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An Interview With Ed Guinn

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Ed Guinn, everyone’s favorite cattle truck driver, was kind enough to answer some questions for Lisa. I think you will find him to be exceptionally funny and exactly the kind of guy you want to hang out with. Ed can be seen in Shawn Ewert’s upcoming film Sacrament, premiering June 7, 2014 at The Texas Theatre in Dallas, Texas.

Your role in Texas Chainsaw Massacre is small, but iconic. How did you end up as everyone’s favorite cattle truck driver?

Well let’s see. When I was a small child in the wilds of western Canada there was this old over-the-road trucker, we kids called him leather butt cause he was able they claimed to…Oh you mean how did my end (it being neither small nor particular iconic) turn up in the truck in the movie? Well, I and my brother in-law owned a truck. Bob Burns, may he rest in peace, knew that and as has been said, a small but iconic opportunity was hatched. Show up at the truck stop, hook up to this rental cattle trailer and come be a star. A small, but iconic star that is.

I always wondered where he ran off to; any ideas?

I tend to think, with the murderous sun and psycho’s in abundance, he should have been running to the nearest air conditioned police station, but alas, I suspect the poor old, sore footed fellow was done in by some neighborhood halfwit. The type that married his own grandmaw as the song goes. That part of the county was always suspect.

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I love that you had a very similar cameo in Butcher Boys. Did Kim Henkel do this intentionally?

​I am willing to bet, Kim being a clever fellow, he did.

You’re also a composer. How did you get into that?

Well, before I was a movie icon and a truck driver I was a failed rock star. So it was a natural progression for me stepping down from the, more than, relative obscurity of rock star to the world of the introspective shut-in that comprises the bulk of most composers lives. It was a natural fit.

It looks as though you and Marilyn Burns have stayed good friends since Texas Chainsaw Massacre; is there something the two of you would love to do together, but haven’t yet?

I don’t know about Marilyn, but I’d like to do a big hit of some legal pot. For a change. Some from one of the dispensaries in Colorado where you just walk in, flop the coin on the counter and go out to your car and light up. Very un Texan don’t you agree? On a serious note, I would like to continue the film relationship that Marilyn and I established in Sacrament (the movie, not the Eucharist). Our loving and welcoming personalities on display in the movie deserve wider exploitation. They should stand as the model for a welcoming, Christian man and wife team who are willing to give succor to their community and who know only the grace of the almighty provides salvation and…………

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How did you meet Shawn Ewert?

​Never heard of him. Shaun Whoert. Oh, you mean the auteur Mr. Shawn. At TexasFrightmare.

Can you tell us anything about your role in Sacrament?

See question 5.

Do you have any other projects that you are currently working on?

​You mean besides sophomoric nattering’s. No, not really, but once the move comes out I have instructed my agents to refuse all work unless the scripts center around myself and Scarlett Johansson as brother and stepsister (hint hint stepsister get it?) fighting to save the world from hordes of uncaring dental hygienists bent on polluting our precious bodily fluids with fluoride and other questionable products, like vaccines. Nude scenes are, of course, required for all female leads. Goes without saying right?

 

 Were you surprised by Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s success and subsequent staying power?

Ahhhh Yes and Yes. Truthfully, it was just a truck driving job for me. I got paid what I would have made if I had been driving the truck all day. Having spent a significant amount of time in “show business” by then I was not interested in the birds in the bush, i.e. royalties etc. I collected my check. That day I think, and didn’t give it another thought until, while shooting Butcher Boys, the talented Duane Graves and his partner said I should check out some horror conventions, I could be a contender. And as they say, the rest is history.

 

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Henry Pao Answers Eleven Questions With Lisa

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Henry is a delightful young man who’s positivity and humor is contagious. I really had such an enjoyable time speaking on the phone with him. You can see Henry in the upcoming film Sacrament.

1.How long have you been acting?

I started acting when I moved to Dallas to study acting at the K.D. Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts. This is my first role. Period. I got it within two weeks of moving here.

2.How did you get into acting, then?

I never really talked about it, so no one was encouraging it. I had always wanted to perform and I said to myself, “why not?”.

3.Awesome! How did this role come to you?

I saw a posting for it on the bulletin board at school. At school, they encourage us to try out for roles because auditioning is a process that you need to experience and get used to. I went to the audition and left just knowing I didn’t get the role, but someone came running after me and asked me to come back in and read again. After that second reading, they requested that I do a video audition. I felt like I had something to prove if they kept giving me chances. I got the part I wanted!

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4.Tell me about your character, Alex Corbin.

Alex is the friend that almost everyone has and no one wants to deal with. He’s full of himself, cocky and thinks he can get away with anything. His friends are just thinking, “when will you shut up?” Because I have a bit of a feminine flair to me, I had to try to mask it and be more masculine.

 

5.What is your favorite moment from filming Sacrament?

The crew,in general, was just great. We did everything together and interacting with Sandra and her boyfriend…they were very encouraging. There was an overall feeling of, this is fun and games, but this is your job, too.

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6.What did you think was the hardest day on set?

It was hard because everyone else had more experience than me. I loved it and I dedicated myself to it, but I would get nervous and I couldn’t help taking some things personally. Troy(Ford) has a certain energy; he is a very strong presence. So, Troy is channeling Shawn and we have intense moments and I would be worrying  that I would forget my lines.

7.Would you like to branch out into other areas of filmmaking?

I currently want to focus on acting. When I feel more like I have done enough and know enough, I would like to help other actors. I like helping people find more within their characters.

8.Any other projects that you’re working on?

I have been working on short films and I’m trying to work more on stage. Working on stage helps me grow because you have to think quick on your feet; you can’t shoot again.

9.What do you hope people take away from Sacrament?

Regardless of religion, you have the right to love everyone you want. This isn’t a joke; the gay character is usually the comic relief or they get killed off first. A gay couple being portrayed as more than just being flamboyant is different and it’s important. You are free too love whoever you want.

10. What other genres would you like to explore?

I would love to do something Sci-Fi related, more on the mystic side. I’ve always been a Charmed fan and I would love to play a witch. An elemental witch, who’s powers consist of elements of the earth. I would love to explore everything but, I don’t always like going to a dark place; I feel like I’m rotting inside.

11. Anything else you would like to add?

I want to thank Shawn so much for giving me the opportunity to learn. Everyone gave me hope that I can do this and I’m doing it for the right reason. Everyone was there for each other.  Working with Shawn was great; he was very flexible with all of us and told us to “go ahead, do your thing.”

You can follow Henry on Twitter @BigHaiLoBoy

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Justin Powers Answers 9 Questions With Lisa

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Yeah, normally, it’s 11 questions that I torture people with, but as you’re about to find out, Justin is simply far too busy to stop and answer a bunch of questions. Justin is a guy with a lot going on, including his cinematography work on Sacrament and we are super happy that we had the opportunity to speak with him.

1 Your resume has quite a varied list of talents; which one did you come to first? (i.e.) acting, directing writing.

I’m definitely not an actor but, a couple times I’ve been on a set where they needed someone to act and I did it…I’m not proud of it but I did it!    But for real…for me, every aspect of filmmaking came to me at the same time….because at the beginning I had no experience….no training or schooling…just trying.

 

2. In Pot Zombies, you are credited as a writer, actor,  director, producer and editor. Please tell us a little about this film.

It was my very first movie…I thought of it while driving and smoking a joint….then my brother and I got a camera and an editing program and started trying to make a movie.  I started volunteering on other local low budget movies to try to learn stuff and got a couple of actors from those films and stuck with it for a couple years, trying to get Pot Zombies done, doing pretty much everything myself. I learned a lot from that and consider Pot Zombies, kinda, my film school.

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3. Pot Zombies is not the only film where you have worn multiple hats; what other projects have you taken on a large amount of responsibility?

I also shot a couple of other peoples features. A really cool arty type horror flick called DEVOTION that just recently premiered at the Twisted Tails Film Fest here in Dallas http://vimeo.com/64896942

I also shot a comedy feature called ROCKIN REVEREND http://vimeo.com/49721094.  It’s a great movie about an agnostic drunk actor that starts his own rock n roll church and starts doing blow….his tagline is DON’T BE A DOUCHE….theres a lesson there for lots of people!  Seriously though, its a great movie and is available via  streaming on Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Rockin-Reverend-Scot-Michael-Walker/dp/B00E3E76BU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398995840&sr=8-2&keywords=rockin+reverend

 

4. Do you think the fact that you had helmed so many titles on past films, was helpful when it came to Sacrament? It seems as though a few people on Sacrament took on quite a few jobs.

Yes, it was a very small crew so everyone has to do a few roles to get it done.  Every bit of everyones’ experience in film was helpful on Sacrament.  There were crew people of all levels working on Sacrament…..some people had very little experience on a film set and some had a lot….it took everyone working together as a team to bring it all together

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5.Had you worked with Shawn before? If not, how did you find out about the film?         Yes, I have known Shawn for years and I helped some on his first short film JACKS BAD DAY….and he’s helped out on other projects that I have worked on also.   Shawn brought me onto SACRAMENT from, probably, pretty close to the beginning of it…..I shot and edited the first teaser for SACRAMENT that we made a couple of years ago when Shawn was first raising money for the movie. I’ve been friends with Shawn for several years, though I have no idea where I met him…i just kinda knew him all of a sudden.

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6. Which area of filmmaking do you prefer?  

I  just love filmmaking. I just spent 3 weeks on location as key grip on DON’T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT 2.  I’ve been home for a week and it is killing me.  Of course I love directing and creating my own projects, but I just as much enjoy working on other projects and learning.  Every movie I work on, in any capacity, I learn and grow as a filmmaker in general.

7. What projects are you currently working on? Is anything coming out soon that you would like people to know about?  

  Right now I am working on a documentary about the history of Dallas punk rock; it’s called EVERYTHING IS A-OK .  We’ve been shooting interviews for it all of last year.  It’s been a really fun project and i’m very excited to see it come together!   Everything is A-OK: A Dallas, TX Punk Documentary Promo 2

Also, my last film POT ZOMBIES 2: more pot, less plot is being released on July 22nd!    on dvd and streaming on amazon and other streaming on demand sites.    www.demonicchronic.com

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8.What are you most proud of thus far in your career?  

Well, one pretty cool thing is, I was a camera op for a collaborative film about the occupy movement; they have filmmakers from all over the world shooting locally and they sent hard drives all around the country to collect the footage.  They only used a few seconds of my footage but, that movie premiered at SUNDANCE!  That’s really cool. It’s a really cool documentary.  It’s not propaganda or anything like that; its a documentary just about what was happening.  http://www.99percentfilm.com/

 

9. What is one thing that you would like to accomplish this year? It can be absolutely anything.

I’m looking forward to completing my documentary and if I’m lucky…shooting another feature film I am trying to get off the ground.

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Interview with The Glamorsteins

Wizard World Best Group

As I wrote about a couple weeks ago, I went to Wizard World in Louisville this year.  While I was there, I met The Glamorsteins: a relatively new group on the cosplay/costumer scene.  I had my picture taken with them, and they handed me their business card.  They were friendly and seemed passionate about what they do.  So, when I got home, I got in contact with them and asked if they’d be open to doing an interview.  They agreed.  What follows is a short conversation I had with them about the convention circuit and their thoughts on horror films.
If you go to a convention, keep an eye out for them.  You won’t be able to miss them.  Step up and say hi.  Despite what I reported in my Wizard World piece, they really are quite friendly.
As an added bonus, one of them is named Dustin (not Justin).  In my experience, you can always count on a Dustin to be cool.

1. How did you decide to get into the world of professional cosplayers?

Sasha: I didn’t. Cosplay was a world that built up around me. Then I realized there was a community that was able to share in the same kind of happiness that costuming gave to me, as well as a strong love for movies.

Dustin: I don’t consider us Cosplayers necessarily. Cosplayers like to act out and be the character they have in mind. Sasha and I consider ourselves costumers and artists first. The love to create with each of us is a common theme. Each has their own niche, but are able to come together as one to create things that are truly breathtaking.
We like to stop the room, so to speak.  We allow our art to speak; our characters don’t have to.

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2. Your most popular outfit seems to Frankenstein’s monster and his bride. Is that your favorite classic horror? Do you watch modern horror?

Sasha: I like horror from all genres, Universal classics being the favorite. My liking of contemporary horror is normally limited to the content itself. I like my horror with a lot of color, a vibrant story; not torture porn and CGI. It also never hurts to make me laugh. A good horror should have a sense of humor.

Dustin: I have never been a huge fan of realistic gore, torture, and rape films. It seems there have been a lot of those that have come into popularity as of late. I prefer silly kitschy horror films as well as most of the classics, [with] Frankenstein being my all time favorite classic.

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3. What are your thoughts on the recent trend of remaking/rebooting films?

Sasha: I believe there is a stark difference in a director that remakes a film because he loves it, instead of one that remakes a film to remake a profit. Generally, I don’t care for the idea, but with the right director, level of creativity, and respect a remake can be pretty special.

4. How many outfits do you have, and how long did it take you to build up your wardrobe?

Dustin: Currently we have around 8-10 outfits. But we tend to mix in elements of our daily wardrobe, depending on the event and situation. So our number of outfits can expand dramatically pretty easily. Sasha has been working on her character for over 3 years. I myself have come into it at about a year and a half.

5. If everything goes according to plan, how many conventions would you go to every year?

Dustin: Truthfully, as many as we can afford to go to. We both work full time jobs and have a home together. We generally pay our expenses out of pocket 100%. We were supplied with free early entry passes for the last HorrorHound Weekend in Cincinnati and that’s about it. If we could get more conventions to at least cover our entry, our options would be greatly expanded. So to anyone reading this that works for a convention, if you want us to come work your convention.. just contact us. theglamorsteins@yahoo.com

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6. How long does it take you to get ready?

Dustin: It normally takes around 4-6 hours total. So if we are sociable and hanging out late on Fridays with everyone else, that Saturday when you see us… we are miserable. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes we don’t sleep at all. We have gone entire conventions with only 2-3 hours of sleep total.

7. What’s your favorite part of doing what you do?

Dustin: We like having a vehicle for our artistic creations. But just as equally, we love having the respect and admiration for our work. The people, their reactions, and their love for what we do, makes it all worth it. We aren’t in it for the competition. We aren’t in it for the money. We do it because we truly just have a love for what we do and being able to share it with the world.

8. What do you do for a living?  Do your co-workers know about this side of your life? What are their reactions?

Dustin: We both work for a local printing company. Sasha has been there about 6 months; I’ve been there 10 years. Some of my co-workers know about it. Some think it’s cool and want to know about it. Others think it’s weird. I work with a bunch of dudes [laughs]. Many of Sasha’s co-workers know about us. She actually works with a lady that’s photographed us many times. They are much more supportive in the office.

You can find The Glamorsteins on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Tell ’em Dusty sent you!

CC Glamorsteins

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Interview with James Neff of Night Walker Cinema

Recently, I was able to send a questionnaire to the incredibly busy and amazingly talented James Neff of Night Walker Cinema. Fresh off of wining not one, not two but three awards at the Late Night Horror Film Festival and a grueling principal shoot for  their feature film debut The Dinner Guest , he sat down (I imagine) and answered these questions for us.

You’re working with a relatively small crew,  how does this impact filming?

First and foremost, the crew we had/have is amazing. They told us ahead of time how long they would be able to work and more often than not, they ended up staying for longer than promised. It was pretty amazing to see people outside of the three of us really care about our project. As far as how having a smaller crew impacts filming? Well, with a small crew things definitely take longer to set up but I would always choose quality over quantity.

Do you have any fun stories from the first shooting sequences?

We filmed outdoors for the first night of filming, on a friday night, so…many obstacles can be thrown in your face. We started a conspiracy theory that every time we yelled action there was someone on a rooftop with a walkie talkie telling people to drive by or yell or fly a helicopter haha.

Do you have any horror stories from the first shooting sequences?

Actually no. Our cast and crew were beyond professional, the only thing that was difficult were the hours we were filming.

How long did the script-writing process take?

It actually started as an idea I had really late at night. I sat in bed and typed out the entire outline and shared it with Joseph and Danica they next day. Joseph and I started writing it all out in script form that week and from there did rewrite after rewrite to make sure there were no loopholes. It’s very important to never film your first draft, we never understand when people do that. So all in all, our script writing is always a process. Since we filmed our short film 32 and the teaser trailer for The Dinner Guest, we didn’t put the final touches on the script until about two weeks before filming began.

What were your main influences during the writing process?

This is a really great question. From watching films to reading and listening to music, it was all involved. Emotion is key in any story you are trying to tell so we would always try to find what moved us, what made us feel and think, laugh and even cry if need be.

What are the main differences between shooting a feature length film as opposed to the short films you’ve done before?

Filming a feature is like filming a short film everyday. It was a big wake up call for us and we learned so many invaluable lessons that we have already began to implement into the remaining scenes that still need to be filmed. We really thought we were prepared and learned quickly that we could have done things a lot smoother and easier if we would have made some very simple decisions before we arrived on set. We were able to figure things out quickly though and are very happy with what we learned.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals before writing or filming?

Not really. I just wish I would have gotten into better shape before filming began haha.

What can you tell us about The Dinner Guest?

 

We can’t say much but what I can say is that we really put our hearts into this project and can’t wait to premiere it!

You successfully funded the film through indiegogo, is that an avenue you’d consider using again for future projects?

We really don’t like asking for money but we had no choice. People really came out from all directions and relly shocked us with all of their love and support, even as I type this out I’m still in shock. We hoe that The Dinner Guest does well and that maybe an independent studio will back us from here on out, we shall see!



Promotional Trailer for The Dinner Guest

If you aren’t already, you should follow Night Walker Cinema on Twitter. @NightWalkerCnma