Forbidden Powers: An Interview With Paul Kyriazi

Way back in July of 2009 I had the great pleasure of interviewing writer and director Paul Kyriazi. It was the very first one I ever did. In many ways it changed the direction of this blog. Along with becoming friends with Paul. With the Cathode Ray Mission's anniversary I asked Paul if he'd like to do a follow up interview so many years ago.


Since our last interview way back in 2009, you’ve been writing and have a new movie out this year! How have things been? 

The last year has been very exciting, Shane. I spent five months in Seattle directing my 7th feature film as well as doing all the post-production there at Victory Studios. I’ve spent the last years, since directing Omega Cop, making full-cast audio-books from my novels using stars of the ‘60s such as Rod Taylor (The Birds, The Time Machine), David Hedison (The Fly, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) and Robert Culp (I SPY).

When my long-time producer friend at Victory Studios purchased a Dragon 6K video camera and then Amazon started letting independent producers upload their own movies and have the proceeds go directly into the producer’s banks, instead of distributors stealing the money, I decided it was the perfect time to make my next feature. And not just any feature, but a story that I was just aching to produce.

Can you tell us a little about your new film Forbidden Power?

I’ve always like stories  where the hero suddenly becomes empowered. Limitless was one of the more recent movies. Wolf with Jack Nicholson is another, as well as Luc Besson's LUCY.  The Star Trek episode with Gary Lockwood; Where No Man Has Gone Before was also about an empowered man.


As much as I like those stories, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the stories or how the standard way the heroes were empowered; drugs and animal bites. Plus, the heroes had too much power such as in Lucy or the Lockwood Star Trek episode. I wanted a hero that is empowered just enough to have the edge on his business associates and his money-making capacities. Of course, he's sexually stronger and more ambitious, which gets him into trouble.


What inspired the creation of the film’s story? 

In real life, I've known men, including myself, who have become empowered after starting a relationship with a new woman. Of course, that is all mental. But what if a woman has some mysterious power that she can pass on sexually? Now that idea has not been done in movies that I know about, so that was my starting point. And then the question comes to mind; when did she get her power from and why does she choose certain men to give that power to?

 Not thinking about doing it as a movie, I quickly wrote up a 100-page novella to satisfy my creative urge of getting the story down on paper and putting it on Amazon as a kindle book. And as I mentioned, the timing was right to take a chance and make the movie.

Forbidden Power has a good, likable cast. Lincoln Bevers, Nasanin Nuri, Ben Leiataua, Harry Mok and Hannah Janssen to name a few. What where they like to work with?

The entire cast was great. Because of budgetary conditions, we all had to work efficiently, sometimes filming five completed scenes a day at various locations around Seattle. The cast could sense this. All of them had some stage or film experience so they knew their lines and ready to go on each scene.

It was difficult to cast the ‘mysterious woman’ as she had to be a Native American woman of a certain age and willing to do the required nudity. I searched Seattle where most of the cast came from, but didn't have any luck, so my co-producer put an add in a casting magazine and Nasanin sent in her photo from New York. So, we flew her into Seattle to film her scenes. Except for staging, I didn't have to do any directing for any of the actors, except in a few scenes.


What was it like for you to be in the director’s chair again? Scary? Exciting?

I’ve been directing movies small and large since I was 15 years old, so it was just ‘business as usual’. Shooting in digital made it much easier than film with a Panavision camera. We had a large TV monitor on the set and I could see exactly what we were getting. Also, the lighting is much easier and faster with digital. So, the experience was great, and I could move fast. However, it was a very ambitious project with a large cast for the schedule I could afford, so we had some tough working days.

The movie is mostly a drama punctuated by sudden explosions of action. But I didn't have the time for those actions sequences like I had on Weapons of Death or Death Machines, so I concentrated to make the action surprising instead of large scale.

Many of your films feature the martial arts in some way. What kind of influence have they had on your life?

When I saw James Bond use judo and karate in Dr. No, I immediately joined a karate school. My teacher introduced me to samurai movies, so all my 16mm movies and then features including martial arts in them.

The training of martial arts has a lot of personal discipline and training that is sometime not comfortable, so those that taught me to work through and persevere though tough financial times I had in the past between movie jobs.


There’s quite a few special effects shots in Forbidden Power. Was it a daunting prospect, dealing with visual effects for the film?

I knew what I could do with CGI effects because I searched them on the internet and learned what I needed to. For example, there is a train wreck in the middle of Las Vegas that we needed to do. Some of the crew members thought that we couldn’t pull that off with the budget, but I knew I could show the crash in long shot a few seconds at a time and have insert shots to distract from a weak CGI shot. However, the crash came out so good that I didn’t need the inserts and just held on the long shot of the train crashing into the New York, New York hotel, and knocking over the statue of liberty replica. It worked out great.

Ninja Busters and Death Machines have both had blu-ray releases in the last few years. Have you been involved with these new releases? What’s it like to see them getting the HD upgrade treatment?

Yes, I was involved with both of them and did the director’s commentary on them. I also did an on camera video intro for them. For Ninja Busters, I went to a ninja village amusement park and filmed there. For Death Machines, I filmed it outside a temple in Japan and worked that into my intro.


What is your creative process like when coming up with a novel or screenplay?

Well Shane, because on a lower budget I don’t have name actors such as I did on Omega Cop with Adam ‘Batman’ West, so I have to be sure to grab the audience right away in the first scene, add some mystery that has to be explained so that they keep watching.

My mental technique of writing both novels and screenplays is to think of the view watching my story on TV while he holds a remote control in his hand pointing it at the TV and thinking, “Okay, this is interesting. I’ll watch one more scene. Okay, one more scene. And then he finally is at the end of the movie.

In Forbidden Power, the hero has to decide to invite the mysterious woman to his hotel room or not. When he goes to the lobby ATM to get cash (thinking she’s a pro) and then buys condoms, I’ve got the male viewers hooked for sure. From there I have to keep them hooked. That’s what I do for every scene until the end. Keep that suspense, interest and pace up so I don’t lose the view because Bruce Willis or Brad Pitt is not in the movie.

What’s next for you? Another film?

I was thinking about doing my novel McKnight’s Memory as a movie. I already made an audio-book with Frank Sinatra Jr. narrated it about a CIA agent with amnesia. But then when I started getting good reviews on Forbidden Power from movie web sites with some of the reviewers saying, ‘I hope there’s a sequel’, so I decided to do that. But mostly because I like to do ‘weird and surprising’ action-drama scenes that keep the audience interested.

I’ll have to see how the fan base for the first movie builds over the next months as it is now available for rental on Amazon. If there are enough fans, then I’ll dive into the sequel.


Nice talking with you, Paul. And good luck with your new movie.

Thanks, Shane. It was fun talking with you.

Check out Forbidden Power on Amazon here! 

The Sounds of Terror: An Interview with Dante Tomaselli

It's been awhile since I had the privilege of interviewing director, musician and good friend of this very blog, Dante Tomaselli. As part of my anniversary celebration I caught up with Dante on what he's been up to since finishing Torture Chamber.  


Since we last spoke Torture Chamber has come out. How do you feel about the finished film?

I was disappointed by the cover art the distributor slapped on. Vivendi Entertainment originally bought Torture Chamber but then a lot of their titles were sold to this other distributor, Cinedigm. Thankfully the film transfer is solid. But this company, Cinedigm didn't involve me in the process of choosing the cover art. I was very upset when the DVD was first mailed to me. The cover...awful. Plus it had nothing to do with the film. I mean, if I saw this while scanning titles at a store I would pass over it instantly. So even I - the director - wouldn't have seen my own movie!  As far as the film itself, if I look at Torture Chamber as a mood piece or ambient horror film...I think it works pretty well for its low budget...although it might be too droning. The story is told through a series of dreams, flashbacks and hallucinations. When I experience Torture Chamber through the eyes of a person who doesn't necessarily enjoy non linear rides, I can see all its flaws crystal clear. In the light of day, I can see there were some pacing issues and some of the characters...cardboard cut-out...I can now understand what the film lacked and probably what was lacking in my past projects too and that is...flesh and blood characters. Real people we can root for and identity with. Stephen King has a knack for that. Most of my characters are more like dream symbols than real people. Maybe that works for a small cult audience craving a bizarre sensory experience but if I ever really want to expand on my vision and grow as a storyteller and bring my style to a wider audience, I need to relinquish control in the screenplay department. That's why I brought on a seasoned writer, Michael Gingold as co-writer for my next upcoming projects.

Besides directing you've made four albums. Can you tell us a little about what drew you to make music?

Well, I moved from the NYC/north New Jersey area to south Jersey. Actually I moved on the day of Hurricane Sandy which was on my birthday, October 29th, 2012. Everything was flooded. There was so much damage everywhere...cars floating in the streets. A rollercoaster halfway in and out of the ocean. It was almost apocalyptic. And I remember committing to myself that I was going to take piano lessons and get back into music. I was ready to devote all my energies to music. Once the storm subsided, I walked right into the first music store I could find...Royal Music in Toms River and asked if there was anyone who could give me piano lessons. Growing up, I always played an instrument...trumpet, guitar, little casio keyboards but I forgot how to read notes, read music and I wanted to learn again. At the music store I met Don Olson, who taught me some piano on my Roland Fantom X6 synthesizer. Soon he became my sound engineer and we switched over to the computer where he helped me to sound edit on my own. I scored every one of my films but I didn't physically sound edit them. Sure I told the editors exactly what I wanted but it's different to be the sole person at the keyboard. Now that I had my own home recording studio it was really intoxicating mixing all the sounds and elements on my own, totally alone. I became addicted. I shut the outside world and lost myself in the production of each album.

Your music albums each tell a story. Do the stories start in your head or do they evolve as you create the music?

Scream in the Dark was really my love letter to Halloween soundscape albums like Sounds to Make You Shiver and Chilling,Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House. Growing up, I got lost in the eerie howling winds and thunderstorms and creepy, thick atmospheres. Also I loved John Carpenter soundtracks—huge influence—­so I decided to create an album of my own. I knew I wanted the listener to feel trapped in a maze-like funhouse during a stormy Halloween night. I designed it so each track is different, a series of moods, like mini-horror films that crystallize in your mind...with titles like Death's Door and Chamber of Horrors. Scream in the Dark was named after a real funhouse from the 70's in New Jersey that I was too young to experience...It existed only in my mind because my older brother and sisters spoke about it in hushed tones. It was supposed to be very scary! I used to play organ music around this time and had a chalk board above the organ and I'd draw haunted houses and fantasize about the interior of this funhouse. All my music is fantasizing...It starts with an image or word or scene and then I score it. I kind of go on a hunt to try and find and re-create the soundscapes that I'm craving. Scream in the Dark was personal because when I was growing up the one thing that made me really happy and tingling with excitement...was the idea of having my very own funhouse. Just the thought of it...the fantasy...released serotonin in my brain. Sometimes I used to create makeshift funhouses with my best friend and a wheelchair and I'd glide the subject in and out of different themed rooms. Scream in the Dark, the album felt like a natural progression...A sonic haunted house. 

Who are your musical influences? 

The Cars, Depeche Mode, John Carpenter, Jean Michel Jarre, Coil, Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes, Devo, Tangerine Dream, Marc Almond, David Ball, Gary Numan, Severed Heads, Wendy Carlos, Vince Clarke, Alan Wilder, Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Laurie Anderson, OMD, Thomas Dolby, Mort Garson...I could go on and on.

This might be like having to choose a favorite child, but do you have one album that's your favorite?

Probably Witches, my new instrumental album. It kind of feels like I'm crossing over into new terrain with the addition of William S. Burroughs' inspired 'cut-up technique.'  For a lot of songs on Witches, I purchased actual sermons of cult murderer Jim Jones...I bought these sermons and cut them into little pieces and sprinkled them throughout the soundscapes like magic mushrooms. Also, new on this album is the inclusion of beats and pulses. I used to find it difficult to conjure music with beats since I usually gravitate to a more sprawling, spacious atmosphere but lately I add pulses almost every time. A concert I saw in Manhattan...John Carpenter...really helped shape some of the material. His songs are usually short, tight and punchy. The concert was spectacular...and it was kind of a spiritual experience seeing my musical and cinematic idol perform right in front of me. I even got teary eyed on a couple of songs like The Fog. So many memories flooded back. Carpenter's performance with his band and smoke and background clips from the film...Wow. I was in horror heaven. After that emotionally-charged evening, Witches took shape.

Your films are making their way to Blu-ray. Are you involved in the process of upgrading them from DVD to Blu?

I was totally involved in creating the HD master for Torture Chamber that was sent to the European distributor (Ascot Elite Home Entertainment) when it was released on Blu-ray in Germany. Desecration will be coming out on Blu-ray through Code Red soon and an announcement is upcoming. I worked on the master Digibeta with a post company called WorkEdit in NYC and Chris Morton at ImagiMedia in California took over with the HD transfer. It's culled from a Digibeta master because the Super 16mm film itself is missing. Image Entertainment's 2000 release of Desecration was also transferred from this exact Digibeta master. Bill Olsen at Code Red really really wanted the image to come straight from the film negative, as I can understand...and he pushed for me to find it. A print was made only once...for its world premiere and soon it was gone. I searched and searched and it's just gone. I have an odd theory the Vatican secretly confiscated my nun nightmare around the time it made its world premiere at the 1999 Fantafestival in Rome, Italy. I don't know...Maybe an Italian nun or priest alleged blasphemy over the film's scissor attack sequence where an innocent nun is brutally slashed by a pair of floating scissors. I was very happy that Code Red kept me in the loop with the making of the Blu-ray cover. I was in contact with artist David Levine as he created the cover art image with the strange, glowing nun portraits.

Our last interview was back in 2011. Do you see it as being different now then back then?  How do you feel about where horror cinema is right now?

Horror cinema feels a bit stagnant at the moment though I really admired The Babadook and there are some artists like Chris Garetano, Ted Geoghegan, Larry Fessenden, Jeremiah Kipp, Rob Galluzzo, Adam Barnick, Dan Wilder, John Fallon and Jim Mickle who stand-out. Jim Mickle (Stake Land) actually worked on my film, Satan's Playground in the camera department and I remember he drove me home one night and we talked about horror movies non-stop. Other than that I'm not really sure as I prefer older horror films.

The world now more then ever seems like it's gone crazy. Do you feel we need horror stories as a catharsis for all the real world horrors?

Definitely. This world we live in is very frightening and it appears as if humans are going backwards. Lots of religion...cloaked in evil. There's an anti-christ-like energy...looming...that's all about pent up rage. Nuclear war feels almost inevitable. My films are really about peeling back layers of pain and guilt buried in the unconscious mind. I'm trying to construct a nightmare in which we experience the protagonist's damnation.

Have you ever considered working in any other genre than horror?

No. I'm here for horror.

Can you give us any details about your next film The Doll?

It's a horror shocker about a haunting at a family owned wax museum in Salem. Michael Gingold is co-writer and the goal is to make it as scary as possible with its emphasis on supernatural mayhem and an antique porcelain doll. I'm very close to starting production...I just need to secure all the funding. This movie is at my fingertips. I'm painfully pregnant with The Doll and it's violently clawing at my insides.

What would be your dream project as a director? 

Halloween. Sequel. Only if I had John Carpenter's blessing, of course.

Any parting words for the readers?

Taste color. Touch sound.


For Dante's movies and music head here for sights and sounds of pure horror. 

Chainsaw Strippers and Coal Miners: An interview With Sevé Schelenz

Recently I had the pleasure to talk to Sevé Schelenz the Director/Producer of Peelers. A gory new indie horror film making the rounds at various film festivals. The story of Peelers involves Coal Miners, Strippers and a deadly outbreak.

How did you first get interested in film making?

After seeing films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars I was hooked on the idea of making movies.  I wanted to recreate the same excitement and joy I got from watching those flicks.  Of course, easier said than done!  I quickly learned the enormous undertaking that is filmmaking.   But I decided to dive in and started making short videos starring my friends and family (whether they wanted to or not).  Each one of my little "projects" got slightly bigger in production and, I would like to think, better, as I starting learning the hard lessons that come with putting a film together. Eventually my guidance counselor in high school came to me and asked that dreaded question, "What do you want to do with your life?"  Of course, I didn't even think about my love of film.  So, I avoided him as much as possible until he cornered me one day and told me that there was such a thing as a film career.  At that point I was all in.  I studied and graduated film at York University in Toronto and proceeded to work in the industry.  Sticking to post production to pay the bills, I quickly learned a lot of the tricks from professionals on how to film.  As I continued to work for the man, I found that the creative side was really suffering and so I promised myself I would get back to making my own films.  So, I took all my knowledge from both school and the real world and sat down to make a feature film.  Skew was my first horror feature film and it went on to premiere in over 50 festivals, won a bunch of awards and has been distributed around the world.  I followed this up with the horror feature Peelers which has just recently hit the festival circuit and is getting a lot of buzz. I'm certainly enjoying this time to promote the film, but, never one to stand still, I continue to develop the next few projects and we'll see what gets greenlit next.

Strippers. Coal Miners. An epidemic. That's a crazy mix! How did the story for Peelers come about?

After our first feature film Skew did its festival run and distribution, my sales agent asked me, "So, what's next?" I actually had a number of features that I was developing (both by myself and with others) but most were either comedies, thrillers, or sci-fi. He told me flat out that I should do another horror. I did have a horror film in mind, but it wasn't on the forefront of my projects (and it wasn't Peelers). I asked him what he thought would be a good sell. He said, "More blood and more boobs." Well, quite honestly, that didn't interest me. I was more into anticipation-building and psychological horror. But I went away and thought to myself, "I know I can get the blood in there, no problem, but what about the nudity?" I just wasn't interested in having gratuitous boob shots. There had to be a reason for it. So, I thought, "Where would we see nudity and accept it for being there?  A strip club." So I did some research and it turned out there were not a lot of stripper horror films, and of the ones I found, they just weren't that great. So, I felt there was an untapped sub-genre of horror there. I went to Devits, our screenwriter, and asked her if she would be interested in writing the script. I had three requests of her and they were: a strong female character(s) who kicked ass, a deft story and some good twists. Devits' eyes went wide and then she told me a story about an incident that happened to her while she was at a strip club in Las Vegas. From there, Peelers was born. Oh, and if you want to know that story, just ask Devits. She'll tell it the best.

How did the production of Peelers go?

Production for Peelers went surprisingly well. I say "surprisingly" because not only was this a bigger production than my last feature, but it was just an overall ambitious project for an indie film on such a small budget.  With so many characters, so much blood and the goal to give a good look to the film, we had a lot on our plate to get though in a short amount of time. Thankfully we had a hell of a cast and crew. The camera department alone (lead by my amazing DOP Lindsay George) was stellar and kept things moving along at a good pace and delivered amazing shots.  The cast was super prepared and fun to work with and that kept the film in check.  For me, surrounding myself with a lot of people who do their jobs really well, are ambitious and genuinely excited to be there is the key.  Also, pre-production.  I can't stress this enough, but a thorough pre-production process will help make production go smoother.  So, for all you young filmmakers out there, please use your pre-production time wisely. You can avoid a lot of hassles on set if you do.  Of course, there will always be surprises in production no matter how prepared you are, so just accept this too.  For us, for example, our VFX Supervisor was detained by the police for allegedly having counterfeit money.  Also, our SPFX Supervisor decided to over-fill the squibs on our first bullet shots of production.  Ask me about these two instances and many others over a beer some time.

What challenges did you face budget wise?

Everything. Simply put, true indie films have to be creative to keep within the budget. Every department in the film is given only so much money to make it work so you not only have to be inventive in pre-production, but on set as well.  One of the tricks is to try and keep everything within one shooting location.  Yes, we had a bar to shoot in for Peelers, but all the rooms within that bar did not actually exist.  We built fake walls for several of the rooms and had set dec fix them up.  Not only that, but we doubled and sometimes tripled rooms to make it look like a different location in the bar. Another trick we did to cut costs was for the gun shots in the film.  Our SPFX Supervisor, Keir Vichert, came up with a very unique way to use compressed air instead of the standard squibs for gun shots.  Funny enough, in the end they look fantastic and arguably better than if we paid for the squibs. As a matter of fact, a little shout-out to Keir and his amazing SPFX team as they did some remarkable stuff on the film.

Where did the bulk of the filming take place?

We scouted for a location for Peelers for quite some time.  We needed a bar to shoot in for about two weeks.  This was near impossible as most bars were open for business so we could only shoot during their off hours. We figured out pretty quick that we needed a bar that was already shut down so we could have access to it 24-7.  Of course, this is easier said than done. But as luck would have it, a friend of mine told me about an old country bar near his home that had been closed for some time, so we went and checked it out.  It was perfect.  But the owners had just sold it to another company that wanted to demolish it and rebuild within six months.  Thankfully they weren't in any big rush and we were able to convince them to let us use it before demolishing it.  It was absolute perfect timing.  The place was ours 24-7 for two months.  We couldn't have planned it better.

What's it like taking Peelers around to various film festivals?

It's been a blast taking Peelers to festivals so far!  The audiences are really digging it. We've had great crowds so far and they've been really into the movie.  The best part is taking a seat with the audience and watching the movie with everyone.  Just seeing their reactions to the film for the first time has been awesome.  At one screening, we had just sat down after introducing the film and and a couple of people arrived late.  They sat right behind myself and the writer, Lisa DeVita.  We got to hear their comments all the way through because they didn't know we were the filmmakers.  That was pretty funny. Especially during the jump scares.  We have only begun our festival run and some of the big horror fests are coming up.  We've actually received an early invitation to screen Peelers at one of the top horror fests in the world.  The notice is so early that we can't even officially announce it!  So, pretty stocked about that.  Oh, and I encourage your readers to seek out the film when it's playing at a festival.  Especially if someone from the film is there for the Q&A.  It's an experience you won't get anywhere else.

Tell us a little about your previous film, Skew?

I really loved making Skew.  It was a smaller film with an intimate cast and crew.  It was a very different film than Peelers.  Skew was shot as POV (or what most horror fans would like to call "found footage").  At the time, I didn't have the sort of budget or technology needed to create a "traditional" style film.  As a matter of fact, I went to several festivals with Skew and when I watched many of the other "traditionally shot" films, they really stood out as looking a little off.  At the time, high quality HD was not as accessible and most indie films were shot on HDV or 1080.  In my opinion, this, compounded with the "video look" didn't bode well for a lot of those films.  Since 2011, better quality like 4K is much more accessible and many DOPs have really mastered the look of this format.  So much so that you can now get away with making a good looking film and not worry about it looking too "video-ish".  Sorry, went off on a tangent there... Skew did really well as it was in over 50 festivals, won a handful of awards and had distribution around the world.  It really was the little film that could.

What directors have had an influence on you?

The reason I got into filmmaking was due to Spielberg and Lucas.  Not only because both filmmakers knew how to create fun and exciting movies, but they genuinely loved making them.  Every photo or interview I saw of them, they had this glint in their eye and it has never left them to this day. Especially Spielberg.  Even at his age today and with all the films he's worked on, Spielberg has this childlike grin that says he loves what he's doing. In university, I was introduced to Tarantino.  I was blown away by not only his storytelling style as a writer and director, but his knowledge and passion for film.  Love or hate his films, you can't deny his love of filmmaking.  I can only hope to achieve that level of movie-making one day and I'll keep working at it till I do.

What are you working on now?

Although we have a lot of work (and fun) to attend to for our film festival run on Peelers, we have a number of projects at different stages that we're working on.  We have a finished script that we're shopping around right now and another one on the go.  Funny enough, although we have another horror feature idea, it's early on in the stages for that one.  We've been focusing on some other genres and are really pumped with what we've got.  Sorry to be a little aloof on the exact subject of each, but we like to hold our cards close to our chest until a project has reached the actual production stage. Check back with us soon and we'll keep you posted.

Any advice for aspiring filmmakers?  

I have this specific message that pops up on my phone every time I hang up.  So, good or bad, no matter the phone call, I always see this message and it keeps me going even on the days I'd like to sleep through.  It's very simple.  It reads: "Never give up!"  I'd like to pass that along to every young and aspiring filmmaker.  This industry is very hard to work in as a creative type.  There are so many obstacles to get through that you feel like you're alone in the fight.  That can be very frustrating and the easy way out of it is to say, "Screw it.  It's not worth it."  But let me tell you, it is.  If you've got a story to tell and you want to put your vision out there, then you have to work at it every single day.  It will pay off for you.  It's the ones who keep going that win.  And remember this, even if you you're not yet at the level of the game you hoped you'd be at at this point in time, you're putting yourself out there and making the attempt, and that's more than most people can say.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. 

Thanks so much for the interview, Shane.  Had a blast answering your questions.  I want your readers to know that if they like indie films, they need to get out and support their local film festivals.  This is the best way to see the films you may never get a chance to see on the big screen anywhere else.  I guarantee you will have an amazing experience seeing Peelers at a film fest!  Especially if some of the cast/crew will be attending.  I've been to a couple of festivals already to represent the film and the audience has really gotten a kick out of it.  The bigger the audience, the better the experience.  It's been a blast!!

From Beyond the Grave: An Interview With Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro

Recently I had the pleasure to interview Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro. Director of Beyond the Grave.

What made you want to go into film?

I want to share my imagination, create worlds and transform our own through emotions and ideas. I flirted with music, comic books, literature and drawing in my childhood and teens, but I only felt truly comfortable with filmmaking. So, what made me go into film is the feeling that it is my call, something as natural as breathing. When I am on a film set, I feel like I am in the arms of someone I love.

Can you tell us a little about story of Beyond the Grave and how the story came about?

It’s a yarn about a good guy searching for a bad guy and trying to kill him. Except the good guy is not really all that good and the bad guy is something else entirely, a post-human being. The story came about from my love of cinema and literature. Looking from afar, it feels like the most personal film I can ever make and at the same time it feels very impersonal. I stole from my life, from things I love and tried to create the film for my ideal audience: the Davi and Isidoro (Guggiana, the producer) from the 1990s, those two kids that always looked into VHS films looking for weird looking stuff.  This is a weird film for weird kids.

What was it like shooting on 22 day schedule?

It was a luxury I was not mature enough to understand. I learned during the process of "Beyond the Grave" that I had never really directed a film. My shorts were kind of experimental and on the fly. This was the first time I had the chance and the obligation of doing something that was professional. It was really fun and an experience that I always remember fondly. The time was short - as was the money! - for a film of this scope and ambition, so I learned to be very good at adapting myself to what the film was offering in terms of actors, locations, situations. It was a very inventive ambiance and taught me to be patient and creative.

What other challenges did you face making Beyond the Grave?

It was a very slow paced in post-production, with a lot of visual effects and rigorous sound design. It took a lot of tenacity to go to the finish line and a lot of financial sacrifice.

What is the Brazilian film industry like?

It is in expansion right now with financing through the Audiovisual Setorial Fund dedicated to development, production and distribution of content. It has been feeding the market and the new films have gone to debut in Film Festivals like Berlin, Toronto, Sundance and Venice, with strong careers in the international market.

Do you prefer working in the horror genre or other genres?

I love every genre of film. My last short is a romance. My next one is a sci-fi. I want to hop from genre to genre in my career, but if I had to be stuck in one it would be the horror/fantasy/sci-fi triptych.

Any plans for a Beyond the Grave 2?

I will make one in the future. I love the world and it would be great to get back to it with a more mature point of view and new ideas. I have worked in a few drafts of the treatment, and I hope to make it in the next decade.

What's it like winning 14 international film awards?

It is great. It shows people are being touched by whatever you made with your film. It always great to find appreciation and awards are helpful in understanding what kind of film you realized.

What are you working on now?

Right now I am finishing a short film, a series pilot, preparing myself to direct the first season of a sitcom, as well as developing my second feature.

My Strange Adventures: An Interview With Little Finch Cosplay

Bayonetta: Everage Studios Photography

Finch is many things; cosplayer, roleplayer and model. I first became aware of her work through Everage on Deviant Art. I've been a fan ever since. Recently I got a chance to interview her and find out a bit about her passion for cosplaying. 

1) How long have you been cosplaying?

I honestly can't remember. My first cosplay was accidental, when I was really young I was Chun Li for Halloween, a costume my mother agreed to make for me because I could also use it as figure skating outfit.

2) How many costumes have you created and worn? 

Once again...I've lost count. My mother made my first few costumes, and I have others made by a very talented friend, but this year I've made about 7 or 8 for me and other people.

Catherine: Dream Land Photography

3) Are you a gamer? If so, what are some of your favorites?  

Up until recently I didn't actually own any consoles, I only have handheld systems. Some games (like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry) I prefer to watch rather than play, but lately I've been wasting far too much of my life on Fire Emblem: Awakening. It reminds me somewhat of Final Fantasy Tactics, which is another game I've loved for a long time and I hope to cosplay from it soon.

4) You've done a few different Bayonetta photoshoots. Is she one of your favorite characters to dress up as?

Definitely. My Bayonetta 'cosplay' kind of started as a joke, my girlfriend styled the wig for me because she thought that hairstyle might look good on me, and I love Bayonetta as a character...it went over pretty well on my page, so I started doing casual photoshoots in outfits I thought she might wear.  Especially by the second game, Bayonetta is very carefree and playful, which is always fun during photoshoots. Hopefully next year I'll do one of her actual in-game outfits, I'm thinking of the policewoman one from Bayonetta 2.

Velvet: Everage Studios Photography

5) I've gone to my fair share of comic book conventions. But never in a costume of any type. What's it like going to conventions as a character?  

Going to a con in cosplay is pretty much an instant icebreaker. I find it's really easy to meet people who are into the same things as you are, especially if you cosplay from things you really like. But it's probably not for everyone, since you will get more than the average amount of attention.

6) You do fansigns and birthdayfansigns on your FaceBook page. How many requests do you get a week? 

Per week I get anywhere from one to ten requests, generally. For a set of character fansigns I cap at 50...or at least I try. I let other people slip in after the cap occasionally.

Saber: Sheena Liu

7) Speaking of the fansigns. You often do multiple characters on a specific day for fan's birthdays. How hectic can that get? 

I take them all ahead of time and just post them on the days...but I sort characters into 'groups'  with similar makeup palettes so I can go from one to another easily on a day when I have a chance to catch up on them.  For example, I can go from Ryuko to Tharja to Bayonetta just by building on that base makeup. Nonon to Cordelia to Mitsuru is another group, since they all have pink or red hair and similar colour schemes.

8) What's it like from start to finish working on a costume?

For me it's pretty stressful since I don't actually enjoy the process of sewing. But my least favourite part of a costume is drafting the pattern, I don't have a lot of experience with it and it can get pretty frustrating. I try to give myself a lot of time so I can walk away if I find myself getting angry at it.

Cordelia: Setsuna Cosplay Photography

9) What inspires you the most creatively?  

I'm a roleplayer first and foremost, so my goal in any cosplay is to portray the character as best I can. When I'm doing an actual outfit, I try to choose my fabrics to 'feel' like the character (for example, my Saber dress is made of satin and cotton velvet, which I felt were suitably 'kingly' materials).  If it's a casual or pinup shoot,  I like trying to imagine what kind of clothes or swimsuits or lingerie the character I'm portraying would likely wear. Would they dress fancy or sporty? Do they like leather or lace? Staying true to the character is my greatest inspiration in anything I do.

10) Any advice for aspiring cosplayers out there?

Start small, and don't give up! No one is perfect from the start. And this is just me, but I recommend doing what you love and not what you think will make you popular. Even if you do get popular, you won't have a good time if you're stuck doing something you don't really like.

You can check out more from Finch at Little Finch Cosplay on Facebook and on her Tumblr page.

The Life And Death Of The Party: An Interview With Carl Bachmann

What first made you want to become a director? 

I've always been captivated by movies. The ability for the motion picture to transport me to a different world was a thing of magic. It was when I first watched Fight Club back in 2000. I noticed so many artistic aesthetics that blew me away. I started to ask myself "who is the creative decision maker in a film?" I wanted to make my own movies and control the creative process myself, and that's when I decided that I needed to become a director. I wanted to create new worlds for people to immerse themselves in and experience an alternate reality.

Can you tell us a little about story of  Party Slashers and how the story came about?

The inception of Party Slashers was actually born from a song. I first listened to a song called "Internet Friends" by Knife Party. The dark tones followed by a heavy beat got me thinking about a kick ass slasher film. We haven't had one in a while, in my opinion, and I started getting nostalgic about the golden age of slasher films (Elm Street, Halloween, you know which ones). I wanted to merge that atmosphere with the vibe of an awesome party. I chose characters in High School, because those types are not the wisest, and they are most vulnerable. I wanted to reflect on my own experiences in high school of being thoroughly unprepared for whatever came up in life, and making colossal mistakes along the way. To me, it is hilarious seeing myself as a high school kid dealing with problems I had no clue how to solve. I thought I'd up the ante on the these characters and have them face undead murderers.

What was it like coming up with the killers for the film?

I wanted the killers to be inhuman. I find human killers less scary because I know how they can be killed. With something that's out of this world, the mystery of their vulnerability makes them all the more terrifying. They are technically revenants: undead creatures that were murdered in an unjust way that can be summoned by necromancers to kill the living. Their tools of their trade have now become there weapons of death.

Are you a fan of '80's slasher films? Do you have any favorites? 

I am very much a fan of 80's slasher films. I felt like a lot of creative risks were taken to create characters that are still household names today. Hard to pin down a favorite...Enjoyed watching the Friday 13th series the most- The Final Chapter probably being my most favorable of the saga. The atmosphere that was created in those films paired up with a killer with super strength that just doesn't seem to die made him a lot more thrilling. I also loved the idea behind the elm street saga - The kills were of the most creative of any slasher series I thought, and the inevitability of sleep paralleled geniously with the inevitability of death. Something you have no control over, completely enslaved by the dream master himself.

What kind of challenges do you face using Kickstarter to finance your film?

The money. It costs a bit to make a feature film, and after doing a lot of research $35,000 is the maximum amount I can ask for before the goal becomes unrealistic. What's tough is that I don't have a a-list actor attached to this, this project is not based on an existing franchise with an established audience, and I'm not a prominent film figure with several high profile films under my belt. So I have to generate a new audience and pull them away for a second from all the other content out there that's demanding their attention. But I'm a filmmaker with a drive and a vision and my strength is original content with a funny premise and creative rewards, and this is my main focus for drawing audiences in.

What sort of budget are you hoping to raise?

This will be seed money to get the ball rolling on production. Personal funds will be contributed to this budget as well to pad the production, and outreach to external funds will be required for Print & Advertising (P&A) costs. Idealistically, I'm looking for $90k, but you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what we need (Please don't sue me for copyright infringement, Rolling Stones).

Is the story set at all one location? Do you plan on using any sets?

The majority of it will take place at Russell's house. We'll also recycle this location by rearranging rooms to look like they belong to different houses for scenes involving another party, as well as Will's house.There will be some small scenes that take place at a liquor store where the boys proposition a bum to buy them booze.

Who's providing the music for Party Slashers? Will it emulate old school slashers?

Great question. The two artists that provided music for this are Power Glove and Moskva-Kassiopeya. I found both of these artists on Soundcloud and I've been hooked to their music. I discovered them after seeing a project on Kickstarter called Kung Fury. The music used was by an artist named Mitch Murder (neo-80's instrumental music). From there I was introduced to a whole collection of this type of music, including the two artists featured in this. It will heavily emulate 80's slashers, as a throwback to the golden age. The beginning of Power Glove's Motorcycle Cop features a synthesizer riff that reminded me of the Nightmare on Elm Street theme song, and I had to have it. I had to harass Power Glove several times through Soundcloud to show them I was for real. I showed them storyboard's and explained what I was trying to do, and eventually they were down for it.

What sort of advice do you have for any aspiring filmmakers out there?

Making a film can be one of the toughest challenges you face in life, and you're heart has to be in it. No one cares about your film as much as you do, and the moment you stop caring, your film will die. Seeing it on screen is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. I remember seeing my first short film, Miracle On Metal Street, on a silver screen and hearing the audience laugh gave me such a high (There's a reason why +80 year-old filmmakers can still recall the experience of their first movie). People will be jealous of you, they'll write you off, they'll naysay you and you have to tune them out and press on. People want you to do well in life, but none of them want you doing better than they are. Fuck 'em, this is your life, and you want to be proud of it.

Do you have a final message for our readers? 

Check out the project! I know not everyone is sitting on a pile of cash like Scrooge McDuck, but spreading the word is about equally as helpful! Thanks for reading this!

For more info and to help out you can go here and here.

They Might Be Superheros!: An Interview with Alex Covington and Rica de Ocampo

Recently I had the great pleasure to interview Alex Covington and Rica de Ocampo, the stars in a new Web series We Might Be Superheroes! A new web series by Pat Bishow, writer/director of such films as The Adventures of El Frenetico & Go-Girl,The Girls from H.A.R.M.!, and It's a Haunted Happenin'!

What first made you want to become an actress?

Alex Covington: That’s a hard question! LOL…I feel like I’ve just always wanted that. I was obsessed with “The Wizard of Oz” as a two year old…and then fell in love with singing and Musical Theater, I’d say the Movie Musical and singing started it for me. I’ve done a lot of Musical Theater professionally since then…and have more recently become VERY interested in TV/Sitcom Comedy, etc. “We Might Be Superheroes” has introduced me to that world!

Rica de Ocampo: I've been singing my entire life. Growing up I was constantly singing and performing for family and in church. When I was 8 I was in a production of, "Sound of Music."  I played Marta.  I loved being on stage and performing for an audience that was larger than just my family. I think I'm happiest being a performer and telling a story.

Is there any one actress or actor you'd like to work with in the future?

Rica : I watch a lot of different shows and there's so many actors I'd love to work with!  But I think the most fun would be to work with my brother, Ramon. He's an actor as well and works in LA.  (He's in the new SyFy series, "Twelve Monkeys."

Alex: Not in particular...I daydream more about working with specific composers like,
Jason Robert Brown, or Tom Kitt...to name a few in Musical Theater…or working on a network TV show…like in the style of “How I Met Your Mother.”

Can you tell us a little about your character and how you came to be cast in We Might Be Superheroes!?

Alex: Sure! Well Christine/Faith is a very honest, good hearted girl. She’s a bit of a dork. She’s little awkward and tries too hard sometimes. But she’s VERY smart and great with gadgets and breaking into computer systems, etc. I got cast by submitting through backstage.com. I saw the add for the project and was immediately interested. It just felt right. Pat Bishow, the producer, contacted me, set up an appt to audition and sent me sides. He also mentioned that he appreciates actors that ask questions. And I took that as a clue! LOL So I asked a LOT of questions. I asked about backstory, details about the character, etc. We were emailing back and forth quite a bit before the first audition. He said at one point, "Wow, i'm impressed. You've out Nancy Drew'd me!" LOL I think I just WAS Christine from the get-go in how I pursued answers to my questions. And the rest is history! LOL

Rica : I play Riley aka Hope.  I usually describe her as a surly badass, who's a great fighter and never stops eating. Riley is a rough and tough girl that can roll with the punches and hang with the boys.  But under that tough girl exterior, Riley is actually a real softy with a good moral compass.  I love playing Riley, she's a fun smart aleck that gets to fight.  It's great!

I saw the casting notice for We Might Be Superheroes in Backstage.  A fight heavy show modeled after 60's batman with deep comic roots?  I thought it was perfect for me!  So I submitted...for Christine not Riley.  I really connected to the geeky/nerdy side of Christine and thought that was a great choice.
When I walked into the audition, Pat (the producer for the show) said, "You're here for Riley right?" I said, "No." and read for Christine.  After the audition, I realized that I was better suited for Riley and was a little down on myself for submitting for the wrong part.  Well the team must have felt the same way cause I got called back for Riley instead and that's all she wrote!

In We Might Be Superheroes! you play a superhero. Is there any comic books or superhero films you enjoy?

Rica : My favorite show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I started watching it in college and still have binge days. Buffy, (all versions of) Willow, Giles, Faith and Spike are my favorite characters.  I love everything in the Whedon universe and would LOVE to work with him one day. I love comic books!  My favorites are in the Marvel Universe.  I grew up watching X-men and really loved Rogue, Gambit and Nightcrawler.  Once I got into reading comics I really fell in love with X-23 and still want to go to Comic Con dressed as her.

Alex: Yes! I really like Spiderman. And recently watched the new Spiderman movies again….SO good!

In your superhero identities you guys have to wear masks and costumes. What kind of challenges does that entail?

Alex: Its not hard, actually, to work in at all! They move great and are easy to wear :)

Rica : There really isn't a ton that difficult.  I love our costumes.  But since I'm not the gentlest of women I tend to break my gear.  I rip the hose and we've gone through at least 2 different leotards.  And then just staying cool while constantly wearing gloves!  (Which I sometimes forget to wear and we have to redo takes!)

When you have the costume on, do you ever feel like a superhero?

Rica : There have been times, after putting on the costume, that I've felt like I could barrel through walls. And the mask makes me feel pretty awesome.

Alex: Yes absolutely! I feel like I can handle anything that crosses my path!

How much of the fighting and stunts did you do yourself?

Alex: We do all of our own stunts! One of our directors/writers, Daria Morra, is super talented (she plays Troya Nice as well ) she is our Fight Choreographer. So she creates the fight scenes and we rehearse them!

Rica : As far as the fighting goes, i do everything myself.  I help choreograph the fighting and Daria is just amazing. She does a ton of falls and actual stunty thing.  I simply throw kicks and punches.  :D

You guys look like your having a lot of fun. What's it like on set?

Rica : It's fun on set!  We have a rotating crew of great people.  There's a ton of inside jokes and comic jokes and nerd jokes that make me smile.  And of course Alex is one of my best friends so it's always a great time to hang out and work with her.  I love the Amusement Films family and always look forward to our next shoots.

Alex: It is an absolute blast!! This Team has been a total pleasure to work with! We have become a little family. We laugh a ton, but can also get down to business and create great work! I also love the freedom they give me to improvise. They trust my choices and that feels amazing as an actor!

So what's next for you?

Rica : Well there's Season 3 of We Might Be Superheroes, which I'm super excited about! Next month I'll be in a feature film called, "Wild Men" It's a found footage comedy parodying reality shows that search for bigfoot.  I play a lowly intern.  I'm excited to start filming!  (If you want to learn more you can check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1075857075/wild-men-a-found-footage-feature-comedy )

Alex: Well, A season 3 is in the works. Otherwise, I am always out there auditioning for Voice Over, Commercials and Musical Theater…so I”m hoping to book more spots,commercials and shows this upcoming year. I also have my own Acting Studio for Musical Theater, called “Find Your Honesty: Acting Through Song” which I adore. Coaching is another passion of mine and I”m constantly inspired by the actors I coach! So I will continue expanding my studio! For more info regarding coaching with me you can visit my website www.actingthroughsong.org.

Do you have a final message for our readers?

Alex: Thank You all so much for watching “We Might Be Superheroes!” We all, as a group, really love what we do and we hope to keep entertaining you guys!!

Rica : If you watch our show:  Thanks so much!  Like I said earlier, I love this little mondo universe I've dropped into and I love that other people enjoy it as well. If you don't watch the show: Check it out!  Alex is super cute in every episode and I'm a pretty moody chick but I'm pretty funny and I kick some ass.

Thanks so much!
:D

Welcome to Berkshire County: An Interview with Director Audrey Cummings

1-What first made you want to become a director?

My first love of film making was when I saw my first movie up on the big screen. It was E.T. and it made me love movies more than anything. Then I started hearing about the man who made E.T. and I became a huge fan of Steven Spielberg. The more films he made the more I wanted to do what he was doing.


2-Can you tell us a little about story of Berkshire County and how the film came about?

Chris Gamble (the writer) and I both love sci-fi, horror and thrillers. We were coming off having worked on a few very complex sci-fi scripts and decided it was time to do something terrifying and fun but with a simpler story line than the mind benders we had just completed. We really loved working on this one and the story came together pretty quickly.


3-So far, what's you pre-production been like?

Amazing. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that it continues to go as smoothly as it has been. It’s also my first time working with producer Bruno Marino and I think he’s just incredible. I would trust any of my films in his hands.


4-The mysterious boy wears a pig mask. How was his mask decided upon? Where there any other looks for him before you settled on that one?

The thought was that these guys are Berkshire pig farmers. The little boy’s mask is really our take on what we envision a baby pig might look like. I worked with a storyboard artist to design the concept art for the masks and then we took them to a special effects make-up place and now we are in the process of creating the actual masks.

5-This is going to be your feature film debut as a director. What kind of pressures have you had to deal with going into this?

My short films have done very well for me and brought me many successes so I feel that I need to deliver a great film in order to keep up with the standard I have set for myself. In short – the pressures are really my own in being the perfectionist type.


6-What are some of the locations you'll be using? Will it be all on location? Any sets?

We were very lucky in having found the perfect location for the isolated home in the country. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect place really. We are shooting a majority of the film at this location but we have several other smaller locations as well including the inside of a cube van.


7-Does the film take place in a modern setting or is it a period piece?

The film is kind of a throw back to the old 70’s babysitter in peril movies that I love so much – but set in modern day and bringing in unique and original twists. One of the terrifying things about this film is that situations like this do happen in real life more often than we want to imagine. And that’s what makes it terrifying.

8-Can you tell us a little about the film's main character and the actress playing her?

The main character is an amazing role for any girl. She is a strong female character who undergoes an intensive and redemptive journey. She needs to learn to stand up for herself and what she believes in, in order to survive. The actress playing her stood out from the very first time we saw her. She has a beautiful vulnerability and is very talented. I can’t wait to get out on set and push her to her limits. I think she’s going to shine.


9-How much of the film have you planned out in your head or in storyboards?

I'm a director who loves to come in all organized and ready to go. That being said on any given day there are about a hundred issues that come up that make you have to change the way you envisioned shooting a scene – but the more prepared you are the easier it is to come up with plan B when you need to.


10-What sort of advice do you have for any aspiring filmmakers about reaching their dream?

This industry is crazy and we’re crazy for being a part of it. But those of us who are committed are committed because we have a deep passion for storytelling that can’t be put aside. If you believe in yourself and what you have to say…anything is possible.

For more info on Berkshire County check out their Facebook page and Berkshire County The Movie.com.

Dracula University: An Interview With Sean Hartter

What projects are you currently working on? 

A: The one I'm most involved with is a top secret project with writer Fred Schiller, who has this weird and wonderful mind, which makes my job much much easier. Other than that just odds and ends commissions and stuff for fun.

What drew you to being and artist?

A: It would have to be the influence of the works of great artists I've been exposed to over the course of my lifetime. Comics, film, books, I have so many influences it'd be tough to try and encapsulate them into a nutshell. I mean everything from Jack Kirby and Edward Gorey's artwork to the art in the original Advanced D&D books like the Monster Manual, Ralph McQuarrie and Saul Bass' designs to the films of Carpenter and Tarantino. I always wanted to emulate what these kinds of people were doing and kinda run their essence through the meat grinder to make something new.

Can you briefly take us through your creative process (idea generation, what time of day you prefer to work, work space, materials)?

A: Usually I find myself staring off into space while watching TV or driving (not safe haha) when an idea hits me, or I'll see something so striking it'll put the fire under my ass to create SOMETHING. I prefer to work at night, sometimes until 6 am, that way I can still spend time with family and friends and work undisturbed while they sleep like normal human beings. My work space is usually cluttered with empty soda cans and accumulated crap, but I have a light board for when I hand draw and cups with Sharpies and pencils in them. Growing up, my kids would use old records to lean on when they drew with me. They still do sometimes, when we have the time. I can't even get into the mess of wires and pedals that comprise my recording gear. I actually have a WHOLE lot less recording gear then I did in the 90's, when I still used MIDI sequencers, synth modules and multi-track recorders. I learned the old school ways, I even went to school for recording arts. That's where I first started meddling with non linear recording.

As an artist, what inspires you the most to create, and conversely who would you say is your greatest artistic influence? 

A: I can't really pinpoint what makes me create. In part, nowadays, it is the reaction of my friends and people who keep an eye on what I'm up to that drives me to not only create, but to become better at what I do. The results may vary but my heart, I hope, is always in the right place. I try and honor my goal of just getting better at something for the sake of being better at it, all accolades and criticisms aside. As strange as it might seem the thing that has kicked me into gear the most in the last two years has been living with leukemia. Not knowing how much time you have left will force you to cut through the clutter of self doubt. I mean, none of us knows how much time we have, but knowing the license plate of the car that will eventually run you down is pretty sobering. As far as my greatest artistic influence goes, I really can't answer that. Honestly.

Having worked in a myriad of creative mediums (movie posters, music, album art etc.) do you have a particular favorite?

A: Its tough to shift gears sometimes from doing artwork to doing music. While they are similar in a lot of respects they are most different in the plain fact that music is invisible, even though you can see and manipulate the waveforms. I'm not sure I have a favorite. I have been much more art oriented this year despite creating music for a film earlier in the year. My list of musical influences is as far flung as my art influences, but I try and pay homage as best as I can to certain styles while cramming them together with other styles within the confines of a 3 to 5 minute song. Both art and music are as fun and liberating as hell.

Between your blog (which you update daily) and Facebook, how much of apart has the web played in getting  you work?

A: I'd be nowhere without the web. Its leveled the playing field so much that a guy like me can get noticed by people like Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Mark Millar and Damon Lindelof. Nevermind the gift of making connections with quality people such as yourself! Blows my mind. I've also had 1% of 1% of people who just tear me a new one. Its humbling either way.

How has your style changed over the years?

A: I went from strictly hand drawn for most of my life to now incorporating photo manipulation as an outlet for the ideas I get. Just raw photos with no other art attached. I chop the hell out of a bunch of them to get moderately close to what I was thinking. I also draw freehand, line-less pictures in the computer too. That style kind of evolved from the influence of Genndy Tartakovsky's show "Samurai Jack", which was line-less art. Love that show.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?

A: My friend Thomas Perkins told me that people will only value my artwork as much as I myself value it. That changed my whole trajectory. I decided to step it up a bit after that.

Any advice for aspiring artists out there?

A: Just do art for the sake of doing art. If it occurs to you that something should be a certain way, then it should be that way. Also, always try to be in record mode in your daily life because inspiration is everywhere. I mean everywhere. It can seem like a thankless pursuit at times, but you just never know where the road goes. Keep at it.

Do you have a final message for our readers?

A: Expose yourself to great films, comics, books and music as much as humanly possible. If you feel compelled to respond, be it in writing or drawing or shooting movies with your digital camera, do it! If not, just enjoy the things that other people create and try to take away something vital that will, in the end, help define you as a human being.

For more Sean, check out his blog here and his Deviant Art page here. Friend him on Facebook.