Interview with Tom Paton

Ahead of the Horror Channel premiere of his sci-fi action thriller G-LOC, director Tom Paton reflects on why making movies is like solving a puzzle, his passion for survival stories and being compared to Roger Corman.

Horror Channel will be broadcasting the UK TV premiere of your Sci-fi adventure G-LOC. Excited or what?

It’s honesty so strange to me every time Horror Channel debuts one of my movies. The channel has been such a big part of my life growing up and informing my taste in films, that it’s always a “pinch myself moment” when I see something that I’ve made appear on their TV listing. G-LOC is much more of a SCI-FI adventure than any of my previous movies, so it’s great that Horror Channel is supporting it and bringing it to UK audiences.

How difficult was it getting the film off the ground? It was shot in Yorkshire, right?

Films are always hard to get off the ground to be fair, I’ve just been incredibly lucky that there are people out there who have believed in me and the stories I want to tell and so that’s made my journey through filmmaking slightly less painful. We shot the film in York in a town called Bubwith and I was there for around two months by the time we wrapped and really felt like Yorkshire had captured a bit of my heart. I’ve spent a lot of time there since.

One of the interesting layers in the film’s narrative is the issue of ‘space immigration’ – the fact that Bran, the main character (played by Stephen Moyer), is banned from settling on another planet because he’s a refugee from Earth. How did that idea form?

One of the things I’ve always loved about science fiction is the power to tell a very relatable story in a completely fictionalised setting. I’ve never been a fan of lecturing an audience or being lectured to myself when watching a film, and so I feel like my job as a writer is to create something that you can enjoy on its own or take away something from it that could change your perspective if you so wish. The idea of a planet being entirely built on immigration that suddenly decides it doesn’t want any more immigrants arriving really came out of the situation in America and the plight of South American immigrants trying to cross the border. The concept was to switch that to a character who you wouldn’t traditionally see trying to go through that type of journey so that the movie would act as “how would you like it?” cautionary tale.

It’s got a great cast. Are you personally involved in the casting process?

I was very involved in this one yeah. I’d been a big fan of Stephen since True Blood and he’s such a great actor that he really brought so much to the film that would not have been there had he turned it down. Casper Van Dien was always on my bucket list of actors to work with because I’m such a huge Starship Troopers fan. Landing him felt like a big deal for me and we’ve literally just finished another film together called Assailant (it’s a return to my Horror roots so hopefully we’ll be doing another one of these interviews for that one down the road.) Tala, John, Emily, Shayne and Mike were all an absolute pleasure to work with too, so I had a real blast on set with this one.

You’re famously a self-taught filmmaker. Is that why you can easily move from directing and writing to producing and company-building? Some might call you a film entrepreneur.

Well, I appreciate the compliment. I think being self-taught certainly had its advantages in terms of teaching me the business side of filmmaking. Truthfully, it’s about lateral thinking – making movies is a puzzle that you’re having to figure out and the more aspects of the process you can master the easier it becomes in terms of finding your path to bringing it to life. It’s very similar to a game of chess and if you move the wrong piece early in the game then it will come back to bite you in the ass later.

All your films flirt with the horror and sci-fi genres. Is that a space you feel particularly comfortable in?

I’ve always been in love with films as a form of escapism, so I think that’s what attracts me to genre movies in general. But I think my real love is in survival tales - my two upcoming movies are both still in that survival genre but move away from sci-fi concepts entirely. I think my thing is to apply what makes a person tick in survival situation to different genres and see what happens. I have a comedy and a post-apocalyptic project in the pipeline, that whilst entirely different tonally, still explore what it means to survive in a tense situation that is beyond your control.

What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers just starting out?

With the technology available today, I honestly believe that if you think you’ve got something thematic to explore then there is nothing stopping you from getting two actors together and shooting something. The best way to become a filmmaker for a living is to just go and make something and prove to people that you’ve got the chops to hold a story together. We made my first film ‘Pandorica’ for hardly anything and if we did it today it would’ve cost even less with the available tech. Not only did just having the resolve to go and do that signal to the wider industry that I was capable and someone worth working with, but to this day it’s still the most fun I’ve had on set and will always be one of my favourite things I’ve ever done. So go do it, you’ve got nothing to lose.

You’ve been called Britain’s answer to low budget movie legend Roger Corman. A fair comparison?

I love hearing that. It was first said to me by a journalist that doesn’t like my work and was clearly trying to insult me, but it was music to my ears and has kind of stuck. I love the idea that Roger Corman carved his own space within the industry and maintained that output for over fifty years. It was reading his autobiography that made me get off my ass and go and make my first film. So, to be in a position where I can even now get that comparison is a huge compliment to me and I can only hope that one day someone will read a book about my journey and set off on their own adventure.

You’ve already shot your next movie 400 BULLETS, an edge-of-your-seat military action thriller. What are the release plans for that?

‘400 Bullets’ is very much for you if you like ‘Assault On Precinct 13’ and drops in the UK in September after a successful US run earlier this year. I’m really proud of the movie and if you love action then hopefully, you’ll have a blast with this. I’ve also just wrapped on a movie called ‘Assailant’ with Casper Van Dien, Chad Michael Collins, Poppy Delevingne and Jeff Fahey that is a return to horror thrillers for me and should drop in 2022.

G-LOC airs on Horror Channel Friday Sept 17, 9pm.

 

COMPETITION: Win Terrified on DVD

Terrified - Released on DVD and Blu-ray from 13th September

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

Synopsis: 

You’ll be Terrified as writer/ director Demián Rugna’s (The Last Gateway, You Don’t Know Who You’re Talking To) nightmare inducing horror makes its UK Blu-ray, DVD and digital debut from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder on 13 September 2021.

Voices in the kitchen, furniture shaking at night, corpses moving seemingly of their own accord… in a quiet suburban street in Buenos Aires, strange occurrences convince the residents that they’re being haunted. Following levitating bodies and murderous threats from an unseen entity, neighbours Clara, Walter and Alicia get together to tackle the problem. But as things get more and more sinister, they start to see how truly dangerous the presence really is.

When a paranormal investigator is brought in, they hope he’ll get to the root of their neighbourhood nightmare… but dark spirits don’t like being disturbed and things take a dark and deadly turn.

Get Terrified, evil is here.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/38G7DFL

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 20-09-21
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 Belzebuth on DVD

Belzebuth  - Released on DVD and Blu-ray from 13th September

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

Synopsis: 

Pray for mercy, evil has risen in Emilio Portes’ Belzebuth, a chilling Shudder Original gore-fest that descends to the depths of hell. The film is set for its UK Blu-ray debut from Acorn Media International on 13 September 2021 and will also be available on DVD and digital.

 

Horror legend, Saw’s Tobin Bell (Mississippi Burning) stars alongside Narcos: Mexico star Joaquín Cosio (Quantum of Solace) and Tate Ellington (Sinister 2) in this darkly disturbing, gruesome Mexican/English film that will strike the fear of God into you.

After the loss of his own child, Special Agent Emmanuel Ritter (Cosio) is called in to lead an investigation into a spate of deeply disturbing deaths involving young children. Things take an ominous turn when a former Vatican priest (Bell) is enlisted to help.  When he uncovers a link to an ancient demon – the most evil one of all – the descent into twisted terror begins.

Belzebuth is a dark, terrifying new work of demonic possession.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zOIC78

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 20-09-21
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 Shawn Kelley - Director of My Father’s Brothers

 

My Father’s Brothers, a true account of an army airborne company outnumbered in the jungle during the Vietnam War, is now On Demand and DVD from Passion River. https://amzn.to/3mYPfjN

The film, directed by Shawn Kelley, follows their struggles, how they survived, and how they continue to deal with the conflict.   

A multiple best documentary award-winning film, My Father’s Brothers focuses on one pivotal day in American history that affected the lives of 140 soldiers. On June 29, 1966, surrounded and outnumbered 10-to-1 in the dense Vietnam jungle, an army platoon is savagely attacked while they wait for reinforcements from their company. 50 years later, survivors tell their story of tragedy, resourcefulness and heroism. Some volunteered for the army as teenagers. Others were drafted. Some went back to Vietnam years later in hopes of finding closure and peace. All share a bond that cannot be broken.

Why did you feel this was a story that needed to be told, sir?

My father doesn’t outright talk about his time in Vietnam but can be willing to do so when asked. For years, I just didn’t know the right questions. The more we talked, the more I discovered there was another side to my dad that I didn’t know. I felt that was worth exploring. And I discovered a lot of other combat veterans are the same way. I believe it’s important to keep these stories alive.

You obviously would’ve heard a lot about it, growing up - - what do you recall mostly?

Really just bits and pieces. I knew the June 29, 1966 battle was important to him and that one of his men received the Medal of Honor during that battle, but that was about it. My dad would only say so much. Even when I was interviewing him, which I did on multiple occasions, he was guarded with his answers. It wasn’t until I read the book, Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes, that I started to find the right questions. The book painted a vivid portrayal of what it was like for, basically teenage soldiers, to go on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam. It was terrifying to me to think that my dad and the young men he led did the same thing. That book helped me to frame up the right questions, because I will never really know what that was like. And then the conversations we had started to get more interesting.

As you got into the details, for the documentary, were you even more moved by what happened? 

Absolutely. At the 173rd Airborne reunion, I started interviewing the men in my father’s unit the day after I met them for the first time. I didn’t expect how open they were with me, and I was literally trying not to cry during the interviews. All during the editorial process and the hundreds of times I’ve seen this film in various forms, I still tear up. I wasn’t expecting this type of emotional connection for not only the story, but the veterans, too. The empathy I now have for combat vets has gone through the roof.

 

What didn’t you know about your dad, that you now do?

If you met my dad today, within a few minutes, he would find out about more about you, try his best to make you laugh, and even figure out a way to help with a problem you might have. He’s just built that way. He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met. So, to think that in his mid- to late-20’s he was leading 140 men into combat, making life or death decisions, and shooting at people in a jungle, is just hard to imagine. That’s not the dad I’ve know all my life. But what I found was all those experiences really helped shape the man that he is today.

How close was the platoon before the event?

The company that my dad commanded had four platoons with a total of about 140 men. Because this was so early in the war, the soldiers in Alpha Company did not train as a unit together before Vietnam. They were sent to Vietnam from a many different units and then assigned to A/2/503rd, so a lot of them didn’t know each other. Some would get injured so badly they would leave the army with a disability. Some would die. New soldiers would replace them. But friendships would form in the platoons that would last a lifetime. 

Do you feel the event strengthened the bond between the survivors?

After the war, many went on with their lives outside of the military and they slowly drifted apart. It wasn’t until quite a few years later that the 173rd Airborne Association started to have reunions. A lot of these guys began to reconnect 20+ years after the war. Bill Palmer, one of the veterans in the film, came to his first reunion 30 years after the battle. His second reunion was 50 years after the battle, where he finally met the soldier that saved his life on June 29, 1966. I’ve been to four reunions with dad. It’s wonderful to hear their stories and laugh with them. The bond between them is incredible. They would do anything for one another. And that started with being in foxholes together in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

There’s some great imagery here – well done on how striking it is.

Thank you – that was a challenge. When I interviewed my dad, I had the scrapbook of photography my mom put together to use in the film. I also asked all the veterans in the film to bring photographs from their time in Vietnam for me to use. But I found I needed a lot more. That’s when I started making trips to the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. What a treasure that place is! I was able to find more photography as well as footage to use in the film. It wasn’t all from my dad’s company, but it helped to paint the picture of what they experienced. I knew from watching war movies with my dad as a kid that all the imagery had to be right. He would say things like, “that insignia should be on his left side of his uniform, not the right,” or “what’s that American soldier doing with an Israeli assault rifle?” Kind of ruined a lot of movies for me. But I learned you need to be accurate!

Sound, I’m guessing, is quite important to a film like this?

They say that sound is often more important than visuals. Audiences may forgive bad footage but not bad sound. There had to be the right balance – I didn’t want the sound to get in the way of the story the veterans were telling. Being a first-time filmmaker, I was fortunate to work with experienced filmmaker friends. When I gave the list of American and Vietnamese weapons to Jason Hausman, the sound designer, he smiled and took it as a challenge. Ross Wissbaum was the sound engineer that brought everything magically together. And Trinity Velez-Justo was the brilliant composer of the film. I met her a speaking engagement just by chance. We started talking and before you know it, working together. I’ll never forget when she sent me the first music cue to review. I listened to it against the video and just started bawling – it was like pent-up emotions all came rushing out. The music perfectly complemented the story. 

Did you always intend on doing the film independently?

Yes. But that’s only because I was a first-time filmmaker – I didn’t know another way to do it. I was determined to boot-strap the film. It wasn’t long before I realized the power of what a team could bring to a project. It was a very small team, but the passion and talent they brought to the table was amazing. Funding started out from just my wife and me, but slowly I was able to add some private funds. My plan was to complete the film, go the film festival route, then find a distributor. And that’s what I did. Looking back, I would rethink funding and engage with a distributor and impact producer earlier in the project’s timeline.

Being a documentary, has it been easy to nab distribution?

Finding the right distributor was a challenge. Not all of them handle docs or work with docs like mine. It wasn’t until I attended AFM, which was virtual last year, that I met many distributors that looked promising. I had several offers, but ultimately, I engaged with Passion River. They work with a lot of docs, including My Beautiful Stutter, which is a film that was on the festival circuit with mine. That film is amazing. Since they went with Passion River, it was another good sign. 

Have you found more and more distributors are looking for content this year, considering there weren’t as many films in production last year?

2020 was an interesting year, to say the least. It seemed that a lot of distributors hit the pause button for a while to see what was going to happen. So that also shifted the number of films that will release this year. I engaged with my distributor earlier in the year, so my knowledge of what distributors are looking for now is limited.

Do you suggest they attend markets and so on, to network?

AFM 2020 really worked out well for me. It was virtual, but it came at a time when Zoom burn-out wasn’t a thing. I met a lot of people in filmmaking from all over the world by virtual networking and I may not have been able to do that if it was in-person. During AFM, you could hover over a virtual networking table, quickly see who was there, then ‘pop in’ for a chat. Usually someone was already talking, but attendees at the table would wave to you. During a break in the conversation, ultimately someone would say something like, “Hi Shawn. So, tell us about your doc.” It was great. Although there’s a lot of value in non-virtual events.

Have you another film in the works yet?

I have two projects that are in just the beginning phases of the process. One is about a custom knifemaker. The other involves the music business, but that one may have to wait a bit longer with everything that’s going on in the world. I’ve also been working on short stories about veterans and plan to do more longer form pieces about combat vets. My Father’s Brothers has shown me the value in sharing veterans’ stories. I’ve also been talking to filmmakers about collaborating on some different projects. It’s fun to think about the possibilities.

Buy from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3mYPfjN

COMPETITION: Win Wired Shut on DVD

Wired Shut  - Released on DVD from 30th August

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

Synopsis: 

Jaw dropping slasher Wired Shut from director Alexander Sharp, in his feature film debut, will have you open-mouthed with fear when it arrives on DVD and digital 30 August 2021 from 101 Films.

Famed author Reed Rodney (Blake Stadel – Riverdale, The Twilight Zone) seems to have it all – international acclaim for his writing, a sweeping secluded mansion and money beyond his wildest dreams – but life isn’t always what it seems on the surface. Behind the glossy exterior lies the shell of a man, an alcoholic haunted by his past transgressions that destroyed his family.

When a horrific car crash leaves him in bad way, he faces reconstructive surgery and his jaw is wired shut, leaving him unable to speak. Forced to recover at home alone, the isolation threatens to overwhelm him… then his estranged daughter Emmy (Natalie Sharp – The Flash, Supernatural), turns up.  Is she there to reconnect after all these years or does she have an ulterior motive?

When a dangerous secret emerges and a menacing intruder shows up, Reed and Emmy must band together to try and survive the night… 

Get totally wired with gore-filled splatter-fest Wired Shut.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jb9LeK

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 06-09-21
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 Sound of Violence on Blu-ray

Sound of Violence  - Released on Blu-ray from 30th August

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

Synopsis: 

In thrilling new horror Sound of Violence, a young girl recovers her hearing and gains synthetic abilities during the brutal murder of her family. Finding solace in the sounds of bodily harm, as an adult she pursues a career in music composing her masterpieces through gruesome murders.

From the mind of talented new writer-director Alex Noyer and featuring a stunning lead performance from Jasmin Savoy Brown (2022’s Scream, The Leftovers), Sound of Violence is one of the most original and shocking horrors of the year.

Sound of Violence has its UK Premiere at Arrow FrightFest, 26th - 30th August

Dazzler Media presents Sound of Violence on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 30th August

 

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W9SMkk

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 06-09-21
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 Random Acts of Violence on Blu-ray

Random Acts of Violence  - Released on Blu-ray from 23rd August

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

Synopsis: 

Jay Baruchel writes, directs and stars in his horror debut Random Acts of Violence, which makes its UK Blu-ray debut from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, following its success on the streaming service.

 

Fan favourite Jesse Williams (Cabin in the Woods) leads in this gore-filled slasher as his own creation is bought to life by a fan hell-bent on committing Random Acts of Violence in increasingly gruesome murders.  The film will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and on digital to download and keep on 23 August 2021.

 

Comic book creator Todd Walkley (Williams – Grey’s Anatomy), his wife (Jordana Brewster – Fast and the Furious), assistant (Niamh Wilson –Saw III) and best friend (Jay Buchel – This is the End, Sorcerer's Apprentice) are heading to NYC Comic Con when bad things start to happen – a lot of people are getting murdered. It soon becomes clear that a crazed fan is using his “SLASHERMAN” comic as inspiration for the killings. As the bodies pile up, and Todd’s friends dropping like flies, he is forced to face the killer and put an end to his notorious comic.

 

Will Todd be able to stop the spree or will he fall victim to his own creation?

 

Get in on some Random Acts of Violence.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3g4J0Xl

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-08-21
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.