Jeff Kirkendall is an independent filmmaker located in Albany, New York. He owns his own production company, Very Scary Productions, and his next film, “Die Laughing”, is currently in post-production. I got to speak to him about his latest film, as well as his past efforts and his future. I also picked his brain on the art of filmmaking and his passion for it!
1) What made you want to become a filmmaker?
It was a combination of factors that lead me toward independent filmmaking. I had first become interested in acting, and after several years of theater classes was fortunate enough to land roles in some indie movies being shot in my area. At the same time I was completing a communications degree in college where I learned basic video production. These experiences inspired me to want to produce my own movies.
2) You started your own company, Very Scary Productions, in 1996. Was this hard to get off the ground?
Many people don’t know but my first production was an underground, “no-budget” feature called Terror of the Master. At that time I didn’t have much help on the production end, and so making it was difficult. But it proved to be a great learning experience, and the movie was really the beginning of Very Scary Productions. Since then I’ve kept right on going.
3) You’ve directed one feature-length film and two shorts. Which do you prefer making?
Including my aforementioned first feature and a few lesser-seen short films I’ve actually directed seven movies to date (three features and four shorts). I don’t have a real preference for one or the other, although I do see myself moving predominantly towards features in the future simply because they are more commercially viable. For example my vampire feature The Temptress has been my most successful movie to date, and it has been satisfying to see it get out to wider audiences. However conversely there is a certain satisfaction in being able to produce short films more quickly. This can be accomplished because they often have smaller casts and/or fewer locations. An example would be my first short film Night Therapy, which required only a couple locations and a small cast and was produced over the course of about two days.
4) You’ve also acted in quite a few films (such as “The Last Round” and “Corruption”). Do you prefer this over directing?
Acting is a lot of fun and I feel fortunate I still get to do it today. I think that acting in general is easier than directing in the sense that there is less to keep track of. As an actor one’s main responsibility is to know the character and be as truthful as possible in the moment. Being a director however, especially on an independent movie, can entail wearing many hats simultaneously. On my own productions I’ll often be running camera, working with talent, helping with makeup, set design and you name it. Both acting and directing have their own unique artistic challenges and rewards, and I enjoy each equally. It’s ironic in a way though that while I’m known primarily as a director, I actually have well over a dozen acting credits under my belt. Although my IMDb page has yet to catch up with me – LOL!
5) You’re currently in post-production on “Die Laughing”, a horror anthology starring Deana Demko and Bruce G. Hallenbeck. How did this film come about?
For several years I was involved in many screenings and film festivals, showing off my previous work to audiences. I then felt it was time to make a new movie and so decided to invest in a new camera, which replaced the one I had been using for many years. I wanted to ease-in to using the new equipment, so I decided to begin with a short film. That was “Die Laughing”, a killer clown tale based on a story idea by my filmmaker friend Joe Bagnardi. The filming went rather quickly and smoothly, so I decided to keep going and film several other short scripts as well. The project eventually became my third feature-length movie Die Laughing.
6) What was it like working with Deana Demko and Bruce G. Hallenbeck?
Bruce G. Hallenbeck is a friend of mine, and working with him on Die Laughing was a lot of fun. He’s gives a good performance as the killer clown in the first story. Actress Deana Demko stars as an FBI Agent on the trail of a killer in one of the other tales called “The Hunt”. I met her at the New Jersey Chiller Theatre convention where she is a regular guest. Being that I’m a big fan of the underground horror scene, and that Deana is a well-known scream queen, I was excited at the prospect of working with her. So I wrote the part specifically for her in Die Laughing. Working with Deana was a good experience and I would definitely do so again. She is a talented, professional actress and a very nice person. She definitely brought a lot to the character, and I think her fans are in for a real treat because this role is much different from her previous work.
7) Have you ever had any bad experiences on a film set?
I’ve had what might more accurately be called frustrating experiences. These have ranged from equipment failures, to filming cancellations due to weather, to actors cancelling out at the last minute. However overall my filmmaking experiences have been positive and I’ve been fortunate to have worked with many dedicated and talented people.
8) Out of all of your work, do you have a favorite?
I don’t have one favorite, but rather I tend to enjoy specific scenes in different movies. These are usually the scenes that stood out in the movie, or came out exactly as I had envisioned them while filming. I do have a soft spot for my aforementioned first short film Night Therapy though. This is because it was a simple tongue-in-cheek story made for almost no money which tends to go over very well with audiences. I’m planning to include it as an extra on the Die Laughing DVD. And I also thought my comedy film Of Theatre & Bikinis turned out quite well. It was a temporary departure from the horror movies which contained solid production values and some nice performances.
9) What does the future hold for you after “Die Laughing”?
I have a couple horror scripts I’m working on right now; so one of those will most likely be used for my next directorial project. But first I’m looking forward to seeing the completion of some projects I’ve worked on with other filmmakers over the past couple years. One of these is Empire of the Apes (3D), a feature-length Sci-Fi/Action movie directed by independent filmmaker Mark Palonia. I played a character named Trask, one of the main apes in the film, and also worked crew. Mark did a really nice job directing this movie and I’m anticipating it is going to be a fun, crowd-pleasing picture. I’m also currently acting in Project D: Classified, a Sci-Fi/Horror movie from filmmaker Joe Bagnardi, which hopefully will be out next year as well. In this film I play an astronaut. I worked in different capacities on a couple of Joe’s previous films, and I think this new movie is turning out to be very interesting with good characters and story.
10) Do you have any advice for aspiring filmmakers?
If you want to make a movie learn as much as you can about filmmaking and then just go out there and do it. In other words prepare as much as is needed, and then give it a shot. My first attempt at making a feature was far from perfect, but it was a great learning experience that helped me in future productions. There is a lot of truth in the philosophy of learning by doing. And above all else persistence is the key. Never ever give up. Keep on filming!
I’d like to thank Jeff Kirkendall for taking time out of his busy schedule to conduct this interview! It was a pleasure interviewing him and I’m looking forward to “Die Laughing”! If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of his future (and past) endeavors, follow these links below!
Very Scary Productions Official Website: http://www.veryscaryproductions.com/
Very Scary Productions Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Very-Scary-Productions/102839626441489
Very Scary Productions YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/JeffKirkendall