Viktor Hernandez

He is the man behind One For The Road Dollar Baby Film.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Viktor Hernandez: I’m Viktor Hernandez, I’m an actor and filmmaker originally from El Salvador and now residing in North Carolina, USA. I have been acting professionally for over 17 years now. I have had the opportunity to be in a few big Hollywood movies and just a few years back I started writing and directing.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Viktor Hernandez: I think it was when I was 12 years old when I realized that i enjoyed telling stories in a unique manner. I enjoyed watching movies and wanted to be in them.  The dream didn’t come true until years later when I had the opportunity to become an actor and be part of a film. After acting for many years I also wanted to tell my stories and started directing my own short films just a few years back.

SKSM: When did you make One for the Road? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Viktor Hernandez: We started filming in September of 2017 and finished principal photography in March 2018. We have had many difficulties making the film but we are hopeful that it will be finished by July 2018. The main reason it took this long to film is due to the budget for the production. We actually had no budget to film it. Everyone involved in the production donated their talent and time and expertise to make it happen, therefore we had to schedule the shoots in a way that everyone would be available without causing disruption to their other jobs or engagements. That being said,the cost to make it would be over $2000 plus some additional miscellaneous expenses and including some of the actors accommodations and refreshments.

SKSM: How come you picked One for the Road to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Viktor Hernandez: I saw a posting in one of our filmmakers groups on Facebook by the writer of the adaptation (Carmen Smith) that wanted collaborators to make the short film and I submitted my name to be consider to direct it. After the producer/writer saw some of my work, she sent me the script, and I really liked the way that the suspense is built throughout the whole story without giving too much away.

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?

Viktor Hernandez: I really had no clue that something like this was available until the writer mentioned how the process worked. Carmen Smith had done all the paperwork and investigation before I came on board. This is a really good opportunity.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Viktor Hernandez: There were several funny moments on set, mainly having to do with the dialog and the way that it was delivered by the actors and also on occasions the way that i would try to recreate certain scenes for the actors. The special moments really happened every shoot day, with the collaboration of everyone involved in the production, but also having to get some shots using DIY gear and doing some conventional make believe for several scenes.

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?

Viktor Hernandez: That is one of the things that I wasn’t aware when I signed up to direct this short. I understand that the film can be shown at film festivals and special private screenings but I think it would be nice to have a platform to show all of the work based on the short stories from this great author.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Viktor Hernandez:  Since we haven’t finished the film, I haven’t gotten any good or bad reviews so far, but its coming together and I will be open to any constructive criticism like with any of my previous work.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Viktor Hernandez: We are planning on submitting the film to several festivals in the US and other countries.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Viktor Hernandez: Yes I am a fan of Stephen King, I like “Pet Cemetery“, “The Shining“, “The Green mile“, and others but my favorite work of his is without a doubt “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)?

Viktor Hernandez: No, since the producer Carmen Smith was the one who has handled all of the process regarding the Dollar Baby.  We will send a copy to Stephen King when the film is finished and we hope to get some kind of response from him.

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?

Viktor Hernandez: At the moment I have other projects in the works and not sure if would be able to make another story from Stephen King, but I think I would pick the short story called “Mute“. It may not be easy to set up and execute, but I would like a different challenge and the surprise factor of the story is always something that gets my attention.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Viktor Hernandez: Right now we are still in post-production for the short film and I am doing the editing , but also I’m writing another script to hopefully shoot by the end of the year.  It will be another thriller.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Viktor Hernandez: I imagine we are talking about Stephen King fans, I would like to thank all the fans out there for having an interest to see how my version of the short story comes out. I hope that we can share it with you and all the fans that follow the dollar baby stories.

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Viktor Hernandez: I want to thank you for reaching out and doing this interview to allow me to talk about my project  and help to get the word out. Thanks a million!!  I invite everyone that would like to find out more about my previous work or new projects to visit my website www.viktorhernandez.com

Thanks again!!