- George Snow is the director of "Us Sinners." Anyone looking for more info on George or his films, can visit him at hisIMDB page or his website page.
Q: Can you please give my readers a brief background on yourself?
A: My name is George Snow. I'm Writer/Director of Us Sinners. I was born in Babylon, Long Island and currently live in Iselin, NJ. I made a wrong turn somewhere. I started my first band in 1980 and it's name will never be uttered from my lips. One major Island reviewer refused to see us because of the name. In 1982 I started the band Frances Farmer My Hero. Which has been the name I've been using ever since. Wow, I'm old. I've loved movies since I was child. TCM rocks! I learned about acting from working as a Stage Manager for a Repertory Theatre for ten years.
Q: And how did you first get into the movie business?
A: I've always wanted to edit and write screenplays. I never wanted to direct my own movies. But, when you have no credits or experience filmmakers are not going to allow you to touch their footage. But, one brave heart hired me to create a trailer for his mockumentary "Hood Politics". Randy was so impressed by the trailer, he fired the editor and gave me the job. I had already been working on the screenplay Us Sinners for some time, and after speaking with Randy and other micro-budget movie makers I decided to give it a try. Randy came on as Executive Producer and was always on set to make sure I didn't fuck everything up.
Q: Knowing how movie reviews may skew the perception of one's product, give us in your own words what you want people to know about "Us Sinners."
A: While Us Sinners is filled with some nasty ways of dying, there's a bigger picture. Many people don't come from homes filled with love. Instead, all some know is anger and hate. We need to treat everyone with respect and humility. Befriend the friendless and maybe they won't come to your house and slaughter you while you sleep.
Q: When did you first create the idea to do “Us Sinners”?
A: Years ago. The seed came from the single action that takes place during the climax of the movie. Originally the story centered around three teenagers, all with their separate problems. When one of them killed a person, the others help him hide the body. The secret eventually strains relationships and well, you know the rest. But, I didn't want to deal with teenagers. So the idea of Tim was hatched. It worked out for the best.
Q: If there were one part of the filming that was more difficult than you expected, what would that be? Getting a costume to work? Appearing in a certain scene? Certain lines?
A: The hardest thing in the entire shoot was getting an actress for the first kill. She's a prostitute who is strangled while performing oral sex on Tim. After he kills her, he removes his condom and drops it in her mouth. When I placed an ad for the Prostitute kills, I received well over a hundred responses. Most of these people had resumes so small that this would be a great credit. No one had to audition. First I e-mailed and then would call. I explained that they would have to simulate oral sex and most were fine with that. When I got to the part about the condom, I lost them. When I got so many rejections I even offered to pay, and no one would do it. So, simulating oral sex, good. Having a condom filled with water placed in your mouth, bad.
As anyone who has seen the movie can attest, I found an actress brave enough to do this part. Unfortunately she wasn't brave enough to have her name in the credits. So Ms Vivian Ward is our Prostitute #1. Trivia question: Who is Vivian Ward?
Q: Was there any one day, one moment where you just knew the film would work they way you thought it could?
A: The first day of shooting was Tim in Melissa's child's room. I took that footage home and spliced it together and thought "Yes, this is good". Then I shot my first dialogue/action scene "When Tim abducts Louise". I gave them a few notes, said "Action", and it turned a pit my stomach. I thought "What the hell did I get myself into". It was HORRIBLE. But, I didn't react. I gave them some notes, and they kicked ass. I'm extremely proud of everyone that worked on this little movie. Plus, I always knew, no matter how poorly some things turned out, I had the climax on my side.
Q: Since finishing work on “Us Sinners,” what else have you been working on?
A: I just finished the second draft of my next feature, tentatively titled "The Leading Lady". This is a movie that will hopefully be appreciated by anyone interested in making movies, or is a struggling artist. Since the leading lady is hoping for a role in a horror movie, hopefully horror fans will watch and appreciate it. It's about a young mid-western girl Nancy Nelson who comes to NY to be a star. Her room mate teaches her the ins an outs of auditioning. But, Nancy doesn't want to play that game. When she gets a call-back for a lead role in a horror movie, Nancy has to decide how far she's willing to go to be cast.
Q: Is there any particular actor/actress that you want to work with that you have not yet found an instance to do so?
A: The only actress I'd love to work with because she's the best actress working is Angela Bettis. Simply incredible. I think we'd make a great movie together.
Q: For any aspiring filmmakers out there who want to create their own work, what advice can you give them? Anything they need to avoid? Anything that they must know about?
A: I highly recommend owning your equipment. Because you then have no time constraints. If I rented to shoot Us Sinners, it'd have turned out like shit. It took 5 months of periodic shooting to complete. It gets hectic. Do not shoot 29.97 fps miniDV. Which I did. While many distributors enjoyed the movie, they felt the video aspect hampered its chances to sell to some markets. Fuck them markets, they don't know what they're missing.
Hire the best actors available. Hold auditions. Just because you're friends with a person doesn't mean they have to star in your movie. There are extremely talented actors all over the US. You just have to find them. Brandon who played Tim is from Kansas City Missouri. He's phenomenal.
Write within your means. If you're shooting a thousand dollar movie, don't put a car chase or crash in it, because it's not going to look good.
Do your best, and always be true to the art.
Oh and always pray that the drunken actors and DP show up for the shoot. Or is it they should pray the drunken lout of a Director doesn't have a hangover?
Q: What are your aspirations and goals in the movie industry? Box Office blockbusters? Films that anyone can watch? Something else?
A: Us Sinners has every flaw that a micro-budget movie can have. It's my first movie. But, I believe it's a shocking piece of original horror. That even with it's faults true horror fans can sink their teeth into. I want my next movie to be a step above that. If I grow in all aspects as a movie-maker then my body of work will always stay valid. I want to make money making movies, and hopefully in time that will come.
Q: Can you name a film that my visitors probably haven’t seen, that you think has either been an influence in your work or just feel is a “can’t miss” film?
A: The biggest influence on Us Sinners would have to be Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer. While I didn't steal or think about Henry in any way while making the movie. Us Sinners is similar in story structure, whereas it's more a character study then a narrative.
It's also a movie every horror fan should own.
Q: What’s next for you? If you and I were to talk 1 year from today, what do you think would be on your plate at that time?
A: In a year I should be either editing or just finishing up Leading Lady. I plan on doling out a lot of the work. I'm sticking with Writer/Director/Editor and hopefully nothing else.
Q: Anything you wish to add for my readers and visitors? Something special about you that they probably do not know?
A: I am an avid Yankee fan and concert goer. Led Zep was my first show, opening night MSG '77, and I haven't stopped going.
Q: Thank you very much for doing this.
A: Thank you for speaking to me. I have to go back to my cage now.
- END -
|
Horror Films Review Page