Exclusive Interview with House of Bad Star Sadie Katz

Sadie Katz really packs a punch in this December's House of Bad. From director Jim Towns, this intense nail-biter tells of three sisters on the run with a suitcase full of stolen heroin that hide out in their childhood home. A home that happens to be haunted by the ghosts of their parents.

We caught up with Katz to talk everything that's Good and yes Bad in her life and career at the moment.

Fair to say this is the most gruelling role of your career? Did you need a stiff drink after shooting at the end of each day?

House of Bad was definitely emotionally challenging. The days were long and hard. So there wasn't a lot of time to unwind before we had to be up and ready to go again. When the shoot was over, I think I drank a bottle of wine and slept for a week straight.

Was it a straight audition process getting into the movie?

I had just come off another shoot Meaning of Violence and was so exhausted I cried the whole way to the audition. But I liked the script for House of Bad so much I wanted to be a part of it. I was sort of a shaky emotional mess during the audition. But I think that worked for Sirah and I got the part!

Besides from being emotionally draining, I imagine the film was also rather physically demanding.  Did that mean training more, eating better, and so on while working on the film?

Yes, I did a cleanse, ate only kale and did 500 sit ups a day! Okay... not really. But that would be a cool answer if I did! I think my biggest work out was sugar free Red Bull and cigarettes. Kidding... sort of.

Were you familiar with your co-stars prior to shooting? because you have great chemistry!

Thank you for saying so. Cheryl and I had both studied separately an acting method by Eric Morris and Heather I believe studied Meisner which I also studied. We were all on the same page with our acting craft and all took the film very seriously. From the very first table read, I think we all just started relating to each other like our characters. I have a still from shooting where we all are hugging and we really look like sisters! I think we felt that way too! So much of acting and chemistry has to do with your ability to listen and be honest in the moment both Cheryl and Heather are so present you forget there's cameras going and you're lost in the scene. I'm so lucky to have worked with them.

What's your favorite scene in House of Bad?

The scene with Teig's bare-ass and she's talking to the ghost of our father. It was the very first scene shot. She had a ton of dialogue, she's nude and Heather just nails it. Very brave, very honest performance. Well done.

You definitely seem to be an actress that refuses to be pigeonholed after doing so many different types of movies. Can we ask how Birthday Sex came about? And what kind of reaction have you had to that! What's good about it is that it's done tastefully, artistically and demonstrates just how brave you are!

You're the first interviewer that's actually brought that up! That's awesome. Thank you for calling it brave! I like that and felt that way. It was a job, one that paid well, 60 pages of dialogue, was shot with a three camera set up, swoop cranes and a very professional crew in a mansion. I wore this weird...  ummm... nude taped thing over my ummm...you know. I got some heat about doing late night from ummm... everyone! However I was sorta terrified and intrigued by the idea. So you know that made me want to do it more. I actually did another one Hidden Treasures and did a couple of episodes for Playboy of their series 7 Lives Exposed. I'd probably do more but that's not a genre I'm working right now. The fans for those films are also pretty damn nice so I don't regret it and think it made me even more open as an actor.

You have another film in the works called 13 Girls. Can you tell us about that?

It's directed by Jim Towns and is CSI with Catholic School girls. Sounds awesome already right? I play a detective who is coming back from leave after accidently shooting her partner and is trying to redeem herself. Her first case is the unsolved death of 13 Catholic School girls. Demons are involved and it's scary. The script gave me nightmares. It also stars Daniel Robuck and Jamie Bernadette who I'm actually gearing up to be filming a gritty, dark drama Beautiful Ink in New Jersey after Christmas.

House of Bad will be available on Home Video on December 3. You can follow Sadie Kats on Facebook, Twitter and her official website.

Exclusive Interview with Rise of the Fellowship Writer/Director Ron Newcomb

Ron Newcomb is such a fan of The Lord of the Rings that he made a movie about one's worship of the series. Out December 4 courtesy of Phase 4 Films, Rise of the Fellowship fixates on a group of online gamers who take their fandom to the extreme. Newcomb was gracious enough to talk to TMT as the release approaches.

On a scale of one to Elrond, just how big of a Lord of the Rings fan are you?

I'd say I'm Gandalf big... to give you some examples here. I have seen every bit of footage Sir Peter Jackson has put out. I'm talking all of the extended versions, of course, plus every bit of behind the scenes stuff which is basically like film school 101. Many of them more than once.

Before The Hobbit, I watched all three Lord of the Rings films (Extended Editions) back to back to get ready. I went and saw some movie (which I cannot even remember what it was) just because I heard there was The Hobbit trailer playing prior which was worth every penny I spent.

And for the ultimate geek out, back in 2007 I convinced six of my friends we needed to head off to New Zealand where I ended up getting an Elvish script tattoo on my right arm. So I'd say I'm an uber geek.

Was it the idea of making a movie that served as a love letter to online gaming that initially appealed to you, or was it doing something that served as an ode to the 'Rings' franchise?

Definitely to the Rings franchise. MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) has only allowed me to go deeper into Tolkien's world for sure. But it was that original story by Tolkien that captured my imagination. Lord of the Rings Online does a very good job at bringing you into Tolkien’s world and inviting you in on the adventure.

I wanted a film my family could watch and to revisit this adventure in a different way. Through the eyes of Randall Dooley - our Frodo.

What were some of your inspirations here? I can see a little Stand By Me, a little Detroit Rock City, maybe even Fanboys?

Definitely a bit of all of those. It was the movies we grew up with. The ones that captured our imagination and brought us on an adventure. One that was fun and witty. A coming of age story about finding a bit more about yourself... an inner strength or self acceptance or even a bit of romance.

Early on we described our film as "Fanboys for Lord of the Rings." So that is a great catch there and I loved Fanboys. So that would be an honor to be compared to them.

Obviously, if you've not a super big budget to play with, it's hard to get any A-listers to cameo but did you approach any Lord of the Rings cast members to appear at any time?

As an independent film, you are always on the look-out for the golden ticket moment and we definitely went after some of the stars of Lord the Rings. Primarily to do a nice cameo in the film. We got close on more than a few and thought at one point we were going to have Sean Astin which would have been extremely cool. But alas he accepted another project which brought him overseas, and so he had to turn us down.

One of things we knew early on though, was the our fans "A-lister" was really what game we would have in the film, so landing Lord of the Rings Online was huge for us - it felt like getting a major talent.

We did get permission to use Sir Peter Jackson's name in the film which was cool and this led to a "Thank You" in the film which then led us to be connected to him via IMDB!

Do you think the days of geeks being outcasts and somewhat avoided are over? Is it true.. geeks are chic now?

Our theme in Rise of the Fellowship is "There's a little bit of geek and hero in all of us." And this is so true. We are all geekie about something. We are just in an age where we can now at least admit it.

I'm geekie about Lord of the Rings and filmmaking just like many of friends are geeky over Fantasy Football. Being comfortable in our own geekieness is what's attractive.

How long have you been making movies for you? Is this the one that 'could change everything' for you?

My first love was acting. So I've had that love now for over 20 years and did some early cool movie extras stuff, which only hooked me more. But now that we're in the digital age, it allowed me to take my destiny into my own hands and create my own future.

Believe it or not, we started this film, from the time of "Hey let's make a movie!" My business partner and writer Scott Mathias and I have been at this since 2007. so it's been a long journey.

I hope this is a game changer, in the sense it allows me to go play filmmaker again and bring along so many other talented people. Filmmaking is a team sport and to be able to do this the rest of my life would be the ultimate win with some very cool people.

What are the release plans for the film - when can America see it?

We have a release date scheduled for December 3, 2013 and you'll be able to find it on many platforms like Amazon, iTunes, Walmart and VOD. We'll definitely be keeping everyone up to speed on where they can find us, on our web site at Rise of the Fellowship.

Exclusive Interview with Bad Behavior Writers/Directors Nicholas David Brandt & Lisa Hamil

When the writing and directing team of Nicholas David Brandt and Lisa Hamil found out Terminator icon Linda Hamilton had agreed to do their film Bad Behavior, they were over the moon as the duo tell TMT.

The big question. Linda "Sarah Connor" Hamilton. How amazing was it to work with her on this film?

Nicholas: I'm not going to lie. My excitement nearly shifted into a panic attack when the reality of actually directing her set in, but when Linda asked if she could bring coffee to set, or if we needed anything, I knew she was a positive and grounded person and working with her was going to be a wonderful experience. o top it all off, Linda coined our co-directing name of "Nicolisa."

Lisa: I grew up wanting to be Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. After working with her, now I just want to grow up to be Linda Hamilton. She joked with me on set that Lisa Hamilton sounded better than Lisa Hamil. So I'm considering it.

This isn't a physical role for Linda though, right? She didn't have to spend 18-hours-a-day in the gym?

Nicholas: She didn't have to, but I think she did it anyway. She's that kind of team player.

Lisa: She gives her all to every role, so believe me, had it been required, she would have. We could not have asked for more professional and supportive actors in the pivotal roles of the parents than Linda and Ted McGinley.

Lisa, you're in casting I see. I take it you cast this one? How did you settle on Hallee Hirsh?

Lisa: Scorsese just recently said "More than 90 percent of directing a picture is the right casting," though it's a saying that has also been attributed to many other great directors. It's the truth. Though I'd include casting, the cinematographer and editor in that too. In LA, casting is very much like a machine - actors in and out every ten minutes. We did things a little differently and spent a lot of time just talking and getting to know each actor before we even had them audition. We wanted to make sure they were someone we wanted to go to war with, which is what making an independent film can be. Hallee and the rest of the young cast, all stood out not only as fantastic actors, but as fantastic people. It was the greatest experience of casting a film I've ever had, because we knew we had the right actors, and we were now free to focus on the technical side of the film.

Nicholas: We settled on Hallee the same way we settled on Austin Rogers, Elsie Fisher, Andrew James Allen and Jeremy Dozier (who play Tyler, Grace, Kansas and Jack, respectively) – the actor that brought the words to life, made us forget what we'd written, and won the role. We were blessed by a phenomenal cast from top to bottom and I think that was predominantly fuelled by spending that additional time getting to know them all as people.

The movie sounds a little like a cross between Misery and the recent horror film The Purge. How close are we? What films is it alike?

Nicholas: My pitch was always Adventures in Babysitting gone horribly wrong. I grew up watching, and infatuated with, The Twilight Zone as well so that may factor into my personal creative process.

Lisa: It's Misery meets Adventures in Babysitting with a little sprinkle of the non-supernatural part of The Shining, We were also inspired by J. Blakeson's The Disappearance of Alice Creed which is a perfect minimal location film.

Does working on other people's movies - either in an assistant position, writing capacity or in casting - better equip you for working on one you direct?

Nicholas: I think the more you can know about the process, the better off you are. And it's great to watch others and see how they do it. My favourite story from my early days as a PA was when I worked on Planet of the Apes, the Tim Burton one, mind you, and saw Philippe Rousselot hold a china bulb just out of the shot to get the perfect lighting. It's not about ego, it’s about getting the shot. It was a great lesson to learn by watching a fantastic DP. I got to experience the same thing when our DP Craig Kief stood precariously with the camera on top of a garden ladder to get a shot for Bad Behavior.

Lisa: Casting has been the best directing school I could have asked for, and that's coming from someone who went to film school. Casting a film is almost like being in a romantic relationship with a director. You spend all your time together, have your inside jokes, and have phone calls deep into the night. I've worked with both male and female directors from all over the world and incorporated bits of each of their styles to form my own. You learn what works and what doesn't, without having to suffer the same mistakes.

Finally, the movie was previously titled Right Next Door. Why the change? Your choice?

Nicholas: I think I was the only one who was ever really gung ho on the title Right Next Door. Cooler heads eventually prevailed.

Lisa: Right Next Door was always a working title. Bad Behavior fits the theme of the film better, and the decision to change it was solidified after our distributor clued us in to the studies done that independent films that start with a number of the letters A through C consistently have more than double the viewing than titles that don't. It's a great tip for indie filmmakers to know, because every little thing helps on getting your film out there to the public. Now, Nick and I just have to figure out a new title for our next project, which originally started with an "H!"

Bad Behavior is on DVD October 22 from Osiris Entertainment

Exclusive Interview with Bloodline Director & Star Matt Thompson

Bloodline has been in the works for a few years. Well, many years as a matter of fact, its 29 year-old writer, director and star Matt Thompson penned his first draft of the script a decade ago! But his horror dream has finally come to fruition. The film hits U.S. cinemas on September 27. On the eve of its release, he was kind enough to speak to TMT.

Bloodline seems to be all over the media. How exciting is it to see your film getting this type of attention?

It's very exciting. When you work on a project as long as I have on Bloodline, you're as excited as you are anxious for people to see the film finally come out.

The poster is great.  Who came up with that concept? Have you been involved in the marketing process?

I designed the original poster, but Osiris hired the same company that did The Expendables posters who came up with this amazing hand concept. The moment I saw it, I knew we had a winner. I have a background in graphic design so I made sure that everything was top notch along the way.

What interested you about Bloodline? Was it the urge to do something in the horror genre?

I feel like thrillers like Bloodline can grip you in a way no other film can, and I've always been a horror/thriller fan. So, naturally I wanted to film something in it. However, I feel like there is more to Bloodline then just the normal thrills. Brett, my character in the film, is a seminary student going through the motions. He doesn't believe in God or the supernatural, only to find that his own bloodline is cursed by an ancient evil, so it's also gripping from the story side as well.

Is it difficult directing yourself?

It's pretty hard to keep switching in and out of character one minute you're planning the next shot and giving your co-star some directing, then you jump right into a scene with them. I was fortunate to have my good friend and producing partner Michael Reinero as a co-director. He kept an eye on me in the scene and made sure I was delivering the way I should.

Did you have a good working relationship with your actors? They took direction well?

Most everyone was a blast to work with, I felt like we chose only the most talented people we came across, so direction and delivery were never a problem. The hardest thing I think I learned on this shoot was working with actors who had little experience. I really wanted to put some people who hadn't had a shot at a real movie yet in there, but quickly realized they just weren't taking things as seriously as they should be taken. The veterans show up and just do what needs to get done.  In the end, I did have a blast overall and feel like I made some amazing lifelong friends in the process.

Where was the movie filmed?

Bloodline was filmed in Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, and the Jenkison Reservoir.

What's the feedback been like so far?

It's been great! Everyone who has seen the movie enjoys it. The best compliment I got was "That felt like a thriller from the 80's with a modern look!" which, in my opinion was a golden era for film.

Is this the start of a franchise? You hope to do a sequel?

I think a sequel could be a lot of fun. We already have an outline for it, so I'd be stoked to see how we could raise the stakes in the next film.

Where do you hope to go from here - is acting your goal, or filmmaking? or a bit of both?

It's definitely a bit of both. I started as an actor and through the process discovered my ability behind the camera as well. But I feel like to really have an edge these days you have to do more than just act. I have a series I'm in pre-production on called The Hive as well as a feature film in the crime/drama genre. So it’s been fun,  and it makes me feel more in control of my acting career.

Where can we see the movie?

If you live in California it will be playing at the Regal theatres, however it should hopefully be coming to your area soon if you don't. My guess is that it will be everywhere on DVD and video-on-demand within 3-5 months! Also be sure to fan it on Facebook at Bloodline The Movie for updates!

Bloodline opens in cinemas September 27.

5 Questions with Superthief Director Tommy Reid

Filmmaker Tommy Reid's captivating new documentary Superthief: Inside America's Biggest Bank Score  tells the story of Phil Christopher, a career criminal, Mafia associate, and one of the most successful bank robbers in United States history. We had the opportunity to quiz Reid, brother of American Pie actress Tara Reid, how the picture came together.

1. Captivating documentary. When did you first hear about Phil Christopher?

Thanks, glad you like the doc. I first heard about Phil Christopher when I was about to go into production on my feature film Kill The Irishman. That film was an adaptation off a book I optioned, written by an author that also wrote a book on Phil Christopher, and that was when I was introduced to him.

2. Was the story difficult to condense into the length of a feature film? Did you have to pick and choose the moments you felt were the most pivotal?

Making a documentary is difficult because there are so many angles and stories you could tell, but how would that particular story mesh with the overall vision for what you want people to come away with is how you know what bits and pieces to keep or do away with. Phil has many great stories that he told that never made it to the film, and those are difficult for any filmmaker to lose, but you have to keep the integrity of the film at all costs.

3. If Phil Christopher had tried to pull this off today, what do you think the outcome would've been? Stopped a lot sooner?

If Phil tried to pull it off today, I think we would also be vested in what technology to use to bypass certain systems that would get him caught. He did so well at the time to invest in the knowledge of how it all works from the inside of ADT to the outside system used in the house. I think we would have the edge and might get away with it again today, but might get stopped sooner because of the internet and how fast they can tag you and watch your every move... there are cameras everywhere.

4. How did John DiMaggio, of Futurama fame, get involved? He does a fantastic job here.

John DiMaggio is a fantastic person. Not only is he one of the best voice over actors out there today, he is a close personal dear friend to me. He and I met in 1997 and have worked together on over 5 films and he actually acted in my first "Got Milk?" spec commercial in 1997. He is a wonderful talent and did an amazing job narrating the documentary. Johnny is a character and the narration comes through as one too. Great job, Johnny!

5. Your sister is, of course, actress Tara Reid. Do you hope to collaborate on something in the future? Maybe you can helm the inevitable Sharknado sequel!? What is your next project?

HAHA, first and foremost, I am NOT directing the Sharknado sequel. I do hope to collaborate with my sister, Tara in the future. My next project is a film I produced, called I KNOW THAT VOICE. It's a great documentary that puts the faces to the voices we all know and love. We cover everything from Mel Blanc, the god-father of voice over, to today's big name voices, such as SpongeBob, Futurama, The Simpsons, and Phineas and Ferb. It's a doc that inspires, enlightens and entertains.

Superthief: Inside America's Biggest Bank Score is available from Osiris.

5 Questions with Family Tree Co-Creator Jim Piddock

TMT had the opportunity to chat with Jim Piddock, the co-creator, writer and co-star of HBO's Family Tree.

1. What kind of torture did you put yourself through to transform into Mr Pfister?

Ha. There wasn't any torture for me. But I thought it might be torture for people to listen to a character in a TV comedy, who has a South African accent. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be.

2. Why do you think Christopher Guest trusted you enough to co-create his first ever TV series?

Either because he's a genius or because no-one else was available.

3. What are fans of Guest's movies going to think of the show, you think? Is it of a similar ilk to what they're use to from Guest? Did it have to fit a certain mould fans might expect from his work?

I think it should make fans of the movies happy and also reach a wider audience too. The show has the same style and tone of the films and the subject matter and characters are very accessible.

4. Are you going to be pickier now about the sorts of parts etc you do because of the impending success of Family Tree and your profile in general? Maybe shooting for The Jim Piddock Show next?

I honestly don't project that far into the future, but if I was to do a show with myself as the central character, it would be called The Mindy Project. Oh, wait a minute...

5. I see you met one of the stars of Downton Abbey while shooting in the UK. Did you visit the actual place? How was it? Snare yourself a background role?

Yes, Chris Guest and I did visit the set, which was fun. Especially seeing the cast members from upstairs and downstairs all eating lunch together very cozily in a converted bus during a break in filming. Hugh Bonneville is also an old pal, so I was looking forward to seeing him that day and catching up, but he'd wrapped and gone home about half an hour before we arrived. Maybe he heard I was coming.

Family Tree airs Sundays at 10:30 PM on HBO.

Exclusive Interview with Donovan's Echo Director Jim Cliffe

TMT had the opportunity to chat with filmmaker Jim Cliffe on Donovan's Echo, his evolution from short films to his feature-length directorial debut, the origins of the project, shooting in Canada and working with stars Danny Glover and Bruce Greenwood.

1. How much did the success of your short Tomorrow's Memoir help get Donovan's Echo up? 

Tomorrow’s Memoir helped in the sense that it demonstrated that I had an ability to direct. It won at the San Diego Comic-Con and caught a bit of attention online, but ultimately, it's still a short film, and there's a big difference between that and a financed feature. My goal was to try and make the leap from a short to a feature, so I knew I had to write something worthy enough for people willing to get behind it, and using the short as means of attaching myself as a director. Donovan's Echo was my first attempt at writing a feature (co-written with wife Melodie Krieger), and it became an award-winning screenplay, which was a nice boon. I thought I might be doing something right.

Because of those screenwriting competitions, we were hearing from producers and companies in LA, but no one wanted to take that chance on me directing. As one director of development told me, "You could have fifty award-winning shorts, but financiers only see first-time feature filmmaker."  So we still had an uphill battle.

In the end, I brought it to a producer in Vancouver that I'd known for a few years, Trent Carlson (Fido, The Thaw). I'd worked with Trent before as an artist. I knew he and his partners were developing their own projects and probably wouldn’t be interested in producing for someone else. If anything, I thought he might be able to steer me in the right direction. But he liked it, and believed in my abilities.

2. Did you consider making a feature-length version of Tomorrow's Memoir your first film? If so, why did you decide to nix that in favour of something else...

Not really. I think the premise would be pretty tough to stretch out over a couple of hours. I was drawing inspiration from things like The Dark Knight Returns – a retired superhero returning one last time. But the approach was to disguise that fact and make the audience wonder who this man is and why he's being pursued. I think you’d have to reveal the truth much earlier in a feature than I did in the short.

3. Where did the idea for Donovan's Echo come from?

The idea was sparked by a moment of déjà vu, which I’ve experienced many times. I started thinking this could be something to explore, and discussed it with Melodie (my wife and co-writer), who was an aspiring writer, and asked if she wanted to get involved. From there, we started breaking down ideas, characters, etc. One of the things we came to early on was that our protagonist should be older with a certain amount of life experience and regret.

4. Was it hard to entice Danny Glover and Bruce Greenwood to do the film?

Somehow it was easier than I would have ever expected. We're a smaller film (just under $3M), so I didn't have big expectations as far as casting choices. But we had a casting agent in LA and she put some names together for Donovan. We saw Danny's name in there, and something just sparked. He seemed like a very ideal and interesting choice. We put it out to him, and I think he got back in just a couple of weeks and said he wanted to do it. I was stunned. The movie just took a giant leap upwards. Apparently, he connected with the character and equated a few things to his own life, like his background in mathematics and dyslexia.

From there, we started talking about Finnley, and Bruce came up. Again, he seemed like a fantastic choice. We put it out to him, and he also responded relatively quickly. He liked the script, and was keen to work with Danny. He also has a home in Vancouver, where we’d be shooting.

For a first-time filmmaker, to get guys like that, it just never really happens. I was very thrilled they responded to the material and were willing to take a chance on me. It’s a fun movie with twists and turns, some humor and heart.

5. Were you a Lethal Weapon fan? Did Glover share any stories about it or any of his other past hits with you on set?

I was a huge Lethal Weapon fan, which is mostly where I knew Danny from, even though I've seen many of his other films and knew that he was someone with a lot of talent and range, like his performances in Witness and The Colour Purple. We didn't really get into the LW series much, although we did talk about Wes Anderson and The Royal Tenenbaums. He enjoyed that experience and mentioned that he had just seen Wes the other day. I'm a big fan of Anderson’s films too.

6. Where did you shoot, and what were the positives/negatives of the locale?

We shot just outside of Vancouver in a couple of smaller communities, Fort Langley and Maple Ridge. The bridge was even further away. About a two hour drive from where our main production was. All the locations were very ideal, cinematically-speaking. The biggest challenge was that we just had so many – Donovan's house, the hospital, the Manhattan Project, the grocery store, Kit's garage, etc. We had a 20 day shooting schedule which was very tough to fit everything in. You can only do so many setups a day. Most films of our size try to condense and keep it to a handful of locations – I believe we had over 40. We were pretty ambitious, but I think we succeeded in the sense that people seem to assume that it's a bigger film than it is. A lot of that is due to Danny Glover and Bruce Greenwood being attached, but it's also a good looking film. I give a lot of credit to our fantastic production designer, Grant Pearse, and cinematographer, Bob Aschmann, who really raised the bar.

7. What are the release plans for the film?

We did a film festival run in the fall of 2011, and had a theatrical release across Canada last February. But, it's just coming to the States now on May 21, which I'm excited about. It'll be available on demand, digital download, Amazon, Redbox, Walmart, and such. We're just trying to get the word out and hope people discover it.

Donovan's Echo will be available on DVD, Blu Ray and Video On Demand in the U.S. on May 21. Check out their official site for further details.