Show notes
Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, and Alex Lee Williams are the filmmakers behind Dream Eater, a Lovecraft-inspired found-footage horror film shot on a shoestring budget in a remote Quebec cottage.
When their original project lost funding, they rebuilt it from scratch, turning their setbacks into a creative advantage and crafting an intimate, atmospheric story about dreams, dread, and an unraveling relationship.
The movie may be called Dream Eater, but the filmmakers’ story is a dream come true; powered by positive word of mouth and support from the online horror community, Dream Eater found a passionate audience and ultimately caught the attention of Eli Roth, who acquired the film and released it under his new horror production banner, The Horror Section.
I really loved this interview, I connected with the filmmakers personally and found them to be very cool and inspiring because this story is very much in line with those of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity in terms of the ingenuity and tenacity among filmmakers who adapt and adapt and don’t take no for an answer and get their movies made regardless of anything and ultimately is what this podcast is about.
Key Takeaways
Transmutation: Turn limitations into opportunity and never submit to defeat.
The creators of Dream Eater originally had a larger-scale, higher-budget project in motion — until the funding fell through. Rather than throw their hands up and walk away, they went back to the drawing board and scaled their concept into something they could afford to shoot. Casting actors was out of reach due to the demanding conditions, so they cast themselves.
There’s a massive lesson here in adaptability: as a filmmaker, you have to play the hand you’re dealt and make the movie you can make when you can make it. Hopefully, the next one has a bigger budget — but regardless of what you’re working with, the movie you can make now will be way better than no movie at all.
Micro crews need macro output.
An eight-person team meant every crew member wore multiple hats. When hiring for crew, it’s common for crew members to expect to stay in their lanes — and that’s completely understandable particularly in the context of union filmmaking. But on a micro-budget production, the mindset of “that’s not really my job” can be radioactive. Your crew needs to be down for the chaos you’re about to unleash.
But of course, be fair and be reasonable; pay what you can — either in cash or points — but take the time to find a crew that’s truly in it with you and willing to wear multiple hats. But here’s the caveat, as the filmmaker, you must always be the hardest-working person on set.
Find your audience where they already are.
The Dream Eater team built buzz through festivals and the online horror community, most notably TikTok’s HorrorTok — a vibrant ecosystem of horror influencers and fans. Thanks to a few key TikTok creators, buzz about the film went viral, which got the attention of Eli Roth.
When promoting a film, it’s essential to know, understand, and ideally befriend the horror community. HorrorTok played a major role in the success of Dream Eater, and it’s a reminder that one of the most effective ways to support your art is by authentically engaging with the people who love the genre as much as you do. Understanding marketing is crucial — but connection is everything.
Show Notes
Movies and Works Mentioned
- Dream Eater
- Asleep (original concept)
- The Nightmare (Rodney Ascher documentary)
- Dagon
- In the Mouth of Madness
- The Blair Witch Project
- Evil Dead
- Phantasm
- The Exorcist
- Jaws
- Psycho
- Spun
- The Pest
Books and Myth Sources
- H. P. Lovecraft stories including The Dreams in the Witch House, The Outsider, and At the Mountains of Madness
Festivals, Communities, and People
- H. P. Lovecraft Festival (Portland, OR)
- Found-footage festivals in San Francisco
- TikTok’s Horror Talk community
- Influencers including “Uncle Chuck” and others who championed the film
- Peter Kuplowsky and TIFF Midnight Madness (mentioned as festival reference)
- Eli Roth (acquired the film)
- Beyond Fest (Egyptian Theatre screening)
Follow Jay Drakulic at:
Follow Mallory Drumm at:
Follow Alex Lee Williams at:
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