A very tight place

A very tight place (Michael Darling)

All that you love will be carried away

Autopsy room four

Ayana

Battleground

Beachworld

Beachworld (Christian Skibinski)

Big driver

Cain rose up

Cain rose up (Jake Kyler Kaufman)

Cain rose up (David Emery)

Children of the corn

Dedication

Dedication (Jane Barr)

Everything’s eventual

Everything’s eventual (Brad Hall)

Gotham Café

Graduation afternoon

Gray matter

Sedá hmota (Erik Richard H)

Gray matter (Todd Banks)

Gray matter (Ryan Livers)

Harvey’s dream

Here there be tygers

Here there be tygers (Guy Maddin)

Home delivery

I am the doorway

Doorway (Alden Miller)

I am the doorway (James McGorry)

I am the doorway (Brian Dillon)

I am the doorway (Mikhail Tank & Jamie Brown)

I know what you need

In the deathroom

In the deathroom (Amy driver)

In the deathroom (Neil Watson)

Jerusalem’s Lot

Lovecraft’s pillow

LT’s theory of pets

LT’s theory of pets (Brad C. Hodson)

Luckey quarter

Mrs Todd’s shortcut

Mute

Mute (Thies Grünewald)

My pretty pony

Night surf

Nona

Nona (Ben Cowper)

Shalt thou shew wonders to the dead? (Julien Magnat)

Nona (Anthony Bushman & Stephen H. Smith)

One for the road

Paranoid

Popsy

Premium harmony

Rainy season

Rest stop

Rest stop (Joe Youngman)

Rest stop (Robin May)

Rest stop (Juan S. Zambrano)

Rest stop (James Hughes)

Rest stop (Michael Barnard)

Stationary bike

226 (Corey Dowd)

Stationary bike (Evan Jones)

Stationary bike (Ranjeet S. Marwa)

Strawberry spring

Strawberry spring (Jeanette Murray & Michael Bemma)

Stud city

Suffer the little children

Suffer the little children (Chris Keaton)

Survivor type

That feeling, you can only say what it is in French

The ballad of the flexible bullet

The boogeyman

The dark tower

The death of Jack Hamilton

The doctor’s case

The fifth quarter

The jaunt

The last rung on the ladder

The lawnmower man

The library policeman

The library policeman (Dave Brock)

The man in the black suit

The man who loved flowers

The man who loved flowers (Angelina Walsh)

The man who would not shake hands

The man who would not shake hands (Brandon Herron)

The milkman

The reach

The reaper’s image

The reaper’s image (Pablo ‘Macho’ Maysonet IV)

The road virus heads north

The sun dog

Sun dog (Matthew Flesher)

The things they left behind

The woman in the room

The woman in the room (Jared Collins)

The woman in the room (Dave Brock)

The woman in the room (Jay Gladwell)

Trucks

Umney’s last case

Uncle Otto’s truck

Willa

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Maciej Barczewski – June 17, 2017

17 juni 201717 juni 2017

He is the man behind My pretty pony Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Maciej Barczewski: Hi, I’m a director and producer affiliated with Gdynia Film School in Poland. A lawyer by training, I also teach copyright and media law in Europe and the US. SKSM: When did you make My pretty pony? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Maciej Barczewski: We shot it in the summer of 2016. The whole shoot lasted almost 10 days. We intended to make it in 7 days, but the frivolous weather rendered that goal impossible. The budget was ultra-low, not more than 15.000 dollars. Yet, thanks to the efforts and combined talents of our whole film crew, one of the professionals who saw the final cut estimated that we had to spend more than 200.000 dollars to achieve such a level of quality. We did not correct him. SKSM: How come you picked My pretty pony to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Maciej Barczewski: I recall that when I read it for the first time in 1993 in the collection of Nightmares and Dreamscapes I did not enjoy it as much as other stories. As a young reader I was disappointed that there were no supernatural elements, no twist or even a distinct ending to the story. At that time it seemed to be just a long scene of a grandfather talking to his grandson. Many years later, when I thought about making a film with time as a main theme, and I revisited this story it struck me as a deep and multilayered reflection on both the nature of time and family relationships. Then everything just clicked and I knew I had to make my version of ‘My Pretty Pony’. The movie is about time and it took time to grow up to it. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Maciej Barczewski: I heard that Stephen King supports independent filmmakers by allowing for non-exclusive adaptations of some of his stories. That is very gracious and a proof of his love for the art of cinema. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Maciej Barczewski: There were many, as usual. For example, one day me and my DOP Krzysztof almost got electrocuted when we moved a piece of set design. Fortunately, at the end of the day everything turned out fine. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Maciej Barczewski: From the perspective of possible future studio adaptations of these stories it is entirely justified. Yet, I guess that some kind of a limited DVD edition of the best dollar babies would not hurt the commercial potential of their studio reworkings. But it is up to Stephen King to decide about such an endeavor. SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? Maciej Barczewski: So far the reception has been terrific. Within only a month of a festival circuit our film has been awarded seven times at festivals both in Hollywood and Europe. Reviews say that it’s ‘captivating’ and ‘charming’. A number of times I heard that its cinematography and soundtrack is reminiscent of the early works of Spielberg. One cannot imagine better compliments and all our film crew earned them through their hard work. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Maciej Barczewski: I have received a contract signed by Mr King, but all the arrangements have been made with his kind assistant Margaret. I have recently sent him a copy of the movie, but I guess that at the moment he’s too busy with his professional commitments to provide any feedback. SKSM: What are you working nowadays? Maciej Barczewski: Just a few days ago we have wrapped a major feature film I’m co-producing called ‘The Fastest’ (pol. Najlepszy) which will enter screens late autumn, with any luck not only in Poland. It tells a true extraordinary tale of a former drug-addict who becomes a triathlon world champion. I’m also working on a script of a World War II drama I would hope to shoot next year. Apart from the film work I’m putting finishing touches on two books on intellectual property and high technology law. So it’s a busy, busy time. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why? Maciej Barczewski: Oh well, I would love to. The problem is that almost of all them have been optioned or have been recently made. I always dreamed of plunging into the Dark Tower universe and ‘Wizard and Glass’ is a masterpiece of magical storytelling. It would also be fun to revisit the little town of Salem’s Lot. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Maciej Barczewski: If you have an opportunity to see ‘My Pretty Pony’ at a festival nearby, do not hesitate. You will enjoy it.

David Merriman – June 12, 2017

12 juni 201712 juni 2017

He is the man behind Popsy Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what David Merriman: My name is David Merriman and I own a small company called dmi videos. We do everything from commercials to music videos. I spend as much time as possible writing scripts and working on my own documentary projects and short films. SKSM: When did you make Popsy? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? David Merriman: I made "Popsy" in oct of 2015. I shot it over 3 days in Birmingham Alabama. A documentary I had made in Alabama had got a lot of press and done quite well at a film festival there, as a result I got a great cast and crew who all worked on the project for free! I edited the film myself and called in some favours on the colour grade and mix so the real world cost was only a couple of thousand. SKSM: How come you picked Popsy to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? David Merriman: The second film I ever saw in a movie Theater was hammer horrors the brides of Dracula. And I have always loved the original Dracula novel, so it seemed like a really exciting story to try and translate into film. There is some evidence that Stoker based Dracula on an Irish warlord he was related too and not Vlad the impaler. So in Popsy the only line the vampire speaks is in Irish. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? David Merriman: I'm a big Frank Darabont fan and read about how he did the first dollar baby. After researching and finding out King still did this I blew up his site quick fast. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? David Merriman: My favourite part of the film is where the vampire materialises in the car next to Sheridan. Sheridan slowly turns and sees the vampire and is terrified. We had a lot of fun doing that shot and multiple takes were lost from laughing. I think we were all giddy with excitement at how cool the vampire looked. Our Sheridan,Jeff Hallman, is also in kings "Cell" with Sam Jackson and John Cusack. He is a super committed person and great to work with. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? David Merriman: I don't see that. I think the dollar babies are more for aspiring film makers to get their chops on good material and I think it's a testament to Kings generosity as an artist that he does this. SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? David Merriman: The film screened at the sidewalk festival in Birmingham, Alabama and was really well received. We also got a Luke warm review from a king fan site. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? David Merriman: No comment SKSM: What are you working nowadays? David Merriman: I'm in post production on another vampire short I shot over last few months of 2016 and planning another horror short for end of March as well as commercial work I'm doing. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why? David Merriman: I'd like to do another short though I'm not sure which one. As a life king king fan it's tough to pick SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? David Merriman: Thanks Oscar, please send me on a link when it's done. Cheers, Day

Joe Kowalski – June 7, 2017

7 juni 20177 juni 2017

He is the man behind I am the doorway Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Joe Kowalski: My name is Joe Kowalski and I’m an independent filmmaker hailing from Cleveland. I’ve directed four films, about 300 Internet shorts, and countless commercials and promotional materials. I also do a lot of freelance work and co-host a podcast that’s been going on for over 70 episodes. SKSM: When did you make I am the doorway? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Joe Kowalski: We made it at the end of last year (2016). The production was fairly straightforward. I was working on a film called Prism at the time that we were introducing in a film festival event because it was only half an hour long. We were still looking to fill our allotted time, and it just so happened that my girlfriend at the time had told me about the Dollar Baby Club. We started working on our version of the story that summer and filmed the entire thing at almost no cost in a weekend. SKSM: How come you picked I am the doorway to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Joe Kowalski: Given that our main budget was going into Prism , we wanted a story that we could adapt at a low-cost and with minimal stress. My girlfriend at the time suggested Doorway because out of all of them it was one of the few that seemed to meet that criteria, especially if we took out the scenes with the characters in outer space. We then added a framing story to fill it out a bit more. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Joe Kowalski: I had heard about it years ago and thought it was an exceptionally cool opportunity. It wasn’t until last year when my ex read about it that I started taking it seriously however. The funniest part about the whole agreement for me is that it had to be paid with a literal dollar bill. It couldn’t be a check, or a PayPal payment, or anything other than a crisp dollar. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Joe Kowalski: Filming the scenes by the beach turned out great visually, but it was in actuality a horribly cold and windy day. This is why I typically try to film my movies in the summer! All the voices in that scene had to be overdubbed later, because there was no way the original audio would have been usable. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Joe Kowalski: It’s unfortunate, because we’re very happy with the final results. Yes, it was cool premiering it at the festival event, but I wish there was a way to display it online, even if it means we had to pay an additional fee. An Internet/DVD release would be fantastic, but currently the contract stipulates that we can only show it privately or at other festivals. SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? Joe Kowalski: Neither yet outside of the original festival event, although we are submitting it to further festivals. That’s the tricky part about not being able to display it much! SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Joe Kowalski: I did not, but that would be a dream come true if there’s any possibility that he had a chance to view it! SKSM: What are you working nowadays? Joe Kowalski: Currently I’m opening a studio space for freelance work with some friends, continuing work on our podcast, and still putting out new shorts every other week. I have a few other film ideas and other secret projects gelling that I may start working on later this summer. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why? Joe Kowalski: There’s already so many adaptations of his work, but the man writes so much that there’s still plenty out there. My ex is a much bigger King fan than I am, and introduced me to some of his other works that might be cool to dream about. It might be fun to do an updated, film-length version of The Stand. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Joe Kowalski: Hi! SKSM: Would you like to add something? Joe Kowalski: Thank you for taking the time to interview me. It’s been a pleasure!

Irina Lord – June 5, 2017

5 juni 20175 juni 2017

She is the woman behind My pretty lover Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Irina Lord: My name is Irina, I am 23 years old and I was born in Romania. I moved to the UK when I was 19 to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford. I now live in Canada, Vancouver to be more precise where I am working towards my Master’s degree. I am a filmmaker and a visual artist. I think over the years I’ve become a sort of nomad. I have a hard time pinpointing where my home is, since my family is currently spread over 3 continents. I guess I move around a lot and this has influenced my work: my characters are displaced and universal, never tied down in time or space. SKSM: When did you make My pretty lover? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Irina Lord: I started working on “My pretty lover” in the summer of 2015 and I finished the film in 2016. It took a few months because I made the film with no budget and using only what was available. It was sort of a side project, a fun thing to do with my friend Andra (she’s the actress in it). SKSM: How come you picked My pretty pony to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Irina Lord: This might be a no-no to say, but I’m actually not a huge Stephen King fan. Out of all the dollar baby stories, I though this one was the most organic – I didn’t really like the big reveal “punch-line” endings most of the other stories carry. I also thought it was a good metaphor for film, as the story is all about time and duration. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Irina Lord: Just to be clear, he is not selling the movie rights. He is giving permission to adapt a few select stories (with many strings attached). I think I read about it on Indiewire or somewhere similar. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Irina Lord: There was one! I was filming the intro by the train tracks. It had just started snowing and the fields were still green, so I thought that would make a nice shot. Over the tracks there is a farm, quite far off in the distance. Unfortunately the farmers there also have dogs they let roam around and they came running almost as soon as I set up my tripod. I think I only got about 2 minutes of footage before I was chased off by 5 or 6 big hounds… SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Irina Lord: Speaking of strings attached… After finished the film I realized what a big problem not being able to show it was! No budget films rarely make their way into festivals, so showing your film online is usually the only opportunity you have of releasing your work. Of course, with the dollar baby films you can’t do that. I’ve made a trailer for the film, but that’s about it. The film is just sitting on a hard drive somewhere – seems like a waste if you ask me! SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? Irina Lord: None so far… I think my friends and family liked it, but you’re the first “outsider” to ask for an interview and express an interest. I had almost forgotten about this film, so thanks for resurrecting it! SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Irina Lord: I’ve had some brief email exchanges with his assistant. I’ve of course asked for feedback when I sent the film, but heard nothing back. SKSM: What are you working nowadays? Irina Lord: I’ve just finished a short film in collaboration with two actors, one from South Africa and another from Indonesia. The film is called Silence and it’s a hybrid, pushing the boundaries between fiction and documentary, actor and director. I’m now researching my graduation project, looking into Deleuze’s idea of the fold. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why? Irina Lord: I don’t think so. There’s no point in making films to keep on a shelf. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Irina Lord: Thanks for the interview! I guess what I could say is, if you want to see “My Pretty Lover” email me and I can send you a copy!

Dave Brock – May 29, 2017

29 mei 201729 mei 2017

He is the man behind The woman in the room Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with thellin me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Dave Brock: My name’s Dave Brock and I’m currently a Professor at West Virginia State University in Charleston, WV, USA. I’ve taught Film Production, Screenwriting, and pretty much anything else they assign me. This fall, I’ll be teaching English Composition. SKSM: When did you make The woman in the room? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Dave Brock: We made THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM in the Spring of 2016. I actually created a class in which students received course credit for working on it. We set a bit of a challenge for ourselves in that we wanted to see if we could do EVERYTHING within a standard, 16-week semester (fundraising, scheduling, shooting, etc.) so that we could involve the students in as much of the process as possible. I wrote the script in the fall of 2015, and my class dealt with the producing aspects of the film in the spring. I was the primary director, but I later included my colleague Roger Echols as a Co-Director since I worked closely with his Filmmaking class, and since he was instrumental in the post-production process; Roger and his students dealt with the hands-on technical aspects of the film. It was a very unique collaboration and there were times when I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to pull everything off within the span of a single semester, but it all worked out. I had to push post-production back by a few months for personal reasons, but we cranked it over the past few months and had our Preview Screening a few weeks ago (April 2017). We shot the film over two weekends, for a total of $900. Since we shot everything on campus using departmental equipment and resources, our costs were very low. Over half the money went toward craft services and food! Once we started on post-production, we edited it in about three weeks. The students who worked on it were absolutely incredible. They were among the most hard-working and professional individuals that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. SKSM: How come you picked The woman in the room to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Dave Brock: The Communications Department at my University has a long history of departmental filmmaking, in which faculty create projects with student participation. We were very keen on starting the process up again, and I thought it would be fitting to go back to the Dollar Baby that started it all, which was Frank Darabont’s THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM. Not that I thought I could top him or anything like that; I thought it was just an appropriate way to honor two traditions at once. As for my personal connection to the story, it’s a situation that I’m not unfamiliar with. It resonated on a number of levels, but I was primarily attracted to it because I’ve never directed a dramatic piece before, so it was a challenge in some ways to see if I could do it. SKSM: I guess you have seen Frank Darabont's The woman in the room. Accordint to Stephen King is one of the better Dollar Babies until now. Do you afraid your film to be compared with Frank Darabont's version? Dave Brock: Well, there’s always that fear of comparison, I suppose. As I mentioned, I didn’t set out to try to top Mr. Darabont, because I’m not delusional enough to think that I could; his version was amazing, and it’s pretty obvious why Stephen King holds it in such high regard. I hope that anyone watching my film can appreciate it for what it is, and judge it on its own merits. Given the prominence (and visibility) of Mr. Darabont’s version – coupled with the fact that his film is what started the whole Dollar Baby enterprise - I suppose some comparison is inevitable. I rest easy knowing that he’s a far better filmmaker than I’ll ever hope to be, so it doesn’t bother me if comparisons are made! SKSM: This is your second Dollar Baby adaptation. Was it easier for you to shot this adaptation or was the process similiar to The road virus heads north? Dave Brock: Technically-speaking, this was actually a bit easier to shoot than ROAD VIRUS, but I think it was because we shot THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM on digital, whereas ROAD VIRUS was shot entirely on film. Because we shot this one digitally, we didn’t have nearly as much equipment as we did with ROAD VIRUS, which allowed us to move pretty quickly. The amount of time between setups was super-quick; we were averaging around 20-30 setups a day, if not more. Emotionally-speaking, this was much harder than ROAD VIRUS, because first and foremost THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM is a drama. I actually had people back out of participating in the making of it because the subject matter hit a little too close to home. I think my biggest challenge was trying to maintain the drama without pushing it into soap opera territory, which, I’ve discovered, is a VERY fine line. Maintaining an appropriate tone was critical, so I made sure to prepare as much as possible, and that included extensive rehearsals with the actors beforehand. I also was very lucky to be able to collaborate with composer Stephen Kaminski, who is the most brilliant musician I’ve ever met. He immediately got what I was trying to do, then took off with it. He instinctively knows how music works in a film, and he crafts his scores in a way that supports the characters and the story above all else. He really dialed into the movie emotionally and I think his music really elevated it to the next level. I’m still listening to the cues that he sent me throughout the post-production process! SKSM: A few years ago you were going to film The library policeman, why didn't the proyect materialize? Dave Brock: HA! I knew you were going to ask me about that. THE LIBRARY POLICEMAN has been the source of some frustration for me, mainly because I’ve been having a hard time cracking the visual story. As you know, there are certain challenges that come with trying to adapt any story, and one of the things that Stephen King does so well is that he’s able to tap into the mindscape of all of his characters, which is what makes them leap off the page. The difficulty in adapting some of his work is that, with film, you can only write what you can see and hear, and for some reason THE LIBRARY POLICEMAN has posed some unique challenges in that regard, mainly because the main character’s journey is rooted in a childhood trauma that is challenging in terms of how to appropriately visualize it. Also, there are a lot of visual cues throughout the story that are connected to that trauma, all of which serve as foreshadowing for the final confrontation with Ardelia, but figuring out how to lay the narrative groundwork for all of that has been problematic. That being said, I *think* I’ve got it worked out now (I’ve been working on this for years, as you know), and I very much hope to shoot it at some point in the near future. Thanks for your continued patience (and for yours as well, Bernd Lautenslager, and Danny Paap, and Ari Racing…) as I work on it, by the way. 😊 SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Dave Brock: Well, as you know, THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM is a pretty heavy story, and I really felt for my primary actors (especially Wally Dempsey, who played the lead) because they were just living in this heightened emotional state from one scene to the next. We tried to inject some levity where we could, but on one particular day, we found ourselves having to end shooting a bit early because of a very loud campus event that was happening right next door. None of us were ready to head home, so after lunch, we went back to the location to do some pick-up shots. In the course of doing that, I thought out loud, “You know, we should really make this a musical. Nobody would expect that.” I thought it was obvious that I was joking, but then I noticed that a few people were taking me seriously. Long story short: We shot a musical number, and we had a blast doing it. It’s not in the film, of course, but it’ll be on the DVD. 😊 SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? Dave Brock: We’ve only had the one preview screening in April 2017, but I’m proud to say that we received a standing ovation at the end of it. I was almost in tears because I knew how hard everybody worked on the film (especially the students), and as difficult as the process was at times, it just validated everything. I’m looking forward to hearing what others think of it, even if they don’t like it for whatever reason. I’ve lived with the movie for the past year, so I’m naturally going to be my worst critic regardless. But I hope people enjoy it. SKSM: What are you working at nowadays? Dave Brock: I’m working on the script for another Dollar Baby that I’d like to shoot within the next year (sadly, it’s not THE LIBRARY POLICEMAN, but soon! I promise! 😊), so you’ll be among the first to know when I get the rights to it. I could spend the rest of my life making Dollar Babies and die a very happy man. SKSM: Have you got another projects you to tell our readers? Dave Brock: I’m also in the process of writing another horror short screenplay that may or may not get made in early 2018. Aside from that, I’m enjoying teaching more than ever. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Dave Brock: A HUGE, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who takes the time to watch a Dollar Baby, a great big THANK YOU to all of my Dollar Baby colleagues out there who are burning up Film Festivals with their work, and THANK YOU, Oscar, for keeping this site going and for your undying devotion to all things Stephen King!!! This was a pleasure. Thanks for the interview. SKSM: Would you like to add something? Dave Brock: Can’t wait for DARK TOWER and IT. Counting the days.

Vanessa Ionta Wright – May 25, 2017

25 mei 201725 mei 2017

She is the woman behind Rainy season Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Vanessa Ionta Wright: My name is Vanessa Ionta Wright and I am a screenwriter & director. I began writing around age 7 with my first book, ‘The Witches Castle’. It was a best seller with Mrs. Laughlin’s class ;) I moved around a bit growing up, born in California, lived in Massachusetts, lived in Ohio, went back to California, settled finally in Georgia. I studied video production and film at Ohio University and decided to give this filmmaking thing a real shot. In addition to writing & directing films I launched a film festival with my production partner Samantha Kolesnik, The Women in Horror Film Festival. We wanted to showcase and promote women both in front of and behind the camera in top creative and executive roles. SKSM: When did you make Rainy season? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Vanessa Ionta Wright: We shot Rainy Season over 4 days in August of 2016 in Senoia, GA. It was a complete labor of love and a very long process. I wrote the script in July of 2015, spent a long time raising enough money to shoot the film, shot in August of 2016, started editing in December of 2016 and had the film in my hands in March 2017. We were able to pull this off for around $18,000, which was quite the challenge given the amount of people and resources involved. We had an amazing team on board starting with Executive Producer Samantha Kolesnik and Director of Photography Mark Simon. SKSM: How come you picked Rainy season to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I wanted to pick a story that I wasn’t too familiar with and one that had not been produced a bunch of times. I picked up my copy of Nightmares & Dreamscapes and read Rainy Season for the first time and was immediately drawn to it. It reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’ which King actually references in the short story. The thing I loved the most about the story was everything that wasn’t on the page. The story had so much possibility to fill in the blanks and I really wanted to play with the subtext. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I found out about it all in the same day ;) A Facebook friend had posted a link to Stephen King’s Dollar Babies and when I clicked I thought “How did I not know about this!” I learned that Frank Darabont had gotten his start this way by directed his dollar baby ‘The Woman in the Room’ in 1983. King loved it so much he called Frank on the phone and said “I want to work with you”. Darabont went on to direct The Mist, The Shawshank Redemption & The Green Mile with King’s involvement. I sent in my application that same day for Rainy Season and waited for the green light to sign the contract and mail my $1 bill. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Vanessa Ionta Wright: The whole thing was special. This was my directorial debut and the pressure was on to create a great film. The amount of support from the community of Senoia, down to the cast and crew who jumped on board and believed in this film and believed in me…it was overwhelming in the best way possible. I am forever grateful to everyone who helped to make this possible. As far as the funny stuff…We had an over abundance of Lay’s potato chips on set. So much so that we felt like Lay’s should possibly jump on board as an official sponsor of Rainy Season. Cases and cases of lay’s potato chips. I even gave them away as parting gifts at the wrap party. It became a bit of an inside joke on set. We may not have had a ton of $4 to go around, but we had plenty of chips. I even offered to pay some crew members in potato chips. Potato Chips and IMdB credit, who’s in? SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Vanessa Ionta Wright: Well, I think a fair amount of fans will be able to see it. I have sent it around the globe to a ridiculous amount of film festivals, so if it gets in and screens, I will announce publicly where it is playing so fans can go and see it on the big screen. I’m not sure the policy King has in place will ever change, as there are so many filmmakers taken advantage of this opportunity to adapt his stories for the screen. Perhaps he’ll put together a best of the Dollar Babies collection at some point and release them via Netflix or Hulu or Amazon or some other outlet that I don’t know about. If that happens I really hope he includes Rainy Season, that would be amazeballs. SKSM: What "good or bad" reviews have you received on your film? Vanessa Ionta Wright: So far we have only received positive feedback on the film. I’m sure we will get some reviews from people who don’t love it, but as long as we get constructive feedback, I’m all for it. I think it makes you a better filmmaker and helps you to see the film through a different perspective. Now, plain old mean and nasty reviews, I’m not interested. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I have not had any personal contact with King, although I have been communicating with Margaret Morehouse in his office and she is simply lovely and has made this whole process fun and easy. I’m sure she has her plate full keeping track of all these films. I actually don’t know if King himself has seen the film, if so, I hope he enjoyed it. Believe me, if I get a call from him, you will hear the scream all the way in Spain ;) I’m Italian, we’re a loud people. SKSM: What are you working at nowadays? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I am currently working on a couple of projects, the biggest thing right now is the WIHFF. We are thrilled to have so many iconic horror actresses and film producers/directors on board with us. Feel free to check it out at www.WIHFF.com I am hoping to direct a feature next year, something in the horror/thriller realm. I really just want to enjoy the Rainy Season ride and see how it does with audiences. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I would love to make more movies based on Stephen King’s work. A feature would be amazing, especially with his direct involvement. So much of his work has been adapted, it’s hard to pick something that hasn’t been done yet. It might be fun to try and tackle Cujo or Silver Bullet, see what we can do with today’s technology. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Vanessa Ionta Wright: I’m honored to be a part of this filmmaking club, I’ve heard the term Dollar Baby Fraternity. The female dollar baby filmmakers seem to be few and far between, but I am thrilled to jump into this boy’s club and make a splash. SKSM: Would you like to add something? Vanessa Ionta Wright: To all the young, hungry and aspiring filmmakers out there: Go make those films! Do not wait. There will never be a perfect moment or opportunity. If you have a story to tell, tell it. Your moment is now.

Star Victoria – May 24, 2017

24 mei 201724 mei 2017

She is the woman behind Dead man's hand Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: When did you make Dead man's hand? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Star Victoria: After falling in love with Shawshank Redemption, I reached the director Frank Darabont. In doing so, I learned about Steven Kings Dollar Baby program. So I scanned the short stories available and came across The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands. I knew recreating that story visually wouldn't be too hard because of the resources I had so in August of 2012, I pitched the idea to Charlie Wetzel and Brandon McCormick. Both were protégé leaders at Whitestone Motion Pictures protégé program. Charlie assisted the screenwriters while Brandon mentored the directors. I was on the the director protégés at the time. Charlie asked his 11 screenwriters to draft a adaptation of the story anonymously and I would choose the top three scripts Iiked and then ultimately through notes and suggestions, choose the final script to move forward with. I chose screenwriter Tripp Gorman's version because it seems the most feasible to recreate visually and stayed as close to the original story as I wanted. SKSM: How come you picked The man who would not shake hands to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Star Victoria: I am not a big fan of horror movies or stories. I prefer stories that have more drama at the core such as Shawshank Redemption. To me, The Man Who Would Not Shake Hand's had a more dramatic core as well as supernatural elements. I felt I could really tap into these and create a powerful emotional story, also I am a big fan of period films and this was based in the 1920's. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Star Victoria: I did some research on Frank Darabont and came across his Wikipeadia that mentioned the Dollar Baby program and how Frank had secured the rights to the short story Rita Hayworth. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Star Victoria: We have a Train sequence where one of the characters decides to commit suicide by getting hit with a train but at the last minute steps seconds before the train comes he steps off the tracks. So we shot it by lighting the train tracks prior. We discussed with the actor the safe distance he would stand in front of the train. We took into consideration by measurement how far we could be safely and still get the same effect. We did a blocking and tech rehearsal with the director of photography and actor to make sure everything was ready for the shot. We had no idea when a train would come but the good thing is, you can here the horns blow miles down the track. So we waited for a while hoping it would come any minute, it didn't. So we all started to head inside and up the stairs. As soon as we got camera upstairs we heard the horns blow. The D.P. myself and crew all high tailed it outside and ran as fast as we could to get to our marks in order to get the shot of the train passing behind the actor. We got it and we were all super stoked about it. But let me reiterate, we made sure everything was done with safety in mind for the actor and the crew. All distances were measured and all actors, crew were no where close enough to the track to be harmed. We even took into consideration of large items that may be hanging off the edge of a train car. I used to work in Logistics dealing directly with moving goods in containers and such so I was familiar with what I needed to look out for. At no point was anyone ever on the track. As a 1st AD as well, I take safety very seriously. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Star Victoria: Well, I share it with who needs to see it or who wants to see it so it's not hindering me in anyway. But I do think we should have the opportunity to share it on the internet at least. I understand King's reservations though. There may be some that are not up to his standards in terms of overall quality and in terms of the adaptation of his story so he has to protect what truly rightfully belongs to him. SKSM: What "good or bad" reference have you received on your film? Star Victoria: I have only received positive praise on the film. It has helped me with college applications and get future directing jobs. Most people just overall like the quality of the film, the acting and the way I chose my shots to tell the story. *Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? I did as all Dollar Baby filmmakers are supposed to do, I sent him a copy and I have yet to hear if he seen it or get any feedback. I doubt he does such a thing. I did hear he does watch them all though but that could be just a rumor, who knows. SKSM: What are you working at nowadays? Star Victoria: I am shadowing on a television show for future opportunities to direct episodic television. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Star Victoria: If I could pick any story to make, I would like to remake Stand By Me. It was one of my favorite movies as a child. I even wrote a poem about it that I have. Here is the poem I wrote when I was in 7th grade so so many years ago. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Star Victoria: Follow me at Facebook.com/starvictoria and keep a watch out. I will be blasting all the social media sites when I get the opportunity to direct my first television show which I believe will be sometime soon. Thank you for the love folks, I've got nothing but love right back at you all! SKSM: Do you have anything you'd like to add? Star Victoria: I have a feature film called The Red Room: A Cabaret of Art, Body and Love that will hopefully be coming to a film festival soon so keep an eye out. We are still in the editing phase but soon we should have a completed version and ready to share with the world.

Alex von Hofmann – May 23, 2017

23 mei 201723 mei 2017

He is the man behind Graduation afternoon Dollar Baby Film. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Alex von Hofmann: I’m a storyteller first. I studied multimedia design and minored in filmmaking back in my university days. I support my family by working a full time day job as a multimedia designer, and I support my creative impulses by writing screen plays and directing films in my spare time. Of course I would love to be a paid filmmaker, that is the dream, and I am working my way toward that goal. I live in Perth Western Australia, with my wife and two young daughters. It’s a quiet, very remote city, but I’ve learnt on thing here – you can make films anywhere. SKSM: When did you make Graduation afternoon? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Alex von Hofmann: I wrote Graduation a long while back, in 2011 I think. It took a long time to get the money and the cast and crew together, but we finally shot and completed the film in 2013. We were very lucky to get funding from the local film funding body here in West Australia, Screen West. They provided $70,000 Aussie to make the film, which seems like a lot. We soon found out that the money can go quickly when you are hiring professionals and paying higher rates, as you should when you have the money. We shot the film over four and a half days. Post production happened over about 6 months. SKSM: How come you picked Graduation afternoon to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Alex von Hofmann: I had read Stephen King’s collection – Just after Sunset – and there were a couple stories that stuck out. This one appealed to me because it begins with the utterly mundane – a teenage girl and her worries about her boyfriend’s family, her future career, class issues – and then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, everything changes and none of those worries matter anymore. It shines a light on how much value place on things that are simply constructs. It’s a topic I’m very interested in and really wanted to explore in film. I also knew it was going to be a huge challenge to make into a film, and that attracted me. It was a kind of experiment. SKSM: Are you Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations? I love Stephen King’s novels. I have read most of his work – from On Writing to The Dark Tower Series. It’s hard to choose. Of the Dark Tower book I like Wizard and Glass the most. As far as adaptations go, I have a couple favs. My al time favorite movie is Kubrick’s The Shining. I know that’s a little controversial, but I absolutely love that film. Beyond that you can’t go past Shawshank Redemption and I also really enjoyed The Mist. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Alex von Hofmann: I had heard about the dollar baby program somewhere, I can’t remember now. I had been wanting to get the rights to one for a while. Actually what prompted me to check out the dollar baby site was that I really wanted to make Gingerbread Girl, from the same short story collection. That was my first choice. I mean, straight away, you can see that as a thrilling short film. But it wasn’t available. I guessed that King had reserved it for another purpose. But I had a couple others up my sleeve that were available. The process of applying is really simple. The whole program is almost too good to be true. It’s such a great idea and I think King is doing a great thing for young filmmakers with the opportunity. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Alex von Hofmann: We put off the shoot till November, which is almost summer for us, because we didn’t want to run into bad weather. Mid way through the shoot a storm rolls through. A whole day we were meant to be outside in the sunshine got moved inside and we shot every last bit of ‘inside’ footage we had. On shorts you can’t afford delays. The next day we start shooting outside and there is a giant excavator, tearing down the side a cliff face across the road. So we couldn’t win. Luckily our post sound guy was amazing. He worked his magic and took care of all the beeping machinery and grinding rocks. SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival? Alex von Hofmann: We haven’t had specific festivals in mind. We just want to get the film out in front of people. Entering festivals can be an expensive exercise, so you have to think about where your niche is. Graduation Afternoon premiered at the Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible? Alex von Hofmann: I wouldn’t want to be disparaging of the program at all, I think it’s brilliant, but I do wish that we could put our films up for people to see. Particularly after the festival runs are over, it is a shame to have to keep them off the internet. I really hope that they consider giving the filmmaker’s the option to make them public at some point. I think there is a cultural benefit to making these little pieces of art public. SKSM: What "good or bad" reference have you received on your film? Alex von Hofmann: A little bit of both. This film is divisive. It ends very abruptly, and in a way robs the audience of a satisfying ending - a Hollywood ending, you might say. Instead it challenges the viewer to decide for themselves what happens next, how the story ends. And some people have loved this about the film. This film was always a risky endeavor to take on, as a storyteller. But we shot for it. I believe that this is what making shorts films is all about – don’t take the safe route. Experiment, push yourself, try telling the hard story, make mistakes. In fact make as many mistakes as you can – get as many out of the way as you can before you dive into a feature film. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Alex von Hofmann: Unfortunately no, the program isn’t really set up that way. It’s very streamlined. You make the application, send in your dollar and you get the rights. Then you just deliver the finished film to the office when you are done. So I have no idea if King has seen the film or not. I like to think that he watches some of them. And maybe this one was in that pile. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Alex von Hofmann: I have already made another dollar baby – based on the short story Harvey’s Dream. I completed that film in August 2014. And we will be premiering at Palm Springs International Shortfest in June 2015, which is very exciting. I’m not sure about adapting anything longer into a feature. I have mulled it over, but Im not sure yet which novel I’d go for. The Regulators would be fun, it’s right out there, or maybe Duma Key. SKSM: What are you working at nowadays? Alex von Hofmann: I’m working on a couple spec feature projects. They are both horror films. One is a big and outrageous horror action film. The other is a contained and claustrophobic paranormal horror. I am also editing my next short film. It’s an original script that I wrote, called Tide. I’m working with Kate Separovich again, the same producer that I made Graduation Afternoon with. This short is about an ambitious young lawyer who gets himself into a lot of trouble with a local criminal organization and finds himself floating, with nothing but the clothes on his back, in the deep wild ocean off the coast of Western Australia. We follow his struggles to survive the blazing hot sun, hypothermia, sharks and visions of his estranged family as his situation goes from bad to worse. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? Alex von Hofmann: I just hope to be able to keep making films, and to keep finding an audience with them. There is a real joy in developing a vision, seeing it become a finished film, and then being able to sit in an audience as they take it in. If all goes well I will be at it for a long time. And thank you for taking an interest in this short film and the time to talk to me about it.

Tim Southam – November 12, 2010

5 juni 20155 juni 2015

He directed two episodes of the TV series "Haven", based on King's novel The Colorado Kid. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Tim Southam: I am Tim Southam. I call myself a filmmaker, which is a quaint antiquity of a term but also a usefully general one, as I direct just about every type of production - from feature films to online political monologues. SKSM: When was the moment in your life that you want to be a director? Tim Southam: The moment I realized I wanted to be a director can't really be described as a 'moment' - more like a long drawn out 'epoch'. I basically dragged myself kicking and screaming from wanting to be a magazine publisher to being a fiction filmmaker over the course of many years, and starting very late. the idea didn't occur to me until I was 27, and then it took a while to actually happen. SKSM: How did you become involved in haven? Tim Southam: Haven came from a friendship I developed on the one hand with the producers who had created Stephen King's Dead Zone in montreal (I directed an episode), and on the other hand the producers of a miniseries I directed based on the life of canadian prime minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. I know: Dead Zone.... Pierre Trudeau - totally natural bedfellows. But you'd be surprised. Those producers got together to make Haven and asked me to direct two episodes. I like these producers a lot so I said yes. This was a case of trusting the creators and jumping in. SKSM: Why do you only directed two episodes? Tim Southam: In the american series model, directors alternate so that prep and production can overlap. While one director shoots, the other preps, and so on. It is also customary to bring in a number of directors. I'd like to think that this is to bring new waves of vitality to what can be a fairly crushing production process. SKSM: Have you been approached for season 2 to direct also some episodes? Tim Southam: I have no idea what is happening on season 2. I am quietly putting together a year of commissioned directing work and projects of my own. I am planning a documentary and a feature film and some cool episodic work. We'll see what happens. SKSM: Was it easy to work with the leading characters? Tim Southam: Every show always says that their stars are amazing, but in this case every director will tell you that Emily and Lucas are brilliant, generous, courageous, gifted artists: rain, shine, snow, huge hours - they stayed cool and offered their very best week after week, month after month on a grueling schedule. They have a huge responsibility to develop, sustain and even defend their characters as everything barrels along around them - and as their characters are literally being invented. They were permanently gifted and gracious. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the two episodes that you would like to tell me about? Tim Southam: Well, I don't have kids, so being handed the succubus story in 'Ball and Chain' and then really going for it by having a baby appear every couple of days, and then twins - that felt like a pretty big misunderstanding. I turned to anyone who had had babies - including Jennie Raymond who played Beatrice - and asked 'okay, which end is up with this squirmy little things?' there was a faintly unpoetic cruelty to the assignment. SKSM: Are there things cut out of the episodes that you miss now? Tim Southam: I believe almost everything I shot is in those episodes - and a couple of others. There was a lot of creative ferment as we were right at the beginning of a brand new series. Many many balls were in the air. It was super exciting and a little bit breathtaking. But one thing we did not do very often was drop a scene. Every frame counted. SKSM: What kind of problems did you run into while filming? Tim Southam: Haven is weather. Weather is haven. We shoot outdoors on the coast of the North Atlantic. Not only is the series elemental on screen, it was our production reality as well. We started shooting months before tourists even considered showing up. I conned myself into not bringing my winter gear, which was just wishful thinking, and ultimately very cold! SKSM: Why do you mainly directing tv series and not feature films? Tim Southam: I direct series for a couple of reasons:

Coming from magazine publishing, pumping out a weekly or monthly installment of whatever you're making seems very familiar to me - I like the whole pop buzz of series.
I like to stay busy between movies. My latest movie projects are expensive and are taking a while to get financed, and film financing has really crashed, so I am happily doing my best in series.
I like series writers. They are talented and tough as nails. A friend once said that series writing is a physical activity. That's true.
Series reward a filmmaker with audiences - people see our work, in most cases many millions of people.
Most importantly series are a zone of creative ferment right now. Dozens of shows are venturing into places few big films could ever go. I feel episodic tv is a great creative adventure right now.

SKSM: Are you (or where you) a fan of stephen king's work? Tim Southam: This is where I am the odd duck. I like the people who like Stephen King's work. And Stephen King wrote my favorite book about writing - "On Writing". I also like building supernatural sequences for the screen. And luckily our writers and producers know Mr. King's world inside out. But I can't say I grew up reading Stephen King - the times I did it scared me half to death. SKSM: What do you do when you're not working? Tim Southam: When I am not directing, I write or read materials I can direct. Also I have spent years in the woods - out on the land in one way or another - in canoes, on foot, snowshoes, skis, bicycles. I like to go to the theatre. I read fiction, and more and more non-fiction. My wife is a theatre director and a former dancer, so we stay very tuned into the performing arts. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Tim Southam: To the fans? Thanks for diving into Haven. It's fun to explore it with you. SKSM: Do you have anything you'd like to add? Tim Southam: No. Great questions.

John Harrison – June 7, 2010

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story Sorry, Right Number. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? John Harrison: I am a filmmaker that has written and directed for both movies and television. I started my career back in the '70's in the city of pittsburgh where my good friend and mentor, George Romero, was making some of his most memorable films: 'Martin','Dawn of the Dead', 'Creepshow', 'Day of the Dead'. I had been a fan of George's since i saw 'Night of the Living Dead', and I made it a point to meet him when I moved back to the 'burgh after living in boston and new york. I had a small prodcution company at the time with two of my best friends. We did commercials, industrials and (inspired by Romero) we produced our first film, 'Effects'. Then we teamed up with George on his projects. I was his assistant director on 'Creepshow' and 'Day of the Dead'. I also did the score for both of those movies and that's what got me started. SKSM: One of the 8 Tales from the Darkside episodes was Sorry Right Number, Why was that and why not just an ordinary production without them? John Harrison: 'Sorry Right Number' was Steve's first original television script. The series producer, Richard Rubinstein, asked me to direct it because Steve knew my work on the other 'Tales' I'd done, and because he knew me from 'Creepshow'. 'Sorry Right Number' is one of the favorite 'Darksides' I did because it's more of a psychological suspense tale set in an inimitable Stephen King ordinary family. We had a great cast. SKSM: When did you make Sorry Right Number? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? John Harrison: 'Sorry' was no different than any other 'Tales from the Darkside' episode production-wise. The budgets were in the neighborhood of $100,000 for a half hour program, which was even then pretty low budget. We shot it mostly on the soundstage in Los Angeles where we had made studio in an old mattress factory. We did one day of location shooting which was highly unusual for a darkside episode. We shot it in five days. It was the last darkside episode I did. I think that was 1985. SKSM: What do you think of the 2005 version of Sorry Right Number? John Harrison: I think it is pretty good, although it's a bit truncated from Stephen's original story. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie(s) that you would like to tell me about? John Harrison: When I was making 'Tales From the Darkside, The Movie', one of the stories was 'Cat from Hell', which was a Stephen King story adapted by George Romero. It was my favorite tale in that movie because my cinematographer, Rob Draper, and I designed a very creepy style that I'm still proud of to this day. It involved going back and forth in time while the character 'Drogan' tells the hit man why he wants the cat killed. We designed these very cool shots where action would seamlessly continue from past into present using only lighting cues and camera moves instead of special effects. Rob and I are huge fans of the great italian cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro, and we really went to school on some of his techniques, particularly his use of dimmer board lighting in 'One from the Heart'. Interestingly, when it came time for me to do the tv miniseries, dune, I was able to talk Vittorio into doing it with me, and I had great fun telling him how I had stolen his techniques for 'Cat from Hell'. SKSM: In 1990 came Tales from the Darkside: The movie. How did this happen? John Harrison: Producer Richard Rubinstein had wanted to do a movie based on the successful tv series for some time. He was finally able to raise the money independently soon after the series came to an end. It was a perfect way to make the film because we didn't have any studio interference. Only after we were finished did Richard sell it to Paramount. I was lucky to be the one he chose to direct it. We shot it in 1990. Did it all on a soundstage in New York except for the mansion in 'Cat from Hell' which was a huge estate once owned by the Italian Government as a place for Mussolini. Had a great cast, full of terrific actors like James Remar, Rae Dawn Chong, Debbie Harry, and some which went on to become even bigger stars like Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Christian Slater. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movies? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? John Harrison: I had very little contact with Steve during production. I think there were some occasional notes back and forth about 'Cat'. Steve has a very healthy attitude about film adaptations of his books. His novels and the films made from them are very different creatures. When asked about whether he's worried filmmakers will ruin his books, he simply points to his bookshelf where all the novels are and says, "no one can ruin my books. they're right there. exactly as I wrote them." As far as I know, he never interferes with filmmakers. Some adaptations turn out great, others not as much. Fortunately for me, he's seen 'Tales' and liked it. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? John Harrison: At the moment, there are no plans for me to do any adaptations of Steve's work. I spent some months in 2009 developing a miniseries adaptation of "Cell" for the Weinstein Company, but that fell through. (see below). I love that book and would do anything to revive the project at some point. But I think Steve and his people have other plans at the moment. SKSM: In 1981 you had a role in George A. Romero "Knightriders". Stephen King had also a role, Did you meet/spoken him on the set? John Harrison: One of the great things about working with Romero is his willingness to pull together all the people he knows and gives them opportunities on his projects. Since I had gone to university to study theater and acting, I auditioned for him when 'Knightriders' came up. (I had already done bit parts for him in other films, and had a major role in the film, 'Effects', which my partners and I produced. George was very gracious and gave me the role of Sir Pellinore which allowed me to be on that production from start to finish. A great learning experience. SKSM: How did you ended up in Creepshows (1982) as an composer? John Harrison: Producer Richard Rubinstein asked me to be George's 1st assistant director on that film. I had never done that job before, but again it was a great learning opportunity. I had been a musician all my life before conentrating on film, so during the shoot George and I would discuss what the music would be like. Originally he intended to use library cues from old 50's horror and tv shows. But when we got down to it, some of them didn't sound very good, or they didn't work well with the film. I had some musical gear, so I started to improvise themes and cues to 'Temp' the movie. George liked them. One thing led to the next, and by the time we were through, I'd scored the movie. SKSM: On your imdb page is a statement about King's Cell. What is your role in this production? John Harrison: At the moment, I'm no longer involved. I developed a tv miniseries adaptation for the Weinstein Company at the beginning of 2009 after they decided not to go forward with it as a movie. Although Bob Weinstein really liked my take on it, the company didn't move forward fast enough on setting it up with a network. Their option on the book expired and Steve decided to go a different direction. I still think it would make a fantastic tv miniseries. There are so many ways to explore that story. It's got great characters, a really compelling theme, and some of the scariest moments I think Steve's ever written. Ah well.... SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? John Harrison: Thanks, Bernd. thanks again for the interest. - John Harrison / Official website

Dave Gallant – July 31, 2008

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story Autopsy Room 4. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Dave Gallant: I am a film school graduate currently working as an electric on commercials and music videos etc. This pays the bills but my passion lies in Writing and Directing. SKSM: How come you picked Autopsy Room 4 to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Dave Gallant: I picked the story because I am a big Stephen King fan, I have read almost all of his books and this is one of many of his stories that I really enjoyed. I couldn't really tell you what exactly it is I like about the story, all of it I guess. SKSM: When did you make Autopsy Room 4? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Dave Gallant: I made the short on the first weekend of my last semester in Film School. The room we shot in had one full wall that was painted for green screen so I could only shoot three walls for the whole thing. It cost me about a grand but that was with great deals from the prop shop and the wardrobe place. It took two days to shoot. SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check? Dave Gallant: I had heard from a teacher that Stephen King gives rights to students for his short stories for a dollar. I e-mailed his agent a bunch of times until I got a response telling me the rights were already bought for this story and he didn't say if he would have sold them to me or not. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Dave Gallant: Nothing special, we had fun but we got the job done at the same time. SKSM: Did you know that before you where more versions of "Autopsy Room 4" and if you know did you choose another story to adapt into a Dollar Baby? Dave Gallant: I didn't know there were other shorts made on this story until I uploaded mine but it makes sense cause it's a good story. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can see your movie? Dave Gallant: Stephen Kings stories have a hard time adapting to screen and there have been a lot of dissappointing attempts at them so I hope that this is not one of those. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Dave Gallant: No I never spoke to him or had any contact and I doubt that he's ever seen it (or will). SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Dave Gallant: If I told you my next script idea I'd have to kill you. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Dave Gallant: Read the Dark Tower series, It's Stephen Kings' Star Wars!

Tom Holland – November 19, 2007

5 juni 2015

He's the man behind the original movie "The Langoliers" & "Thinner", based on King's novell's with the same title. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Tom Holland: I am a writer/director. I started out as an actor, working under the screen name of Tom Fielding. I was the juvenile in a movie called "A walk in the spring rain" with Tony Quinn and Ingrid Bergman. I wanted to direct and started writing to that end. SKSM: When did you make Thinner & The Langoliers? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Tom Holland: Both films were done for a price. I shot the miniseries The Langoliers in 16 millimeter to save money. I don't remember the cost of either one, but money was a constraint. SKSM: How come you picked Thinner & The Langoliers into develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Tom Holland: I thought Langoliers had a very strong narrative line and was an audience pleaser. Thinner was always a difficult story. It had sat around for over ten years when I did it. It has been turned down by almost every director in Hollywood. I believe the reason was because it had a bitter ending. SKSM: Do you might see a possibility to create a new Childs Play movie. And then with the old horror chucky and not the humor chucky. I may assume you saw the last one too and for me it was something to cry about. What Do you think of this all? Tom Holland: I have heard they are talking about a remake of the original Childs Play. I have had nothing to do with any of the sequels. SKSM: Did you change your mind about the gypsy spells and cursed dolls after making the movie Thinner and Child's PLay ? Tom Holland: LOL (laughing out loud) Sometimes I thought I was cursed with Thinner, especially when I was going through the audience testing process after the movie had been shot. Every audience hated the ending of the movie where the lead character, Billy Hallaeck, lost in his struggle to avoid the curse. The original ending, which was removed by the production company, had Billie's daughter inadvertently eating the cursed pie. Knowing she was going to die, he, too, ate the pie, thereby committing suicide. The moral of story, as Stephen King told, was that "moral jellyfish get crushed in the end." Unfortunately the audience hated the moral. The experience has made me very leery of ever doing an ending where the protagonist loses. SKSM: Most of your movies that you direct/wrote and act are from the horror/thriller gerne. Did you never thinking of making a comedy? Tom Holland: Fight Night had a lot humor in it. But a straight broad comedy? No, I don't think it's my taste. SKSM: What are your current plans? You didnt shót any movies since awhile? Are you retire from shooting movies? Tom Holland: No, I am writing a movie at the moment and hope to secure financing. SKSM: Why did you direct those stories? I mean, why the Langoliers & Thinners, and not others stories... what interest you in those stories? Tom Holland: As I said, I thought Langoliers was a terrific story. As to Thinner, I thought it was a terrific character study, but in the end it was a commercial mistake because audiences rejected it, and in Hollywood, it is all about box office success. SKSM: Some people think you are from the netherlands because of youre name, do you know whether your relatives are originally from the Netherlands? Tom Holland: My mother's maiden name was Schoonmaker, which I have been told was Dutch for Shoemaker. Yes, on my mother's side we are Dutch. SKSM: I always wondered how Bill Halleck's (I think) Make-up was done. He starts out as a fat man, and he gets Thinner and thinner, and at a certain point he is so thin, creepy thin. I would like to know: How did you do this? Tom Holland: It was done with a combination of a fat suit which was constantly thinner and the actor, Robert John Burke, losing weight. I shot as much in continuity as possible to help this affect. SKSM: What was Stephen King's reaction to the two movies that you made? Tom Holland: I don't know, but hew was present on both sets and was supportive and helpful. SKSM: Are you plans to adapt another Stephen King book? Tom Holland: No. SKSM: When you are at home or going to the movies, what kind of movie genre would you prefer. Tom Holland: I like horror, suspense and action, leavened with humor. SKSM: Are there any movies that you have made, where you say now I would be done this diffrent? Tom Holland: Yes, all of them. (grin) I don't tank there is a director who wouldn't like to go back and make their movies better. Also, the more you direct and the old you get, the more you know, so therefore you work should be better. SKSM: You made in 1996 "Thinner" and "Driven" in 2006. What have you been doing between those years? Tom Holland: Resting. SKSM: You wrote the screenplay of "Class of 1984" What was Mark L. Lester thinking of it? Tom Holland: Mark did a modern remake of "Black Board Jungle". SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Tom Holland: I think Langoliers was a success, Thinner less so. I wish the studio had left the original ending on Thinner. it was more faithful to the book.

Matt Cunningham – September 14, 2007

5 juni 2015

He's the man behind the 2005 movie "The Mangler: Reborn", based on King's novell The Mangler. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Matt Cunningham: Matt Cunningham, writer/director. I have been writing for quite some time. My first film Decampitated was a comedy-horror film that just got turned into comic book form through Devil's Due comics in a Troma Graphic novel. I am working on several new projects for television and feature film - mostly family and comedy. SKSM: How come you picked The Mangler to develop into another sequel? What is it in the story that you like so much? Matt Cunningham: The film actually picked us - ha ha. I was working with the Executive Producer at the time and he came to me and asked if we would be interested in writing/directing the sequel that he bought the rights to. So of course, when an opportunity is put out there like that - you have to take it. I really like the idea of a machine having a life of it's own. Something inanimate that could actually come to life and go after you. That's pretty scary. Could you imagine if your toaster just attacked you while making toast. Takes breakfast to another level. SKSM: When did you make The Mangler; Reborn? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Matt Cunningham: The film was shot in a seedy area of Los Angeles in 2005. The film was made for the price of two brand new BMW's! and we shot the film in a scary ten days. Yes, that is not a typo. Ten days. SKSM: You wrote and directed The Mangler Reborn with Erik Gardner, why two directors? Matt Cunningham: Erik and I were working as a team at the time trying to set up a few other projects. This one just hit and we went full steam ahead. It wasn't really a creative choice to use both of us, it just worked out that way. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Matt Cunningham: Right now, I don't have any plans to do more King movies. Honestly one of my favorite books by Mr. King is his book on writing. It is a fantastic book! I love it. However, if I could make a movie around him, I would love to do the story of a young Stephen King as a kid and how his world around him changed him. As if he saw a lot of these scary visions growing up and it sculpted him into who he is today. Like some sort of Roald Dahl story with Stephen King as the protaganist. SKSM: Are there things cut out of the movie that you miss now? Matt Cunningham: Ha ha, I wish there was footage on the cutting room floor! That would of been great. What you see in the film is what we shot. We were on such a tight schedule that we didn't have time to shoot extraneous material - although we had a couple endings in mind. We also had a few scenes that would of been shot different and more stylistic. Time is not a filmakers friend in low budget. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Matt Cunningham: Hadley's house in the film is a notorious adult film house in LA. A lot of adult films get shot there and we had many visits from the police thinking that we were shooting adult films. But when they found out it was a horror film they left us alone. We heard that neighbors would see naked people out on the lawn and other crazy stories like that. The owner of the house, well, I could blog for days on that guy. SKSM: What do you think about of the first and second movies of The Mangler? Matt Cunningham: I remember seeing the first one in the theater and thinking it was fun, but not really scary. The second one - hmmm... not a big fan. SKSM: Why can we only viewing The Mangler Reborn on DVD and not at the theatre? Matt Cunningham: The deal was for the film to be a DVD release through Lions Gate. There was never a thought of it going theatrical. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Matt Cunningham: Unfortunately, we did not get to speak to King about the film. And I am not sure if he has seen it. It would be intersting to see what he thinks. We took his story and added a little twist to it - trying to stay true to his style of creepiness and the idea of losing yourself (or Hadley losing himself in this case). SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Matt Cunningham: I appreciate the opportunity to speak about the film and the fact that it is being recognized on your site. That means a lot. Thanks to everyone for reading. Thanks Bernd, for everything. (imdb.com)

Nicolas Heurtel; July 11, 2006

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story Suppr.. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Nicolas Heurtel: I'm a "little" frenchie of 27 years old and the Cinema is a great passion to me... so I gave up my studies in architecture to study film making at the university 3 years ago. This is where I met some good friends, and we finaly created a little team, and we made all of ours movies together. We made about 6 short, all amaters, "suppr." being the last on the list, made in June 2005. My first "professionnal" short is in project, I'm the script and director and I just have to find... some money ! SKSM: How come you picked Wordprocessor of the Gods(Suppr.) to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Nicolas Heurtel: The first reason is that I'm a great fan of SK since I'm 13 ! The first book of SK I read was "The long walk" and it really impressed me, I never read something like that before. Since then, I read all of his books. So, I naturally feel the need to adapt one of his novel, but few are easy to adapt, for amaters like us... "Wordprocessor of gods" is a part of those who were conceivable, in one condition, rewrite the story to create an "evil" character, a twin evil which could come right from "Secret window" and so create some difficulty, cause without difficulty, there's no story to tell. The second reason is that we hadn't much time to do it, we all were very tired by our previous movie which took us 2 months (a 45 minutes movie !) so it was a kind of recreation to make a "little" movie of 15 minutes ^^ And it's very interresting to work on the adaptation of an existing work. SKSM: When did you make Wordprocessor of the Gods(Suppr.)? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Nicolas Heurtel: It's a complete non-professional project, because we were students. A member of the team wrote a first version of the script... and the four of us gave our ideas. After that, I modified this first version, to make everyone pleased, including our teacher, cause it was at first place a work for university! The second part was to find unpaid actors. As we were in Paris, there are several ways: theatre schools, associations which give some catalogs of professionals and non professional actors (with resume and pictures of them). So we took an afternoon to note some names and give some calls to know if they were interested with the project. We were lucky, we found pretty quickly, so in 2 or 3 weeks, we had a script and actors we casted. After that, we transformed a friend's cellar into an office. Another member of the group made the machine. The shooting take 2 days : 1 in the office, an other for the scene in the kitchen and the sitting room, in the house of an other friend. We had to do it very quickly. We took an afternoon to record the off-voices at the university. We then did the cutting and special effects in 2 or 3 weeks (cause we had exams and class, we couldn't work on it very often). The movie didn't cost anything, except some pizzas ! SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Nicolas Heurtel: There are always funny moments, but as we haven't much time and lot to do, we try to stay serious during the shooting! In fact, there was something rather funny... In the basic script, the man has a son (as in the original novel) but we finished the shooting day with this boy and it was too late, so the boy couldn't come. Finally, after some phone calls, we found a girl to replace him, the sister of a friend of somebody in the team (rather complicated eh?) Something else: the journalist we can see at TV is a real journalist but also the most famous of the TV news presenter in France, he gathered more the half of the TV viewers! We got something like 3 minutes to shoot with him! We were really exited he was okay to participate. SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a video/dvd release would be possible? Nicolas Heurtel: It's very pleasant to see that ideas, drawings, texts and movies can freely circulate... and that they have a life on the Internet! I was surprised when you contacted me to ask some questions! I really happy to share what I do and what I love with other people... this is generaly the reason to make cinema ^^ And to have a beautiful copy of the movie, it will take some time but we'll do it... we are rewriting subtitles and after that we should be able to burn it on a DVD or send it directly on the Internet. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Nicolas Heurtel: No! I would be pretty ashamed to show him this movie cause the script is too much confuse! And this is more a tribute to King than an adaptation (for instance in the drawing of the credits at the beginning of the film, we can read "Castle Rock" and see "Christine" in front of "Le bazaar des rêves" (NEEDFUL THINGS)... or the complete collection of King's books on the shelves of writer's shelves...) and I don't think that would interest him... but if you know him personally, just tell him I'm very interested to adapt some of his books!!! SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Nicolas Heurtel: No, for the moment, I don't have other projects, cause, like I said earlier, it's not easy to adapt King, specially without money ! But sure, there are stories I would like to adapt, like "The long walk"... I read it regularly and really think it could be a great movie ! SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Nicolas Heurtel: I just want to thank you for the interest you showed for my work. And, hum... Cheers to Stephen King !

Brian Berkowitz; January 11, 2006

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story Sorry, Right Number. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? And what have you done after making The Secret Transit Codes of America's Highways? Brian Berkowitz: I was born and raised in New York City. Film has always been a passion of mine. Since Secret Transit Codes I've jst been searching for my next film. SKSM: When did you make Sorry Right Number? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Brian Berkowitz: Sorry right Number was shot in January 2005. Post-Production was completed inin April 2005 and the film made it's debut screening on May 4th 2005 at Loews theater in midtown Manhattan SKSM: How come you picked Sorry Right Number to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Brian Berkowitz: It's a very simple story with a clever "sci-fi" twist at the end. Classic Stephen King, how can you go wrong? SKSM: Did you have seen the 1986 version of Sorry Right Number? If so what do you think about it? Brian Berkowitz: I have seen it and I think it's very good for it's time. I had to make a couple of changes from the original to the script and some characters but other than that I think the 1986 version was done quite well. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Brian Berkowitz: There was a dog on set at one of the houses we rented to shoot in. if you look closely, the dogs shadow can be seen in some shots SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can't see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a video/dvd release would be possible? Brian Berkowitz: I'm delighted that I can share this film with real Stephen King fans. I'm sure all true fans love this story and now the get a chance to see it on film, 20 years sine the original. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Brian Berkowitz: As far as I know he has not seen it. The only contact I've had with Mr. King was securing rights to make the film. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Brian Berkowitz: I've done two in the past and as of now I don't plan on making any more in the near future. I'm am currently writing an original feature so we'll see where that takes me. Hopefully one day I can direct a Stephen King feature! SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Brian Berkowitz: Hope you enjoy the film and I appreciate you comments!

Andy Chase (IVY); September 3, 2005

5 juni 2015

One of the people behind Kingdom Hospital Theme Worry About You. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about Ivy? Who is Ivy and what does Ivy do? IVY(Andy Chase): We formed in 1993 as an indie pop trio, based out of NYC. We started on tiny record label called SEED, then moved around to a bunch of majors like Atlantic and Sony. We're currently signed to Nettwerk Records. Our singer Dominique is French, I'm from Washington, DC and Adam is from New Jersey. In the studio me and Adam play all the instruments and the three of us produce the albums. Live we add another guitar player (besides myself), a drummer, and a keyboardist so that we're a six-piece when we tour. SKSM: When did Ivy make Worry About You? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to make it? IVY(Andy Chase): That song was written for our album Long Distance in 1999. It started as a simple, almost nursery rhyme on the acoustic guitar. We wanted to keep the song minimal and somewhat "spooky", never expecting of course what else it was destined for! Adam initially put the acoustic guitar part down to a click track. I added the Wurlitzer Piano and then we found a drum loop we really liked from my loop library. Dominique was very pregnant when she sang this and her voice was very low and husky as a result. She had to take many breaks because she kept getting out of breath. It was very hard for her, but I love the way her voice sounded. I'm trying to keep her pregnant every time we make a record now! Anyway, all said, it took about 2 or 3 days to feel like we were totally finished with it. We recorded it, as well as the rest of the album, in our own studio so it's hard to say how much it really cost. SKSM: "Worry about you" seems to be written for someone. Is that true, and if so, for who is it? IVY(Andy Chase): We don't like to be too literal in Ivy. We prefer to hint at things and make subtle innuendoes. Songs like this are an amalgamation of a few different tales from our past. SKSM: How did you react when you found out that your song was going to be used in a Stephen King series? IVY(Andy Chase): Very excited. I've been a huge fan of his since the early 80's. SKSM: What do you think about the series? IVY(Andy Chase): Well, I was a bit mixed about it. I loved how cerebral and strange it was but that was probably it's downfall as well. It aired on ABC which, because it's a major network, played 4 minutes of commercials every 15 minutes throughout the show. That became very distracting and broke the rhythm of this kind of movie. It would have been much wiser to get it played on HBO as I think the type of viewers who appreciate this sort of thing would have been found there. ABC viewers are famous for liking their material dumbed-down and not too complicated. SKSM: Did Ivy have any personal contact with Stephen King during the making of Kingdom Hospital? IVY(Andy Chase): For a brief while it looked like ABC wasn't going to agree to the terms of the deal with our label and publisher and, as a result, was about to pass on using our song. We were all quite surprised and upset about it, including Stephen King. He wrote a very strong email to the executives at ABC expressing the extent of his anger if they didn't use our song. As a result ABC agreed to work it out. We thought that was very cool. SKSM: Have you become more popular since Kingdom Hospital? IVY(Andy Chase): A bit. We certainly get a lot of emails from people saying they're happy they discovered us watching the series. SKSM: Are you King-fans yourselves? If so, what is your favorite book/movie? IVY(Andy Chase): Absolutely. We all think Carrie and The Shining are two of the best horror films ever made. And I think I've read pretty much everything he wrote up until about 10 years ago when I got too busy with the music business. My favorite book is probably my favorite because it was also my first -- Pet Semetary. I read it right when it came out back in the early 80's. SKSM: If you were asked to do another track for a King-production, would you accept it, and what track would you like to see in a movie? IVY(Andy Chase): Absolutely! In a second. We'd even score original stuff for him if he wanted. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? IVY(Andy Chase): We're coming to Spain to play this November '05, in case any of you live near there. Otherwise, check our website from time to time to find out about what's going on. www.thebandivy.com

Steven Weber; August 18, 2005

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Steven Weber: I am an actor who has worked in theatre, television and film for the last 25 years (resumé available on IMDB) SKSM: When did you make The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Steven Weber: My association with Stephen King began before that when I did the miniseries version of "The Shining" (directed by Mick Garris). I found the original story in an anthology of horror and fantasy tales that I picked up and thought it would make a cool little film. I contacted the Outer Limits people, who I knew, and suggested the project. They liked it and off I went. The entire production was roughly two weeks (one week of pre-production and one week of shooting). I'm not sure what the cost was. It couldn't have been much. SKSM: How come you picked The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Steven Weber: I liked the humor in the writing and thought that The Outer Limits could use some humor ion their programming. SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Steven Weber: Working with Catherine O'Hara was very special for me. I had always been a fan of hers and was very impressed with her choices and her ability. As it was my first experience directing, every moment was special. SKSM: Are there things cut out of the movie that you miss now? Steven Weber: I did a "director's cut" that had a different approach to the overall editing of the episode that I preferred. I felt that the final product was a little too linear. I tried to enhance the feeling of the character's insanity through editing and through funny off-beat music. The producers thought my choices were too odd and they wouldn't pay for the rights to use the music, instead opting for more generic music. But enough of the elements I like have survived. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Steven Weber: I had no contact with him during the filming. I did, however, have a lot of contact with him during the filming of "The Shining" and found him to be extremely open, funny, approachable and fascinating. I think he liked "Revelations". At least, I hope he did. SKSM: How did you get started as a director and what do you do on a production? Steven Weber: I started directing as a fluke, having been around it for so long a time as an actor. I absorbed aspects of it and always was observant and when the opportunity arose I leapt at it. SKSM: Did you have any experiance making that kind of movies at the time? Steven Weber: I had always been a fan of the horror/fantasy genre (I just wrote and acted in an episode of an upcoming series called "Masters of Horror" that was directed by Dario Argento. It seemed fitting that my first foray into directing would be something from that world. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Steven Weber: Not at this time. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Steven Weber: Only to say that Stephen King is worthy of all the adoration his fans have mustered and that he is as real and remarkable as any fan would hope him to be.

Mick Garris; May 15, 2005

5 juni 2015

He is the man behind King's short story Chattery Teeth. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Mick Garris: I am a Los Angeles native who writes, produces and directs films and television. I have been writing since I was twelve years old, which is also when I started making little 8mm movies. I have been making films professionally for almost 20 years. SKSM: When did you make Chattery Teeth? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Mick Garris: "Chattery Teeth" was originally going to be a pilot for a television series, a sort of horror anthology. It was originally commissioned by the ABC television network. John McTiernan was going to produce and direct it, and I was just writing and creating the series. The network decided not to make the pilot (at that time, they never would have made a horror series). Later, the Fox television network wanted to make it as a two-hour movie, and I went to Clive Barker and got his short story, "The Body Politic", and added it to "Chattery Teeth", so that now the movie consisted of two stories, as well as a bridging device of the Christopher Lloyd character, a mysterious fellow who travelled the country telling cautionary tales to his "victims". My original title for the show was ROUTE 666, but we ended up calling it QUICKSILVER HIGHWAY. It was released in some territories as EVIL HIGHWAY. We shot and released it in 1997. SKSM: How come you picked Chattery Teeth to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Mick Garris: I really enjoyed the audaciousness of the story, the unbelievable made believable that is King's expertise. It was just a really fun little horror story. And I wanted to make something with the crew that had just done THE SHINING with me. King was kind enough to sell us the story, and that was the beginning. It's the kind of story you tell around the campfire, sort of an urban legend, and I loved the fact that it was set in the desert. I love what I call "desert noir". SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about? Mick Garris: I hate to disappoint you, but I can't remember anything particularly hilarious or fascinating that happened, as it's been while now, and it's so much work to make a film on a television schedule that there's no time. SKSM: Are there things cut out of the movie that you miss now? Mick Garris: Actually, I believe that everything that we shot is in the movie. There were a couple of smaller details that were cut from the television broadcast, but it's all there on the video. SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)? Mick Garris: Although King was around during most of the production of THE SHINING right before we made QUICKSILVER, he was not present on the set of QUICKSILVER HIGHWAY. Since he had not written the screenplay, and was not really involved in the production, he doesn't really like to travel and be away from home for any length of time. However, he did tell me at the time that he really enjoyed it. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories after Desperation? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Mick Garris: I have made my two favorite King books: THE STAND and THE SHINING miniseries. And it's at the point that I've made more King movies than any other kind. I would love the chance to make BAG OF BONES, but I think that's being made by others. SKSM: Did you have any experiance making that kind of movies at the time? Mick Garris: A lot. Most of the movies that I've made since I started directing in 1986 have been in the horror genre. And several of them had been King projects. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Mick Garris: Just that I am one of you. I'm a King fan who is lucky enough to have directed more films based on his work than anyone.

Mark L. Lester; March 20, 2005

5 juni 2015

He's the man behind the original 1984 movie "Firestarter", based on King's novell with the same title. SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? Mark L. Lester: I was born in Cleveland, Ohio in a not so rich family. We lived in the projects, but I later moved to LA and got into film. I now own a distribution company and still direct. SKSM: When did you make Firestarter? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it? Mark L. Lester: I made Firestarter in 1983 in North Carolina. It took us 10 weeks and cost us 10 million dollars. SKSM: How come you picked Firestarter to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much? Mark L. Lester: I was actually approached by Dino De Laurentiis to direct it. I didn't pick it. SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King's stories? If you could pick - at least - one story to shoot, which one would it be and why? Mark L. Lester: I do not have and projects lined up with King, but would do The Talisman which my son loved. It is however, I hear, already being adapted. SKSM: How was it to work with the young Drew Barrymore: did you think then that she would become a great actress? Mark L. Lester: She was great for an 8 year old. Wonderful to work with in every way. I knew she was destined for a long and eventful career in film. SKSM: Are there things cut out of the movie that you miss now? Mark L. Lester: Almost everything we shot made it into the final cut. SKSM: Any funny bloopers? Mark L. Lester: Not really. The actors were all very serious and dedicated to getting it right. SKSM: What was Stephen King's reaction to the movie? Mark L. Lester: King didn't approve at all and there was a big dispute between him and me in Fangoria Magazine. He doesn't like many of the films based on his books though. He didn't like the burning eyes and felt it strayed from his vision. SKSM: Did you have any experiance making that kind of movies at the time? Mark L. Lester: No, I had never shot a horror film before Firestarter. SKSM: Did the actors do the stunts themselves? Mark L. Lester: No, we used stunt doubles for almost every stunt and used a midget in a wig and costume to double for Drew. SKSM: How hard was it to find these actors? Mark L. Lester: Everybody was on board and loved the novel, but since it was a Universal picture the actor's had large salaries. George C. Scott received 1 million dollars for just 3 weeks of filming. SKSM: What do you think about the sequel: Firestarter Rekindled? Mark L. Lester: I thought it was a nice effort, but nothing like the original. I suppose that's because they didn't have a novel to base that one upon. SKSM: What movies did you make after Firestarter that we can know you from also? Mark L. Lester: You can refer to www.imdb.com for a complete list. Just look up Mark L. Lester. SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview? Mark L. Lester: Tell them that I am extremely grateful for all their support. I think it's great that they can get behind a film or person and support it/them so much. I'm forever in debt to you all. It would be nice if you could write letters to Universal asking them to do a reissue of the DVD with a commentary by me. I have asked Universal and need the fan support. Not to sound too conceded, but many fans would like an updated DVD version with special features. Humbly, Mark L. Lester

A very tight place

All that you love will be carried away

Autopsy room four

Ayana

Battleground

Beachworld

Big driver

Cain rose up

Children of the corn

Dedication

Everything’s eventual

Gotham Café

Graduation afternoon

Gray matter

Harvey’s dream

Here there be tygers

Home delivery

I am the doorway

I know what you need

In the deathroom

Jerusalem’s Lot

Lovecraft’s pillow

LT’s theory of pets

Luckey quarter

Mrs Todd’s shortcut

Mute

My pretty pony

Night surf

Nona

One for the road

Paranoid

Popsy

Premium harmony

Rainy season

Rest stop

Stationary bike

Strawberry spring

Stud city

Suffer the little children

Survivor type

That feeling, you can only say what it is in French

The ballad of the flexible bullet

The boogeyman

The dark tower

The death of Jack Hamilton

The doctor’s case

The fifth quarter

The jaunt

The last rung on the ladder

The lawnmower man

The library policeman

The man in the black suit

The man who loved flowers

The man who would not shake hands

The milkman

The reach

The reaper’s image

The road virus heads north

The sun dog

The things they left behind

The woman in the room

Trucks

Umney’s last case

Uncle Otto’s truck

Willa

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Interviews

Maciej Barczewski – June 17, 2017

David Merriman – June 12, 2017

Joe Kowalski – June 7, 2017

Irina Lord – June 5, 2017

Dave Brock – May 29, 2017

Vanessa Ionta Wright – May 25, 2017

Star Victoria – May 24, 2017

Alex von Hofmann – May 23, 2017

Tim Southam – November 12, 2010

John Harrison – June 7, 2010

Dave Gallant – July 31, 2008

Tom Holland – November 19, 2007

Matt Cunningham – September 14, 2007