A salute to everyone reading this interview. A couple months ago I was able to chat with KOHL GLASS, a talented director from Mesa, Arizona. On june 21 of this year was released on VOD paltforms his latest movie: BABYSITTER MUST DIE, distributed by Blue Fox Entertainment. A horror-thriller movie that has pinches of comedy in it. The story centers on a babysitter that must to defend the family hired her from some cultists, but she's not just any babysitter, she is the babysitter the cultists need to kill to succeed in their plans, but soon they find things won't go as easy as they planned before. The movie has received praise from critics and audience, for example www.heavenofhorror.com wrote: "...it reminded me quite a lot of movies like Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse or Tucker and Dale vs Evil. Both are movies I really love so this is a huge compliment.".
KOHL told us about why chose filmmaking as a life thing, the ins and outs during the shooting of his film, anecdote and advice for all those newbie filmmakers out there tryng to figure out how to make their first movie. Come out! Scrowl down and read a worthy interview.
EFF: First things first, let me thank you for letting me chat with you. Mr. Glass, Where are you from and how you realized that filmmaking would be your life thing.
KG: Thank you! I am from Mesa Arizona, though I grew up in rural Colorado and I am currently living in Salt Lake City, UT. I was always a very creative kid, and I knew I would need to do something where I could tell stories as a career to be happy. I had always been in love with movies so I took an intro to film class at Mesa Community College, and it was then I decided I'd go to university and study film.
EFF: Tell us a little bit about your previous works, for example, you have shot four movies so far, no including the matter of our talk, all of them from different genres...
KG: I love stories and there are not many genres I'm uninterested in playing in. The genres I have made movies in have always been dictated by opportunity. For example, my first feature, Orc Wars, was action/fantasy, the concept was brought to me by some friends I went to film school with. It wasn’t exactly what I would have chosen for my first film, myself, but you take the opportunities that come to you, and I’m very grateful we got to make that movie together. You May Now Kill the Bride was similar except that the script was already written when I was hired.
EFF: Related to the above question, why have you decided to shoot your last film BABYSITTE MUST DIE in the horror genre?
KG: Josie Jane was similar to You May Now Kill the Bride in that I was hired to direct after the script was written. I read the script, felt it would be a good opportunity to make a really fun movie.
EFF: OK, so the movie was written when you got onboard, but in the movie, you have a co-writer credit.
KG: The original concept for Babysitter Must Die was Kevin Tavolaro’s. The script was already written by the time I was hired. Once we locked our locations, I did a pass on the script to make it work with where we were shooting. Top Dead Center Films graciously gave me a writing credit for that.
EFF: Now, entering the shooting stage, how was it? I mean, did you have any setbacks you had to solve it out?
KG: Babysitter Must Die was an absolute blast to make. We had such a great cast and crew. Plus, it’s about a girl scout killing cultists . . . where does that not get fun? The hardest parts were the stunts. Figuring out how Riley Scott would climb fifty feet of tree took a while to figure out and make look right.
EFF: How long it took you to shoot the film and what date was it and when?
KG: We shot Babysitter Must Die over twelve days, from November 7th to the 23rd, 2019.
EFF: What style did you try to impress on the film, maybe any references to other movies?
KG: I love the Coen Bros and I tried to tonally balance the horrific and the humor like they do in many of their movies.
EFF: What was the hardest scene to shoot and why?
KG: The scene where Josie throws the Intruder off the balcony was pretty hard to shoot since it was really cold and it required stunts. We had planned to shoot it in another spot but for safety reasons, we had to move it at the last second and figure the whole thing out again.
EFF: What aspects could you highlight from the casting management? I mean, what advice based on your experience would you tell us about handling actors in order to get the best performance from them.
KG: My philosophy is if a line is coming off wooden it is because the actor hasn’t created anything around or behind it. I usually stop and help them create the “hinterland” behind why that character would be saying that line. Usually, that does the trick.
EFF: What camera did you use in the film and why?
KG: We used two RED cameras. I’m not sure which ones. I’m not a technical person.
EFF: When was the movie released and where people can watch it?
KG: Babysitter Must Die was released on June 22nd, 2021 and can be seen on all VOD platforms.
EFF: As an indie filmmaker and taking in consideration the low budget usually an indie horror film can get, what is the most important thing an indie director needs to have in consideration when filming a horror movie?
KG: I think, if you are going to work as an independent filmmaker, you need to have a working understanding of what costs the most and what takes the most time on set. You have to be smart and play to the strengths of independent film. You can’t hemorrhage the budget because of ignorance.
"Babysitter Must Die" Cast and Crew
EFF. What kind of director consider yourself, directing actors, your crew, etc. Do you storyboard all the scenes? What pre-preparation do you usually do when shooting a scene?
KG: I think I’m a visual director first and foremost because film is a visual medium first and foremost. Of course, an actor’s performance is part of the visuals so that is immensely important too. One of my favorite parts of filmmaking is designing the show, which I do with cookbooks and storyboards. Sometimes the schedule doesn’t always permit it, but I prefer to be as prepared as possible for the shoot.
EFF: Any anecdote from the shooting stage?
KG: The main location was next door to my daughter’s elementary school. Everyone was so mad at us (for taking up the parking), but my daughter loved it because every day after school she would come raid craft services.
EFF: What are your inspiration; directors or films?
KG: As I said, I’m a huge fan of the Coen Bros. I also love Wes Anderson, Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Andrei Tarkovsky, Edgar Wright, and Alfred Hitchcock. I always try to channel them when I’m on set to varying degrees of success.
EFF: What advice would you give to those newbie filmmakers from your experience, I mean, during pre, production or post, any advice is gold.
KG: Figure out what you can make right now and make that with all your heart. Don’t wait for permission from some gatekeeper to make something bigger than you are currently capable. You will never get it. Always be making something. Don’t wait.
EFF: How have you lived this pandemic? Personally, Professionally…
KG: My wife is immunosuppressed so we’ve been very sequestered and isolated. I have mostly been writing during this time of quartile and have avoided being on set.
EFF: Are you a horror fan? What film do you like most?
KG: I don’t know if I identify as a “horror fan.” I do have a lifelong fascination with the macabre (Poe and Lovecraft etc.), and my all-time favorite movie is Psycho . . . so maybe I am?
EFF: What new projects are you working on now, something you can anticipate us now?
KG: In 2019 I decided to make short films again like I did when I was a film student. They are cheap, conceptual, quick to make and I can maintain total control over them. I find they are very cathartic to make and essential for mental health. So, right now I’m working on my next short film, which is a dark comedy about a divorced unemployed man who is convinced he has captured the serial killer his ex-wife is obsessed with.
EFF: If a producer gives you a chance to direct a horror film remake, what would it be and why?
KG: I think that would have to be The Changeling from 1980. That movie is so scary and you don’t really see anything explicit. I think updating that story while using the same techniques would be so fun.
EFF : Would you like to say anything else?
KG: Thank you for reaching out to me. This has been fun.
BABYSITTER MUST DIE (2020)
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