Hi
there and welcome to a new - hopefully ongoing – feature here on
Needless Things.
I
like talking to people and seeing what makes them do what they do. As
I’ve established before, I am fascinated by folks who are creative
and who work hard to express that creativity. There’s nothing I
admire more than somebody who is doing something they love. Whether
it’s making movies, writing, wrestling, or whatever; if you’re
able to put time and effort into something you’re passionate about
I think that’s the best thing ever.
What
I’d like to do with these Q&As is shine a spotlight on people
who are doing just that and bring attention to whatever it is they
are doing. For right now I’m sticking with a standard format of
questions that are easy for me and the subject to pass back and forth
and then for me to post, but eventually I’d like to get into
full-on interviews somehow or another. We’ll see how this goes.
Hopefully it’ll do better than Phantom Who.
My
very first subject is somebody near and dear to me – a guy who
helped and encouraged my own creative pursuits way back in the day.
James
was the first guy I knew that was putting CDs together for local
bands. His place was the first one where I saw a bunch of computers
networked together to play DOOM. He was the first (and only, as far
as I know) guy I met who decided against a career as a pro wrestler
because he tried throwing himself off the porch a couple hundred
times and decided he didn’t like it. It didn’t keep him out of
the business, though.
James
spent hours helping my band – The Irresponsibles – be a band.
That’s a whole other story, though. Today I’m here to talk about
James and the fact that this determined, nutso redneck has actually
gone out and made a fucking movie. It’s a zombie movie called The
Black Earth
and what I’ve seen of it is ridiculous. I can’t wait for the
premiere at The Plaza Theater in Atlanta on November 3rd
so I can see the rest.
For
now I’m going to turn it over to James so he can tell you about
himself and his movie:
- Where were you born and what is one way that place has affected you as a person?
Atlanta,
Georgia- Northside Hospital- but it’s rumored I was born in a barn
according to my family. I guess Banks County, North Georgia. I
originally grew up in Chamblee, Georgia when I was kid, went from
being the token white kid, to the token city kid. Either way they
majority of people hated me, no one could ever give you a real
reason. I remember being called a “Devil Worshipper” and a
“Faggot” because I wore combat boots and Metallica T-shirts and
Dead Kennedy’s T-Shirts. Hell even half the teachers were bluntly
cruel to my face because I was an outsider. I learned how to fight
and learned how to cheat…then I met Mike Nickerson- who over the
years is a brother to me, no matter where we are in life or what
different path we take, we still keep up with each other.
- What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?
SPACE
1999 ship of course I used Star Wars Figures in it…..you know it
couldn’t make the Kessel Run in less that 12 parsecs….but who
cares…..Chewbacca will whip yer ass…..
- What is one album everybody should own?
Fuck
that, you know me well enough to know I can’t give you one album…so
here’s the top ten.
1.
TYR – By the
Light of the Northern Star
2.
Social Distortion
- Somewhere between heaven and Hell
3.
Rush – 2112
4.
Misfits – Legacy
of Brutallity
5.
Danzig – Danzig
6.
Real McKenzies –
Off the Leash
7.
Ween – Chocolate
and Cheese
8.
Sloppy Seconds –
Knock Yer Block Off
9.
Hank 3 –
Straight to Hell
10.
Mojo Nixon –
Gadzooks
Or
that’s the 10 I will say right now……I would toss Iron Maiden in
there and a few others…but shit, you gave me one, I took 10 I don’t
want to fuck ya over that bad….
- Is your current occupation a career?
No.
- What are you working towards?
Granted my current job I
respect, and try to do my best at (I work in a Optical Center), my
job before was my career- Professional Hockey, but the market’s
crashed, a lot of cut backs. Pro Hockey is very dangerous job from a
career standpoint. Most hockey teams and their offices are full of
Backstabbers, cutthroats and all a around evil people that think they
should be the MVP whether they laced up a pair of skates or not-
we’re talking the office side. Rarely these days you meet someone
in hockey that is true to hockey- like Coach Rod Davidson or Coach
Bob Ferguson, they help restore your faith in Hockey as a sport and a
career, but teams I worked for like Manchester Monarchs (the
Eisenberg era) really soured me on the sport. Same with like the
Rockford Icehogs, teams that are run by people who have a sense of
entitlement and don’t understand that the team is more important
than a golf outing. So it’s a nasty business, less drama in pro
wrestling, or strip clubs. SO now my true career is making films,
because over the years I’ve learned how to do everything, from
story concept, to storyboards, preproduction, to the actual filming,
onto postproduction and the marketing. So I work for Family Curse
Films to further that goal.
- Who is your favorite wrestler and why?
The
Exotic Adrian Street- Because Adrian Street was the full package him
and Abdullah the Butcher- and Abby only because I had met him a few
times and behind closed door he was probably one of the sweetest guys
ever. He would joke around and as a camera man, he still made me feel
like I was part of the show. But in front of a crowd he was a
monster, causing havoc and bleeding. So it was a real Hyde and Jekyll
sort of thing. Same with Adrian. He was a marketing machine and knew
how to get under the skin of the crowd. Still had that Wiggin style
of beat your ass if he wanted to, while doing the whole “Perceived”
as being gay, which is weird because Miss Linda his wife accompanied
to the ring. We actually (We being Chris Robbins and Myself)
write films with the 7 deadly steps in mind and work a film script
like a wrestling match. Shine the face, bring the heat, mount the
comeback, false finish, bring heat, mount comeback, highspot, finish.
It’s very wrestling orientated on purpose…..why? Because it
works. It’s what people want. Something wresting has
forgotten. While on the set, sure we change stuff on the fly, like
wrestling psychology, you gotta feel what is right. If we choose to
change the finish or the heat spot, we do it. So Wrestling
plays a big part in our lives and career. I have the upmost respect
for the profession and craft, probably more that most workers. I book
WWE much better than a damn soap opera writer…because me and Chris
we feel it, we know it. But that’s the problem they force feed you
shit and expect you to deal with it, when the indy circuit is where
the real future lies.
- What are the best shoes you’ve ever owned?
Merrills.
I like Merrills. Occasional Earth Shoe.
- How did you become involved with film?
Well,
Shit. I was in a punk band for 10 years. It’s the natural
progression of nerdy fucker like me. I learned music, engineering,
and such. Played in a band, then wanted to do videos, then film,
then…..I expect next I will want to either star in Bukkake films or
do animations. Probably animations. Me and Scott Stripling, Atlanta
artist did “Belligerent Nation” and animated pilot for adult swim
that didn’t make it. However, following our animation about a heavy
metal band and wrestling, Tommy Blancha put out a animated show about
heavy metal and another one about wrestling….go figure. The
business will ass rape you if you let it. Not sure if that’s what
happened or not. I remember drinking with Dana Synder downtown a few
times….so….hell who cares, as long as Adult Swim keeps me
entertained, I am happy.
Long
Live Unknown Hinson!!!!
- Which actor do you feel like you could sit and watch for hours no matter what they were doing and why?
Bruce
Campbell, and I have. Because no matter what he does I remember him
in EVIL DEAD. So if he fucks something up, it doesn’t matter. Hell
I only watch Burn Notice for Sam Axe.
- What inspires you to do what you do?
Seeing
it come together. I have worked in Bands, Wrestling, Films, Sports.
I Like being the Wizard of OZ. The guy behind the curtain pulling the
strings. It’s what I live for. I have had folks work for me, who
think well I am so this or that, but honestly, my ego tells me,
without me, you ain’t shit. Then Again…I got a self loathing/god
complex….so I hate me….but I hate you more…..
- What is something you cannot wait to see or have more of?
Beer,
Money, Stickers, Stickers and Footage. As an Editor…never
enough footage. As a promoter never enough stickers and posters, as a
owner of Family Curse Films, never enough money, as a drunk never
enough beer.
- Is there a movie that should never be remade and if so which one?
All
of them. That’s the problem. Hollywood is so fucking lame. They
just did a film based on the Milton Bradley game Battleship- Really?
They threw an ass of money at it and it’s pissed away at this
point. But as far as remakes, why? Granted there are a few I enjoyed,
but why ruin it, why ruin the history? Like the old Horror Genre- The
magic of those films were the style, the slasher films had over the
top gore, cheesy as hell in most cases, with this rough edge to it
because the director probably didn’t know where exactly they were
going, neither did the actors. Somehow they created an awesome film
that stood the test of time or was viewed, and still is viewed today.
So let’s take that and remake it….you don’t get the same movie,
what makes a movie great sometimes isn’t the story, or the effects,
it’s what you take from it personally at the time when you see it.
Like as a kid, I saw Friday the 13th
in 3d at a
theatre- it was awesome, I have seen the film since. It sucks by
today’s standards of “High Quality” 3d or effects or acting…but
the memory I have of that film was one of the greatest films I ever
saw in a theater. Now you tell me you’re going to re-do it and put
it in a theater again. That kinda disgusts me. Why waste the money,
use those millions of dollars on people who have original ideas, and
maybe will create a whole new genre of film. But no Hollywood insist
that Remaking The Three Stooges is a good idea…and give million
dollar budgets- I love Will Sasso, I think he’s hilarious, but I
telling me he’s going to play Curly, as Curly and not as a
documentary style movie, is kinda slap in the face to Curly and Will
Sasso. Remakes piss me off- Because some it means producers and
writers are creative enough to write something worth a shit, so they
try to piggy back on the success of previous producers, writers and
films. There are plenty of ways to borrow from other films or do that
style to help your creative process. Sam Raimi keeps saying they are
remaking Evil Dead, but not as the same story, just in the vein of
Evil Dead, that I get. But a total remake would be horrible. I got
into films because of watching shit like Evil Dead, Bruce Campbell
and that. Film Making has become a lost art- Pro Wrestling is the way
we write and define our film ideas, me and Chris Robbins- Shine the
Face, Get the heat, false finishes, it’s the same. Just like
Wrestling Ring Psychology is a lost art, so is film making. We filmed
Black Earth on a shoe string budget, because we believed in it and
worked it like a wrestling match to get story arc where it needed to
be. People are just being brought up in a system, whether it’s
wrestling or film making, that you are taught a, b, c they don’t
know how to wing it. They don’t know how to call it in the ring.
Half our script got chucked out the window when we were filming, but
we kept the points that needed to be made, got through our spots and
took it home when we felt it was appropriate. Films and Wrestling
these days (Most films and Most Wrestling) don’t understand that
anymore. You have to be a spontaneous crazy motherfucker and learn to
go with the crowd and roll with the punches. Michael Bay is a spot
monkey….for example. Sure it’s great to see a high spot match
occasionally, but tell me a story, don’t just blow stuff up. So
compare the current film making industry to that of the WWE farm
system or tough enough. You gotta live it, learn it, work with the
old timers to understand how it works. I work with Lloyd Kauffman, it
was like a wrestler getting to learn from Ric Flair. But Hollywood
craps on people like Troma Films and Kauffman? Why I will never know.
Hell I think Roger Corman won an Oscar for Lifetime achievement
award…..so finally someone got recognition. If you go and watch
those films, they are a class room in themselves. Watch all the Edgar
Alan Poe film stuff with Corman, or Toxic Avenger, or Russ Meyer
films, they are like watching history and you can learn so much from
just the way they had to film things due to budgets, and such. So
should those films be remade? Hell No, they are priceless gems the
way they are, flaws and all.
- Closer – can you sell me cold on your current project? Take as long as you want.
Yeah.
It was a group of Crew. All these films are made by the crew. The
Black Earth was cast as the crew. The Actors doubled as crew, because
they knew it. It was just fun to do it. The folks on set had fun,
including myself. That usually means, from experience the movie is
good. I mean I still stay in contact with them now. They are family.
Other films, I could give two shits about them. This film, hell they
are on the Christmas card list. We were writing on the fly. If you
have to do 19 takes because the cast is laughing….then you got a
solid film. And we Jim Harpered the piss out of this one. Besides
that, Alex Traywick is one of the baddest motherfuckers to ever touch
a camera….she was at the helm. Me, I played captain, she was the
true captain. She is the queen of the pirates and made this thing
happen. Not to mention Jeffery, Jon, Johnny, Chris, Corey, Fab,
Kathi, Noel my gal, Sam, Stephanie, Jenny my girl, Sherri, and who
could forget Mark Hartz and Quinn….now with the crew and cast of
people we had….no way it would be bad. Most films are just a giant
load of assholes who want to be catered to, actors fucking suck giant
dicks and monkey turds. This group of folks, they wanted to make a
fun film, so cleaning up when they weren’t on set, and helping with
lighting and shit like that, was never beneath them. They did it,
without permission. Just assumed the role. That’s what makes this
the greatest cast I have ever worked with or for. So as far as
selling folks on it, honestly fuck them folks who need to be sold on
it. These people are the cream of the crop, and I am proud to have
worked with them. It’s the highlight of my career, and if this film
takes a giant shit in the bed….don’t matter, because as long as I
live those hard working motherfuckers will always be stars in my
eyes. Of course, the film is funny as hell, I know I have spewed beer
out of my nose 14 times during editing…yeah I am keeping track.
It’s worth the gamble I would say to anyone to buy the movie of see
it. It premieres in Atlanta, Nov. 3rd at the PLAZA.
www.theblackearthmovie.com
It’s a fun
Horror/Comedy movie…I guarantee you will laugh…I will be there so
you can punch me in the balls if you don’t laugh.
I’ll
be there too, but I’m not going to take part in any ball-punching.
What I will take part in is encouraging you to go and buy a copy of
The Black Earth
on DVD and help the Reverend finance this thing. The work’s all
done, but the guy still needs cash so he can afford
beer complete
post-production.
If
you like anything you’ve seen here today, go to the Indiegogo page
and pick out one of the contribution amounts and all of the rewards
it entails. If not, well – you can come back tomorrow and read
about a guy with spikes all over him.
-Phantom
Hey! You could interview me! I am a fellow Georgia boy that moved to Mexico! Monster Cafe Saltillo on Facebook. Had to open it up here in Mex because it is too frickin expensive in Atlanta!
ReplyDeleteSure - just send me your contact info at PhantomTroublemaker@gmail.com. I'd be happy to do it for a future post!
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