Interview by Peter Syslo
Infernal Dreams: How did you first get into creating horror films? What "flipped the switch" or what were the influential things that drove you to pick up a camera or drove you to start writing a script?
Geno McGahee: I have always been a storyteller. When I was in elementary school, I would write story after story and that continued into my teen years. That was when my father had purchased one of those 1980's clunky video cameras that he never really used, and while I was hanging out with a buddy of mine, I decided that it'd be kind of fun to make up a story about aliens invading and record it. It featured dirty jokes, kicks in the balls, and ridiculous fight scenes. We watched it a million times and thought it was the greatest thing ever put onto film, and that's where it sort of began. Being a writer is one thing and it's a great thing in itself, but seeing what you write come to life on the screen is something that I really enjoy.
What began to drive me personally into film were my own problems with film, I guess. I would watch a movie and say: "Why didn't they do that?" When I'm in the driver's seat, I can have them do just that. At thirteen, I had about a dozen short screenplays/skits written and we did most of them. When I watch them now, I laugh and cringe at the same time. It's safe to say that at thirteen, I wasn't ready for the world to see, but you live and learn.
Why horror. Horror films really appeal to me because you can really get away with low budget and the characters in these films are usually more memorable than any other genre. You always have that crazy old man that tells the tale and the jerks that you want to see killed. You cannot lose with horror. They amuse me a lot more than comedies to, especially when the characters are over the top like the flick: LEGACY OF BLOOD. I would like to eventually try my hand at an action film, but my love of horror is stronger than anything else and it's not something that I can shake or something that I want to shake.
Infernal Dreams: Tell me about X Posse Productions. How did the production company form? Were most of you friends/acquaintances or did you "go outside" and search for and recruit some of your crew members/actors?
Geno McGahee: X Posse Productions was started in 1996. My friend Jeremy Weiskotten and I went to a Pizza Hut and were trying to figure out something to do and that's when I proposed making a horror skit. It really began when my good friend Steven Joseph Adams, who I have always called "X Man" starred in a horror short called "Evil Awakening." Because Steve is such a charismatic person and character, I had to go with that name, after him, and we became the "X Posse." When we released the 1996 version of our movie locally, we needed a production company name and that's what we gave them. I don't think that we took it that seriously at that time and had no plans to branch out into film on the scale that we have, but when we did, we decided to stick with the X Posse Productions. After all these years, we still referred to ourselves as that, and if it's not broke, don't fix it.
Most of the people involved initially were friends, especially in 1996. As we grew and decided to take a shot at an actual full length production, we did "go outside" wherever we could and pitched the idea to people: "Wanna be in a movie?" They usually said yes, but then a great deal of them wouldn't show up.
Infernal Dreams: Your upcoming release, EVIL AWAKENING, was based upon a short film that you and some of the other X Posse crew members shot in 1996. How did that short film grow into a full-length feature and how did you arrive at Tempe Video for the DVD release?
Geno McGahee: OK. Our 1996 version, amazingly, had made the rounds locally. We had initially made ten copies on VHS of the film and before we knew it, copies of copies were floating around. It was an accomplishment for us for people to enjoy it and give us feedback. I had plans for the longest time to make another short, EVIL AWAKENING 2, and when Steve Adams came up to me and said that he wanted to shoot something, I decided that it was time to bring the Coch Woods Monster back. As I wrote the script, which the initial one never had, I began to realize that there was something better going on here and it had the potential to be something more than what everyone else probably thought. So, I wrote it, we began to take it seriously, and as I filmed it, it was certainly a step up from anything else we had done.
From the original 1996 film to the 2004 film, we had shot hundreds of skits and had learned as filmmakers, improving the product, and moving forward. The 2004 EVIL AWAKENING just took on a life of its own and we made the decision to take a shot with it, hoping that people would give it a chance and look beyond the budget restrictions and see the heart behind and hopefully be amused.
Tempe DVD. How I initially found them was when I was seeking out the Campbell Brothers for an interview for my horror site, Scared Stiff Reviews.com. I love...absolutely love DEMON SUMMER, which is a micro budget horror film that they put out there and I have watched it like a million times. I noticed that TEMPE had put it out there and contacted them to get into touch with the Campbell brothers and did so. I began to review movies from Tempe and realized that JR Bookwalter was running the show, and I had been a fan of his work. He did some great films like SANDMAN and OZONE, and set up an interview with him for my site. The interview was great and I actually learned a lot, and that's when I said, screw it and asked JR if he would check out my films and the rest is history. Bookwalter is a great guy that looks out for the little guy with a camera, and that's what the horror world needs.
I can tell you honestly, that I have dealt with many shitheads when it came to distribution. One company wanted the rights, the money, and I would get...nothing! How's that for a deal? Their stance was that I would get exposure, but what's it worth if you get nothing in return? I sat on the film, and bided my time, and found the right opportunity to get my break and hopefully somebody will notice it and say: "Geno, I want you to make me a film. Here's some money!" It's in the cards and I'm optimistic. I have made it to this point and I hope the people will give me the chance and will spread the word that EVIL AWAKENING is worth a watch. I will also say, in regards to these distributors, that their focus seems to be, for the most part, to screw the filmmaker out of money as much as possible, which is not the case at TEMPE, but the other places that I have went...it seemed just that way. If they did get back to me and were interested, the deal was so horrible that I couldn't justify doing it. I want the world to see my work, but I just can't let a jerk off take my product from my completely.
Infernal Dreams: Everyone involved in EVIL AWAKENING appeared like they were really enjoying the shoot - I really got that "good vibe" impression from the film. What was your favorite part of creating the film?
Geno McGahee: My favorite part of the entire film was watching Sam Adams (Steven Joseph Adams) develop as a character. The film was a good vibe from beginning to end, and as we filmed more, the fun increased. When the party scene hit, the filmed really kicked it into high gear. The favorite part was just watching Adams' antics and just how the filmed grew and came together.
Infernal Dreams:What was one of the more challenging aspects of creating EVIL AWAKENING?
The challenging part of the movie was working around work schedules and getting people to commit and stay committed to the cause. So many people promise to be there at a certain time and never show. Case in point, the party scene. I was supposed to have 20 or so people waiting for me and when I got there I had 6, and 6 does not a party make. So, I went out there and got people on the fly, adjusted the screenplay, and found a lot of willing people that day. If there was a sign that it was meant to be, it was that day when I was able to find a lot of people on the fly. The writing and editing and directing and all that jazz can be trying but it's the easy part of the film. Finding responsible people is the toughie, but I guess the phrase: "You get what you paid for" can be used. Sometimes people don't see what you see and can only focus on monetary gain. A lot of people have no vision and that was the case here. The people that have stood me up in EVIL AWAKENING were not given a second chance at RISE OF THE SCARECROWS.
Infernal Dreams: RISE OF THE SCARECROWS is your second full-length film, which will be released in the near future. How did the idea for this formulate and what were some things that you did differently, this time around?
Geno McGahee: I have always thought that scarecrows are creepy and when you incorporate them into a film, you automatically set the tone, although horror movies like: SCARECROW and DARK HARVEST 1 through a million, have not done them justice. The movie SCARECROWS with the bank robbers dropping into the farmland from a stolen plane was an inspiration of sorts and I always loved movies about towns with a secret. I wanted to take the viewer to the small town and scare them and get them to the point where they need to watch the entire film to find out the big secret. When I wrote the script, I thought that it was the best thing that I have ever written and when it was filmed, I got rave reviews from those that watched it. Fellow filmmaker, Jim Haggerty, who I expect big things from, loved it, and when you get somebody in the business, that appreciates micro budget horror, understanding your movie and enjoying it, it means something. It's a great thing.
RISE OF THE SCARECROWS is a solid movie and if I had a budget like the one that they give to complete shit movies like PROM NIGHT and ONE MISSED CALL, it'd have a chance to bring in the masses, but the Hollywood bubble recycles the same crap and the imagination is gone. It's time to take back horror.
What I did differently in this production was to have stronger characters and better actors and just focus on being better all around. EVIL AWAKENING is great, but you want to progress and we have. I think that the writing is tighter, the characters more interesting and developed, and the actors on another level. We also did some camera tricks that helped set the mood, and I thought that I was able to put out a rather complex story in a simple way that leaves all the room in the world for a sequel. I think that the building blocks are there for a series of movies.
Infernal Dreams: There are many familiar faces returning in RISE OF THE SCARECROWS. Could you tell me a little about how it is working with the same cast members and crew? Is it true what directors say, that the trust and comfort level of working with the same cast and crew enhances and eases the filmmaking process?
Geno McGahee: I have a lot of anxiety by nature and I can't say that there is a higher amount of comfort working with the same crew because no matter who you work with, you always have that fear looming over your head. People, no matter how much you enjoy working with them, can prove to be unreliable and I understand that everyone has a life, but it is incredibly frustrating no matter who you work with, unless you have a budget and actors that are paid well to be there.
There are some guys that I have that are very dedicated and I typically don't worry about them, but when you have ten actors for a scene and seven of them show up, and three no call/no shows, it pushes your buttons. I do see a future where I will be using many of the same actors over and over again. Mark Scarborough, Tony Brown, Cedric Howard, and Steve Adams really make these productions something special.
The bigger benefit, I think, to having the same cast is that your fan base enjoys seeing those people again. I am a huge fan of Don Dohler, prior to the Time Warp stuff, and he used the same actors and they pulled it off, and so too do the Campbell brothers. I think that when people see EVIL AWAKENING, they'll be looking for some of my actors in RISE OF THE SCARECROWS and the new one SCARY TALES.
Infernal Dreams: When it comes to your screenwriting, it seems that you like to create various textures through your use of quirky/eccentric characters. What is your writing process like? Do you outline the scenes and then write the characters or do you write the characters and then structure scenes around them?
Geno McGahee: I typically just have a general idea of what the story will be and then I go from there. I never outline anything. I usually have a beginning in mind and then an ending and then I sort of fill in the blanks from there. I hate the modern horror film where they don't establish the characters and opt to just fill the film with hot chicks that can't act and even if they could, the writing is so bad that they have nothing to work with to begin with. I focus on the characters first and then the killer or monster or whatever it is. If you don't care about the characters, you are not going to care if they live or die. The key to a good horror film is character development, not blood, gore, and T&A. That stuff is just icing on the cake and most films have no cake.
When it comes to my strange characters...I base some of them on people that I know, like "Dicky" from RISE OF THE SCARECROWS was based on one of my family members that is just trash. A lot of the time, I try to make characters that will amuse the audience because they amuse me and I have heard before that if you want to make something successful, make it something that you like, and that's what I'm doing. I like my perverted and crazy characters and they'll keep on coming as long as I have a camera and people willing to participate.
Infernal Dreams: On your productions, you write, act, produce, co-direct, etc. Do you have a favorite "job" among all of your duties on the set?
Geno McGahee: I would say that directing is the best thing. I love the creation process, where you see it all materializing and where I can steer the ship and make changes as we go. Writing it is probably second. I really do enjoy writing and I couldn't stop if I wanted to. I am not too keen on acting. I prefer to be the guy behind the scenes rather than one of the characters, but desperate times call for desperate measures and sometimes I have to wear many hats because my cast doesn't always come through. I did enjoy being "Dicky" though. Being a good guy like I was in EVIL AWAKENING was OK, but being the jerk that beats his wife and is complete trash was great.
Infernal Dreams: You are going to begin production on your third film. Without giving away any surprises, what can we expect from Geno McGahee and X Posse this time?
Geno McGahee: I wrote an anthology called "SCARY TALES," and it features four tales, one of which was written by my sister, Melissa, and one by my dear friend Matthew Walker Wallace. I wrote the other two and the story that ties them together. What will be most obvious is the production value increase. This movie will be sort of like CREEPSHOW, VAULT OF HORROR, and ASYLUM. It will be another step up, and it gives a chance to others to try their hand at writing, although I will be directing the entire thing and overseeing the entire project from start to finish. I won't give too much away, but I'll say this much. The fans of my work and X Posse Productions will be treated to cannibals, zombies, a town with a secret, and a black widow. It's more complicated and one of my tales called "Majority Rules" is probably the best thing that I have ever written. I am a huge fan of 12 ANGRY MEN, where all of the action takes place in one room and it is totally captivating. There are no car chases, explosions, annoying CGI, or T&A. It is all about the writing and I think that this story "Majority Rules," although all of the other tales are great, is my best work and will stand out as such. It takes place in one room for the most part and I think that when the dust settles, the viewers will appreciate it and be terrified and compelled without a zombie running in holding a severed head while on fire.
Infernal Dreams: Aside from X Posse Productions, you also have a horror review website, Scared Stiff Reviews, which you created with your sister. Could you tell me more about how that came about?
Geno McGahee: I created Scared Stiff Reviews.com for several reasons. The number one reason was to figure out this horror business and thought that if I get on good terms with the movers and shakers, that I might be able to find a way to get distribution for my films. I'm also a huge fan of low budget horror and there are a lot of guys out there like me that want a chance and very little websites give them that chance. I wanted to give them that chance, but it is also a learning tool for me. We are in the same budget range, so we will probably employ different techniques to get the production done. I'm sure that they look at my work under the same microscope.
One of the biggest reasons that I began this site was because I HATE renting the same shitty horror film twice or more. If I review it, then I will remember it and won't waste four dollars again. It has worked.
My sister Melissa does a great job and there is really a great balance in my team. Crazy Carl Robinson, who was in three horror films, is a comedic genius. He was in DEMON SUMMER and wrote a book "FAT ON THE VINE," and after reading it, I threw the offer out there and he accepted and has been writing for me for a year. He's a nut, I'm a nut, and Melissa is the normal one, writing reviews without the sickness. I'm down with the sickness.
Infernal Dreams: How did you become involved in the boxing world, with The Ringside Report? X Posse Productions is also involved in producing "The Boxing Show" for the site. What are some of the differences or challenges in shooting "The Boxing Show", as opposed to a horror movie shoot?
Geno McGahee: I have been a boxing fan since I was twelve. I love Mike Tyson and watching him knock these guys out in ninety seconds hooked me on the game. I have been a writer from birth. So, it's a natural that I would write about boxing, but it never occurred to me until I was plucked off of a message board by a website called "Rabbitpunchboxing.com." I wrote for a year there and then they pulled the rug out from under me and I went to Ringside Report, and have been there since 2005. It is such a trip to interview the fighters that I grew up watching on television. There is nothing like covering a live fight at ringside. Boxing is such a great sport and I have so many memories in this short period of time.
The Boxing Show was a freaking blast. The challenging part, again, is getting the team to show the same drive that you have. I wrote it, produced it, directed it, and all that jazz, and it was different from any other boxing show. There was a skit, funny headlines, and debate with 3-Time World Champion Jose Antonio Rivera and Trainer Sean Fitzgerald. One of the best scenes ever was when Jose chased a 300 pound drag queen out of the gym. I'm the only man in history to ever write and produce a scene where a world champion does that and I am very proud of it. We also had a dancing Don King and the host of the show, Cedric Howard, getting KO'd in a boxing match (simulated and hilarious).
The biggest difference between producing The Boxing Show and my movies is that I don't own Ringside Report. My boss, Brad Berkwitt, doesn't always agree with my perverse sense of humor and I have to cross my ideas past him first, rather than doing exactly what I want to do without any supervision. Very rarely did Brad ask me to remove something or add something, but it was always there. I think that another thing that was different was that I wasn't just dealing with a movie. I was making a boxing show each month and it was a lot of work and kicked my ass...really. I do plan to have the show return in the future, bigger and better, but for now, it's on the backburner.
One of the best things ever was covering a live event featuring the King of the 4 Rounders, Butterbean, with a video crew and doing commentary, and the boxing experience has opened many doors in the horror world. Entertainment is entertainment and I think that being involved in both has helped me. They work off each other.
Infernal Dreams: You're a man of many talents and interests - a creative person by nature. It seems like we are in an age where brutal honesty is "stylish" or "cool". I try to have a "live and let live" attitude and, as a critic and creative person myself, I feel that a person can be honest but can also be fair. I realize that once you expose your work to the public, you are pretty much fair game - that's the nature of the beast. However, it does seem like there is a "trashing" trend and also a "liking" trend in the media today – like you receive "street cred" for loving, hating, or agreeing with other opinions. What are some of your thoughts on these "trends" and on criticism in general?
Geno McGahee: Unfortunately, many critics are bought and sold, and you are 100% correct that there is a "trashing" trend, where negative reviews seem to bring more attention to the author. You see it across the board. Go anywhere and read about Britney Spears or Mike Tyson, and you will never see good news. Long story, but I'll shorten it up. I was cleaning my house and I had found some newspapers from the 1950s and there was so little negative news. A half page story on a new barber shop was news, but not anymore. They are selling negativity. The media as a whole is garbage and the moviemaking business is a part of it on a large scale. Look at IMDB and before these "blockbusters" come out, they are already a 10 on the rating scale, which tells me that they are cooking the books. I have noticed on a personal level, that certain horror companies have stopped sending me movies to review because they didn't like my critique of the films, but that goes with the territory. I would rather wake up and look myself in the mirror then sell out for a free movie.
I think that you can be honest and fair and when I write reviews, that's the way that I operate. The Internet has become the truest place for news and reviews. There is a big problem with the media as a whole. Why Britney Spears being drunk is newsworthy is beyond me, but they need to keep the public busy thinking about things like that rather than the war and the oil prices.
On a personal level, I want honest reviews. If you don't like it, but you watched it, I don't have an issue. You can't please everyone. What irritates me are the people that haven't seen any of my work and automatically call it garbage. People are jealous of people that are out there and chasing a dream and try to tear it down and that bothers me. If somebody does something, even if it's horrible, give them credit for going out there and finishing it, but there are so many people out there that critique harshly and don't know what they are talking about. I can think of a bunch in my family alone that have said their piece when they didn't know anything about my productions to begin with, let alone have seen them. So, criticism is a good thing and no review is a bad review, really, but when its baseless, that is the problem.
Infernal Dreams: Aside from horror films, boxing, and X Posse, what are some other things in your life that you enjoy? What does Geno McGahee do to "kick back" and relax and what is life like in Massachusetts?
Geno McGahee: Great question and thank you for asking. I really enjoy Chess, but sadly, I don't have many people to play anymore. I have a great chess set with a chess table and it collects dust. To kick back and relax, I enjoy the simple things. Sitting on my porch with an iced coffee is something that makes me happy. Little things matter. I'm not a bad cartoonist and will often be found sketching something.
My favorite activity in the world is hanging out with my 3 year old son, "Munch." Making him happy is my number one priority and he is such a character. I get to play with Legos again and it is really relaxing to forget about boxing and horror and work and just focus on making a house out of Legos.
Life in Massachusetts has its pros and cons. I live near a city that is pretty rough and full of crime and filth, but the economy is horrible and the cost of living is so high, that crime like this is inevitable. I do love Massachusetts in the fall...nothing better. It can be a really beautiful place.
Infernal Dreams: On a final note, it seems like the horror genre is finally getting out of the "remake rut" and is starting to move forward with some original content, once again. What is your assessment of the current horror genre and what directions would you like to see it go in? Also, what advice do you have for a new director or for someone who just wants to pick up a camera and start filming some ideas?
Geno McGahee: Remake Rut. You said it. Horror has been in bad shape lately with all of the freaking remakes as well as the Asian transfers that don't work. THE STRANGERS, VACANCY, and FUNNY GAMES, have been good entries and I liked HIGH TENSION, but overall the business sucks. They are mindless and catering to 13 year olds, but there have been glimmers of promise. I would say that the recent horror history has been sad and I heard that they are remaking A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and FRIDAY THE 13TH, with the same jerk off that made the horrible TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake. And as much as I love Rob Zombie, why remake Halloween? It was a good effort, but not necessarily a good movie.
What horror films need to do is to focus on good actors, not good looking actors. THE CHANGELING with George C. Scott was a great movie, and Scott is not a looker, but he is a great actor and did a great job. The original BLACK CHRISTMAS featured many actors that weren't going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issue any time soon, but they were great actors. So, let's start with better writers, better actors, and treating the audience like they have a brain? I KNOW WHO KILLED ME told the audience "Look for the clues" because apparently we are too stupid to figure it out. What garbage. I am not optimistic that horror will come back to the 1970's where it was smart, gritty, and done well, but let's keep our fingers crossed.
My advice for any hopeful filmmaker is that if you're going to start something, finish it. Also, don't get discouraged. If you knock on enough doors, somebody will eventually answer. I also want to let them know that character development is more important than gore and T&A and keep that in mind. Finally, don't let the people around you sway you from your dream. Chase it and catch it. Remember that success is the best revenge and people wouldn't be trying to stop you if you weren't on to something.
I also want to publicly thank Infernal Dreams Horror Society for this interview, especially you Peter. I also hope that people will give EVIL AWAKENING a shot. Thanks again to everyone for the support. It is sincerely appreciated.