Blogger. Podcaster. Film Reviewer. Filmmaker. These four words define who Chuck Conroy is and now he can add writer & director of a full-length film to his resume. I got the opportunity to interview Chuck Conry about his new film “Morbid.”
1) What is “Morbid” about?
“Morbid” is about a small town down south that would rather worry about the homecoming football game instead of the fact that they have a masked killer running around killing teens. It is very low budget and probably will be appreciated more by those who like old school shot-on-video horror movies or an indie horror film in general.
2) “Morbid” is a love letter to slasher films. What are some of your favorite slasher films? Any hidden gems?
I dig about all of the “Friday the 13th” films up until the point he took a boat to Manhattan. I also really dig “Intruder” from 1989. For something more recent, I think Ryan Nicholson’s “Gutterballs” deserve a lot of credit.
3) You ran into some technical difficulties during the production of the film, halting the film’s release date by a year. What happened and how did you deal with the difficulties?
I, like most people trying to make movies these days, am broke. Our editing situation dropped out from under us and I was forced to originally edit the movie on a sub-par laptop with a sub-par program. It caused the movie to twitch and stutter after rendering and that was a “no no” for the distributor. We tried to “grindhouse” it up, but it was just too bad. I ended up getting the proper editing device, shot new footage to make it longer, and re-edited the film. Which is what is out on DVD now.
4) You also act in the film, as Lucas. How hard is it to direct yourself?
It isn’t that hard when you have a crew of friends who know just what you are going for. I didn’t intend to act in it originally, but our actor couldn’t make it and we couldn’t get the scene re-scheduled. It was either do it or drop the scene, so I stepped it. Which wasn’t too hard since it was kind of a short role anyway.
5) This is the first full-length film you’ve directed. Any differences between directing a short and a full-length film?
Full-length movies feel more rewarding to me. Any short I’ve done up until now was just done to advertise a podcast for my website more or less. Never really intended for the masses. Full-length is a whole other monster, because you have to deal with when people are free and what day you can fit everyone you need in a scene in. Stressful, but very rewarding.
6) Originally, the film was to be called “Gluttony,” with the killer wearing a pig mask, but you changed that after seeing “Porkchop” and didn’t want to be accused of ripping the director, Eamon Hardiman, off. You’ve since become friends with him; what’s that like?
Eamon is a lot like me in some ways. He’s been doing this longer and has made a lot more movies than I have. It comes in handy to know someone who has been there and done that. I’m very happy I didn’t go through with the original name and theme, because I got something I can call my own without a lot of similar movies being out there. Eamon doesn’t seem to like John Carpenter’s “The Fog,” but besides that he’s good people.
7) You also contribute to Zombiesdontrun.net. What is that site’s focus and what do you do there?
I run the site! Started it on Blogger in 2009. Basically running a one-man show there now days. I write reviews, post press releases, and even have a “Goosebumps” podcast.
8) You are also a film reviewer. How do other filmmakers respond to this?
Pretty well as long as it is a good review! In all seriousness I’ve not heard much negative stuff from them. There is always going to be someone who takes offense to something you wrote and go public about it. It has mostly been drama free, but there has been a few situations where people didn’t like what I wrote. I think it is all good as long as I don’t review my own movie and give it a glowing review.
9) As a film reviewer, does your critical view that you bring to other films help you when making your own?
It does and it works both ways. I can be more forgiving to a really indie film now because I understand what they probably went through making it. I also understand that you can know what you need in your movie to make it better, but you can’t always get it right regardless for one reason or another. Of course now the shoe is on the other foot and people get to rip something I made apart, but I’m a big boy and I can take it.
10) Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker?
When I was a kid I wanted to be WWF World Champion, but at only 5’7″ and now 32 years old I guess that isn’t going to happen. I did ALWAYS love film. It was right there with me as I was growing up. I just for some reason figured you had to know someone or be born in the right family to do something like making a movie. As I grew up, I saw the lower level stuff out there and finally figured out anyone could do it. It was easier for me to shoot a horror film than to try to take bumps.
11) Who would you consider to be your influences in filmmaking?
Quentin Tarantino above everyone else. “Pulp Fiction” made me decide that I wanted to stop watching movies and actually make one. I’m also a big fan of Sam Raimi because of the original “Evil Dead.” Jim Van Bebber is an interesting guy to be a fan of as a filmmaker. I also really dig what Astron 6 is doing today. Those guys made “Father’s Day” a few year ago and are blueprints of how to make movies with little money.
12) What is it about horror films that drives you to them?
As I kid I loved them. I’d watch as many as I could and then be afraid to go to the bathroom alone that night. I think they are fascinating from a technical standpoint, how you rig up the effects and all that. I don’t know for sure why I love, but I just do. I think maybe they are just fun. Fun to make and a lot of fun to watch.
13) Where can someone get “Morbid?”
It is pretty much everywhere online, but Amazon is always a good place to get it. You can find it in a few stores as well. I know it has been spotted in FYE, Hastings, Diamond Comics, and a few random spots like that.
14) Any plans for what your next film will be?
Yeah, I wrote a script called “Whistling Jack” with a friend of mine that he’s supposed to shoot soon. After that I also have a movie called “The Ballad of the Worms” that puts a woman hating cult against a spirit back for revenge. I have a lot of ideas for other things, but it is always about time and money. Both are needed to get anything done.
15) Any advice for aspiring filmmakers?
Make your movie. No matter what, just make it. You’re are never too young or old to make something. If you want to do it, just do it. It doesn’t matter if it is shot on a big budget camera, your phone, or an old VHS recorder, just get out there and make something. Also, don’t go into it thinking you are going to make a living from it. Sure, there are some who can and do, but that is rare. Use it as a way to say something or create, just don’t ever do it just because you think you can make money.
To order a copy of “Morbid,” follow this Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Olivia-Hiers/dp/B00VET1GMW/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1431493940&sr=1-1&keywords=morbid%20dvd&tag=viglink20248-20