A: I am a filmmaker out of Massachusetts. I write/direct/produce my own films. I have three films under my belt right now: Evil Awakening (2008), Rise of the Scarecrows (2009), and Scary Tales (2010), and I’m preparing to film my fourth movie by the name of Family Secret.

          I love horror, run a horror site called Scaredstiffreviews.com, and I cover the sport of boxing for Ringsidereport.com. I have been involved in film since I was 12 or so and it’s really in my blood. I really enjoy horror films and I really enjoy writing, so combining the two loves into something was a natural thing to do.

          A: When I was twelve or so, my father purchased one of those old clunky 1980’s style camcorders and it just collected dust. I thought it would be pretty neat to film something with my buddy Mike at the time. So, I came up with an idea of an alien invasion and we filmed it. It was horrible, but at the time, we thought it was the best thing ever and then it became an addiction. We were making skits every weekend, and most were horror related. I watch them now and I cringe, but I also laugh because at the time, it was only me and him, so we are playing various characters and it is just so ridiculous.

          As time went on, so did the skits, and in 1996, my buddies and I filmed a skit called “Evil Awakening,” not to be mistaken with my recent release of my 2003 film of the same name. I was eating at Pizza Hut with my good friend Jeremy Weiskotten and we were trying to figure out something to do that would be fun and I proposed making a horror skit and so we got together with some other friends and made this Friday the 13th like film where a monster arises and goes on a killing spree. Well, it turned out to be 45 minutes and it was absurd, but we had a screening anyway and it went over really well. I made ten copies of the film and before we knew it, copies of copies were floating around.

          Time went by and we continued doing skits until Steven Joseph Adams, my good friend star actor, came to me and said that he wanted to film something like Evil Awakening because it was so much fun. So, I began to write Evil Awakening 2, another 45 minute skit, but as we began to film it, we realized that it had potential, so I went back and rewrote the script, and it was no longer a sequel. It was Evil Awakening and this is when I first took the film business seriously…although I still had a lot to learn.

          We made a full length horror film and from that it was time to move onward and upward, but if you want to trace the true beginnings of my start in the movie business, it would be in my parent’s backyard with my buddy Mike in the mid eighties. It’s always been in my blood, I guess.

          A: You said it. Sometimes you get a review and you are lost, but you have to take the good with the bad and there are some films that are very popular that I don’t like. What bugs me is when you get a reviewer that is malicious and just doesn’t back up what he is saying. For instance, there was a review for Rise where the reviewer said that it was like “500 other movies.” I emailed him and asked him to name 10 movies that it is like and he couldn’t. He just wanted to be a dick and I’m hoping that I catch the rest of the reviewers for Rise on a good day from now on.

          What I want people to know about Rise is that it’s not your typical micro budget film. There is a story here to go along with the Scarecrows. If you are looking for blood and guts and mindless violence, this movie isn’t for you. I want to give you more to chew on and give you a few surprises to go along with the gigantic killer scarecrows. I’m a writer and a storyteller and I’m not going to put something out there that doesn’t make sense and doesn’t have a beginning, middle, and an end. Too many filmmakers put a guy in a cool mask, give him a knife, and send him on his way to kill random people. There is no character development and the motives of the killer are never explained. Also, if you do not know the characters, you will not care if they live or die, and that is why I put much emphasis on introducing them and letting you know where they are coming from. I hope that the public gives Rise a chance…and I hope that the forty or so screeners I sent out get a review. I think that something that is more frustrating than a bad review is somebody that doesn’t do a review at all after asking for a screener.

          A: I am a huge fan of the 1988 classic “Scarecrows.” I was somewhat inspired by that flick and loved how they portrayed the creepy monster. I sat back too long and watched bad scarecrow movie after bad scarecrow movie, and decided that it was time to give my spin on the character. Scarecrows, one of the greatest monsters there is, is found doing karate in some films! I don’t want horror fans to give up on this guy, so I made Rise of the Scarecrows.

          After we filmed Evil Awakening in 2003, I wanted to make another movie and after watching the final product of Evil Awakening, I had seen what I did wrong, and what I did right, and tried to correct a lot of it in Rise, and did. The story was a lot better and it really came together quite well. I wrote it in three months and then kept amending it, until it came together to my satisfaction. Of course, being a micro budget guy, I had to cut things out that I didn’t want to, but without a budget, it’s a tough deal at times.

          A: My good friend Tony “TNT” Brown who played “Officer Brown” in Rise was working a lot of hours on top of starring in my production. Because of his fatigue, he had a horrible night during the final apartment scene, constantly flubbing the lines. It was a very hot night and we weren’t using the air conditioning because it made so much noise…and it took literally five hours to film three or four scenes because of TNT’s bad night. We look back on it now and laugh and some of the bloopers are just hilarious, but out of the entire film that night stands out as a difficult one.

          Most everything went according to plan. I think that what bugged me more than anything was that some actors were not available when they were supposed to be, making some scenes impossible to shoot and forcing me to alter scenes and some direction. It was very frustrating.

          A: We shot 20 minutes of good footage in 2004 and it was so much better than anything that we had ever done before, and I had high hopes, but the motivation of the rest of the crew seemed to have evaporated and I was very upset. The year 2005 comes and goes and that 20 minutes still sits there and collects dust and I was pretty certain that Rise would never be completed. Then one day, I just bugged the people involved enough to get it done. I also have to thank Tony Brown for assistance in this matter, getting the crew to the shoots and we finally completed the film in 2006…what a relief!

          One of the moments that really stand out, when I knew that the film would be special for me, was the addition of Mark Scarborough to the cast. He played the role of Pete and when we shot the moment when the scarecrows invaded his home, I knew we had something special. Mark is a great actor, has been involved in a traveling western acting group, and was as convincing as anyone could be in this role. That scene, which is spoken of by many, is something that I’m very proud of, but I have to tip my hat to Mark.

          A: My friend Steven Joseph Adams has the nickname of “Steve X” and “X Man.” Well, we had this big group of friends back in the mid nineties and I gave us the name of “The X Posse,” because Steve is just so charismatic. The guy is hilarious, and it sounded much better than “The Geno Posse” or “Geno’s Girls.” I think that many people in the group would object to the term “Girls” covering the entire group of us. Anyway, when we made the 1996 Evil Awakening, we needed a name for our production group. We were the X Posse and therefore, this was an “X Posse Production.” We even toyed at one time to make Steve roar like that lion does for MGM.

          In 2003, Evil Awakening was produced and the decision was made that X Posse Productions would remain our name. I toyed with other names, but we are the X Posse and will be that when we are sixty five year old men. We might be looked at in a funny way when they see a couple of old guys in X Posse T Shirts, but that is who we are.

          A:Evil Awakening was filmed in 2003, inspired by the skit we did in 1996. It is a slasher film, sort of going with the style of Friday the 13th, Madman, and the Burning. It is raw and has offended some, but there is one guy in Germany that considers it the best thing of all time, and I like his perspective, so I’ll go with it. There are so many funny stories about Evil Awakening, but let’s start off with the crazy ones, OK?

          This guy calls me after I had my face in the newspaper, telling me that Evil Awakening was based on actual events and wanted to meet me and talk about the “serial killer in Ludlow, Massachusetts.” I was bothered by it, and told him that I couldn’t meet with him, and that’s when he went into detail, stating that the hit and run scene from Evil Awakening is the clincher, proving that it’s based on the real life serial killer. I was freaked out! It sucked too, because I thought that it was going to be a fan calling, but it turned out to be a nut job.

          Another interesting story that has been covered on a few websites is the “hanging man.” I guess that when I filmed Evil Awakening, there was some high schooler that killed himself, hanged in the woods somewhere. It got around that I had captured it on tape and that it is in the film. I get an email or two a week, asking about this and I am totally lost. If it’s there, I need it to be pointed out to me. I like the story though…

          The reactions to Evil Awakening are very strong, one way or another. They either love it, hate it, or want me killed. Like I said, there are some very raw things in this film and some things that I did, I may not do again, such as having an old man hit by a car and then urinated on…people didn’t seem to like that too much, but there are those that are twisted enough to enjoy it and aren’t expecting a 100 million dollar budget movie.

          Evil Awakening was completed in 2003 and was released in 2008, which should tell you just how difficult getting distribution was. I was fortunate enough to find Tempe Entertainment, headed up by JR Bookwalter, a great filmmaker, and he has helped me unleash this slasher film to the fans. Since its release, it has sold very well, by my standards, and there is a small group of fans that email me on a regular basis, awaiting the release of Rise. I’m glad that Evil Awakening has had a positive effect on them.

          I was also very happy that MADMAN himself, Paul Ehlers took the time to watch it and give his thoughts. The movie “Madman” from 1981 is such a classic slasher film and to have the man from the movie give his thoughts was very special for me. So, Evil Awakening is a success in my book.

          A: I actually stumbled onto boxing journalism. I was at work, screwing around on boxing message boards when I was recruited by Rabbitpunchboxing.com in 2004. In 2005, I was hired by Brad Berkwitt the owner of Ringside Report (ringsidereport.com) and worked my way up to Managing Editor, which is a blast. I love going to fights, interviewing fighters, and covering my favorite sport. I learned a great deal from my experience at RSR thus far and it has helped me immensely in the horror world all around.

          Through frustration, I started a blog called “Scared Stiff Reviews” where I reviewed movies because I was so freaking sick of renting the same damn thing over and over again. If I reviewed it, I would remember it and never have to watch it again! Because of the success of Ringside Report, it was common sense to turn the blog into an actual website, and that’s when the fun began. I was able to interview some very big names in horror, pick their brains, and find a way to get distribution when I had failed at every other turn. Well, maybe not failed. I didn’t take the horrible deals that were thrown at me by companies that didn’t care about the filmmaker at all and only cared about robbing them of everything…rights…money…everything.

          So Scared Stiff has really helped me in various ways. It’s a stage for indie guys to display their work. I will review anything sent to me. It’s only fair to the filmmaker and the micro budget guy doesn’t always get a fair shake. I want to give them the exposure they deserve like Jim Haggerty, the Campbell Brothers, and Polly Frost, all great filmmakers and have all the tools necessary to make it in the business.

          A: I actually just completed my third film “Scary Tales,” an anthology which should be released late this year or early 2010. I am very pleased with how it came out and most people that have seen it have really enjoyed it.

          What I am very excited about is my production “Family Secret” which will begin filming on May 30th. This film will be co-produced by Webhead Entertainment. I wrote it in 4 days and it was one of those rare things where you get it good and fast. I don’t think that I have ever written anything this good and it will hopefully be “the one” that breaks us out into more of the mainstream. Crazy Carl Robinson of Demon Summer will take part in this along with 3-Time World Boxing Champion, Jose Antonio Rivera. I might have some other celebrities lined up, but I won’t announce them until I have them signed and sealed…but I’m optimistic.

          A: One of the main points in the business, for me at least, is to begin to work with some notable actors. It will eventually happen. I just have to keep moving forward and improving and things will fall into place from there. In a perfect world, I would love to bring Chuck Norris back to a good film. He did that horrible one recently, but it showed he still had life. That Walker Texas Ranger messed him up a little…we have to bring him back to the action film, minus the cowboy hat.

          I admire a lot of actors and one day, I would love to have a checkbook and say “He’d be perfect for the role,” but at the current time, I work with talented actors that are looking for their break and some have already gone on to do other things in the field. So, I can’t complain too much at this time but I do hope to bring in some actors that are household names and that will catch somebody’s eye as they walk into the video stores.

          A: I think that the best course of action for any filmmaker is to produce. There are a lot of filmmakers that wait on the sidelines for a budget and some get it, but most do not and I think that if you are out there more, you are available to more people that could possibly finance your next project.

          From a filming perspective, I would recommend looking at the horror films that have had an effect on you and watch what they did…camera angles, lighting, and incorporate that into your work. There are certain camera techniques used that can really create tension and if you can get that going, you might be cooking with grease. You have to keep learning and improving yourself. I get so many films sent to me from indie guys and when I review them for Scared Stiff, they get their feathers ruffled. “It’s not a 7/10, it’s a 10/10!!!” If you have that attitude, give up filmmaking. When you think that you can’t improve, you are doomed.

          I think that I would also tell the filmmakers that want to make it to carefully move forward with distributors. They are not in the game to help you, typically. They are businesses and they are in the business to make money. So when they see an excited filmmaker looking to get his work out there, they offer him a horrible deal and usually they take it. Don’t take the deal. They offered me a deal where I lost the rights to Evil Awakening for 3 years and got no money and no promises. Horrible, but some people take that! Don’t.

          Most of all, have faith in yourself. People around you, even allies, might try to sway you from your dream. If you believe in it, stay the course. Sometimes slow and steady wins the race.

          A: I have to be honest. My goal is to change Hollywood, change horror, bring it back to the 1970s when it was creepy and right, and get the hell out of my 40+ hour a week job. I have plans to remain in horror, but I have also written a comedy and an action film, both of which I will eventually do, but both of which need a serious budget.

          I look at the blockbusters and the “horror films” that are out there by Hollywood and I’m not impressed. How many remakes and Asian transfers can we take? Where is the originality? Where are the American horror filmmakers that don’t rely on cheap scares, T&A, and CGI? There is too much eye candy and not enough character development and atmosphere in film today. Look at Black Christmas 1974 and then look at the remake and you will see why horror isn’t putting out any classics anymore. It’s not about doing what is right. It’s about putting it out there cheap and mindless. I desperately want to push this horror world back into the right direction and when people watch Rise of the Scarecrows, they will see how I intend to do it.

          So, to answer the question, the goal is to make good films that will be appreciated and make it to the big screen and stop this horrible remake trend that is ruining horror.

          A: Galaxy Invader by Don Dohler. No other film has had as much influence on me. I watched it and was amazed that this guy could create something so amusing on zero budget, and then got it out to the world! How impressive is that? I still watch it from time to time. Dohler was the man and did things the right way…his way.

          The films I recommend that you haven’t seen or may not have seen would be: Shriek of the Mutilated (I love this Sasquatch horror film from the 1970s), The Comeback (Jack Jones is in this creepy whodunit slasher), Mutant, Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things, Race with the Devil, Midnight, and Dog Soldiers come to mind. I also really liked Funny Games…a recent flick that was just amazing.

          It's also a movie every horror fan should own.

          A: It would be a great time because Scary Tales would be out, Family Secret would be filmed and my zombie movie Warehouse would probably be in the beginning stages of production. If not Warehouse, maybe Rise of the Scarecrows 2, should the first one sell well. I have a script about ½ done for the sequel but if there is no demand, why make it? I’m banking on people loving scarecrows, loving scarecrows killing people, and loving legitimate horror films where scarecrows don’t do karate. It’s up to the people. I’m here to please them. If they want more scarecrows, they get them.

          A: I am looking for actors to audition for my next film Family Secret. So, if you live in New England or are going to be in New England for the summer, please email me at genobambino69@gmail.com I would be glad to fill you in on more details. I want to publicly thank Steve Lubarsky, the Putrid Flowers, Diverse Designs, Craig Swimm, JR Bookwalter, and everyone else that have supported me and X Posse Productions. I also want to thank those of you that have purchased Evil Awakening and those of you that will purchase Rise of the Scarecrows. Your support means a great deal to me and I hope that you enjoy the films. I also want everyone to know that I will be at Monster Mania in New Jersey the weekend of March 13th and will be selling movies from Tempe Entertainment along with my titles. I would love to talk to the horror fans. I will also be giving out information concerning Family Secret and the auditions and such. I hope to see everyone there!

          I want to especially thank you Rich and Obscure Horror for the time and for reviewing Rise of the Scarecrows. It’s nice to see horror sites looking out for the little guy and I sincerely appreciate it.