Another Visit From Writer/Director/Producer, Peter Podgursky

The truth of the matter is, out of all the aspiring indie horror writers, directors and producers that read our regular musings, very few, if any, will go on to become household names. Having said that, if you do, please remember to return our calls. We'll do the same... I promise. Really, we're rooting for all of you and we do everything we can to help. I mean, do you think we get paid for this? Also, I've seen way too many quality indie films based on quality ideas to not believe that the next "Blair Witch" or "Paranormal Activity" could come from one of our readers. All I'm really saying is that it's a tough business and our little niche here at Dead Harvey is to keep you indie horror folks as informed as possible on what's going on in the industry and we're trying to help guide you to the next level... all the while, hopefully, guiding and taking ourselves to the next level, as well. Good, God, please get us to that next level soon, but... I digress. Problem is, most filmmakers will talk with us when their film comes out, we'll stay in touch for a short while, then we'll never hear from them again... which leads me to believe that they've either gone on to big things and don't care about us anymore, they're in the middle of another project and don't have anything to say OR they're done - they took a job at their Father-in-law's box factory to pay the mortgage. Who knows? That is why I like it when I get back in touch with filmmakers and see how they've progressed.

It's been almost exactly a year since we spoke with Peter Podgursky... actually, it's been EXACTLY one year since we posted our interview with him. You can find that interview by clicking HERE. At the time, his short film, "Cheerbleeders", was his USC thesis film and he was about to release some short films on Youtube under his Grumpy Panda Films moniker. Well, it's been a year, he's released those films and he's got some projects in the works. I recently checked out his short film, "Murder Baby", which I'm going to embed below and we had the chance to catch up...



You did the awesome short film “Cheerbleeders” a few years back, what have you been up to since then?

I produced a short starring Neil Patrick Harris entitled "Dracula's Daughter's vs. The Space Brains" directed by Frank Ippolito (who did the Murder Baby effects) and Ezekiel Zabrowski (the team behind the "& Tellers" and "The Growth"). We have a facebook fan page if your readers would like to keep up with it (and they should, it's awesome!) Click HERE

Other than that, I've been doing a lot of writing and making videos for the Grumpy Panda youtube channel with my pal Cindy Fang. We've had two of our video featured on the front page of Funny or Die. And I was a finalist for the ABC Television Writing Fellowship this year (I didn't get it, but I got really close), so that was encouraging.

Now that you’ve had some time to reflect on “Cheerbleeders”, is there anything that you would have done differently or is there something that you didn’t do, but wish you had?

I'm not sure I would do anything differently. I learned so much making it and showing it. Did I make any mistakes? Sure. But I'm glad that I did because I learned from them and I don't think they are the kind of mistakes anybody would ever see in the film.

Any new lessons learned out there that you can pass on to other aspiring filmmakers?

I'm not sure if I have any lessons, but I do have some tips. If you need sound effects check out The Free Sound Project freesound.org . They don't have everything, but they're pretty damn good and the price is right. And I recently discovered that Art Beats artbeats.com gives away a free clip of stock footage every day. Your readers might find those sites useful if they don't already know about them.

Tell us about the short, “Murder Baby”

I had the theme song first and extrapolated a story out of it. My pal Charles Scott and I recorded the theme song waaaay before we shot anything. I told the story to Cindy and we sat on it for a while because we didn't know any babies. Then one day Cindy called me and told me that she found the Murder Baby. When I asked Elijah's parents why they wanted to let their pride and joy be cast as a murderer they told me that he killed the family cat by hugging it too hard. So it seemed like a good fit.

What was the reasoning behind “Murder Baby”, just for fun or was there a different reason?

Mainly for fun. It's nice to complete a small project and get it out there when you're prepping bigger projects. I'm also just curious about youtube. I'd like to figure out how to get popular on it because it's another way to get people interested in what I'm up to. Some people just make youtube videos for a living. That's fascinating.

Gotta ask, tell us how the carnage was done. Love it.

We nailed some linoleum to two shop tables. We cut a hole in the linoleum for Cindy in the gap between them. The shop tables act as a raised stage. Cindy sat on a stool while laying backwards. Frank had a torso prosthetic laying around that we shoved up her shirt and the guts are clay covered in fake blood. Pretty good for clay, right?

What are you working on, what’s next?

Right now I'm prepping three shorts with my writing/directing partner Donna Thorland and making more youtube videos with Cindy Fang. There is some other stuff that I wont jinx because I don't want this post to haunt me if it doesn't work out. If it does, I'll be sure to let you know.

Internet Web Tubes: Cheerbleeders, Elm Street and more...

What's going on out there on Al Gore's internet? As usual, quite a bit.

A little while back, we interviewed Peter Podgursky, the guy behind the USC thesis film, "Cheerbleeders". What sucks about reviewing and talking about short films is the fact that they can be hard to get your hands on. Nothing like getting a bunch of people interested in a film that they're probably not going to be able to see. Well, this is the internet age, my friends, and, if I may quote Homer Simpson, "The internet? Is that thing still around?" Well, yes it is. And right now, and for another week or so, you can check out "Cheerbleeders" on New Blood, for FREE by clicking here. Also, I have to like the fact that they linked back to our interview with Podgursky, which you can also find if you click here. It's a great short horror film and it's a great interview. If you're in film school, thinking about film school or went to film school... or you just like good, short horror. Check it all out, good stuff...

Here's a link to an article that was on THR.com and, really, it's just for interests sake... You see, they've cast the major parts for the reinvisioning of "Nightmare on Elm Street" and you're getting "Twilight" actor Kellan Lutz, "Terminator" the TV show's John Connor - Thomas Dekker and Rooney Mara, who are all joining Kyle Gallner, who will be playing the role that Johnny Depp played back in 1984. So, am I the only one who thinks that all these actors are just a bit too good looking to be in this? I thought the same thing with the "Friday the 13th" remake, to be honest. Maybe I just consider myself overwhelmingly average looking, but I always figured that the idea was that the people in these films, the kids of elm street or the kids who visit Camp Crystal Lake, could be anyone - meaning, they could be you. Now, though, it's like they're from The WB. I think having model-like actors just adds to the disconnect between the viewer and the film, but... that could just be me. I usually root for the killer, anyhow.

Here's a wicked article on MediaPost.com called "How Can Independent Video Producers Compete In The Super-Premium Era? ". Now, I know that most people still see the big screen as the Holy Grail of filmmaking, with the small screen (TV) coming in second... however, that should change. I've said it a million times, but if you look at your film as just content and you're just trying to reach eyeballs, the internet is your buddy right now and, one day, it'll be your BFF. Not only that, as we progress, your content will be monetized a lot easier online... (read: you'll make more money with online content) That's not to mention, you'll have complete creative freedom and won't have to worry about being too over-the-top or anything. Anyhow, not only is the article interesting, the few comments at the bottom are interesting, too. The article is talking more from an advertising perspective, like... if you're making a web-based series and are looking to compete with the networks for ad dollars. Good read, though. You should know about this stuff.

Let's dip back into the THR.com well and read another article from them, this one called "Adults Steering Clear of Movies". The long and short is, 'pricey, star-driven thrillers and dramas' are stinking it up at the box office... they use "State of Play" as an example in the article. On the flip side, in these recessionary times, youth oriented films are kicking ass. It's easy math, when you think about it. Adults are worried about jobs, money, mortgages, bills, etc... and, not only are they cutting back, when they're looking for entertainment, it's probably going to be escapist-type stuff: horror, action, sci-fi, etc. Now, kids don't give an F about the recession. They're worried about who's going to buy them beer on the weekend or what brand their MP3 players is. On top of that, they don't care to see 'pricey, star-driven thrillers and dramas', anyhow. They've always been into the escapist stuff. So, if you're a budding screenwriter looking for something to write about right now, think about beefing up the young adult aspects and toning down on the serious stuff.

Lastly, remember those random clips that wound up in my inbox? You know, the ones that are really for the upcoming Donnie Darko film, "S. Darko"? Well, here's the third installment. I gotta say, these were all very well done and this last one really ties it all together. I'm not just saying that because they were done by our buddies at Fewdio, either. Anyhow, here's a link to the first one and here's a link to the second one. Last one is embedded below.

Interview with Peter Podgursky, writer/director of "Cheerbleeders"

Personally, I enjoyed film school. If asked, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the film industry, but isn't really sure what they want to do. Brad, on the other hand, started asking the question, "film school: yes or no?", because he looks back on it in a bit of a negative light... well, I think he looks down on some of the professors, I don't know, really. I will admit that way more than half of what you learn, you'll never use... but I think that's the same with any program. Really, you're there to get the basics down and, most importantly, network. If you going into film school with that as a goal, you'll get what you paid for. Here's what I mean...

I, much like everyone who's reading this, grew up loving movies. I was born in 1974 and I saw the original "Star Wars", which came out in 1977, 7 times in the theaters. I remember that specifically. I also specifically remember watching the Star Destroyer fly over my head in that opening scene and, at that point, I was obsessed. Somewhere in the 80's, my Dad brought home one of the first portable video camera's and that was it, I spent countless hours in the basement or in the backyard, making movies. Here's the thing... out of all my childhood friends, I was really the only guy that was that obsessed with filmmaking. When it came time to go to college, most of my friends went on to business, accounting, law, whatever... I went to film school. If I didn't, the flame would've died, I know that. However, going to film school introduced me to a whole group of people that were around my age and they were all into the same thing. When you're there, you fuel each other. Push each other. You see what's possible and, because of you're environment, you believe it's possible. THAT's what film school is about.

That's also why I was very excited to watch "Cheerbleeders" and talk to the writer/director, Peter Podgursky. "Cheerbleeders" is Podgursky's thesis film from USC and, I've gotta say, it is unbelievably well done. My thesis film, "The Town That Dreaded Some Clown", was well received, but I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a disaster... "Cheerbleeders" is sharp. It's concise. It's well acted, well written and it's well put together, plain and simple. I haven't seen many student films out of USC, but if "Cheerbleeders" is any indication of the quality, they're doing something right over there.

We had the chance to discuss the film with Podgursky and he also invites you to contact him to get your hands on a copy. Read through and he'll tell you how... and I definitely suggest you do.

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you into film?

Aren't most people into film? I think you'd be hard pressed to find people that aren't. When I ask people what they are into, they almost always answer "movies". They're ubiquitous. I realized I wanted to make films in high school. A big night for me was when my friend Bill showed me A Clockwork Orange and Evil Dead II at a sleepover at his house.

This is your USC thesis film, so you’re obviously a film school grad. Is film school something that you would recommend for all up-and-coming filmmakers?

Sure, I'd recommend film school. I went to one, didn't I? You definitely get out of them what you put into them. There are lots of traps that people fall into at film school, like believing that the film school politics are important.

Ultimately, it really depends on your situation. I was stuck in south eastern Idaho with a useless theatre degree and no real ins to the filmmaking industry. It made sense for me to go. Yet, some of my favorite directors never went to film school; but they didn't live in rural south eastern Idaho either. It really depends on your resources. And I don't just mean equipment -- I mean people too. I made shorts, put on plays, and played in bands when I was in Idaho, but it was really hard for me to get people to help me. There just weren't all that many people around.

Where did you get the idea for “Cheerbleeders”?

I'd say growing up in Blackfoot, Idaho as an outsider punk kid in a mostly LDS community and reading Euripides' play The Bacchae when I was an undergrad at Idaho State University. People that are into horror should really seek out a good translation of that play.

What was the approx budget for the film?

Around $22,000. I knew I wanted to do a thesis film so I started saving up the money I was making as a TA when I started film school.

What did you shoot on and how long was the shoot?

500 ASA Kodak super 16mm film. We shot it over spring break and we did some pick-ups later on.

You kept the characters very simple and archetypal. Moments after the film starts, you get who these people are, which enables you to immediately shift your attention to the story. I think it’s a great tactic and helps draw the audience in right away… Was this something that you did on purpose? Talk about the process of writing the script.

I wanted people to be able to quickly lock onto who these character are. In high school, people advertise who they are and what they're into by how they dress. I know I did. It helps you know who shares common interests.

I sought out industry mentors during every step of making the short. Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and Jessica Bendinger (Bring It On) gave me notes that improved the script. My producer Donna Thorland, who is a fantastic writer, was also invaluable at the script stage (well, every stage really). She has since become my writing partner and I'm damn lucky to have her as one.

You also did a great job on casting the film… Penny and Devon were perfect. In fact, I was surprised at how well the Devon character switched from “loser” to “domineering God of Cheerleaders”. How did you go about casting the film?

I met Laurel Vail (Penny) in high school, she grew up in the next town over. I wrote the part specifically for her. Wyatt Fenner (Devon) was a theatre student at USC. I didn't really want to cast him because when you put him in glasses he kind of looks like me. I always get a little embarrassed when people point this out-- it's a little bizarre when actors look just like the directors. He was in my very first USC project and he just ended up having the best audition. The only reason I even gave him an audition was because my girlfriend at the time was friends with him. Later on, he played a film student in an episode of Veronica Mars, basing his character on me. I wish I could get a job playing me! I bet I'd be good at it.

Talk about your directing style.

I'm still trying to figure it out. I'm big on story boarding and video boarding. My producer Susan and I enacted the entire climax of the film in my backyard on a Sony PD150. When we shot it for real I carried my camera around to use as reference, kind of like how big budget action flicks would use a pre-vis ananamatic. When I wrote Sam Raimi to see if he would mentor my film he was too busy making Spider Man 3; however, he was nice enough to invite me to the set. It was really eye opening to see how he used his pre-vis. As far as directing actors go, I come from a theatre background and I dislike when a director is constantly explaining stuff to me before I even get a crack at it. I try to be as succinct as possible. A little improv is good too.

When I was in film school, I made nothing but gore and horror films and a lot of the faculty looked down on it. I’m just wondering, what do the folks at USC think of horror?

Depends. Some people definitely have a genre bias, but keep in mind, John Carpenter went to USC. Alex Ago, who programs a lot of the screenings there, is a big genre fan and got the school to show a Dario Agento's Mother of Tears months before it was released in America. Dario even taped a special message just for that screening. I'd be willing to bet that USC is much more open to horror than most other schools.

Speaking of gore, you had some great effects in the film. My personal favorite would be the decapitated head that gets kicked for a field goal. Talk about using gore…

I like gore, but I also like the suggestion of violence too; like seeing a guy holding a knife backing a guy through a doorway and then shutting the door behind him. We don't have to see what's going on to know what's going to happen. Both have a different feel. There is something really satisfying about seeing somebody's head getting ripped off, though. The credit for the make-up fx goes to my friend Frank Ippolito. He works for the Chiodo Bros. and he's a filmmaker too. He and his filmmaking partner, Zeke Zabrowski, made a couple short films with Teller from Penn & Teller, they're fantastic. You should interview them.

Tell us about some of the hurdles you overcame to get the film done. Any advice you can pass on to other indie filmmakers who might be just setting out to make a film?

We had our share of hurdles in production, but I think everybody does. I had already produced two thesis films before directing my own, so I knew what to expect. I would definitely recommend producing a film for a friend before embarking on your own. I would also encourage people to use their film as an excuse to contact people they admire WHILE THEY'RE MAKING IT. People make the mistake of doing that stuff after the film is finished. I met so many people I admire while I was making the film. And these people feel more connected to you because they actually had a hand in shaping the final product. A letter costs what?-- forty-two cents? It's worth the effort.

Not only did you enter a bunch of festivals, you won a few awards. Talk about entering the festival circuit. Is it something that every filmmaker should do?

Festivals are fun, but I'm still not sure what they do for you, unless it is a big famous festival, and even then I'm uncertain. I've never gotten into a big festival. But I still enter them. Every once in a while a blog would write about my film and I thought that was great. Later, it dawned on me that I could just send my film to the blog. It's much cheaper than an entry fee and the coverage is usually more in depth. It worked with Dead Harvey.

What did entering the festivals do for your career? Did it open any doors or get you any contacts that you otherwise wouldn’t have made?

Honestly, it hasn't done very much for me. I have met a lot of cool people; but career-wise, nada . Maybe it will, but I won't hold my breath. Ultimately a short film serves you as a directing sample, and it might help you pitch a similar feature. I'm still in the middle of it though, I'll keep you posted.

Where can people find out more about “Cheerbleeders” or get their hands on a copy?

If they Google "Cheerbleeders" there are other reviews and such. They can go to Cheerbleeders.com to see a trailer and stills. If anybody wants a copy, they can ask me and I'll send them one on the condition that they show it to all of their friends. Just drop me a line at podcore@hotmail.com.

Talk about the indie horror genre and indie filmmaking. Where do you feel it is now and where do you see it going?

I don't know, but wherever it's going I hope I'll be a part of it.

What’s next for you? Do you have any projects in the works?

I'd like to write for television next. You can learn so much in that environment, and I still have a lot to learn. I'm writing genre features on spec and specking some shows I like. I love Big Love. My friend Cindy Fang and I have been making videos for youtube. We want to have a few made before we unleash them to the world, but if people are curious, they can check out Grumpypandafilms.com. We made a My Little Pony parody commercial that's going to blow peoples' minds.

I'm just trying to climb the ladder, keeping my fingers in as many pies as I can manage (how's that for a mixed metaphor!). I'm probably in the same boat as most of the people that are reading this.