POSITIVELY HORROR INTERVIEWS REECE CONNOLLY

Positively Horror recently got the chance to ask Horror creative Reece Connolly some questions. Please enjoy the full interview below. 

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?

I'm a writer, performer, and producer based in East London but originally from just outside Newcastle. I work across stage and screen, as well as creating short stories and illustrations. Pretty much everything I do has a tinge of horror to it in some way, it's undoubtedly my favourite genre. I love reading horror, watching horror, and making horror, and always have. 

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

As long as I can remember I've been drawn to it. Anything weird, grotesque, dark and unusual has piqued my curiosity. I remember as a kid seeing these huge Stephen King, James Herbert, Thomas Harris books lying around the house, which my parents enjoyed reading. The cover art would endlessly fascinate and terrify me, which also really triggered my imagination. And so that was the sort of thing I continued to seek out and grow to love and respect. 

You were in the wonderful indie flick A Werewolf In England which is available now, can you tell us a bit about that experience and why everyone should watch it? 

It's a loving homage to the Hammer flicks of old, a classic monster invasion romp set in a crumbling Victorian inn, featuring a really motley crew of rogues fighting for survival. Incredibly gory, very camp, chock-full of nods to everything from Troma to early Sam Raimi. Perfect family viewing. I'd followed the work of Charlie Steeds [who wrote and directed the film under his studio, Dark Temple Motion Pictures, who specialise in these amazing homegrown horrors] for a while, so it was so so cool and exciting to get to work on something with him and his team. Challenging too, but in the best way - I learnt so much on that set, and am very proud of the finished piece. If it sounds up your street, definitely check it out!

As well as acting You're creating a horror webcomic called the Void-Witch, with the first episode available now, what are your plans for the comic? 

It started as a quasi-experiment/challenge to myself, creating a mini-comic featuring some original characters I'd had lurking in my brain for some time. I love illustrating, but it had been an age since I'd tried writing + drawing a comic - so I thought why not! But the response to it was very warm and enthusiastic; people want to see more! And I have plans for how the story can pan out, so all I need to do now is get those stories out onto the page.  I'd love more people to get to know those characters, and see the sort of stories I enjoy telling. 

What is your favourite horror trope?

Something I love is when things subvert expectations, playing around with established rules and tropes, taking you by surprise. That's often where the really really fun things happen. Horror is so steeped in tradition and lore and cliche - so when someone comes along and takes that history and then twists it into something new and punky and unpredictable, that's super-exciting. 

What is something you'd like to see more of in the future in the genre? 

I want to keep seeing new and diverse voices being championed and supported in the horror industry. New authors, actors, filmmakers from communities and cultures that have been for so long totally unrepresented within the genre. We need more POC creators, women creators, LGBTQ+ creators, creators from different social backgrounds. And when a project comes along made by an underrepresented community, we have a responsibility as sn audience to show up for that, support it, champion it. Put your money where your mouth is. 

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

Anything Jordan Peele and Ari Aster are putting out is very far up my alley. I’m so excited to see what Nia DaCosta does with the new Candyman too. Whatever Robert Eggers is cooking up next, because The Lighthouse changed my life. And I'm obsessed with Brand New Cherry Flavour on Netflix right now - I want to crawl inside Nick Antosca + Lenore Zion's mind.

And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about?

I’ve got a solo show coming to the London Horror Fest this year, called SUCKER 4 U, about a man’s brief but passionate affair with the dread-god Cthulu. It’s very queer, very rude, really dark, and I can’t wait to unleash it onstage. Again, lovely family-friendly stuff. And currently also working on a Christmas show about the antichrist for a gorgeous little theatre on the North East coast. Bringing horror home!  Hopefully more film stuff too. Always ready to work with Dark Temple again [Charlie if you’re reading this plz cast me some more].  Plus, I’m always churning out new illustrations [and hopefully more comics] on my Insta art account - @beyondtheplughole - so please check that out too.  So yeh, support queer artists!

Thank you again to Reece for the interview. To keep up with their work just follow the link below. 

https://linktr.ee/reececonnolly

Positively Horror interviews Nicholas Grant

Positively Horror recently got the chance to interview the great indie Filmmaker Nicholas Grant. Please enjoy the full interview below. 

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

2.When I was young, my mom introduced me to a movie called "Silence of the Lambs" and introduced me to Hannibal Lecter. At first, when I saw that, all I saw when watching him was an old man in jail. A million things were racing through my head "Why was he in prison? Why was he locked up? This guy looks so old! He couldn't hurt a fly!" And then I realized, that wasn't the case following that escape scene in the movie. That taught me a lesson and I found out that was the point my mother was doing, that looks can be deceiving. In that moment, I learned horror isn't always about the jumpscares or what goes bump in the night, it can teach very real, very insightful life lessons through fear kinda like what the original Brother's Grimm books did to children when they read them. Ever since then, I became obsessed with the genre, watching tons of horror movies, tons of scary novels, several from my favorite authors like Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

At that moment, I began writing my own stories and "Scripts". When I saw the movie, "Lady in the Water", and I was introduced to the filmmaker, M. Night Shyamalan and I saw that this man not only wrote the movie, but he also directed and produced, it made me realize I didn't have to just limit myself to one role, I could be many and other influences like John Carpenter and Robert Rodriguez taught me the benefits of being a one man film crew.

You have been creating horror shorts that are available for free online for some time, including your vampire series 'Coven'. What do you feel are the benefits of releasing your content this way?

When doing my shorts like this, I didn't really know what people would think about my work, if they would like it or not. As I kept releasing my movies, like some filmmakers find out, some people like your work, others didn't; it's all subjective. Even some of the greatest filmmakers in the genre put out work that some of my friends either don't understand or say flat out sucks. I release them in this way because I'm still learning, testing the waters, seeing what works for me and what doesn't, what sticks, what grabs my audience and keeps them coming back.

Do you have plans to further explore your 'Coven' universe, and is there anything you can tell us about what may be to come? 

I can't say too much about upcoming Coven projects, but I can say the series will continue and there will be twists and turns many will not see coming.

Your latest short 'Pick Up' is available to watch now on YouTube. What was the inspiration behind that piece?

I've heard many stories about people dealing with strange individuals and Uber drivers who would either take them somewhere they weren't originally heading or did things that made the passenger leave, fearing they were going to meet a terrifying demise. You can get the most out of horror when it's related to things that can ACTUALLY happen because if it's real, that makes the terror real and if the terror's real, that makes you think and then that makes you scared. Great material for horror.

As well as shorts, you have a feature out called 'He'll Hath no Fury'. Do you find that your process changes from short to feature length film? 

It definitely changes especially when the story is bigger and there are more characters, details and situations you have to flesh out. With a short, you have a short amount of time to keep the audience engaged and get your point across in an entertaining, artistic or insightful way. With features, you have to try a little harder cause it is over an hour or two, you have to make sure what you put down on that page and put on that screen with make the audience wanna stay along for the ride.

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

Right now, my favorite people would have to be local talent like Melissa Marie Brown, Joseph Pascone, Paula Ramirez, Bobby Peoples, Aurora Brown, Danielle Chambers, just to name a few. They bring alot of energy and fun whenever we film together.

And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about?

The Coven series will continue and I plan to end the year with one more feature film however, I can't say much about it, just know that one is coming!

Thank you to Nicholas for the interview. To check out his work, follow the link below:

https://youtube.com/c/GraveyardPictures

POSITIVELY HORROR INTERVIEWS ISIAH CAIN

Positively Horror's latest interview is with Isiah Cain, someone we're always eager to hear from! Please enjoy the full interview below:

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?

My name is Isiah Cain. I’m a Filmmaker (one of the many that are here in Las Vegas). I’ve always been into movies and it started with the interest in Acting,while in HighSchool i took up Video Production and that led me to editing and i just went from there, Now i’m a Head Creative for my Production team BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED. My relationship with Horror is different than Most, Alfred Hitchcock once said “the only way for me to get rid of my fears is to make films about them” i’ll sometimes take my real life situations and put them into my horror shorts.

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

I was introduced to Halloween (1978) just by being a nosey six year old…I regretted later because I completely misunderstood what that film was about.

You've previously worked with horror entertainment collective Antiks Entertainment making some great short horror. What was your experience working with such a creative group?

Yes, My experience was Grand Honestly. I learned so much.

Your shorts Hey and Party Girls are great and feel like they could easily be fleshed out and explored further. What do you like about creating short horror, and do you have plans to move into features?  

honestly people like (and love) those projects and i’m just sitting here (blank face) because i was just pushing myself to get out there and release something after having a hiatus, it was me getting out of a shell and doing things. As For Party Girls, i want to just say that there is more to PARTY GIRLS and hopefully i can go back and remake both of those films. As for a feature…who knows what the future holds.

Your horror content is available for free on YouTube, do you find that being part of the online horror community, and having your work so readily available helps get it out there? 

Right now, yes. I believe that it helps. Especially if you’re up and coming, one thing i love about YouTube is the Comments and let me tell you why: it’s sometimes constructive and if you’re able to know the difference between constructive criticism and just plain criticism you can develop a masterpiece. 

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

Everyone who works hard and releases Something is my favorite. I root for everyone.

And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about? 

Well, THE SHAPE: EVIL WITHIN is getting a complete overhaul, it’s a turn from what you seen when we released a teaser with Antiks Entertainment where our main focus is Michael as a kid leading to the events of Halloween Night. It’s a chance for us to explore and create along the way (Young Michael will be played by Cooper Nelson he’s an Amazing Young Actor).

The next project that we’ve announced is NIGHT RIDER and we’re excited about this it’ll turn heads, it’s a Thriller with twists and turns. This project Stars Riley Morlen and Roger Gerard Cole. And then we have a project that we haven’t announced yet hopefully we’ll get the chance to soon.

Thank you again to Isiah for the great interview.