INTERVIEW: TFF
TERROR FILM FESTIVAL answers the tough HORROR SOCIETY questions!
(HorrorSociety): Tell us who you are and what you are doing here.
Well, Terror Film Festival is all about filmmakers as creative artists, and fans. And it’s trying to be a very cool, new festival idea that greatly enhances a filmmaker’s chances of success. Be it through exposure, distribution, or just good old fashioned notoriety. And TFF is now being retooled to enable us to screen more filmmaker’s work!
(HS): How long has the film festival been going on for?
This is the first-time ever film festival of this kind. Our first year, and it’s pretty groundbreaking already.
(HS): How did you get everything started? I mean did the idea of a film fest just hit you one day or was this planned?
A little of both really. TFF love movies and filmmaking, and just wanted to make a festival geared for the filmmakers out there who make great films, but don’t have any place to get them viewed by an audience. It honestly started in a diner at 1 AM, completely exhausted, and goofing around on this “little idea” of a film fest for these genres. And the later it got, the more it started to develop into a very cool idea. It just sounded better and better as it went on. And then it just started exploding.
(HS): Do you have a lot of submissions this year?
Oh yeah! Being a first year, niche-market fest, TFF honestly expected less than 50 submissions. But it’s really just turned into an onslaught. And so far, TFF has received 160 submissions!
(HS): Being a filmmaker yourself, was it easier for the other filmmakers that submitted work to take you more serious?
That subject hasn’t really come up specifically, so I’m not really sure. However, I’ve spoken to a lot of the filmmakers and gotten a lot of emails, and they’re really into what TFF is all about.
(HS): Any of your work going to be shown at the festival?
LOL! Well, we don’t know what’s going to be programmed yet. But if you’re asking if we’re putting our own movies in, the answer is no. I think to have our own films compete in our own fest would be wrong. We might throw in a screening around the fest just for fun, but if so, it won’t be in competition. That wouldn’t be fair to our filmmakers. TFF is run all on merit and it’s designed to be as fair as possible.
(HS): What do you get more of in terms of submissions… horror, fantasy, sci-fi or thrillers?
Well, horror is leading by a small margin, then thriller, then sci-fi, and then fantasy.
(HS): How is the quality of the work that has been submitted to you? Not just the look of the movie, but the storyline, plot, acting, etc..?
Oh man, Mitch. The quality of these works rivals the slickest Hollywood production. They would make George Romero and Sergio Leone proud. They’re incredible! And they’re from all over the world. Sweden, Spain, Italy, Japan, Canada, all over the US. Even ALASKA! It’s amazing! Some of these films should be on the silver screen. They just rock! With really impressive production value. And sure, some have small boo-boos, like as minor as an actor or a plot line. And we were really worried that we would be getting a lot of low budget, made in the basement, type films. But even the ones that are, still have great story lines and are extremely enjoyable to watch. All in all tho, we’re really happy with our submissions. And we think the audiences will be too.
(HS): So do you have a lot of full length features, or more of the short movies?
Well, at first we were inundated with shorts. Then we started getting a lot of features. And if I’m not mistaken, at last count, it’s now about half and half.
(HS): Is there anything that you will not except in the festival other than illegal/porn? Meaning how far can a movie go before you say no.
As far as it wants, barring those restrictions. TFF doesn’t believe in censoring art. And the only reason those limitations exist at all is because there’s gonna be kids in the audience. And as a comicbook fan, that wouldn’t be right. So, with “great power comes great responsibility” hits TFF right in the heart, with a strong belief in positive and good. So, while there’s plenty of room for lots of cool blood and gore, we also want some not so gorey stuff. And it’s all being presented in a way where the audience knows exactly what they’re about to walk in on.
(HS): The website says it’s an international festival, how many submissions or guests are from other countries?
Well, the US is leading, about 70%, with California in the lead and New York close behind. And internationally, it’s about 30% from places like Spain, South Africa, France, Poland, UK, Brazil, Japan, Australia and Canada. I would like to note that Australia and Canada are really holding about 75% of the international submissions at about 95% horror. You gotta ask, “What’s in that WC water?”. LOL!
(HS): Is there a difference between the work of foreign films and American films?
Normally, I’d say yes. However, we’re not seeing any differences in the truth of the work in the submissions. They are diverse, yes, but their love for the genres is so passionate and so honest, that the films seem to all squarely place their focus on what matters the most. The honest expression of the art. And these filmmakers know their shit, and they know the genres. They have some really great stuff and we think our audiences are gonna freak for it all. It’s really great work. As with all filmmakers, they have a vision and a personal outlook on how they want their film to read on-screen. And their work is inspired by, and has a great feel of, the flavor of their countries, respectively.
(HS): With everything being digital lately, (cameras and home editing programs) do you think it’s more popular and easier to make a movie today?
More popular, yes. Easier? I don’t think so. I mean, filmmaking is filmmaking. And it’s crazy hard work. And changing the format doesn’t change that. But it’s definitely more interesting. Financially, the cost of film is huge, but the cost of video is next to zero. So you can really spend more energy on getting just the right elements to propel the stor
y forward and captivate the audience. God Bless people like Robert Rodriguez and George Lucas for their pioneering efforts in video filmmaking, and allowing filmmakers from around the world to “give it a shot”. I can’t emphasize enough how brilliant some of these works are. But, filmmaking is still the only job I know of that’ll put a smile on your face while it drives you insane. An oxymoronic paradox?
(HS): Which do you prefer personally, digital or film?
Well, I still like 35mm the best. It’s just so deliciously creamy to look at. But you just can’t knock the ease and accessibility of video. The freedom that DV and HD offer is just too tempting to not explore. But me personally, I like shooting on film, and then editing and projecting on video.
(HS): What do you think the hardest part of making an indie horror film, the actual filming, finance, distribution, etc..?
LOLOLOL! This is easy! ALL of it’s hard! Securing financing, getting a distributor, scheduling during production, it’s ALL insanely nuts. But then, that’s part of the fun. The accomplishing of any of those things. Ask any filmmaker out there, it’s all such a pain in the ass, but then you go and do it all over again.
(HS): I read that you actually pay the filmmakers a percentage of the screening fees. That’s a little different isn’t it?
Yes. It’s very different. And TFF is very proud of it. Terror Film Festival is the ONLY festival in the world that offers it. But then again, we offer a lot of stuff that no one else does.
(HS): I see that you offer a DVD of some short movies from the festival. The Terror Tales DVD. Is that very popular?
UNFORTUNATELY, TFF HAD TO CANCEL THIS PROGRAM FOR YEAR ONE.
(HS): I see that you will have special guest seminars at the festival too, any info on what and who is going to be featured?
UNFORTUNATELY, TFF HAD TO CANCEL THE SEMINARS PROGRAM FOR YEAR ONE.
(HS): Party, party, party!! It sounds like you have a fun party and masquerade ball lined up for the ending huh?
For the ending? Mitch, my man, we’re gonna have parties all week long! You said it, “Party, Party, PARTY!”. What good is a film festival unless it’s festive!
(HS): What celebrities and special guests do you have lined up this year?
Well, TFF has decided to axe the extra curricular activities from the festival. It was gettting too non-filmmaker driven, and that’s not what TFF is about. It’s about the filmmakers and the fans…and great movies! So we are placing our focus on making the filmmaker’s screenings absolutely rock!
(HS): Anything else that you would like to say, maybe something that I missed?
I’m not sure. Let me think a moment. I guess all I have to say is to make sure you tell everyone you know about Terror Film Festival. It’s the ONLY festival in the world where you get money for screening, cash prizes, awards, free publicity and exposure just for submitting, and where distributors look at your film. And we want TFF to become the biggest thing out there so every filmmaker who submits gets a real shot at the glory they deserve.
(HS): I have one last question I try to ask everyone…..What is horror to you?
Well, imagine this. You’re watching a movie and you’re so into it that you feel as if you’re part of the film. Really in the action and just captivated. And then suddenly your door bell rings. And you jump out of your seat, scared to death, and then realize it’s just someone at the door. And that’s what horror is to me, something that really scares the shit out of you!
Thanks for your time Felix, and I hope the festival Kicks Ass!!
More info on the festival go to the official site: Terror Film Festival
