The Nick Taylor Horror Show Nick Taylor

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror show, Episode 100!
As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.
I have a very special episode in store today, one that should put a smile on all of your faces. That's right, Parker Finn is in the house! Parker is a man who should need no introduction for us horror fans as the director behind one of this year's breakout horror hits, SMILE.
First of all, I owe an enormous thank you to my friend Joe Russo who made this interview happen. Joe, you're the best, and I thank you very, very much.
So, Parker has obviously been doing a lot of interviews recently, and I made an effort to make my questions as unique as possible. As a result, we got into a lot of the craft of SMILE, how he worked with actors, his DP and editor, and the keys to crafting effective scares. One thing we didn't get into very much was the overall origin story about how SMILE, Parker's very first feature, came to be. So I will give you the short version right here.
In 2020, after struggling as a filmmaker in Los Angeles for about 8 years, Parker made a short film called LAURA HASN'T SLEPT for roughly $30,000. LAURA HASN'T SLEPT ultimately got into SXSW, where it won the Grand Jury Award and shortly thereafter got the attention of Paramount, who offered Parker the opportunity to direct a feature adaptation which turned into SMILE. SMILE was originally intended to go straight to streaming on Paramount plus, but after a series of overwhelmingly positive audience reaction tests, SMILE was given a wide theatrical release. To date, SMILE has made over two hundred million at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing horror movies of all time, which for a first-time director, is really fuckin cool.
For a more comprehensive deep dive into Parker's origin story, definitely check out Mick Garris' conversation with Parker on the Post Mortem podcast. I listened to that right before doing this interview to make sure we didn't cover the same ground, so the two are very complimentary if you want a fuller picture.
 
Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Parker Finn: 
Do one thing really right in your short.
Parker's short, LAURA HASN'T SLEPT, is excellent and was the catalyst that led to him getting SMILE made. You can actually watch LAURA HASN'T SLEPT on the upcoming SMILE blu ray release or for free on YouTube right now (link is in the show notes). When it comes to shorts, Parker claims that lots of filmmakers try to make their shorts do too many things when instead, focusing on doing one thing really, really effectively is what makes shorts stand out. Focusing your forces allows your shorts to go deep instead of wide, which is suitable for the short-form medium, which is intended to be a single act, a single movement, and therefore is best suited for a single focus. Parker also recommends pulling off things that are not typical or difficult to do in your shorts to show what you're capable of as a director.



Start with character and then throw their worst-case scenario at them.
Parker has spoken at length about how the scariest horror movies are most powerful when you care about the characters that the terrible things are happening to. Horror filmmakers must be effective dramatists firsts by enabling the audience to empathize with their characters. Effective horror works through empathy because if done right, your audience will experience terror through your characters. With this in mind, it's critical to ground your characters with honesty and relatability so the audience can connect with them upfront. If you fail to properly build empathy, the audience will simpl

Mark Ramsey is an audio storyteller and maker of some of my favorite podcasts, including the Inside Series, which consisted of Inside Jaws, Inside The Exorcist, and Inside Psycho. Which if you have not listened to yet, do yourself a favor and download them all; they are a treat for any horror or cinema fan. 
In collaboration with his partner and sound designer Jeff Schmidt, Mark's specialty has become making memorable, compelling, and revolutionary audio experiences that thrill, inspire, make you smile, make you gasp, and touch your heart. 
Mark's latest creation is Dark Sanctum, a spine-tingling 7-episode limited series showcasing multiple stories about things that go bump in the night. Inspired by TV classics like The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, Dark Sanctum blends captivating storytelling with Mark's signature chilling audio and sound design in Dolby Atmos to transport listeners through a twisted and memorable audio thrill ride.
He is a good friend of mine and always a very fun and exciting guy to talk to; please give it up for Mark Ramsey. 
Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe. 
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Produced by Simpler Media

Kane Senes & Hannah Barlow are the director duo behind Sissy, an Australian slasher comedy about bullying, social media, and the processing of trauma. Sissy was the opening night film of the prestigious SXSW Midnighters program and won multiple awards on the festival circuit before becoming a Shudder original. Prior to Sissy, Kane directed Echoes of War in 2015 and then For Now in 2019, which he co-directed with Hannah, making it her directorial debut. Sissy is now streaming on Shudder, so check it out. 
Here are some key takeaways from the director team Kane Senes and Hannah Barlow, directors of Sissy:
Channel fear and anxiety into your movie. Eli Roth said that he tries to ensure each movie he makes reflects a real fear of his, which is what makes his movies so personal and the fear elements of them so palpable. Kane and Hannah channeled their fear of this generation's social media angst into this movie, and it's very palpable. When you channel fears and anxieties that come from an authentic place into your movie, even as subtext, the audience is more likely able to feel it on a visceral level, which makes for great horror. 
Fight for the things that will distinguish your movie. While location scouting, the directors found the perfect house to shoot at. It was beautiful, instagrammable, furnished beautifully, and added a ton of production value - the problem was it was a two-hour drive from where they were staying, meaning they'd lose four hours every day. Despite the fact that there was a perfectly feasible but underwhelming other option nearby, they picked that house anyway, and it gave the movie a really great look. In the fog of production, amidst all the complications and endless decisions, it’s easy to say f**k it and let certain things go. Sometimes this is necessary but try to be cautious of this instinct, especially when it can cost you the things that will distinguish your movie. If you see the movie, you'll see that the house is very unique, and it gave the movie an entirely new level of production value. If you get these rare opportunities, consider taking them - they always cost something, though, so make sure it's worth it. 
 
Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe. 
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Produced by Simpler Media

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.
Jean Luc Herbulot is a Congolese writer & director known for Dealer (2014) and the TV show Sakho & Mangane. His most recent movie is Saloum, a Senegalese horror-thriller about a trio of mercenaries escaping the 2003 coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau before taking refuge in a hidden region on the Saloum river of Senegal only to be at the mercy of supernatural forces.
So... I think I'm going to go ahead and say this was my favorite horror movie of the year. Yes, I know, SMILE, BARBARIAN, TERRIFIER 2, etc., etc., but there was something so fresh, so unique, and so stylish and memorable about this movie, the characters, the approach to horror, everything. I was thinking about the characters for weeks afterward, and overall, I thought it was a very fine film.
There's just something very refreshing about being exposed to a culture you know very little about in the context of a horror movie that brings into the picture lesser-known supernatural legends. Africa is abundantly rich with mythology around monsters, ghosts, and demons, and Saloum dives into this while delivering a kick-ass movie. Seriously, just see it and let me know what you think.
Jean Luc is a very passionate filmmaker and was a bunch of fun to talk to. We got into the making of Saloum, how he funded it with his own money and the difficulties and benefits of shooting in Senegal. 
Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Jean Luc. 
 
Dig in untapped mines.
Saloum was one of the freshest and most unique horror movies of the past few years. It made me realize the horror genre is getting saturated with very common western horror tropes that seem to repeat themselves. There are not a lot of African horror movies (two other really good ones are Atlantics and His House, both streaming on Netflix), but there are so many other countries, cultures, and mythologies to explore through horror. In the case of Jean Luc, there was a lot of rich African mythology to explore when crafting his supernatural horror element. Consider digging into the mythology of your own heritage for lesser-known stories that could lend themselves to horror. The genre needs it, and it's what keeps movies fresh, unique, and authentic.
 
Characters First.
One of the strongest elements of Saloum was the characters. They were some of the coolest I've seen outside of the Tarantino universe, and like I said, I was thinking about them for weeks afterward and would love to see them show up in more movies. Jean Luc began with the characters about ten years before finally putting pen to paper to write Saloum. As a result, they were fully developed and came from his own want for African heroes in his youth. Consider crafting your characters first and then finding a story that allows them and their identities to shine.
 
Work that side hustle. Jean Luc funded the majority of the movie from profits made directing and producing commercials. With a concept like Saloum, it likely would have been difficult to apply for funding so having a side career that allows you to both flex your filmmaking abilities while making money in a way you can scale up and down gives you a ton of freedom. This might not be a realistic funding strategy for everyone, but it worked for Jean Luc. Consider using your directing abilities in other profitable arenas, and you might be able to fund all or part of your movie through that.
In any case, don't forget to check out Saloum, now streaming on Shudder, and Jean Luc's tv show, Sakho & Mangane on Netflix. Thanks again for listening. 
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Produced by Simpler Media

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.
From Well Go Entertainment, The Loneliest Boy in the World is billed as a modern fairytale—except with zombies. When the sheltered and unsocialized Oliver is tasked with making new friends after the sudden death of his mother, he decides that digging up a few corpses might be his best bet. However, when he awakens the morning after his excavating escapades, he discovers that his newly acquired friends have mysteriously come to life overnight, launching them all into a series of misadventures as they try to keep their secret safe from neighbors, classmates, and social workers alike.
So I enjoyed this movie a lot; it was super charming, funny, and surprisingly tear-jerking. It has many metaphors about bullying, tolerance, accepting people who are different and the notion of chosen family, and overall is a great example of mixing horror and heart, which I always love. 
The movie could also be described as a family-friendly version of Idle Hands and, overall, is a great recent example of modern gateway horror, which I don't think there's nearly enough of.  Despite being rated R, which I don't understand, you can totally show this one to your kids, and I recommend you do. 
Also, the production design on this movie is stellar, especially considering that they were on a budget. It has a strong nod to Edward Scissorhands as well as Hammer horror, and it's the kind of movie that looks like every production design detail was agonized over and is visually just beautiful.  
The screenplay for The Loneliest Boy in the World has been around since the 80s and somehow took decades to produce before landing in the hands of British Director Martin Owen and his team. The movie also stars Max Harwood and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and we have them all here for you today. 
 
Here are some key takeaways from this conversation: 
Always play it straight. The Loneliest Boy in the World features an ensemble cast of sentient zombies, but still, the movie manages to provide a deeply moving experience. Despite the absurdity of the situation, the actors play the roles straight and take it seriously, which helps the movie reach the viewer on an emotional level. A lot of horror movies are in danger of becoming campy, which can be a kiss of death if you want any emotional resonance, the way to avoid that is to have your actors treat the material with seriousness regardless of how absurd the situation is. 
 
DON’T overthink it. When I asked Martin, very analytically, how he balanced the tones of horror, humor, and heart, he told me straight up that he basically just did it and didn't overthink it, and it worked... The movie has a very unique tone that's entirely its own. There are all sorts of exercises, archetypes, theories, and rules, etc., about how specific genres should be done but do we really need all of that? Yes, it's important to be aware of all of these rules, but at the end of the day, directors need to rely on their own creative intuition. Which brings me to my next point...
 
Learn all you can, then throw it all away. In an acting context, Max was talking about how he'd spent countless hours reviewing material for a role and then throwing it away and letting the material permeate through him naturally on the day. This concept applies to writing, directing, acting, just about any creative endeavor, and it comes down to being present and working with what's in front of you. Being over-analytical or over-attached to preconceived notions of things can be detrimental in any creative pursuit. Creative endeavors rely on presence, so learn all you can, thr

Kevin Lewis is the director of multiple features, including The Method, Downward Angel, The Drop, and The Third Nail. Last year, Kevin wowed the horror crowd with Willy's Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage, and now Kevin is back in the director's chair with his latest creation, The Accursed.
When Elly is asked by a family friend to spend a few days looking after an elderly woman living in a remote cabin, she readily agrees, thinking a short trip to the woods will be a nice escape, but the cabin turns out to be anything but relaxing as Elly begins hallucinating in ways that blur reality with her dreams. As the visions take over, Elly realizes that she was lured there by a demonic presence hiding inside of the woman, just waiting to break free.
I loved this movie, and it's hands-down one of my favorites of the year. The Accursed is a refreshingly, unabashedly fun horror movie that delivers fun and scares in equal measure on a Sam Raimi level. The Accursed is streaming on VOD beginning tomorrow, October 14th, and I recommend you put it toward the top of your Halloween watchlist - the first five minutes alone are worth the price of admission.
This is actually my second time speaking to Kevin, and if you haven't listened to the first episode, I actually recommend hearing this one first. This talk with Kevin turned out to be one of the most practical and inspiring conversations I've ever had on the podcast. Kevin is just such the real deal when it comes to directing and his level of enthusiasm is infectious, and he has many wise words for all of us. I really love this episode and will return to it frequently. Without further ado, here is the director of The Accursed, Mister Kevin Lewis.
Here are some key takeaways from this interview with Kevin: 
 
Hook them from the beginning. 
Pay close attention to the opening sequence of The Accursed, it's not only riveting, but it's a fully developed story in about five minutes. This is not only a pretty cool way to open a movie from a narrative perspective, but it's what hooked Kevin into jumping on board when he first read the script. Whether you're a writer or director, hooking the audience in the first five minutes can be very powerful, especially in horror. I really recommend studying the opening sequence of The Accursed in this context as it's a masterful example.
Know what’s important. 
In his years of directing, Kevin has learned that one of the most important skills a good director has is understanding where to invest in each movie, not just money but time, effort, energy, and focus.  When making movies, you likely won’t nail every ambition you have with each film, but you need to take an inventory of what’s most important for each individual movie and its production value and then prioritize those things above all else, especially when you're on a budget. To not do that makes you subject to being spread too thin and your movie being flat. If you get just a few things really right on your movie, your audience will likely forgive just about everything else, but it's important to know what those things are that will make the most impact. There's that saying if you chase two rabbits, you won't catch either one. Don't try to nail everything on every movie; figure out what's most important and focus obsessively on those things.



Live your life. 
When it comes to a career in filmmaking, living a fulfilling and interesting life is important, not only for the sake of your creativity but for the sake of your longevity. As Kevin stated, the movie industry is tough and ruthless, and if you let it rule your life, it will run you into the ground and burn you out. At age 51, Kevin is having his heyday with a killer one-two punch between Willy's Wonderland and now The Accursed and multiple more movies on the way. Kevin is also a father of four and has lived his life his own way without letting the industry wear him into the ground. In other words, he didn't feel the need t