What can I say about Jeff Thomas? He's a damn good director, having directed a really gory horror flick called 13 SECONDS. It's definately one of my favorite indie horror films and I have to say that Jeff is also a pretty good actor too. I had the great pleasure of interviewing Jeff for my site, so check it out.

THE INTERVIEW

Kristy Langford: What are your favorite horror films? Jeff Thomas: First off, I have to say that I find it funny that only a very short time ago I received an e-mail from you requesting to screen an advanced copy of “13 Seconds.” Since then I have been inundated with similar requests from other horror professionals because of the recommendations you so highly gave it. So right from the start I want to extend a sincere thank you for your kind words and great exposure you have given us. Honestly, Kristy, you are a tremendous asset to this genre. As for my favorite horror films, that is a tough question, since there are so many great genre films. I’ll attempt to list a few personal watershed films for me. Two films and one important filmmaker that will always be close to my heart are “Suspiria” and “Inferno” from director Dario Argento. Forget about any narrative sense and be prepared to just sit back and enjoy the cinematic pyrotechnics. To me, Argento’s style really peaked with these two films. On display is the best in experimental lighting techniques combined with stunning set designs that are captured by some absolutely striking cinematography. Harking back to two of the best and perhaps earliest independent horror films are “Night of the Living Dead” and the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Tobe Hooper proved you did not need an A-list Hollywood budget to terrify audiences and to ring every last ounce of suspense from his source material. From my childhood, I will always admire “The Changeling,” “Jaws,” “Alien,” and “The Thing.” Another film that I had seen years ago, that still holds up well today is Carpenter’s “The Fog.” This is a great modern day ghost story that benefits from Carpenter’s excellent on-location cinematography and music. Plus it is another example of what can be accomplished with creativity and not a huge budget. Also, for no holds barred shocks, there is Fulci’s “Zombie.” Another film that is very fan friendly and that still holds up well is Dante’s “The Howling.” And of course, I have very high respect for Parker’s “Angel Heart,” Gordon’s “Re-Animator,” Raimi’s “Evil Dead,” and Craven’s “Nightmare on Elm Street.” By no means is this a comprehensive list. Pretty much if the film has a compelling story, good atmosphere, and great creatures, I’ll be like a wide eyed six year old again, transfixed and mindlessly caught up in the moving images as if it were for the first time. KL: What do you enjoy to do in your spare time? JT: Spare time? What is that? Any spare time I have is spent on writing. Even as a filmmaker I want to stay rooted in writing. For me, writing is something that consistently gets better as well. Plus, the natural evolution of any writing project is to rewrite and rewrite. So by nature, writing needs to be time consuming and I try to set aside as much time as possible for it. Also, I love watching movies, whether it is the newest studio or independent film. Unfortunately, I am so far behind at this point with my viewing schedule that I have a stack of DVDs and videocassettes that keeps on accumulating. KL: How did you get started in the indie film industry? JT: The way I got started in the indie film industry has been a long process. Looking back to 5th grade or so, I can remember when my teacher gave me an odd look when I proclaimed I wanted to be an independent filmmaker, just like Romero, Hooper, and Raimi. She thought I wanted to develop film at a photo mart. But filmmaking has been a passion of mine-for as long as I can recall. I was captivated by movies at an early age, so it was a dream I always wanted to pursue. However, I did not want to move out to California and bet on the studio system. So, the independent avenue seemed the most logical and at the time video was the most economical means to achieve my goal. I started out by videotaping wedding and other special events as a means to raise the cash to buy better production equipment. I also paid my way through college by doing this. After a period I was able to move from weddings into broadcast/commercial video. Working more in this field allowed me to expand my business in such a way that could accommodate the assets I needed in order to shoot a movie. From there on it was like working two full time jobs: during the day I produced commercials and at night I toiled on my filmmaking career. KL: 13 SECONDS is an amazing film. What gave you the idea for this type of horror film? JT: Thank you for saying that Kristy, I appreciate it. The idea for “13 Seconds” was to come up with an idea for a film that could be done economically, but at the same time stay true to my overall vision of what a movie should be. Plus, horror films are marred by cliches, and I wanted the opportunity to twist these around a bit. Also, I wanted to tell a good story with a surprise conclusion. For me, some horror films fail when they become elaborate showcases for the FX artists. Not that I disrespect their work, it is just that I wanted to have the FX as an integral part of the story telling process. I very much wanted audiences to feel like they are entering a haunted house attraction with “13 Seconds.” Every Halloween we all go to these haunted houses and walk around and usually encounter some fright or jolt around every corner. With “13 Seconds,” I wanted to recreate this experience as much as possible. In recent memory there are many genre films that are too often slow moving until the final ten or twenty minutes and I wanted something that would attempt to be that way for the entire duration. And I love the element of mystery in films. I love watching films where I have no idea about what is happening or why, until it is revealed at the end. With “13 Seconds,“ I tried to keep that element of mystery present by allowing for so many different layers of narrative structure. All in all, I wanted to create something that would be recognized for its story and how all twists, FX, and action were all legitimate avenues for allowing the narrative arc to speed to its conclusion.

KL: How long did it take for 13 SECONDS to be made? How much gore was used for the film? JT: From polishing the final draft, to all production shooting, all the way through post and ADR, the interval was one year. And the last month was rushed since we already had a couple distributors that were waiting to screen it and we had a world premiere date to meet as well for the Calgary International Horror Film Festival. To make the film as terrifying as possible, I decided to pump as much blood and gore into it as I could. I knew name valued actors for the cast would not necessarily help the story out, but I knew the effects would, since they are so tightly integrated into the narrative. So it was a conscious effort from the start to donate as much of the budget as possible into the effects. We went through so much gore and body parts it was unbelievable. Our effects crew was constantly working twenty four hours a day to provide the illusions we needed to properly tell this story. KL: Robert Miller, who played Sidetrack, is a very talented guy. How did you first meet this guy? How long have you two been working together? JT: Robert Miller of Malefactor FX is a very close personal friend of mine that I have known since pre-school. He is a great guy that has always shared my interest in horror films. It worked out perfectly that he has an interest in FX and mine was in directing. For years we had dreamed about collaborating on a project together and “13 Seconds” was our first feature attempt. KL: Did you find it at all difficult to direct yourself in 13 SECONDS? JT: Directing myself was not that difficult of a task. Since I also wrote the script, I knew exactly who the character was and how he should be played on screen. It did make more work for me in the long run, but it also forced me to be more organized, which is a necessary evil in filmmaking. Honestly, I think it is only natural for writers to direct, and for directors to act. Plus, it is all an on-going creative process that helps you interact more efficiently with other professionals. KL:  From your experiences, what do you think the hardest part about being a filmmaker is? JT: There is so many difficult things about filmmaking that it is almost impossible to pinpoint one exactly. From day one, just by nature, there will be 101 things that will go wrong. And filmmaking is not like writing novel, where you can lock yourself away and work. With films you need to rely on the talents of so many individuals-and with so many people come so many attitudes. For me, the number one problem that I continually encountered, which probably helped me to become a better filmmaker, was keeping my imagination within the realm of my budget. There were so many avenues that I wanted to explore that were just not feasible in terms of dollars. Here is where you need more imagination to make the film you want without compromising the story. KL: If you had the power, is there anything that you would change in the way horror films are presented these days? JT: The only element I would change in today’s horror would be to charter new ground. Many horror films do not explore different story telling techniques, are not subversive, are not challenging, or are not scary. When was the last time you jumped during a film? When was the last time you were really frightened? Horror needs to revisit its roots and examine the classics, or else this current trend in horror will burn itself out quickly.

KL: Are there any new projects coming up that we can look forward to?

JT: Right now I am in the scripting phase of what will be a very different continuation of “13 Seconds.” This story is not so much a sequel, since none of the original characters or settings carry over, as it is a continuation of some of the sub textual themes briefly raised in “13 Seconds.” The story itself is twice as fast with an unbelievable menagerie of creatures that takes off in a completely different direction before concluding with another twist ending. The budget for this film will also be substantially higher as well.


KL: Before we go, are there any last words for the people that will be checking this interview out?


JT: As last words I would again like to thank you Kristy for your time and hard work and extend an equally big thanks and words of gratitude to every one that has supported the film. “13 Seconds” will be available early next year on DVD. Right now we are reviewing several offers for international and domestic rights, but we are committed to having the movie on shelves soon. But most of all, if any aspiring filmmakers have questions, please contact me. Filmmaking is continually an on-going leaning curve and I would be more than happy to pass along all my knowledge and experience, because even long after the cameras roll, it is still a very collaborative process.