Interview with Jayne Wisener - Star of The Heiress

As supernatural horror film THE HEIRESS goes on digital release from March 15, lead actress Jayne Wiseman talks about her love of singing, coping with lockdown and her new period drama, Glow & Darkness.

You star in a new British supernatural horror film, THE HEIRESS. Tell us how you got the part and what is was about the script that appealed to you.

I worked with David Wayman a few years ago and he mentioned me to Chris when they were discussing the project. Chris reached out me and we had a great chat about the project. I was really excited about the concept. I love supernatural horror in general and this was something I’d not quite seen before. 

What did you find most demanding about playing Anna?

I found the role came quite naturally to me. Weirdly I was even five weeks pregnant when we started filming! I have a sister too so I understand the dynamics of a close female bond. The hardest thing was probably trying to change my accent to sound as much like Candis as possible! 

You’ve worked in the horror genre before. Tell us about your part in Boogeyman 3.

That was a very small role right at the end of the movie. But it was fun to be a part of!

Your first movie role was playing Johanna Barker in Tim Burton’s Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Quite a career entry! Looking back, how do you reflect about the whole experience?

The entire experience was phenomenal. Everything completely incredible and I’m so grateful. I was very young though and spent a lot of time feeling very overwhelmed and insecure. I wish I had lived in the moment and allowed myself to enjoy it more than I did! 

You enjoyed a three-year stint in the popular BBC Northern Ireland drama series 6 Degrees. What were the highlights for you?

Oh I adored doing that show. I got to live and work in Belfast with an incredible cast and crew who became such great friends. 

You were born in Ballymoney and grew up in Coleraine. Have your Northern Irish roots continued to be important to you in terms of your career choices?

I have always jumped at every opportunity to work in Northern Ireland. I just love home. So much so that I actually moved back this year! 

You’ve said you’re really proud of playing Lauren, the feisty schoolgirl in The Inbetweeners. Tell us more.

I was a fan of the show when it originally aired. It has since become a huge cult comedy with a massive following worldwide. Over ten years later, it continues to appeal to new generations of young people. I am so proud to have been a part of it. 

You’re also a singer and have appeared in many successful musicals, such as Northern Ireland Opera’s co-production of Kiss Me, Kate. How do you plan to carry on with that part of your career?

I love singing and I really miss it when I don’t do it. Hopefully, I will have more opportunities to sing in the future. The pandemic has completely destroyed live theatre which devastates me. As soon as I’m asked to sing on a stage again I’ll savour every second. 

How have you coped with lockdown?

I’ve been kept fairly busy during lockdown as I have a 2 year old son. I did struggle massively with my mental health last year during the initial lockdown to be honest. However, on the whole I have been very lucky. I live at home now so I’m able to bubble with family. But I do miss a lot of people terribly. 

Finally, what’s next for you?

I recently finished filming a nice role, playing Beatrice of Burgundy, in the upcoming medieval TV drama series ‘Glow & Darkness’ about the life of Francis of Assisi.  I’m looking forward to that being aired. Aside from that, I’m continuing with self tapes and hoping that the entertainment industry returns to some version of normal in the near future! 

THE HEIRESS will be available to download from all major platforms including iTunes, Amazon & SKY Box Office, from Monday 15th March, 2021. - https://amzn.to/30XEUIJ

Interview with Keith Luethke - By David Kempf

When did you first become interested in books?

Like any writer I became interested in books at a young age. I liked the way the books from the library smelled, and the sound of old books when you turn their pages. I remember waiting for my parents and sister to go to bed at night so I could turn on my flashlight and stay up reading Island of the Blue Dolphin By: Scott O'Dell.  

When did you write your first story?

I wrote my first story when I was ten. I recall it vividly because I got grounded for writing it. The story was just two pages long and had to do with kids killing monsters in a haunted house. I was a big Monster Squad fan. I read the story out loud to my parents and they told me never to write anything like that again. It was at that young age that I realized the profound effects of the written word. How it could make people feel. How a few simple words could change a life.

When did you publish your first novel?

That is questionable. My first published novel came in the form of The Wolves Of Elkhorn Peak. The publisher was PublishAmerica. If you ever heard of that publisher then you know I was a fool and if a contract from them comes your way run like hell. I'm not sure if you'd call that my first published work but it was the start of my decline of dealing with publishers. Some would say my first published novel was from Living Dead Press while others could agrue that Library Of The Living Dead Press could really claim first rites with their publication of Shelter From The Dead. 

Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?

The genre has always been there and will always be. People need an escape from reality. A good safe place to drift away from mudane jobs and the pressures of living. Horror books and movies are popular because the lies are believable. It's a blur of reality, a hint of our world, but far enough away from it to reap a form of cathathris from it. 

Why are people still obsessed with being scared?

People will never stop being obsessed with being scared, ever. It's a drug, a high. Fear gets the blood pumping. Maybe it's something leftover from when we were sitting in caves around a fire listening to a hunter being attack by a black bear, or the Native American Wendigo stalking the desolute lands of cold. People need fear. They need that feeling, that rush. It's why amusment parks were built. 

Who inspires you?

Everyone and everything. Inspiration lurks at every corner. I can't tell you how many times I saw something as inspiring as a girl walking down the street with a stuff animal and it became the bases for a long running series of novellas called A Zombie Apocalypse. Finding the inspiration is something that I don't do. I just try to let it come to me. Strangers make for great tales. Somebody sitting along at a diner with plate of steak and fries in front of them and a dour expression seems so simplistic but could become the start of something great. Why won't he eat his steak? Is he waiting for someone? Is he simply pretending to be human but doesn't know how to eat? I'm telling you, inspiration lives everywhere.

Do you believe in the existence of Bigfoot or The Loch Ness Monster?

To quote my favorite fictional character, "I want to believe." Native American's have a long history with stories relating to Sasquatch or The Hairy Man or Bigfoot way before the white man picked it up. I think there's a layer of truth to these tales. For our sakes, I hope that nobody ever finds him. I hope he remains a mystery for generations. However, one day we might just wake up and find that Bigfoot was staring at us in the mirror all this time. If indeed he is the missing link.

Some scientists just took some samples of the waters of Loch Ness and came to some stunning conclusions. In the eighties they did a sonor scan of the entire loch and did run into something they couldn't explain. The pieces are slowly coming together. I doubt they'll ever find the bones of The Loch Ness monster on the bottom of the lake but one must keep an open mind in such matters.

What are some of your favorite horror books?

The Hobbit By: J.R.R Tolkien

Ghoul By: Brian Keene

Grendal By John Garner

Anything written by Terry Brooks

Fear By: Ronald Kelly

The Traveling Vampire Show By: Richard Laymon

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

I like old school horror. The Last Man On Earth, Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead (1978 Version), Jaws, The Haunting Of Hill House, Communion, Dark Skies, John Carpender's Vampires.

What are your current projects?

Currently, I'm working on a YA novel. I might pitch it to a publisher and I might not. I try to put out a novella every month and have for the last ten years. I have a list of projects for this year but things can always change. There's a shark book, Bigfoot book, haunted house book, zombie book, and  some nameless stories bouncing around my head.

Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

Keith Luethke is an indie author who specializes in writing horror novellas.His work has broken the top Kindle 100 in horror. He grew up in upstate New York and now spends his days in the quiet rolling hills of East Tennessee. He loves to hear from fans and has a fear of open spaces and star filled nights.

Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4825079.Keith_Luethke

WIN CULT 60S SCI-FI HORROR THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE – NEWLY RESTORED ON BLU-RAY and DVD

THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, the Amicus Productions’ 60s sci-fi horror from the legendary director Freddie Francis is available to buy on Blu-ray for the first time and on DVD and digital formats from 8th March 2021.

To Celebrate we have a great competition and 2 x DVDs to win.

Starring Robert Hutton, Jennifer Jayne, Zia Mohyeddin and Bernard Kay THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE was written by Milton Subotsky, the acclaimed screenwriter of Dr Who and the Daleks and Tales from the Crypt, adapted from the book ‘The Gods Hate Kansas’ by Joseph Millard. An enjoyably camp B-movie, the Amicus producers followed in the tradition of 50s classics such as Invasion of the Bodysnatchers adding some 60s kitsch-styling and ingenious low-budget special effects to this British retro treat.

Available from Amazon - https://amzn.to/385R3PD

To be in with a chance to win simply answer the following question

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 15-03-21
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview With Ksenia Murray by David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing?

     I have been writing and creating stories for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until I hit high school and took a creative writing class that I first started to think that maybe this was something that I wanted to do with my life. I have started writing over fifty different novels and over 500 short stories since I was probably in elementary school until now. It hasn’t been until around 2016 that I started taking my writing seriously. That was the year that I decided to pursue it professionally and it has honestly changed my life. I decided that I wanted to create horrific stories that stayed with people long after they finished reading it.

How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

     I’ve loved horror movies and TV shows for as long as I can remember. I even met my best friend growing up in art class talking about the cheesy 90s classic Final Destination. When I was a toddler Tales from the Crypt was all of the rage. My dad and grandma let me watch it before I could even form sentences. I remember watching the Crypt keeper and yelling, “Oh no!”, at the screen. I do not advise other parents to do this, unless you want your kids to turn out like me, haha.

How would you classify the genre you write?

     My favorite horror genres to write in are: psychological, cosmic, fantasy, Lovecraftian, paranormal, fairytale, monster, and folk. The majority of my short stories and including my recently released novel, The Cave, have elements from all of those genres. I love blurring the lines between genres and combining genres that you may not see very often together. It is very rare that I write outside of those genres but I am always open to bending other horror genres into my work.

 

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

    Fear is one of the few fundamental emotions that all creatures on this planet experience at one point or another. Since the world is chaotic, stressful, and draining, people want to find a release. Reading about absolutely horrifying worlds created by many amazing authors transports the reader to a place where they can feel whatever they feel in a safe space. I know for me personally; I have become so desensitized to horror movies and books that it is rare that I actually experience true fear anymore. It makes it all the more exciting when a book makes me feel that strong emotion. Regardless of the content, if a book can make me scared, it is immediately one of my favorites.

What inspires your stories?

    I honestly suffer from nightmares every single night. I can’t remember the last time that I had a good night’s sleep without being awoken by a terrifying dream. The majority of my ideas come from that. If a nightmare sticks with me, I’ll scribble it down in my notes app on my phone and forget about it. Then some days or weeks or possibly months later, I’ll be doing something completely innocuous and an idea will pop into my head. I get extremely energized and excited when I come up with new ideas that I almost begin writing them immediately. It has caused me some issues in my professional career because I have a hard time staying on one project when I have several other ideas I want to complete ASAP. Also, real world happenings inspire me as well. Mental health has been a huge part of my life ever since I grew up with someone who was mentally unwell. I also refuse to write stories that don’t scare me. If I do not have a fear of whatever it is that I’m writing about, I scrap the project. That feeling of not being able to control your emotions, actions, or thoughts has led me to some of my most compelling work.

What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?

   I LOVE reading British horror and thriller novels. My Goodreads account can emphasize that, haha. The main difference to me, in my opinion, between American and British horror is that British horror is more character driven. What I mean by that is that the interconnecting relationships between all characters are a huge part of what drives British horror. A lot of the times American horror novels and movies will drop character development for straight to the point gore and scares. I love character driven stories which I hope can be relayed through my own personal work.

What are your favorite horror books?

Oh Lord where do I even begin? Too many to count! I will just list a few that I can think of off of the top of my head:

Coraline by Neil Gaiman, 

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. 

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix. 

The Ritual by Adam Nevill.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King.

The Third Parent by Elias Witherow.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

The Call of Cthulu by H.P. Lovecraft.

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Here’s a good list of horror movies that I find myself always re-watching:

Coraline

Midsommar

Hereditary

Final Destination

Hellraiser

Excision

Oculus

The Grudge

Oldboy (Korean version. The American remake sucks, haha).

Nocturne

Swallow

Pi

Antrum

Absentia

The Thing

              

Do you have any advice for people who want to be writers?

    Always be reading and always be writing. You learn how to be a good writer by reading. I know it certainly has helped me along the way. Also, don’t worry yourself to death over editing. Just get the story down on paper. Finish the project. Then take a break from that short story or novel and work on something else. The longer you are away from your work the easier it will be to go through and edit with a fresh pair of eyes. I know some of the most popular writing advice is to write every day like it was your job for a certain amount of time. I can’t do that, that’s not my process. Don’t get me wrong, I write all of the time, but I don’t stick to a schedule and I don’t beat myself up if I miss a few days. I can only write when I have great ideas flowing through me. Forcing it has never been good for me. All that comes out if hot garbage and I never even keep the writing that I forced myself to write anyway. Basically, be a reader, write all of the time, don’t worry about editing while you are writing, and figure out a writing process that works for you.

What are your current projects?

    Currently I’m working on several different projects. The first one being my next novel. There isn’t a name for it just yet but it is about two boys who live out in the country. They play in drainage ditches that teleport them to other parallel universes, none of which are good. I am also working on a short horror story collection. All of the short stories have a monster or folklore creature involved. I am hoping for these two projects to come out this year as well, but no promises! Also, another project that has been on the back burner of my mind is writing a novella collection about the deep ocean as it is my worst fear.

Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

    I am an avid horror fan and I feel as though that helps me with my work. Growing up in Oklahoma was very boring most of the time so I let my imagination run wild which still works today! My love of travel has influenced my work as well. Pre COVID, I was a world traveler who loved exploring this beautiful Earth. A lot of what I learn and experience from my travels have made it into my work. My writing is mind-bending in nature and the more that I can screw with people’s heads, the happier that I am. I hope you enjoy my debut novel, The Cave, about a young woman with schizophrenia who can’t figure out if what she is experiencing is real or fake. 

Check out Ksenia Murray on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Ksenia-Murray/e/B08MV7P894

Competition: Win NOS4A2 - Season 1 and 2 Boxset

NOS4A2 - Season 1 and 2 Boxset is released on DVD on 8th of March

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies to give away.

Synopsis: 

Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto stars as the evil Charlie Manx in NOS4A2, a different kind of vampire story based on the New York Times best-selling novel of the same name by Joe Hill, acclaimed novelist and son of horror maestro Stephen King. This grippingly dark series follows a woman determined to track down a string of missing children whose disappearance may be more sinister than anyone would believe.

Buy From Amazon at

https://amzn.to/3r5AHhf

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 15-03-21
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Competition: Win The Curse of Hobbes House on DVD

The Curse of Hobbes House is released on DVD on 8th of March

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to give away.

Synopsis: 

After the death of her Aunt, Jane Dormant travels to the family’s remote, ancestral home hoping to receive a large inheritance. When Jane’s estranged, half-sister Jennifer arrives at Hobbes House to claim her part of the estate, the sisters’ simmering hate ignites. But then a violent, unexpected storm cuts the estate off from outside help and a wave of bloodthirsty zombies lays siege. Now the sisters have to learn how to fight back together.

THE CURSE OF HOBBES HOUSE is directed by Juliane Block, written by Wolf-Peter Arand, and exec-produced by Malcolm Winter and Monika Gergelova. Producers are Juliane Block, Wolf-Peter Arand, Mhairi Calvey and Paul Dudbridge. Cast: Mhairi Calvey (Braveheart, Crystal's Shadow), Makenna Guyler (David and Goliath). Waleed Elgadi (Mosul, A Hologram of the King) and Kevin Leslie (The Rise of the Krays). 

Buy From Amazon at

https://amzn.to/3b5TIec

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Watch The Trailer

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 15-03-21
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview with Candis Nergaard - Star of The Heiress

Ahead of the UK Digital release of THE HEIRESS on March 15, 2021, actress Candis Nergaard talks about the harrowing research for her lead role, causing a stir on Newsnight, her Romany roots and coping with lockdown.

You star in a new British supernatural horror film, THE HEIRESS. Tell us how you got the part and what is was about the script that appealed to you.

I was contacted early on the process by the director Chris Bell who’d had me in mind as an option for Claire. I read an early draft of the script and absolutely loved the part, it’s rare for me to be scared by horror but the script alone conjured such vivid imagery that I was haunted by it, I knew it would work. When The Heiress was ready to go, I was offered the role of Claire, I couldn’t wait to get my teeth into it. I’ve played the lead role in TV, Radio and Theatre but this was my first for feature film. 

Candis Nergaard as Clare in THE HEIRESS

What did you find most demanding about playing Clare?

It was the research I did for the role, it was harrowing. Claire is epileptic. That element, was the single most important thing to me to try to get right about her, especially the ‘grand mal seizure, and so I researched a lot. The director Chris’s dad is severely epileptic, and so Chris was able to guide me through. There are videos available made by people with epilepsy, who wish to bring more awareness to the public about how the fits can affect them. I would gear up to watch one of the videos and then have to put a lot of distance between watching it, as it affected me so much.

You’re known to genre fans for playing Anya in WHITE CHAMBER (https://amzn.to/37L5fxp) which premiered at FrightFest. Does the horror genre appeal you to?

I love the horror genre, it’s just so fun from an acting point of view. White Chamber was a dream in that regard, and so was working with amazing cult scream queen legend Shauna Macdonald. Beforehand, I’d never really given much thought to acting in horror films, I’d done a lot of kitchen sink realism, and my idols were directors like Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold and Gary Oldman. The unique thing about The Heiress is that it seems to fuse a very realistic Loach-esq landscape with some really artful proper scares.

Candis Nergaard in WHITE CHAMBER

Horror expanded my mind with potential possibilities; I love to escape into the shadowlands exploring the supernatural or a parallel universe. 

You’ve said you were introduced to horror films at a small child by your dad. What was the first film you remember watching?

I think it was Alien..... it was so long ago. I remember sitting on my dad’s lap, and vague memories of eating tinned ravioli... probably not ideal food considering...

Although you don’t have a family background in the arts, you decided to do an acting course at The Miskin Theatre College, where you were taught by actors such as Neil Maskell and Dominic Power.  That must have been a great experience…

It changed the trajectory of my life. I feel incredibly lucky to have being taught by two exceptionally talented actors. Neil and Dom were very passionate about teaching, and because they had such conviction we really listened. It helped me develop an iron discipline for the craft.

It was super intense method acting training though. It was all a bit of a shock at age 16 and coming from my background. I went from being naughty in class to paying attention, reading the news, listening to radio drama. It expanded my world view.

You first came to prominence playing opposite Tom Hardy in the gritty drama STUART, A LIFE BACKWARDS. Your role involved controversial scenes of nudity and violence, which ended being discussed on Newsnight. Was it a difficult choice to accept the role?

Well, the script was incredible and based on a true story, so I was so pleased to audition. When I was offered the role, it dawned on me shortly afterwards that I’d have to be naked. I was so body conscious that I’d never even wear a bikini at the time.... However, I’d been working with a great acting coach, Giles Foremen, and the integrity of the work had become way more important than my fears, so I went for it. Tom was also lovely, and allayed my fears a bit by telling me about his nude scenes. I won’t forget Germaine Greer’s face on Newsnight.

Candis Nergaard faces her demons in THE HEIRESS

You starred in the BBC radio drama series ATCHIN TAN and went on to write several episodes of the series. What was it about the show that appealed to you and Is writing something you want to continue doing?

It was great to have authentic Gypsy voices and the Romany language on BBC radio. A lot of the Travellers had never acted before so it was exciting. I remember, one day we got stopped on location by police... We were recording in a caravan in a remote field in Cambridgeshire, and a squad car turned up, so we got our BBC passes out and showed them to the guy. He said “Oh that’s fine then, I thought you were Gypsies!” We laughed our asses off afterwards.

I’m writing a lot at the moment. I wrote and performed a one woman play for the Gorki Theatre in Berlin a couple of years ago, I’ve just finished writing my first feature film, and I’m co-writing another film with an award winning Irish director called Keith Farrell. It keeps my mind busy between acting jobs, and in lockdown!

You’ve also worked on PEAKY BLINDERS as their Romani language and cultural advisor since series 3. That must be an interesting role. Tell us more!

Tommy Shelby has got to be one of the coolest characters ever, constantly outwitting everyone. So, translating and recording lines in the Romany language for Cillian Murphy was so much fun. It’s amazing to hear him nail it. Script security is super tight so I’m normally dealing with isolated lines or sometimes scenes that are selected. 

How have you coped with lockdown?

It’s been a mixed bag. I’m well aware of what I’m grateful for and it brings everything into focus. Being estranged from my family is really hard, especially in times of grief and bereavement, and continues to be so. I like a lot of alone time, pre-covid I’d normally flit between being really sociable and then really quiet, so lockdown has given me a lot of time to regroup.

I also badly miss the gym and my Krav Maga training, it keeps my mind sane especially under stress, but I’ve created a routine which helps. I keep up my strength training five times a week, walks in nature, cold water immersion, reading/ films, and meditation.

Finally, what’s next for you?

I have just finished filming a female led grit flick with a unique take on the criminal underworld called Gone to Ground, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that. I’m also hoping to get my own film made, and continue with the other writing projects that I’ve got on the go.

Acting-wise, I’m slightly superstitious about talking about things that haven’t happened yet. One thing that the pandemic has done is take the pressure off myself to keep achieving, if I feel strong and healthy, I’m onto a winner.

THE HEIRESS will be available to download from all major platforms including iTunes, Amazon & SKY Box Office, from Monday 15th March, 2021.

COMPETITION: Win The Ice Cream Truck on DVD

The Ice Cream Truck is released on DVD on 1st of March

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to give away.

Synopsis: 

Deanna Russo (Being Human) stars as a lonely housewife who moves back to her home town where she captures the attention of her neighbours teenage son. Her forbidden fantasies and neurotic anxieties manifest themselves in the form of an evil slasher that stalks the suburbs in an ice cream truck.

THE ICE CREAM TRUCK was written and directed by Megan Freels Johnston, grandaughter of the iconic American crime novelist Elmore Leonard. After festival screenings at Weekend of Fear in Germany, Grossmann Fantastic Film Festival in Slovenia and Dublin Horrorthon in Ireland, THE ICE CREAM TRUCK was picked up for distribution in North America by Uncork'd Entertainment and in the UK and Ireland by Danse Macabre.

Buy From Amazon at

https://amzn.to/37IJoGB

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 08-03-21
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview with Alexis Bruchon - Director of The Woman with Leopard Shoes

Ahead of FrightFest’s UK special screening of THE WOMAN WITH LEOPARD SHOES at the Glasgow Film Festival, director Alexis Bruchon talks about his love of Noir, casting his brother and directing in his underwear…

Your background is in illustration and graphic design. Was making a movie the next logical step as an artist?

From a very young age, I wanted to make a movie (as a teenager I did make a slasher called Ice Crime a true masterpiece!) - but drawing is direct, cost nothing and allows you to produce any images you want. So, I started with two unpublished graphic novels. The good thing with comics is that I realised you can tell a story with very few elements… and no money!

So, when I started on THE WOMAN WITH THE LEOPARD SHOES, drawing was highly important in the making of the film because I storyboarded everything with a lot of indications like light, moments, actions etc.

What was the inspiration for THE WOMAN IN THE LEOPARD SHOES?

Noir films are a huge inspiration for the movie, especially Robert Siodmak’s movies. The Killers (and Don Siegel’s remake!) is one of my favourites. I love very different noir films, like Murder My Sweet, Laura, Kiss Me Deadly, Road House (a very rare film from Negulesco),

I was also inspired by gothic cinema, especially the films from the Hammer and Amicus with Freddie Francis’ films, a true master! Mario Bava and Jacques Tourneur are the two other big influences, because they are masters of the off-screen. Giallo were a huge inspiration for the script because it is made of twists and manipulations.

It’s a perplexing story, twisting and turning all the time, was it difficult to write and navigate the complex revelations?

It was the hardest part because you have a very minimalist starting point: a mute character, one room and a specific situation. There were two traps, in my opinion: making a telephone thriller with a lot of dialogues and no visual elements, or making another survival film with action and action alone. The idea on the contrary, was to develop a complex story, close to the 70’s paranoiac thrillers, told with images only, and where the solution is outside the room, invisible from the audience.  In fact, I developed the script through the set: a writing desk, a little bed, a closet, a window and a door, that’s it! With these limitations you have to play with space because it becomes information: if my character goes here, it tells something and it brings something to the story. Basically it’s the story of a man walking around a desk.

Your leading man Paul Bruchon is obviously a relation. Which, and why choose him?

Paul is my brother and he has never acted before! At the beginning, I planned to hire a real actor and I have to confess that the role was written for a woman at the beginning. One day, my brother just asked ‘’well it could be fun, just to see’’… I took my camera and started to shoot. He was exactly what I was looking for! He has a real presence and most of all a real elegance. It’s difficult to explain, because he’s my brother, but on the screen, when he moves you can feel his presence in the room.

All my family contributed to the film: Both my parents play a character, in fact each person of the crew plays a character! For example, I play Boyer but one day, for a scene, I was alone with Pauline Morel, my best friend and first assistant and I had to be behind the camera… so I dressed her in my suit and tie and here I am, in my underwear, yelling action to poor Pauline, who had to act like a forty years old upper class man!.

The story is told visually through silhouettes and shadows in super black-and-white,. You never show other people but their presence is always felt. All creative and budgetary choices?

All these choices were made for the script but, yes, also because of budgetary reasons. The film had a small budget but with a big set that we had to build entirely so it was impossible to us to show anything else and I think (I hope) it’s for the best.

Black and white was logical for me because colour can distract the eye. Benjamin Cognet, our gaffer was helpful to achieve it and we built the entire room in order to control light.

Where did you film?

All the shooting takes place in my parent’s home. I measured the living room and built, with Leopol Maurice, a big box. The shooting was a very happy time; the crew was composed of my friends and my parents made food!

You edited the movie too and also composed the evocative soundtrack. Had you done anything like this before and how big a learning curve was it?

It was my first experience from writing to editing and it was a personal challenge. It will sound pretentious but I’m not a good pupil, I always hated school and I prefer to learn by myself. Of course it would be more efficient to employ an editor, a cinematographer, a sound designer, but I deeply wanted to learn how to make a movie from start to end. Obviously, the first day I was in front of my computer to edit the first scene I was a bit panicky because I didn’t know any techniques. 

From the beginning I knew sound would be very important. Sound is a character in itself and I decided to work it as a visual element. Music was a big source of stress… I had never composed a single note and I planned to hire a friend of mine to make the soundtrack but, once again, he was not available so I started to listen to some soundtracks that I love and decided to write the music on the editing timeline, directly with the images. I recorded very different sounds with a microphone and stole some rhythmic, very brief moments from various soundtracks (there is a sample from Alien for example) and I edited it like rushes.

How did the COVID-19 outbreak affect the film?

The music was written during the first month of lockdown in France so the beginning of COVID was (sorry to say) but pretty fun for me… A perfect film for our socially distanced times: set almost entirely in one room, with one single silent character on screen and most communication via text message.,

More generally, COVID shows the growing importance of digital tech in our lives. Sometime it’s for the best and your digital edition of FrightFest is a good example, sometimes it’s for the worst…

Where did you get the pair of leopard shoes? We want some!

Gorgeous, aren’t they? Well, it was difficult to find the right ones. Me and Pauline Morel (who chose most of the costumes of the film) are real shoes fashionista now! Ask us everything you want about leopard shoes! The pair you see were found on the internet so… you just have to click and find them!

Finally, what’s next?

I’m about to shoot my second feature in March! A horror film made with the same circumstances as the first. The Woman with Leopard Shoes is the first film of a trilogy with the same concept: one character, one situation and almost no dialogues. The idea is to cover three genres, the film Noir with the first one, the horror film with this second and the paranoiac thriller with the third. The script and the storyboard are finished, we have the actors and the set is ready to be built! Me and my father have built a crane which permits the camera to go absolutely everywhere because tiny spaces will be very important for the story.

All I can say is that it’s a movie which began like a possession story then goes to a ghost story and finally to a fantastic thriller. I’m very excited to start shooting! I have also my first script, a story of kidnapping but I need more money to do it. It’s not an expensive film at all but impossible to make just on my own… but I will do it, one way or another!

THE WOMAN WITH LEOPARD SHOES is showing on demand for 72 hours from 4.00 pm 5th March, as part of the Arrow Video FrightFest Glasgow 2021 Digital event.

The film is geo-locked to the UK and limited to 500 tickets, Tickets are priced £9.99. For more information: www.glasgowfilm.org/festival

Horror Channel bares its teeth in March with VAMPIRE WEEK

 

Time to get the garlic out as Horror Channel presents VAMPIRE WEEK, a bitefest of vampire movies from 13 – 19 of March, led by the channel premiere of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, David Slade’s savage riff on the vampire myth, starring Josh Hartnet and Melissa George.

There are also classics and cult favourites to sink your teeth in to, including Matt Reeves’ critically-acclaimed vampire fantasy LET ME IN, and Tom Holland’s voracious teen vampire hit FRIGHT NIGHT, JOHN CARPENTER’S VAMPIRES, a horror Western starring James Woods, as a vengeful, stake-wielding bloodsucker hunter, and Francis Ford Cappola’s powerful BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, starring Gary Oldman as the immortal Count. Also, Paul Bettany is in fine vampire-killing form in PRIEST, and a vampire-diseased Milla Jovovich fights for her life in martial-arts futurist thriller ULTRAVIOLE.

Plus, the Brits sharpen their stakes with Tom Paton’s nerve-shredding REDWOOD, a fresh spin on the creature-in-the-woods mythology, and EAT LOCALS in which actor Jason Flemying makes his directorial debut with a bloodsucking comedy chiller featuring Mackenzie Crook, Dexter Fletcher and Annette Crosbie.

Full film details in transmission order:

Saturday 13 March @ 21:00 – ULTRAVIOLET (2006)

In the late 21st century, a subculture of humans has been infected with a genetic mutation causing enhanced speed, incredible stamina and acute intelligence. As more people are infected, the government sets out to destroy them, but one woman stands in the way: ultra-beautiful, ultra-lethal Violet (Milla Jovovich). With eye-popping martial arts skills and chameleon-like abilities, Violet becomes a rogue warrior bent on protecting her new race and seeking revenge on those who created it.

Saturday 13 March @ 22:45 – 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (2007) *Channel Premiere

A remote, isolated town in Alaska is plunged into a state of complete darkness for 30 days every winter. It is here that a group of marauding and bloodthirsty vampires, led by Marlow (Danny Huston), are coming to feast on its helpless residents. It is up to Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett),his estranged wife, Stella (Melissa George), and an ever-shrinking group of survivors to do anything and everything they can to last until daylight.

Sunday 14 March @ 21:00 – LET ME IN (2010)

When a strange young girl, Abby, moves in to the apartment next door, 12 year old Owen is pleased to have found a friend. But as a series of grisly murders take place in their small town, he starts to realise she is not what she seems...

Sunday 15 March @ 23:15 – REDWOOD (2017)

After some bad news back at home, musician Josh and his girlfriend Beth head out to a secluded national park in search of some clarity on the situation they’ll face when they return. But the couple get more than they bargained for when they ignore the advice of Park Rangers and venture off the trail, coming face to face with The Redwood’s legendary wildlife. Starring Nicholas Brendon, Tatjana Nardone, Mike Beckingham, Muzz Khan, Jessica Jane Stafford.

Monday 15 March @ 21:00 – FRIGHT NIGHT (1985)

Everything is normal about Charley except for one thing: he's pretty sure a vampire has moved into the house next door. But Charley is having a hard time getting anyone to believe him. Even Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), the former horror-film star to whom Charley turns for help, sees his assignment as a way to make easy money. Only his suave and sinister neighbour, Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon), takes Charley seriously. And Jerry's out to make sure Charley stops telling stories. Permanently

Tuesday 16 March @ 21:00 – JOHN CARPENTER’S VAMPIRES (1998)

James Woods is Jack Crow, leader of a team of vampire hunters hired by the Vatican. After wiping out a vampire nest in rural New Mexico, "Team Crow" is savagely ambushed by the unholy Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), a vicious 600-year-old vampire. Valek is nearing the end of a long search for the elusive Berziers Cross, the ritual implement that can give him and all vampires’ omnipotent power to walk in the daylight. Crow pursues Valek through the high deserts, culminating in a fateful and final confrontation.

Wednesday 17 March @ 21:00 – PRIEST (2011)

Based on a popular comic book series, Paul Bettany stars as a warrior priest who disobeys church law by teaming with a young sheriff (Cam Gigandet) and a priestess (Maggie Q) to track down a band of renegade vampires who have kidnapped his niece.

Thursday 18 March @ 21:00 – EAT LOCALS (2017)

In a quiet countryside farmhouse, Britain's vampires gather together for their once-every-fifty-years meeting. Others will be joining them too, including a detachment of Special Forces vampire killers who have bitten off more than they can chew. This is certainly going to be a night to remember... and for some of them it will be their last. With Anette Crosbie, Freema Agyeman, Charlie Cox, Mackenzie Crook, Eve Myles, and Vincent Regan

Friday 19 March @ 21:00 – BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992)

Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) is condemned to live off the blood of the living for eternity. Young lawyer Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) is sent to Dracula's castle to finalise a land deal, but when the Count sees a photo of Harker's fiancée, Mina (Wynona Ryder), the spitting image of his dead wife, he imprisons him and sets off for London to track her down.