Erie, Pa.-based filmmaker Jason Hull discusses his experiences making his first feature film Chasing Darkness.
TheFilmChair: Where did the idea come from for the hit man vs. vampire plot? Or more broadly, what inspired you as a filmmaker?
Jason Hull: I’ve always been inspired by the arts in general. For about 20 years of my life, I was involved with bands as a singer and guitar player. Inspiration came from seeing other local filmmakers do their “thing,” and I decided that I’d like to give it a shot. This is just another artsy avenue of something that I love, in movies, to vent. The hit man vs. vampire thing was an idea where I took two of my favorite genres and I mixed them. I sat back and thought., “What do I love, movie-wise, and how can I make a decent story out of it?” The end result is probably one of the hardest things to explain to someone. “Well, think Lost Boys meets Sopranos or The Godfather, and mix in a great action/martial arts movie.” You get the crazy look like, “Well, good luck with that.” Our fight scenes, which were all choreographed by our actors, really turned out great, though. Mind blowing. No punches pulled on most of them, either.
FC: Many of the actors are from another local production, Curse of the Wolf. Did having people with camera acting experience help?
JH: Definitely. Without question. We never, ever rehearsed. Time just never allowed for it. We began this in February and went really into July. These guys work great together, and they looked forward to working with one another again. Ironically, the ones that came from Curse, I would’ve cast them for their roles regardless. They fit their characters phenomenally, and their enthusiasm to work on this project after they were given the script was impeccable. With my main cast, direction was very easy, in that we talked a great portion during the week about upcoming scenes and the way I wanted it to look. From there, they took it as professionals and went with it. The cast that we had on this film gave 100 percent, not just in time, but also in quality product/performance. As a first-timer, I’m honored to have worked with these guys on this level. I know that I’ve told them and my crew that 1,000 times, but from the heart I do truly mean it. I’m a lucky man in that regard.
FC: In addition to the work with the Curse of the Wolf actors, you had GMD Films involved in the production. What was that relationship like?
JH: Paul (Gorman) is a goofy bastard (Laughing). No just kidding. Paul is 100 percent awesome. We met sort of off the wall. I sent out some posts for an editor and his name popped up. Here’s this guy that edited this great local film, Fury, and he’s literally right up the road from me. All I could say was “wow.” Paul has had so many great ideas to aid this project and was a gem to have on set. His commitment to excellence to the quality of the final product is astounding. However, Paul is the guy that also understood what I wanted and needed in a particular scene. If there’s a shot I had to have, we got it. He is actually a little more laid back than I am, believe it or not, and the cast seemed to feed off of our relationship. Paul went into this knowing exactly what I wanted, after countless meetings, and helped me to achieve it, either in post or on set. Keep in mind, this is my first film, so having someone with as much experience as he has working with me was completely an aid to the quality of our film and also to my mental calmness. Not to mention the fact that we’ve become great friends in the process.
FC: As a first feature, this is a learning experience. What did you learn while producing this film that you will take into the next project?
JH: I’ve learned to continue what I’m doing, in that I mean dot your “i’s” and cross your “t’s.” “Please” and “thank you” goes a long way, especially when you’re dealing with people that are working for free. I think that although we had almost five months of filming, I’d like to film more and do less each day (i.e. film three times a week, with fewer scenes per day). I’d budget higher, not that our “low” budget wasn’t high. It actually grew exponentially about halfway through. But a portion got put onto Citicard or some other credit card. I’d probably add a bit more blood/gore, if it’s a horror movie, but not too much that it’d take away from the story. Oh, and I’d hire someone to field phone calls. Literally, I’d pay them. If we were filming at 11 a.m., the phone was ringing at 8 a.m.. Organization is tough, cast, crew, FX, etc. Secure our locations earlier, although we got what we wanted. All advice that I wish someone would’ve given me.
FC: What is that next project?
JH: This particular script (Chasing Darkness) was floating around everywhere for some reason and got into a lot of hands I’d rather it didn’t get into, so at this point I’d rather not say. Let’s just say that I have two scripts in the works, and both will blow this away. So, if you somewhat liked this, you’ll love what’s to come. Tentative planning on pre-production will begin after we show this bad boy to the local community. I want to start filming in the early-mid winter. It’ll be a different cast depending on which avenue we want to explore on the next film. But, if you’re wondering, Snow Dog Studio is NOT a one shot deal.
FC: When can Erie folks expect to see a premiere screening?
JH: We will be showing in October at the Eerie Horror Film Fest. The entire group there has been wonderful to deal with, and their efforts are appreciated by me, my cast, and my crew. The Erie film community has also been very supportive, and I’d like to send my thanks to them as well. Please come out and see the movie, which was filmed locally, with local actors, and a local crew. We hope to see and meet you all.
Chasing Darkness is available for pre-order now through Vision Associates of Erie. Click here to purchase and receive the DVD when it is released later this year.
Erie-based film company GMD Films announced that it has completed principal photography for the upcoming feature “Virgin Pockets.”
Erie Film News by TheFilmChair.com 