directed by Harvey Lowry starring Chris Klein and Thora Birch. I play a stripper, it was a blast. I also have a festival drama called Swell that will be making the festival rounds. It’s one of my most proud works to date, directed by Justin Lee. I can’t wait for people to see it.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I saw Hamilton last night. It made me laugh, cry, smile, and remember how incredible art is.

Shawn Papazain [Interview]

Welcome to Day 11 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

For regular readers of Trainwreck’d Society, you will remember that last years Week of Horror showcase featured a legend of the modern horror world, Mr. Daniel Myrick. The man who brought you The Blair Witch Project, Rest Stop, Sublime, and more. Well today we are going to talk with a cat that is also partially responsible for the success of Myrick’s post Blair success. I’m talking about the amazing producer and director Shawn Papazain (if the title of this piece didn’t give it away).

Shawn has had some tremendous success in the world of film over of the years, including a terrific splattering of films with Myrick’s Raw Feed Films. This dude produced and directed within the Rest Stop franchise, which is an incredible group of films that everyone should enjoy. He also produced one of the most underrated and creepy as shit horror films, Myrick’s Believers. Seriously, watch that one. It would change you!

So with that, please enjoy some amazing words from the even more amazing Shawn Papazian!

When did you decide you wanted to join the world of filmmaking? Was it an early aspiration or did you just sort of land in it?

When I was 5 years old I knew what I wanted to be: A Producer. Since my father was a Producer at that time (and has been for the better part of the last 50+yrs), I wanted to be one as well—I had no clue what a “Producer” was or what he/she did. I was very fortunate to have grown up on tv and movie sets throughout my young years so that by the time I was 18 and going off to college I had a sense of what being a ‘producer’ entailed.

You’ve worked alongside our old friend Daniel Myrick on such great projects like Rest Stop and Sublime in the past. How did you your relationship with Myrick begin? This seems like such a dream team for the horror world!

Hahaha… Dan is great to work with. He and I met on the films you mentioned and have been working together ever since then.  We see story and characters in the same way. We like to bring empathy and sympathy to the characters we create so the audience has a sense of both what the antagonist is/has gone through as well as what he protagonist is/has gone through. In addition, we like the element of scare tactics but try best to enhance those moments so that they would hopefully resonate within the audience in a way that makes one take things personal level by referring to something that happened to them in a similar way. Intimate!

What was it like to jump into the full blown director’s seat on the follow up to Rest Stop?

AMAZING! I did all the 2nd unit directing on all three Raw Feed Films as well as produced them. Fortunate for me, the 2nd unit directing I did was more than the standard assumed pick ups one would go off and shoot. So, the guys (Tony Krantz, John Shiban, and Dan Myrick) realized my eye and fully supported me when the studio wanted to develop and produce the sequel. WB was beyond supportive of the idea as well since I produced the first Rest Stop and they knew I was very close with John Shiban’s vision of the characters and their circumstances as well as having the insight with how best to notch it up visually. What were your intentions going into filming, and do you feel like you got most of what you wanted to see on screen? Why or why not] My intention was to give someone a ride while tell a story. Based on budget, I got a good amount of what I wanted to achieve.

What is it about the horror genre specifically that makes you enjoy working within it?

I enjoy scaring people as a comedian would enjoy making folks laugh.

What is your favorite scary movie?

The Strangers… its stillness as you sat through it was eerie. The camera work was seamless. And the editing was perfect in timing and storytelling.

What are your plans for this coming Halloween? Any traditions you try to stick to each year? 

To take my young daughter trick or treating! And hope to watch sum ol’ school horror flicks that will be on TV—we love to channel surf and jump around to those classics on Halloween. Of course, once my sugar crazed little one has crashed for the night. 😉

What does the future hold for you? Anything you’d like to plug to our readers?

Yes! Dan and I are currently writing the sequel to our TV film Under The Bed that aired on Lifetime earlier this year. We’re working with Lifetime/AE network on the sequel and are loving every second of it! I’m also producing an Independent film with Scott Eastwood that’s currently titled House of the Holy that we are aiming to start production in early 2018.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My two kids stoke on their faces while we were vacationing in Hawaii a couple weeks ago.

Scott Thomas [Interview]

Welcome to Day 8 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

Today’s interview subject is a brilliant man who I have been wanting to have on the site for quite a while, and honestly not for anything horror related. It just so happens that he is the creator of a truly fine piece of horror, Flight of the Living Dead, which we will discuss. But, I was originally interested in hearing about some insight into the world the animated series for X-Men that still holds a very dear place in my heart. I can remember a time as a youth in the mid-90’s where my world revolved around taking a chunk of weekly allowance down to the  Hastings in southern New Mexico, and picking up the latest copy of the X-Men comic run of the time, devouring it quickly, and then waiting until Saturday when the cartoon would come on. This went on for months, and it was a major part of my childhood that I will always hold fondly. And the great Scott Thomas was one of the brilliant minds that made that happen for me.

But, this is the Week of Horror after all, so the focus is on some of his other works, especially in the world of horror. And Scott gave us some very nice answers about both of these worlds and more in this truly outstanding interview. So without further babbling, please enjoy some words from the great Scott Thomas!

When did you first become interested in the world of film and television? And when did you decide it was something you wanted to do for a living?

My grandfather started in the film business when they were hand-cranking cameras. He pushed me around on a film cart on studio lots when I was a baby in the 1950’s. I guess it stuck with me. I have always been fascinated with film, especially horror and science fiction films. One film that I still love is the 1953 film by William Cameron Menzies, Invaders From Mars. I started trying to make super 8mm films when I was around 10 years old and went on from there.

As a kid growing up in the 90’s, The animated series of X-Men which you were a producer on was absolutely crucial to my existence. I never missed a week! I know why it was special to me, but in your own personal opinion what do you think history will show as your contribution to the acclaimed Marvel Universe?

I’m not sure how much of my contribution will show. The story editors just completed a book on the animated series, entitled: X-MEN:TAS. I did take over the series on the second episode from Will Meugniot and worked on every episode until the final episode. I supervised every aspect of the series, so much so that the president of Marvel at the time suggested that I take the credit as Director of each episode! I didn’t take it, but it was a very nice gesture and I did work tirelessly with the Fox executive, Sidney Iwanter, and the artists, writers and actors to achieve a fun and exciting animated series.

In 2007, you co-wrote and directed the delightful addition to the “of the Living Dead” world known as Flight of the Living Dead, which stars our dear friend Laura Cayouette. I found the film to be a metric shit ton of fun. What made you decide to join the world of zombies? Was it a subject matter you had always be interested in?

The script of Flight actually started out as a story of an alien craft colliding mid-air with a 747– with alien parasites attaching themselves to passengers, I eventually, over many drafts changed it into a zombie story. I had worked with Laura on another film which I wrote/directed and produced called Anacardium now titled Deranged and loved working with her. I wanted to work with her again and always had her in mind for the film. Laura called me after the film was released on DVD to tell me that Quentin Tarantino had called her twice to say how cool he thought Flight of the Living Dead was!

What is your favorite scary movie?

The Exorcist by far, it blew me away when I saw it when it first came out in the theaters. It scared the crap out of me! I later was lucky enough to have lunch with the producer Noel Marshall and got some fun inside scoop on the film, and then years later I worked on a film project with Linda Blair. She turned to me one time and out of the blue and she screeched, “THE SOW IS MINE!!!!” in a creepy, raspy voice. Very freaky!!

What are your plans for this coming Halloween? Any traditions you try to stick to each year?

Yes, I actually do, something new! My girlfriend and I are going to Cancun, Mexico and we are going to celebrate the Day of the Dead Festival for a week with friends!

What does the future hold for you? Anything you’d like to plug to our readers?

I’m working on a television series based on a book series about alien abductions and Native Americans, their ancient stories of encounters as well as current abduction events here in North America as well as South America. The temp title is: The Indigenous and the Aliens: Tales of the Star People.

Also, I’ve been working on a documentary on Mars, the anomalies that I have found and others have discovered. There is something very strange on Mars and NASA has been trying to hide it for years. It’s really fascinating.  I’m planning to meet with Buzz Aldrin after finishing his recent books on space and Mars and discuss what I have found and get his take on it.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Great question! Wow, I’m for the most part a happy guy, almost anything will make me smile. I am an artist, and as a writer/producer/director, I get to deal with amazing artistic and creative challenges daily, and it’s a blast. There are many strange things that life holds and many stories to tell, that makes me smile…

Kevin J. Lindenmuth [Interview]

Welcome to Day 7 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

Today’s interview subject is someone that I would refer to as a “SME” in the world of horror filmmaking. For those of you who don’t recognize such a term, it is actually an acronym for “Subject Matter Expert”. And I can think of no other way to define Kevin J. Lindenmuth! The man has created some of the finest works in the world of indie horror, written several books on how he creates such magic, and he has been writing about horror on the internet long before we knew that the internet was going to take over our lives. He is a guy who has done some amazing work, and he has some wonderful stories to tell and advice to give. And we were so fortunate that he was willing to share a bit of that with us here today!

So ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy some words from the legendary filmmaker, author, & so much more, Mr. Kevin J. Lindenmuth!

What initially drew you into the world of filmmaking? When did the passion begin?

As far back as I can remember, and i have memories as far back as 2-3 years old, I wanted to be involved with making movies. I think this was because I watched a lot of horror and science fiction movies as a kid, from the daytime broadcasts of the original Dark Shadows to Saturday afternoon horror-hosted movies to going to the theater. In retrospect, that’s why my first few movies were vampire-related films (Vampires & Other Stereotypes, Twisted Tales, Addicted to Murder). I always wanted to be involved with creating those stories. In fact, when I was seven years old I remember writing an adaptation of Escape From the Planet of the Apes!

Comics were also a big influence, from Tomb of Dracula to Spiderman. In fact, I created a superhero for DC’S Dial H for Hero comic when I was in high school, so that was cool seeing that published. I was always writing and making short films through high school, and have a few of them listed in film magazines of the time, like Cinemagic. I then majored in Film/Video Studies at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and made quite a few weird films broadcast on Public Access TV. Writing and filmmaking were always a focus.

With 30 years experience under your belt, and the massive amount of the changes in the film business these days, What would you say has been the most drastic change in the filmmaking world since the time you started working in it? What have been some positive changes? Negative?

Back when I was making the films, in the early to late 90’s, there weren’t a lot of people making these low-budget films that were shot on video. At the time I was working for a production company in Midtown Manhattan and a perk of the job was having access to their equipment. These weren’t home camcorders—they were state-of-the art Sony television cameras that probably cost 60,000 each. So the first few movies were shot this way and then put through a “filmlook” process that took those video 30 frames and knocked it down to 24 frames so it looked like they were shot on film. It wasn’t until the third movie, Addicted to Murder, that I got into the chain video stores, primarily Blockbuster. I had sent them a VHS screener of the film before I even had the box made and they got back to me six months later saying they wanted to have it in their stores. That was great. And soon after that I was able to get a few other filmmakers into Blockbuster as well, such as Mark Polonia’s Feeders movies and Nathan Thompson’s Contact Blow. And by this time there was a whole group of us filmmakers in NY that helped on each other’s films, such as Scooter McCrae, Jeffrey Arsenault, Ron Bonk—and when we had screenings of indie films in my Upper West Side apartment Mike Raso from E.I, Don May (now Synapes) and Mike Gingold would usually be there. So that was cool. Back then there seemed more comradery of like minded filmmakers. And through this and various indie film magazines at the time I met a lot of filmmakers across the country and got them to work on different anthologies (Alien Agenda and Alien Conspiracy films). You see, back then it was possible to do something you loved and make some income at it. Granted, I did have a “day job” but it enabled me to make films and then with the sales of that film make other films. It was great.

But at the end of the 20th Century the markets dried up. More and more people were making movies because of easy access to quality equipment and distributors no longer licensed films. They wanted them for free and promised “residuals”. There are never any residuals. That’s one of the main reasons I haven’t made a feature in 15 years —although I enjoy it, it’s not a hobby. And it’s an unbelievable amount of work. So I switched to doing such things as PBS documentaries and got a bunch of those on PBS. On one hand it’s much easier to make a movie as in independent—but its impossible to make a living at it. Just check out all the thousands of movies included on Amazon Prime.

I understand you have penned a few books that are extremely informative for the aspiring filmmakers out in the world. Can you tell us a bit about some of these works, and what inspired you to help the up and comers out there?

The entire reason for the books is that people would always ask me film specific questions and it made sense to tell them “here, it’s all in the book,” rather than spend time repeating over and over again (I am not kidding). Also, what inspired the books was knowing all these other filmmakers throughout the years. The first book, How to Make Your Own Movies (1998) included all these filmmakers that I either knew personally or through the various film magazines and by seeing their movies. Again, all people whose work I liked. And when you read the books you’ll see that almost everyone who succeeded in making a film did it in very similar ways to get it done, which is cool. The last one in the series was How to Make Movies: Low Budget/No-Budget Indie Experts Tell All (2013) interviews an entirely different group of filmmakers, some well established like Mark Pirro (A Polish Vampire in Burbank), Glenn Andreiev, Donald Farmer and Keith Crocker and newer ones, like Steve Hudgins and Chris LaMartina (Call Girl of Cthulhu). There’s also The Documentary Moviemaking Course, which discusses in depth the way to go about making your first documentary.

In that one I talk a little about my Life of Death documentary, which interviews genre personalities (Caroline Munro, Jack Ketchum, Debbie Rochon, et cetera) on their perception of death. The two unproduced ATM scripts were written by fellow filmmaker Ron Ford (Alien Force, Mark of Dracula) and Todd French. I thought it a shame that nothing happened with these so decided to put it out as a book a few years ago. If you’re a fan of the ATM series you’ll find these very interesting…
Most recently, , I co-wrote a zombie novella with indie filmmaker Evan Jacobs called The Dead Don’t Die. Yeah, it’s a zombie novel but it has a great angle. And that may possibly become a film.

Have you had a personal experience where someone has told you that they were inspired by your books, and used them to get themselves started in the business? Any stories of success?

To this day I still get several emails a week from filmmakers asking questions and wanting advice on making movies and I always make sure to get back to them. If it’s a lot of info they want I always tell them to order one of the books since that’s the whole reason they were put together. And I’ve gotten messages from filmmakers who told me that those movies from the 90’s really inspired them to make their own movies.

What is it about the world of horror specifically about the world of horror that draws you into making film in this medium? What do you personally believe sets this world apart from other genres of film?

I loved watching vampire movies—and any monster movie—when I was a kid. This is the late 60’s/early 70’s. My grandmother was a huge influence—she loved those movies, particularly the old Universal Bela Lugosi Dracula movies, and I remember watching a lot of films with her. I also loved all the Hammer movies with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. In fact, when the Friday the 13th movies—and its emulators—came out I often went to see them with her since I wasn’t old enough to get into the show myself. I still watch several horror films a week and have been a reviewer (as “The Gravedigger”) for buried.com since 1998.

I think the “horror genre” allows you do do a lot of different things. You can have a dead serious one, like Saw or a comedy that’s scary like Return of the Living Dead. I know with my films there’s a lot of similarity in themes—whether someone gets transformed into a vampire or an alien it makes them think about their world a bit differently. But foremost I think unlike most other genres “Anything Goes” with horror movies. You can do whatever you want.

What is your favorite scary movie? 

I think it’s a tie between Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978) and The Sentinel (1977). Romero’s Dawn is the perfect zombie movie (no matter which version you’ve seen) and The Sentinel has this complete feeling of dread about it and that whole sequence involving the doorway to Hell still gives me the creeps when I watch it. Both movies still hold up over time.

What are your plans for this upcoming Halloween? Any traditions you try to uphold each year?

Believe it or not I do absolutely nothing on Halloween. When I lived in NYC and was working for a production company I had to work every Halloween, so I missed that (for over a decade) and simply got out of the habit. However, if you see my office you’ll understand that “Halloween” is every day for me. I have this giant spider in the corner of the room, which fascinates my granddaughter.. LOL.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

For the past decade I’ve primarily been making videos for company websites from furniture to pets to surgical procedures (talk about blood!). I continue to do interviews and reviews for buried.com and I’m working on a few more fiction books.

A while back I co-wrote a script with filmmaker Tim Ritter that combines our two franchises—Addicted to Murder and Truth or Dare, called Addicted to Truth or Dare. I always loved how Full Moon Films would have characters cross over from their movies and wanted to give it a shot. Tim and I talked about doing a kickstarter campaign to fund it but he was already doing that with a film and sounded as if he didn’t have much luck—and at the time I simply didn’t have the time or inclination to go that route. But who knows? That may eventually turn into a film. Or maybe a book….

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My wife, Kate, is the funniest (and funnest) person I know. So as corny as this sounds I’m always smiling.

Look for Kevin on YouTube where you can watch full length versions of some of his films, like this one right here:

Nick Simon [Interview]

Eric Spudic [Interview]

Welcome to Day 4 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

As most fans of horror know, there is always a little something called a “sub-genre” within this beloved genre. Well, journalistically speaking, we would sort of like to do the same thing! Now, actor/writer/filmmaker/horror artifact (VHS tapes, to be exact) dealer Eric Spudic is a brilliant mind in the world of horror all on his own. He has appeared in dozens of some of the finest independent horror cinema to be released in the last couple of decades. He is a real force to be reckoned with in his own right, and we are so happy he has joined us here today.

But on the topic of the sub-genre, Mr. Spudic also has something else going for him that you will soon notice emerging as a minor theme for this year’s Month of Horror Showcase. If you remember back a few years ago, we named a certain filmmaker, Steve Sessions, as Trainwreck’d Society’s Person of the Year. We have written about Steve many times over the years as or admiration has yet to dissolve. So what we are going to do here, is actually manage to slip in a few interviews with some of the brilliant folks that have appeared on screen in something created by Mr. Sessions. And Mr. Eric Spudic is a brilliant man to help kick this whole thing off. Spudic appeared such Sessions classics as Aberrations, Zombie Pirates, and one of my top 5 Sessions projects, Dead Clowns.

So please enjoy some great words from the brilliant Eric Spudic! Enjoy!

When did you decide you wanted to join the world of acting?  What initially drew you into the business?  And what keeps your passion growing for this business?

I was one of those guys who became an actor by accident.  I’d made a movie in high school and sent copies to some of my favorite producers and directors.  One person called me up and complimented me on my amateur moviemaking skills.  He said that if I ever visited Hollywood, he’d put me in a movie.  A few months later, I took a trip to Los Angeles and he stuck to his word.  $750 for three lines of dialogue in a movie called Micro Mini Kids.

This was 1999.  I had such a blast doing it that I decided to pursue the whole acting thing more.  I grow my passion by changing it up.  One day I’m acting in a horror film.  The next, I’m doing stunts on a SyFy Channel movie.  Then, I’m writing a family movie.  That way I never get bored.

You have worked on a quite a few projects with our old friend, director Steve Sessions, so I was curious to ask how your experience was working under the guise of a filmmaker like Sessions?  Does it differ in any way from other projects?

I’ve always had a fantastic time working with Steve.  We met around 2000 on Ebay.  It is indeed different working with Steve.  First, he doesn’t look at his cast/crew as employees.  He treats them like family.  One second you’re in his living room, dressed up as a zombie terrorizing a hot blonde.  The next thing you know he’s asking if I need anything to drink and to help myself to the fridge.

I never even have to get a hotel room.  He provides me a spot to stay at his place, which is above and beyond what we actors expect.  Biloxi, MS is a fantastic place to shoot.  Very accommodating, nice people.  The thing that is different about Sessions is he’s almost a one-man army.  When he makes a movie, he’s shooting it, editing it, writing it, casting it, composing it.  Very multi-talented.  I hope he has a few more left in him.

You also jumped into one of finest horror franchise with some stunt work on Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, produced by another old friend of TWS Christa Campbell. What was it like digging into this truly fascinating and surreal world?

That was one of my favorite shoots.  2011 in Shreveport.  I was originally hired as a photo double, but next thing you know they got Leatherface tripping me with a metal hook onto these concrete steps.

They gave me kneepads to cushion the fall.  I only worked two days on the film, but was paid for four.  Super hot, sweaty shoot…..but it turned into a nice film.  It was called Leatherface 3D when we shot it.  Ever since then, I’ve heavily pursued more stunt work.

What is it about the horror genre specifically that makes you enjoy working within it?

I’m an energetic guy, so I need some monsters….blood….screaming….running….fight scenes.  I love the effects.  These days I almost prefer to be under makeup or mask.  It’s more fun being a bad guy.

What is your favorite scary movie?

Perhaps The Changeling with George C. Scott.  Incredibly creepy, great score, cool plot.  It still gives me shivers.  Watched it in a theater with a packed audience earlier this year.  I’ve seen it 15 times now.  Jooooseph….

What are your plans for this coming Halloween?  Any traditions you try to stick to each year?

I usually hit up the New Beverly Cinema and Cinefamily for their horror screenings.  Grab a soda and some popcorn and enjoy the blood and gore!  Maybe I’ll have a George Romero marathon since he was my favorite director and is very much missed.

What does the future hold for you?  Anything you’d like to plug to our readers?

I’m doing stunt classes now and trying to pick up more gigs.  I have a few movies out recently. Giantess Attack is on Amazon and Land Shark is on DVD.  I have one called Doomsday Device coming out soon.  Blink and you’ll miss me!  I would love to sell another script, so that will be my next goal.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I run a company called Spudic’s Movie Empire.  We sell movies, books, cds, comics, games, everything.  A good friend just donated a few hundred VHS and DVDs.  I was ecstatic!  It certainly brought a huge smile to my face.

Lacey Rae [Interview]

Welcome to Day 3 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

Welcome back folks! Today we are kicking off our first interview with a brilliant member from the on screen world of horror. Her name is Lacey Rae, and she is absolutely incredible! Now, to simply call Lacey an actress would indeed be a bit of an insult, as she wears several hats in the world of horror and beyond, but it would be deplorable to not put a shine on her brilliant acting chops. While her acting career is not primarily in the world of horror, with credits in films like Sideways (a personal favorite of mine!), Sorority Boys, and more. But, it is her work in the world of horror that we are focusing in on here today. Notably, Lacey wore may of the previously noted hats in the upcoming film 9 Ways To Hell, a compilation of linked horror films inspired by Dante’s Inferno. Some of the greatest minds of the independent horror world are teaming up to create this sure to be masterpiece of horror cinema.

And we are so excited that Lacey Rae was able to give us a few words about this project and so much more. Even some non-horror related questions, as it was a MUST that I ask her a bit about working on Sideways. Lacey Rae is also a columnist for the very horror heavy website, Media Geeks. So she is obviously an expert in this field! And we are so happy to share her words with you today. Enjoy!

When did you first discover that you had a passion for the acting? Was it an early on set type thing, or did you just sort of fall into it?

I’ve always been a performer. I started out tap dancing when I was four, then singing (I wanted to be Madonna), then musical theater, and finally plays/film/TV. Not a great story, I know, but I’ve never wanted to do anything else!

A few years ago, you appeared in one of my favorite films of all time, a brilliant indie gem of a film entitled Sideways. How was your experience on this amazing project, working with all four of the lead roles at the same time?! Any fond memories from this shoot?

I had done background work before, but this was my first time interacting with the director and having lines on a big budget feature. It was amazing and everyone was incredibly nice and helpful. I kinda fell into it. I went to school at UC Santa Barbara, where they were filming, and there was an open call for local extras/under-5s and I sent in my headshot and resume, got called in for a speaking role, read for the casting director, and a few weeks later, I was being asked to set!

Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh were both very sweet. Virginia, especially, wanted to help me out career-wise as much she could and guided me toward a few acting networks in Los Angeles, for when I got out of school. I got to chat with Thomas Haden Church in the make-up trailer and asked him about one of my favorite films, Tombstone, which he was happy to talk about. I didn’t interact much with Paul Giamatti much, as he spent his time getting into character and preparing, which is totally understandable.

Alexander Payne was so caring on set. He kept giving me more to say! I remember right before my first take (with the four leads looking at me), he said not to worry if I forgot a line, but to just keep going. Of course, once he said “Action” I blanked on everything! I was mortified, but I got there eventually and the rest of the takes were A-OK. Alexander called me a few months later, when Sideways was nominated for an Oscar, just to make sure I was getting “all the proper Sideways love”. I couldn’t ask for a better experience.

I am intrigued by a project that you have coming up that you not only act in, but pulled an Executive Producer gig as well with your contribution to the anthology called 9 Ways To Hell. Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with this project, and what we should be looking forward to?

Shortly after a break-up (so I desperately needed an outlet), I joined a filmmaker Meetup in Hollywood. I met a ton of amazing and talented people there and we started making short films, most of which landed in the horror or comedy genres. About a year after making so many shorts, my friend Nick and I were talking and decided that, instead of making shorts, let’s put that time and energy into a feature. OK, but what kind? Since most of the group, Nick and I especially, are so into horror, we decided to make a horror anthology, giving the multitude of writer/directors their own segment to work with, while Nick and I spear-headed the overall picture (and he wrote/directed one of the segments).

9 Ways to Hell is based off Dante’s 9 circles of Hell. It begins with a short prologue and transitions, in order, through the 9 circles. We didn’t want the film to be only a series of shorts, so we really took time and energy figuring out how to weave certain themes and iconography throughout the segments, sometimes through the use of props or actors. And we also included easter eggs for those who are very familiar with Dante’s work.

For more info/pics/screening info, we are encouraging people to subscribe to our website and Facebook page.

9 Ways to Hell
FB: http://www.facebook.com/9WaysToHell/
Website: http://www.9waystohell.com
Instagram/Twitter: @9waystohell
Asterion Arts: http://www.asterion-arts.com/

While you have obviously worked in several different genres throughout your career, it is indeed our Month of Horror showcase right now, so I am inclined to ask: What do you love about working in the world of horror? What sets this genre apart from the others?

I’m not sure what it is about horror that draws me in, even from such a young age, but I’ll take a stab (wink, wink) at it. What’s funny is that I don’t get scared easily, but watching scary movies provides a release of repressed emotions. The building suspense and the ultimate calm after the scare. That rollercoaster of adrenaline. Not to mention, many horror movies are SO over the top they turn campy, which is just fun. I know they’re not real, so I don’t internalize anything.

Why do I want to act IN horror films? Because everything in a horror movie is pretty much life-and-death, the stakes are super high. The emotions are drastic. I get to be in a world that I (hopefully) will never experience in real life. I get to access emotional parts of me that are typically hidden away or useless in everyday life. Horror movies offer a chance to access those emotions and let them out. It’s cathartic. It can be fun to get messy or “bloody” and scream your head off. And the best part is that it’s not hurting anyone. The beauty of acting, in my opinion, is experience, living a different life for a little while. Horror just kicks that up a notch.

What is your favorite scary movie?

I always liked monsters, from “Thriller” to The Monster Squad. But my first REAL horror film was Scream, which is why I think it’s my favorite. I may not have understood all the tropes they were making fun of, but I loved it just the same. I wanted to be Drew Barrymore in it (without the death part, of course), and I actually got to recreate that opening scene for a little project for a friend many years later. If I remember correctly, I saw Scream in theaters 9 times – one was a midnight showing where I won a poster and Jiffy Pop.

I was never scared by the paranormal, so I find slasher flicks more scary and relatable. This could happen in real life. Combined with the clever humor and fun cast, Scream hit the right tone at the right time in my life. I was hooked ever since.

Other favorites: Event Horizon, The Strangers, The Evil Dead series (including the remake), Saw, and Cabin in the Woods.

What are your plans for this coming Halloween? Any sort of traditions you try to uphold each year?

I’ve gone to Universal Horror Nights for many years now, so I’m definitely doing that. Last year, one of my favorites was 17th Door, which is coming back this year in Fullerton. Since I write reviews for Media-Geeks.com, I’m going to a lot of previews for haunts like Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest, Into the Black, and Mable’s 6-Feet Under, as well as some immersive theater like The Tension Experience and Apartment 213. I think I’m most looking forward to a costume party with friends at Beetle House, the Tim Burton-themed pop-up bar in Hollywood, so I can just let loose (and I love dressing up). I like doing everything Halloween I can fit in!

What does the future hold for you? Any projects coming up that you would like to tell our readers about?

Two of my short films got accepted into their (and my) first film festival, so I’m excited about that and hope to submit them into more. One of them was already on Fun-Size Horror at:

https://www.funsizehorror.com/watch-now/from-zombie-with-love

We have one segment left to film for 9 Ways to Hell, but I’m looking forward to submitting that to festivals and promoting the HELL (see what I did there?) out of it to get distribution. I also have a small part in Tom Six’s next film, The Onania Club, which I’m super excited to see!

While I love horror and want to do so much more in the genre, I have a web series I’m writing (and will act in) which is a comedy and a definite departure from my last few projects. I’m also a co-host on the podcast “Mary Dates L.A.” which will be launching very soon. The idea is to keep busy creating and pushing to make a dent in the industry, while auditioning for everything I can.

Lacey Rae
Website: http://www.laceyrae.com
YouTube: Lacey Rae Pawlowicz
Instagram/Twitter: @LaceyRae17

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Today, probably the little bit of rain we got. Cuddling in bed with my black cat, Sergeant Pepper. Or a stupid pun/dad-joke from one of my co-workers. I love dad-jokes!

Michael Hurst [Interview]

Welcome to Day 2 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Month of Horror Showcase. Every day during the month of October, we will have a horror related interview and/or film review for your fright-filled reading pleasure! The set up will be the same as usual, but the topics will be far more terrifying. Enjoy!

For our first interview in our Month of Horror Showcase, we really wanted to come out swinging, and show you fine readers that we are indeed, not fucking around. Today’s interview subject is an acclaimed writer and filmmaker in the world of horror, mystery, thriller, suspense, and more. His name is Michael Hurst. This is a guy who has written and directed some of the most truly original cinematic adventures over the last 20 years. He was written roles that have become somewhat hidden gems and treasures for folks like Christine Taylor, Jerry O’Connell, Zoë Bell, Shawn Wayans, and more. While his work is obviously not specified just to the world of horror, it is indeed a world that he has managed to dabble in enough to considered one of the greats in the field. My initial reason for looking into the work of this brilliant Englishman was my love for the incredible Pumpkinhead franchise. As he will explain further, Michael was involved with the fourth installment of the franchise, 2007’s Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud.

So with that, I shall stop rambling and let Mr. Hurst speak for himself a bit. He had some wonderful stories to tell you fine readers. So let’s enjoy!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a storyteller and filmmaker? When did the passion begin?