The 80's homage follows a Napoleon Bonaparte obsessed high school educator, Ty Anderson (Bruce Kade), whose minor online communication with a teasing student finds him immediately terminated from school grounds, which snaps him into a psychotic killing spree, terrorizing his former female students at their slumber party.
Nikole Howell, Lindsay Lamb, Art Roberts, Dawna Lee Heising, Danika Galindo, Courtney Rood, Savannah Matlow, and Andrew Phillips also star
The pic has a Friday, December 13, 2013, release date
I recently spoke with two of the folks behind the film: Writer/Director Jared Masters and producer/musician David Petovar. I quickly discovered that while the finished film hopes to scare you silly Masters and Petovar are a cut above the crowd...
Tell me a little bit about yourselves. When did you guys catch the film bug?
Masters: My father is an actor and magician in New York. I remember him being in a soap opera when I was young and wanted to be an actor like him. When I was 14 I produced skateboarding videos, edited VHS tapes on two VCR's, and sold them at my middle school. Perhaps that's where the producer in me was born. After joining the Screen Actors Guild in 2007, it wasn't long before I realized that acting wasn't enough for me. Roles are few, and far between. My heart is in writing, and directing. I’ve been pouring out scripts since I was 16.
Petovar: I held and industry social in Hollywood and was introduced to Jared through a mutual friend. I had previously made some music videos and was looking for a production company for an upcoming project. I went to a shoot for Teachers’ Day and met the actors and crew. They were young, ambitious and dedicated as well as being friendly and out-going.
Which Filmmakers had the greatest influence on you and why?
Masters: Growing up I was in love with the Farrelly Brother’s films, and other commercial filmmakers, but it wasn’t until one night in 2009 that I happened to stumble across Doris Wishman’s Nude on the Moon (1961) and was forever changed. Wishman was the most prolific female director and there are interesting aspects to each of her 30 films. Basically I was bit by the exploitation bug, and began a journey in which I would discover the likes of Edward D. Wood, Jr., Russ Meyer, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Harry Novak, Jess Franco, Barry Mahon, Joe Sarno, David F. Friedman and Radley Metzger, to name a few. They all helped pave the way for independent cinema, without the major studios’ consent. I also am a fan of Woody Allen’s methods; he just dives in with no preconceived notions, and that’s what I usually do too.
Petovar: Stanley Kubrick was great for the way his films had passages without dialogue at times where the sound-scape defined the movie. Quentin Tarantino was also great for the way he recognized popular music of an era could be a strong thematic component to a scene.
How did Teachers Day come about? The film looks wild. Is it intended to push the limits both in terms of its humor and gore?
Masters: Honestly I was ready to get the Slink taste out of my mouth, and wanted to make a picture that was less complicated and more ‘fun’. I was starting to get into 80’s slashers and thought it would be a good time to pay homage to them. It’s a little challenging marketing horror-comedy because the “pinks” of the girl’s party don’t easily match the blood red of the fear. This is why I’ve recently coined the phrase “ring-pop terror”. I wanted more gore actually, but producers were pushing for a “PG-13” feel, but ultimately it will be unrated, for 16+ audiences. There are several creative kills I’m excited about, all with humor in between, so we’ll see how the combination plays out.
Petovar: Jared has been “Sharpening” his skills I’m sure you would agree.
What about the casting process.
Masters: This was the first film of mine I held auditions for. For my previous 4 features, I figured “Why waste time casting when I could spend that time shooting?”…. Boy, was I wrong! The 3 days we spent casting for Teachers’ Day were essential. (Although somehow we let some of the male characters slide by without auditioning.) We saw about 80 actresses, and ironically the ones I liked best wore pajamas, and I think it helped me visualize them in the role. So actors: dress the part.
Petovar: They were able to assemble a cast of young, good looking, enthusiastic actors/actressess with some experience and a lot of talent who would work for reasonable rates. They included recent graduates from Colleges drama programs and others who attended acting classes.
What would you say were the best and worst day on set
Masters: Out of the 6 long days we spent filming this motion picture, I’d say the best day was Day 3, when we not only managed to shoot 13 action packed pages, but shot a 3 minute hip hop music video for composer Sean Gibson’s “Fruit on My Belly” track, which will be featured at the end of the film, while the credits roll. All the girls got really into it, and it felt like a wild party. The worst day was definitely the last day, when a few wrenches were thrown. One of my lead actresses decided to take another gig hours before we were suppose to shoot 16 scenes, 10 of which, she was in. So instead of cancelling the shoot, I frantically re-wrote the pages and had to sadly cut a few scenes. Then she tells me she can come after she’s wrapped from the other set she was on. She showed up around 3:30am (after a random heated argument between another actor and stunt coordinator) and we were able to hastily get the scenes, and wrapped the picture just as the sun was coming up and birds were chirping (while she lay in the street, scantily clad and bloody, as early morning onlookers left for work). It actually turned into a magical, gratifying moment. The pain and weariness from being awake for 2 days seemed to disappear.
Petovar: Everyday had its moments.
What's the reaction been like to the trailer?
Masters: It’s seems to have gotten some buzz. It’s only 48 seconds long, because it’s actually a teaser, the longer running trailer will come out soon, showcasing more of the comedy and slasher elements. I’ve had a few distributors call me already after viewing it, hoping to see the film, but it will be a few more months before it’s completed.
Petovar: All good.
Switching gears here, What's your opinion about the state of the horror genre? Trends like 3-D and the fact that R-rated horror is almost never released in theaters instead things get watered down for a PG-13 crowd
Masters: I think most modern horror films are pretty week, mainly because they rely on gimmicks and trends, as well as digital special effects. I personally try to approach horror with more of a Hitchcock style. Sadly horror films seem to be some sort of competition for who can be to most gruesome. I’m pretty new to the horror genre, so I’m still trying to figure out how to instill fear in an audience effectively. Not that I don’t enjoy gore, but it should be done tastefully, so should nude scenes, and the use of the English language. Using profanity is too easy. I don’t use any special effects that aren’t practical, for two reasons, they rarely look good, and it takes longer in post-production to create them. Until I make friends with a savvy editor who can pull off a convincing look, I’ll just keep writing gags that can be done on set, in front of me. It saddens me that there aren’t more “grindhouse” theatres that cater to obscure cinema. Audiences don’t know what they’re missing.
Petovar: The emergence of the torture theme such as in the Saw movies is somewhat disturbing. The plot and story limitations of torture films leave little area for creativity that is not sadistic.
If you had the chance to remake any film you wanted which one would you tackle and why?
Masters: Pilgrim’s Progress. It’s been adapted to the screen a handful of times, but never really given justice. The 1978 animated version is my favorite; the 1979 live action version with Liam Neeson wasn’t too bad either. It’s about one man’s quest for eternal life; which, in my mind, is somewhat of a horror story.
Petovar: There was a 70’s TV series called “Kolchak the night Stalker” it had a cool feel. A remake on that on a couple of those shows put in a Twilight Zone format could make an interesting film.
What would be your advice to aspiring filmmakers
Masters: Have faith in yourself, and make a feature, and don’t spend much time on it, because you’ll probably have to make a few more before you get the hang of it. Don’t waste your time making multiple shorts, webisodes, or going to film school; thinking you have to prove yourself or get a degree to pave your way. No one’s ever going to show up on your doorstep giving you permission to make a feature. I don’t understand why just about all the filmmakers I know are afraid of the feature film, or they spend years in pre-production, gossiping at “meetings” and having table reads, worrying about they’re film turning out right. In the end it’s probably going to flop no matter how many times they re-write it, or re-shoot scenes. Finish the dud, move on, and hopefully, if you have what it takes, you’ll produce a lucky one eventually that will generate some interest and go places. Money can very well get in the way; it can’t solve story problems, and doesn’t guarantee anything will be more entertaining. This is why countless 100 million dollar studio films still have many human flaws. No one knows the sure way to make a successful picture, and even if you have a solid script, politics can get in the way, and doom your project. Don’t overthink anything, and don’t shoot too much, or spend hours trying to figure out how to set up a scene. Don’t bore your cast and crew. Make a film that’s lively, energetic (you don’t want to bore your audience either). Try to have fun on set, and make it enjoyable for everyone involved, for even if the film fails, you’ll walk away with a few new friends, and new opportunities will arise. Remember the art of motion pictures is only about 100 years old, so there’s plenty of methods and styles yet to be explored. When I feel overwhelmed by a project I simplify it in my head by reminding myself that there’s only two defining elements to any movie: sound and image.
Petovar: Have rich parents and uncles.
Your chance to say anything else...
Masters: Check out Slink On Demand, and buy 8 Reels of Sewage on Amazon.com.
Petovar: I’m happy to have met Jared and look forward to seeing him develop as a filmmaker. I have some music in the film and will be involved in future productions
That's a wrap for now...but TLR will be devoting more space to Teachers Day as things develop. Much thanks to Jared and Dave for taking time to chat!!
Fantastic interview!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Randy!
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