The Nick Taylor Horror Show

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THE LONELIEST BOY IN THE WORLD Director & Cast, Martin Owen, Hero Fiennes Tiffin & Max [Episode 97] Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

From Well Go Entertainment, The Loneliest Boy in the World is billed as a modern fairytale—except with zombies. When the sheltered and unsocialized Oliver is tasked with making new friends after the sudden death of his mother, he decides that digging up a few corpses might be his best bet. However, when he awakens the morning after his excavating escapades, he discovers that his newly acquired friends have mysteriously come to life overnight, launching them all into a series of misadventures as they try to keep their secret safe from neighbors, classmates, and social workers alike.

So I enjoyed this movie a lot; it was super charming, funny, and surprisingly tear-jerking. It has many metaphors about bullying, tolerance, accepting people who are different and the notion of chosen family, and overall is a great example of mixing horror and heart, which I always love.

The movie could also be described as a family-friendly version of Idle Hands and, overall, is a great recent example of modern gateway horror, which I don't think there's nearly enough of. Despite being rated R, which I don't understand, you can totally show this one to your kids, and I recommend you do.

Also, the production design on this movie is stellar, especially considering that they were on a budget. It has a strong nod to Edward Scissorhands as well as Hammer horror, and it's the kind of movie that looks like every production design detail was agonized over and is visually just beautiful.

The screenplay for The Loneliest Boy in the World has been around since the 80s and somehow took decades to produce before landing in the hands of British Director Martin Owen and his team. The movie also stars Max Harwood and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and we have them all here for you today.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation:

Always play it straight. The Loneliest Boy in the World features an ensemble cast of sentient zombies, but still, the movie manages to provide a deeply moving experience. Despite the absurdity of the situation, the actors play the roles straight and take it seriously, which helps the movie reach the viewer on an emotional level. A lot of horror movies are in danger of becoming campy, which can be a kiss of death if you want any emotional resonance, the way to avoid that is to have your actors treat the material with seriousness regardless of how absurd the situation is.

DON’T overthink it. When I asked Martin, very analytically, how he balanced the tones of horror, humor, and heart, he told me straight up that he basically just did it and didn't overthink it, and it worked... The movie has a very unique tone that's entirely its own. There are all sorts of exercises, archetypes, theories, and rules, etc., about how specific genres should be done but do we really need all of that? Yes, it's important to be aware of all of these rules, but at the end of the day, directors need to rely on their own creative intuition. Which brings me to my next point...

Learn all you can, then throw it all away. In an acting context, Max was talking about how he'd spent countless hours reviewing material for a role and then throwing it away and letting the material permeate through him naturally on the day. This concept applies to writing, directing, acting, just about any creative endeavor, and it comes down to being present and working with what's in front of you. Being over-analytical or over-attached to preconceived notions of things can be detrimental in any creative pursuit. Creative endeavors rely on presence, so learn all you can, throw it away, and let it emerge naturally. Doing this leads to more authentic, natural, ultimately more cohesive work.

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe.

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THE ACCURSED Director, Kevin Lewis [Episode 96] Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Kevin Lewis is the director of multiple features, including The Method, Downward Angel, The Drop, and The Third Nail. Last year, Kevin wowed the horror crowd with Willy's Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage, and now Kevin is back in the director's chair with his latest creation, The Accursed.

When Elly is asked by a family friend to spend a few days looking after an elderly woman living in a remote cabin, she readily agrees, thinking a short trip to the woods will be a nice escape, but the cabin turns out to be anything but relaxing as Elly begins hallucinating in ways that blur reality with her dreams. As the visions take over, Elly realizes that she was lured there by a demonic presence hiding inside of the woman, just waiting to break free.

I loved this movie, and it's hands-down one of my favorites of the year. The Accursed is a refreshingly, unabashedly fun horror movie that delivers fun and scares in equal measure on a Sam Raimi level. The Accursed is streaming on VOD beginning tomorrow, October 14th, and I recommend you put it toward the top of your Halloween watchlist - the first five minutes alone are worth the price of admission.

This is actually my second time speaking to Kevin, and if you haven't listened to the first episode, I actually recommend hearing this one first. This talk with Kevin turned out to be one of the most practical and inspiring conversations I've ever had on the podcast. Kevin is just such the real deal when it comes to directing and his level of enthusiasm is infectious, and he has many wise words for all of us. I really love this episode and will return to it frequently. Without further ado, here is the director of The Accursed, Mister Kevin Lewis.

Here are some key takeaways from this interview with Kevin:

Hook them from the beginning.

Pay close attention to the opening sequence of The Accursed, it's not only riveting, but it's a fully developed story in about five minutes. This is not only a pretty cool way to open a movie from a narrative perspective, but it's what hooked Kevin into jumping on board when he first read the script. Whether you're a writer or director, hooking the audience in the first five minutes can be very powerful, especially in horror. I really recommend studying the opening sequence of The Accursed in this context as it's a masterful example.

Know what’s important.

In his years of directing, Kevin has learned that one of the most important skills a good director has is understanding where to invest in each movie, not just money but time, effort, energy, and focus. When making movies, you likely won’t nail every ambition you have with each film, but you need to take an inventory of what’s most important for each individual movie and its production value and then prioritize those things above all else, especially when you're on a budget. To not do that makes you subject to being spread too thin and your movie being flat. If you get just a few things really right on your movie, your audience will likely forgive just about everything else, but it's important to know what those things are that will make the most impact. There's that saying if you chase two rabbits, you won't catch either one. Don't try to nail everything on every movie; figure out what's most important and focus obsessively on those things.

Live your life.

When it comes to a career in filmmaking, living a fulfilling and interesting life is important, not only for the sake of your creativity but for the sake of your longevity. As Kevin stated, the movie industry is tough and ruthless, and if you let it rule your life, it will run you into the ground and burn you out. At age 51, Kevin is having his heyday with a killer one-two punch between Willy's Wonderland and now The Accursed and multiple more movies on the way. Kevin is also a father of four and has lived his life his own way without letting the industry wear him into the ground. In other words, he didn't feel the need to sell his soul to Hollywood and sacrifice what mattered to him most, and I think this is a huge lesson.

Clearly, it's critical to be obsessively dedicated to your filmmaking craft, but detaching from this grueling industry will not only re-energize you but make you less desperate and more likely for your mind to be open and objective enough to put your best work into your project.

Anyway, thank you as always for listening - if you want to hear more from Kevin, go back and check out Episode 72, which is way more comprehensive about Kevin's backstory and the making of Willy's Wonderland. Also, don't forget to check out The Accursed, streaming on VOD, beginning tomorrow - you will not be disappointed.

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe.

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DEADSTREAM Writers/Directors, Vanessa and Joseph Winter [Episode 95] Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Deadstream is the feature directorial debut from husband-and-wife filmmaking team Vanessa and Joseph Winter that follows a disgraced internet personality who attempts to win back his followers by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house. But when he accidentally pisses off a vengeful spirit, his big comeback event becomes a real-time fight for his life.

Deadstream was a ton of fun. As a horror comedy, I was laughing pretty much throughout the course of this film which was legitimately, consistently funny. The movie even manages to pull off some legitimate scares with a surprisingly well-developed ghost story at its core. Deadstream was a sort of new breed of found footage that could be best described as livestream horror and was shot with a notably clever use of multi-cams to tell its story. All of that, plus a solid amount of gore and some very fun creature effect made Deadstream one of my favorites of the year. Don't forget to check Deadstream out on Shudder when it comes out tomorrow, October 14th.

This was a really fun conversation with Joseph and Vanessa as we got into how they got Deadstream off the ground during the beginning of the pandemic, their very insightful festival strategy, and real ghost stories about their production, which shot at an actual abandoned haunted house.

And now, please give it up for the writers and directors of Deadstream, Vanessa and Joseph Winter.

Filmmaking is the best film school.

Deciding to make your first film is one thing, but deciding what to make your first film on is a recipe for analysis paralysis, which is dangerous because it can last for an endless amount of time. However, approaching your first movie as strictly educational can be incredibly liberating. Joseph and Vanessa knew they wanted to make a feature and were able to offshoot a lot of concerns about things like the movie's financial success because they viewed the movie as a learning experience and a way to get a crucial skills that would serve them throughout the course of their careers. In the end, they learned a ton and delivered a kick-ass movie in the process. Coincidentally, offloading all of these concerns about your film can even contribute to the likelihood of your success as you're more likely to be creatively freed up to give your movie the energy and attention it deserves because you're putting less pressure on yourself.

Don’t sell yourself short.

It's incredibly easy to be too humble about your first feature. When they first started submitting to festivals, Vanessa and Joseph got some initial acceptances from smaller festivals and were understandably overjoyed. One of their associates recommended they submit to some bigger festivals, which would have meant withdrawing from the festivals they were accepted by. They were scared by this decision but did it anyway. In the end, the film got into multiple big festivals, including SXSW, ultimately leading to a deal with Shudder. Despite working extremely hard for years and putting everything they have into it, many filmmakers will still sell themselves short on their first feature as it's easy to be insecure about your lack of experience. Difficult as it may be, try to avoid this trap as there's usually very little harm in aiming too high while aiming too low can doom your movie to a smaller existence.

Create test screenings with peers.

Everyone knows that when working on your own movie, it's nearly impossible to be completely objective about it by yourself because you're way too close to it. One of the best ways to get real feedback in real time is to have an in-person peer screening. In-person screenings are way more effective than sending people screening links and asking for feedback because they're less likely to be completely honest with you, and you cannot observe them directly. Observing the collective reactions of a shared audience is an excellent tool to understand things like pacing and where the laughs & scares are and aren't. Doing so enables you to have this sense of audience empathy so you can see what works and doesn't work about your movie from the audience's perspective to inform your next edit. Another note, it's best to put these together yourself, as most of the test screenings orchestrated by studios and film companies can be full of the wrong people who can give you unhelpful feedback. Joseph and Vanessa kept their test screening to about 30 people, which seems like a magic number.

Anyway, guys, don't forget to check out Deadstream streaming on Shudder beginning October 14th - it is a ton of fun and a perfect way to ring in Halloween season. Annnd if you enjoyed this episode, why not share it with your filmmaking buddies on social media? Don't forget to subscribe today to hear new episodes right when they drop, and thank you again for listening to The Nick Taylor Horror Show.

Resources Mentioned

But What I Really Want to Do is Direct by By Ken Kwapis (NOT TO BE CONFUSED by What I Really Want to Do is Direct by Billy Frolick)

Sceneclopedia Horror: Every Scene of 25 Horror Films

Osmo Pocket Camera 4K

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DEVIL’S WORKSHOP Writer/Director Chris von Hoffman [Episode 94] Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

Chris von Hoffmann is the writer/director behind multiple features including Drifter, Monster Party, and most recently, Devil's Workshop.

In Devil’s Workshop, Clayton a struggling actor is desperate for a role as a demonologist. But he has hostile competition with his long-time rival, Donald. Determined to get the role at all costs, he contacts Eliza, an expert in demon lore, to help him prepare. Spending the weekend at her home, Eliza forces Clayton to confront his troubling past through the practice of dark rituals. Does she want to help Clayton, seduce him – or destroy him? The shocking climax will set your soul ablaze. The movie stars Timothy Granaderos and Radha Mitchell with Emile Hirsch as well.

So I actually worked on Devil's Workshop as Associate Producer AND, I am actually in the film. That's right, you can see yours truly acting, or at least trying to act, in the first and last scenes of the movie. So check me out. Devil's Workshop is available on VOD and select theatres September 30th so check your local showtimes.

In any case, I enjoyed the hell out of this conversation with Chris and hope you do too.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Chris von Hoffman.

Nobody's going to make your movie but you. Chris has directed three features, and he's likened the process of getting a movie made to pushing a boulder up a hill by yourself. Every single time. He realized early on, that nobody will ever want to make his movies more than he does, and therefore, the entire fate of the movie is on him, ALWAYS. It's your responsibility to push your movies forward, not your producer, you. Movies can evaporate so quickly; things fall through, people forget to get back to you, funds suddenly become unavailable, it's endless. You need to assume extreme responsibility and ownership for the fate of your movie because nobody will make it happen other than you there are many forces against you.

Have zero tolerance for unprofessionalism. When asked about remaining calm on set and managing his crew during difficult times, Chris mentioned that he is generally patient but has no tolerance for for blatant unprofessionalism, and I think this is a really good rule. As a director, there's a fine line between being a dictator and being a pushover. You want your crew to respect you, but if you bark orders at them and/or yell a lot, they will lose respect for you. But too much leeway and turning a blind eye can also be problematic. This is a fine balance, and a key to it is to refuse any blatantly unprofessional behavior. What is unprofessional behavior on set? You'll know it when you experience it. Movie making is chaos, and people are typically (hopefully) trying to do their best work possible, so be as patient as you can, but refuse to tolerate unprofessionalism.

You are going to catch heat, no matter what. As I mentioned in the interview, Guillermo Del Toro once likened film directing to eating a shit sandwich but with each movie you get a little bit more bread. No matter what, movie making is a game of taking a lot of shit and a lot of heat from multiple people. Arguably, films entail more decisions than just about any conceivable type of project, and people have no shortage of opinions, both creatively and professionally and people also have no shortage of judgement. Between your investors, producers, cast crew, no matter how good a job you think you're doing, you're gonna catch heat for something and be under a lot of constant scrutiny throughout the course of making your films. So get used to being in the hot seat and being comfortable being uncomfortable. But, also remember, it gets a little bit better with each movie you make.

Thank you guys for listening, don't forget to check out Devil's Workshop, available from Lionsgate on VOD and in select theaters starting tomorrow, September 30th.

Til next time, don't forget to subscribe, and thanks again for listening to the Nick Taylor Horror Show.

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WHEN THE SCREAMING STARTS Writer/Director Duo, Ed Hartland & Conor Boru [Episode 93] Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

Conor Boru & Ed Hartland are the writer/director duo behind When the Screaming Starts, a serial killer mockumentary that's somewhere between What We Do in the Shadows and Man Bites Dog.

Aidan aspires to be an infamous serial killer, and when Norman, a struggling journalist, is invited to follow him on his journey to create a Manson-esque murder cult that embarks on a blood-soaked rampage, Norman’s dream of becoming a renowned filmmaker may have just turned into a nightmare. With laughs and shocks in equal measure, When the Screaming Starts marks Conor's feature directorial debut and is streaming exclusively on Screambox.

This was a very fun interview. Conor and Ed are friends who have been working together for a long time and were finally able to come together on this movie. This is a great series of lessons on first-time feature filmmaking, balancing horror and comedy, and activating a shared mission amongst your cast and crew. Please enjoy this conversation with Conor Boru & Ed Hartland, creators of When the Screaming Starts.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Ed and Conor.

Make the film you can make RIGHT NOW. Ed and Conor have been working in film for years and were dying to make a feature together. They realized that one of the most feasible sub-genres they could make a movie in, given time, money, and immediate access, was a mockumentary, so that's what they made. They wrote the movie based on what they knew they'd be able to do immediately. A common pitfall for many would-be directors is writing overly-elaborate, multi-million dollar scripts and putting all your chips on those when more often than not, directors get their start with micro-budgets. If you're a first-timer, it's unlikely you're going to get millions to make your first feature. Now, it happens, but while you're waiting on that miracle, you could be shooting something and getting crucial feature experience right now. Make the movie you can make today.

Make it a collective effort. Ed and Conor mentioned that a lot of their cast not only worked for free but actually invested money in the movie. This is pretty amazing and definitely unheard of. Conor even mentioned that unions in the UK are different from the US, but the point is still clear; they turned their movie into an asset and an opportunity for their collaborators; something they could be proud of that shows what they're capable of. For the actors, he gave them a lot of screen time and leeway to do what they wanted so the movie could act as a calling card for future project and help their careers. This is a very business-like mindset, but it's this kind of communal, mission-driven sensibility can enable you to take your move a lot further - when you and your cast all stand to gain from the movie in equal measure, you will all be rowing in the same direction. Of course, you have got to make it worth their while. Jason Blum typically does a great job of this as well.

Harness the power of momentum. Making a movie requires a debilitating amount of decisions to be made, details to be coordinated, and endless opportunities for analysis paralysis. Ed and Conor had their idea for the movie but didn't wait for things to be perfect before they started making plans. It's critical that you start taking action, making decisions, and scheduling dates for your projects - even if they're arbitrary or temporary. Once you have tangible dates and deadlines, things start to move because the movie suddenly becomes real to you and your collaborators. Find a way to get the snowball rolling so it gains momentum by any means necessary. You'll likely have to reschedule countless times, but just get it started and build momentum til the finish line.

Thanks for listening, and don't forget to check out When the Screaming Starts, exclusively streaming on Screambox.

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PUSSYCAKE Director, Pablo Parés [Episode 92] Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Pablo Parés is an Argentinian filmmaker who's worked on over 15 movies as director or producer. His films include I am Toxic, Plaga Zombie, and Damonium: Soldier of the Underworld. His latest feature Pussycake is a rollicking good time. It's been called Josie and the Pussycats meets Evil Dead, and it delivers on that promise.

The movie mixes equal parts Peter Jackson zombie insanity with creature effects and tons of blood, guts, and vomit along the way. The movie is very stimulating visually and punches way above its weight as a low-budget feature. You can stream Pussycake right now on Screambox.

Pablo was a lot of fun to talk to. We got into his director origin story, the background on how he got Pussycake off the ground, and the infrastructure of filmmakers he's built that allows him to consistently make the movies he wants to make without any studio interference.

Without further ado, here is the mind behind Pussycake, Pablo Parés.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Pablo.

Think infrastructure. Pablo has a group of people who he's been making movies with for years. Most of them do a ton of different jobs, but they have similar tastes and the same mission, so every time they're ready to make a movie, they can lock and load and get it made because they not only have a shorthand working relationship with each other but they have an infrastructure.

Also, every time they sell one movie, they use those funds to make the next movie. This is a self-sustaining, self-feeding ecosystem that ultimately allows Pablo and his team to do what they want. It took him a long time to create, but it’s never too late to start nourishing your own filmmaking collective and your own infrastructure. Regardless, it's important to build relationships with people who want to make the same kind of crazy shit that you do.

Lean into limitations. On Pablo‘s previous movie, I am Toxic, he couldn’t afford contact lenses for his zombie eyes, so he created a type of zombies that were so dry they didn't have eyes. This gave them a very cool aesthetic comparable to Lucio Fulci's Zombie - this is the approach he took throughout the movie, which allowed him to make a post-apocalyptic wasteland on an extremely low budget. This is an example of a filmmaker working with his budget as opposed to against it. When you work with your budget, your movie feels a lot more cohesive, intentional, and you can get away with so much more to serve your production value.

Make everything intentional. Pablo said that he notices a lot of monotony in newer horror movies that look the same and have the same tone, which is absolutely true. He went on to say that lot of filmmakers don’t even think about distinguishing the look and feel of their films which is causing these movies to become homogenized and all feel very similar. As a director, every choice you make in a movie should have an intention behind it, nothing should be happenstance. Don't get too precious, and don't be a dictator, but realize that your job as a director is to direct, every single last detail. Jordan Peele does an exquisite job of this, as did Stanley Kubrick. Clearly, these are huge directors, but if you look at Pablo's work on Pussycake, he was able to do so much on a low budget, and his movie, his characters, and their costumes all had an iconic feel to them because he labored over each detail and made them his own.

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe.

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BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL’s Alex Brightman [Bonus] Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Beetlejuice will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Every Saturday morning, Beetlejuice was my go-to cartoon, and my VHS of the movie practically melted from being watched so much. I had the action figures, the soundtrack, and the Halloween costume (as a child and as an adult). It wasn’t only my quintessential gateway horror movie, but it also shaped a lifelong unapologetic appreciation for all things weird and macabre. The movie had a “lightning in a bottle” combination of a devilishly rebellious spirit and a singularity of vision that introduced the world to the wonders of Tim Burton. It was and forever will be an iconic and magical movie and a very important part of me.

The movie is just as sacred to countless others for all of the same reasons, which is likely why the Beetlejuice sequels and remakes have remained in production hell for decades. How can you possibly reimagine a classic that means so much to so many people? The answer: turn it into a musical.

Despite being a little apprehensive at first, what struck me within the first ten minutes of Beetlejuice: the Musical was that it was developed with a tremendous amount of love and respect for the original movie. The show encompasses all of the many facets of what made the movie so great while expanding on the story in very inventive ways. It even has several nods to the cartoon, which just made me happy.

This is a killer show, and I urge you to go see it if you're in the New York area. The costumes, the music, the humor, and the insanely elaborate Burtonesque sets and visuals are an overwhelming and blissful experience for fans of the original, plus the anarchistic spirit of lewdness and rudeness from the movie is retained in full force. The show will be on tour beginning in December so if you can't make it to New York, check and see if it's coming your way at: beetlejuicebroadway.com/tour.

The show is ignited by the performance of Alex Brightman as Beetlejuice. Alex Brightman is an actor, singer, and two-time Tony Award Nominated Actor. He was nominated for his roles on Broadway as Dewey Finn in the musical adaptation of School of Rock and as the title character in Beetlejuice the Musical. After shuttering due to COVID, Beetlejuice is back on Broadway. We sat down with Alex to catch up on what the experience was like as well as how he created his take on the iconic & beloved character of Beetlejuice. Please enjoy this interview with Alex Brightman.

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The Adams Family; Makers of HELLBENDER and THE DEEPER YOU DIG [Episode 91] Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

John Adams, Lulu Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser are a family who write, produce, star in, and edit all of their films themselves. Together they've produced multiple features, including KNUCKLE JACK, RUMBLESTRIPS, THE HATRED, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, and most recently HELLBENDER which you can watch right now on Shudder on The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.

With HELLBENDER, the family shot the movie around the country during the pandemic using gear they bought themselves. The Adams Family is one of the most self-sufficient filmmaking outfits I've ever seen. They make all of their movies entirely on their own and don't rely on any traditional studio ecosystems whatsoever.

As filmmakers, they do a particularly beautiful job of leaning into their relatively low budgets by making very singular and unique movies where every detail feels intentional. This is a testament to one of their greatest strengths as filmmakers, which is their resourcefulness. This conversation is a great lesson in economic filmmaking and low-budget features that don't feel low budget because the filmmakers embraced what they had access to.

I really loved this conversation; the Adams Family are a bunch of very enthusiastic, inspiring, and passionate filmmakers with a lot to teach all of us.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with The Adams Family.

Just do it. Toby, Lulu, Zelda, and John write, direct, act in, edit, color correct, and score all of their movies themselves. From the beginning, they didn't wait for permission or approval or for a deal; but instead, they took an inventory of what they had access to and wrote and produced movies around that. A lot of would-be filmmakers tend to have these big elaborate plans and expensive concepts for scripts that require lots of money and collaborators when sometimes the best way to get something off the ground is by using what is right in front of you and crafting a movie around that. Robert Rodriguez speaks extensively about this very concept in his book, REBEL WITHOUT A CREW, which is a must-read for any filmmaker.

Use mother nature as your DP. There is a naturally beautiful aesthetic that comes with using natural light as well as a more grounded production design. (See Robert Eggers' THE WITCH). And, despite its obvious limitations, natural light is free. The Adams Family cites mother nature as their best DP and recommends not fighting against whatever nature gives you but embracing it and working with it, and using it to serve your movie. As a result, their movies have a gritty and very natural beauty to them, which gives them a very recognizable aesthetic.

Channel your current state into your writing. After a family crisis, Toby was going through a very difficult time period when writing the script for THE DEEPER YOU DIG. She ended up channeling her feelings into her writing, and the experience was not only cathartic, but her emotions were palpable in the movie itself. The Deeper You Dig has moments that are so chilling and get so deep under your skin, and it's clear that the movie's power comes from Toby's real and raw emotion. Even Quentin Tarantino stated that if you're not putting your current emotions into your writing, you're doing it wrong.

Thanks as always for listening, don't forget to subscribe.

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YELLOW VEIL on Producing Boundary-Breaking Indie Horror [Episode 90] Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick are the trio behind Yellow Veil, a NY/LA-based worldwide film sales and distribution company with a focus on horror and boundary-pushing genre cinema. Their slate includes Luz, I Trapped the Devil, Blood Quantum, The Cleansing Hour, Hellbender, Depraved, Sator, and most recently, Gaspar Noe's Lvx Æterna.

In this conversation, Hugues, Justin, and Joe get into how they came together as a company, keys to successfully producing boundary-pushing indie movies, and what they look for in the movies they produce. Without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Yellow Veil.

Here are some key takeaways from this interview.

Unanimous love is a must. As a company, the guys have different tastes, but the DNA of their slate requires a mutual love of every movie they put out. Producing movies is grueling, lengthy, complicated, and backbreaking work. If you're not all in and don't have passion to make it through the tough times, you're simply not going to pull your weight. Because of this, Hughes, Joe, and Justin all agreed that they need to all love each movie they work on as their mutual passion will motivate them to push each movie through and forward to completion.

Trust your gut. When selecting movies, Hughes, Joe, and Justin don't use any Moneyball metrics or read Hollywood Reporter headlines to see what's popular and then make films based on perceived audience interest or what's considered hot right now. Instead, they trust their gut. If they see a movie that's totally off the wall and unlike anything they've ever seen, they rely on an intangible intuitive gut feeling to tell them whether or not to pull the trigger on it. The danger of always relying on data and proven formulas is you'll ultimately make derivative movies. However, it's still important to see everything and be aware of what's popular. In the 80s, Brian Yuzna and Stuart Gordon binge-watched every single horror movie that came out in the previous two years. They didn't do it to see what was popular and then make movies based on the same things. No, instead, they wanted to see what audiences were seeing so they could deliver something completely fresh and different instead of a copycat or coattail riding film, and as a result, they came up with Reanimator. All of this comes down to gut instinct, not what's trendy.

Support first-timers. All you first-timers, listen up, Yellowveil loves working with first-time directors. They claim that there’s a blissful ignorance of what you’re allowed to do and not allowed to do, which makes many first films very exciting and different. Embrace that in yourself. Don’t try to make your movie fit into a box - the public needs to see your unique raw vision in a way that hasn’t been tampered with. So all of you who are insecure about your lack of experience can rest assured that this insecurity could very well be your greatest strength as a director.

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe.

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Season 3 Return Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

Hello dear listeners, Nick Taylor here - I apologize for my unannounced recent absence. Many of you have been extremely sweet online, talking about how much you miss the show and wondering when new episodes will be dropping, and I am very, very humbled and appreciative of every one of you. Here to announce that the show will be returning on September first! We got some great guests coming up, so please stay tuned, and thank you as always for listening.

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