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Interview with the brains of Horror > Interview with the man behind the
Interview with the man behind the
Joe Moe
Mar 14, 2008 --

 TBHM: What inspired "Red Velvet"?

Joe Moe: Our core team are Horror fanatics. We've all grown up watching movies and loving the genre. When we were faced with making our first
feature together, we decided it had to be a horror movie. After
looking at a number of scripts, we settled on one written by a young
writer named Tony Burns. We liked the premise of an oddball
storyteller seducing a tough girl and the mystery of whether the
terrible stories he told were reality or fantasy. We bought the
script outright and decided to have me rewrite it. Tony Burns' script
was a straight ahead slasher. We wanted to do something fresh. So, I
restructured the story to make the dialog funny and instill the story
with surprises and some of my favorite classic film elements that I
felt had gone missing from modern horror movies.


TBHM: How long was production? How many problems have you encountered
while filming "Red Velvet"?


Joe Moe: One month. It was hot as hell some days and freezing like the arctic
on others. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.


TBHM: How difficult was it to find the right actors for the
characters in the movie?


Joe Moe: It's not difficult to find great actors if you are in agreement about
what it is you're looking for from the start. Our team wanted actors
that had range and depth. We could have just gone for T&A and cast
the whole movie in a weekend. Because we knew we needed intelligent,
rangy performers, we gave ourselves ample time to pick and choose the
perfect actors for our characters. We ended up with an ensemble cast
that kicked butt in their performances and also formed lifelong
friendships beyond our film. Henry Thomas, Kelli Garner and the rest
of our glamorous cast really remind me what a movie star is.


TBHM: How was it to work with Kelli Garner? She played in several TV
shows among them, "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer"?


Joe Moe: Kelli is quite a beautiful, talented and charmingly eccentric artist.
She is an intuitive actor. By this I mean that, while she studies and
prepares, she also invents performances on the spot. Her moments of
brilliance are staggering. She'll be going along, hitting her marks
and then suddenly she'll turn her superstar quality toward the camera
and, "BANG!" she lights up the screen, moves the audience, burns
indelibly on everyone's retinas. Watching Henry Thomas confidently
make a foundation for Kelli's invention was pure poetry. Henry was
just breathtaking in his discipline and intelligence. His loyalty and
support of this film has been priceless.


TBHM: Who is your favorite horror movie writer? Does he or she
influence you at all in your own work?


Joe Moe: Writers? I'd rather list some of my favorite scripts...Bride of
Frankenstein, Rosemary's Baby, Silence of the Lambs, Dawn of the Dead
(classic and remake both), Psycho, American Werewolf In London,
Frankenstein (Darabont's script but not Branaugh's film)...and on and
on. Hmmmm. Looking back over my spontaneous list I realize all of my
choices have a fair amount of humor in them. I guess I like laughs
with my screams.


TBHM: "Red Velvet" is a very original story. How do you think the
audience will react to it?


Joe Moe: So far they've reacted with utter glee. We've dutifully hit the
horror marks, so I don't think anyone who loves horror movies will be
disappointed. Hopefully, we we'll exceed the audience's expectations
when they see all the extra heart and creativity we've tried to throw
at the screen. I mean, our values are the same as our horror
brother's and sister's. We all want good story, pretty pictures,
inventive (copious) kills and surprises, right?


TBHM: When will it be opened to theaters?

Joe Moe: Still to be determined. We are exploring all avenues. Mainstream
distributers are still screening the film. we're pursuing our options
for self-distribution. I'll tell you one thing for sure, this film is
shot in 35mm and deserves to be on a big screen. Meanwhile, look for
us at genre conventions throughout the coming weeks.


TBHM: Have you ever written any other horror movies before "Red
Velvet"?


JM: I have worked on many projects for other people. Most uncredited. I
have a few horror scripts of my own, but I've never really pushed
them, hoping I could hold on the them and make them myself
someday...looks like that day has come.


TBHM: What motivated you to get into the horror scene?

Joe Moe: I have been in the horror scene for decades. Mostly as a pure fan
just wishing for an opportunity to throw my hat in the moviemaking
ring (with my severed head still in it). I am best pal and caretaker
of Forrest J Ackerman - editor of the original Famous Monsters of
Filmland magazine. The man who sparked the whole modern genre. I live
with the icon. For years I have travelled with Forry, met the greats
of our field and observed what fans loved, hated and dreamt about
seeing on a screen in a darkened room. Horror fans are my people! I
have gotten up close and personal with most living heroes of the
genre. I've become friends with John Landis. I've gotten writing
advice from Ray Bradbury. I've talked location scouting with Ray
Harryhausen. I've sat down to dinner with Peter Jackson, Rick Baker
and Basil Gogos. I've been blessed with the horror curse. I take the
genre very seriously. So seriously that I insist on having fun with it.


TBHM: What's next? Are there any other film projects in the works for
3MAC Studios?


Joe Moe: Next, I will be directing a feature I've written called THE
MIDDLEMAN. It's a dark urban comedy. Here's the log line: What would
happen if Aliens abducted a young LA junkie who got them hooked on
drugs? You're laughing, huh? It's a horror/sci-fi fantastical trip.
I'm aching to get it on screen and share it with you.


TBHM: Will "Red Velvet" have a rated and/or unrated version on the DVD
release?


Joe Moe: I'm not sure. Having never released a DVD before, I'm not certain of
the advantages or pitfalls of either? I would be inclined to say
both! Why not?


TBHM: If you had any other film projects in the future, which actors
would you love to work with?


Joe Moe: As a writer: Jack Nicholson, Paul Giamatti, Annette Benning,
Hugh
Jackman
, Anthony Hopkins, Brittany Murphy. As a director: Samuel
Jackson, Kevin Zegers, Jamie Bell, Kate Winslet, Jaime Murray,
Gena
Rowlands
. I would also like to work with Hayden Christensen. I think
he's underrated and misunderstood. I think he's a movie star by
nature but with artistic vision that hasn't been exploited. I would
like the challenge and opportunity to fashion a kick-ass performance
with him.


TBHM: What goodies (secrets) do you have about the movie that you
would love to share with the fans of TBHM?



Joe Moe: There are lots of Easter Eggs hidden in our movie. If you look
closely, you'll find many visual treats as well as story clues to
help you solve the mysteries - even the day after you've viewed our
film! Also, our character Ken's body is actually another actors
silicone likeness. Can you guess the actor?

Well there you have it...but can you fans guess which actor he is talking about?

 

Want to know more about this "Red Velvet" thriller that has people buzzing so much about, go on the site and check it out: http://www.redvelvetmovie.com/

 

http://www.thebesthorrormovies.com/independent_horror/2011/8/Red_Velvet

 

Living you guys with some goodies, enjoy these pix, courtesy of Sean Fernald, producer of "Red Velvet"!

 

Red Velvet Movie cast members Henry Thomas and Kelli Garner

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