INTERVIEW: Camp Dread director, Harrison Smith

- By @TheBlueTook

Mr Harrison Smith: Horror film director, producer, writer, company creator, Head Of Independent Genre Development at Mario Kassar’s Carolco Pictures. What a guy.

I’m not remotely jealous…

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Harrison, thank you very much for sparing some time to speak to us, sir. Being one of life’s winners, I can imagine you’re pretty busy?!

One of life’s winners? Eh, that’s a matter of perspective. I’m lucky to get to do what I always wanted to do, that’s all, but thanks!

Director, producer, writer, company creator, head honcho at Carolco… the list is very impressive, man, but how did you start in the film industry?

I started when my uncle got me a silent Super 8mm film camera when I was 10 years old. It went from there. My first “real” movie was The Fields in 2010 with Cloris Leachman and Tara Reid. From there it’s been a daily effort to climb the ladder and make good stuff and get noticed. I was making small movies as a boy, including a comedy slapstick series that eventually went to local cable in the 80s. It’s all been about networking and making the proper connections to good people that in turn translates into making good product.

Can you tell us a bit about your cool production company, Class Of ’85?

Sure, it’s named after the high school class I graduated from Stroudsburg High. I’m very proud of the education I received from Stroudsburg and felt lucky to have had the teachers I did from 6th through 12th grades. I make low budget, high quality indie genre films and also TV. My IMDB lists everything you need to know as well as my website: www.class85.com

So providing it’s copyrighted, ANYONE can send their work to you?

NO. They can request to send and if interested will send a submission form but anything unsolicited gets immediately deleted without opening.

As mentioned, you recently started working for Mr Kassar’s Carolco as Head Of Independent Genre Development – congrats! What type of cool stuff do you get to work on? And do you need a teaboy?

Tea boy? Nah. We are developing a number of projects, including the film adaptation of Adrienne Barbeau’s vampire/werewolf novel, Love Bites. We have a number of solid projects lined up and excited to get them going because there are a lot of talented names attached.

The Carolco logo is wedged firmly in my mind from childhood, watching T2, Total Recall and the Rambo films on loop! Is it your job to find the next blockbusting genre film? If so, a word of advice: avoid a sequel to Cutthroat Island!

No, my job is not to find the next blockbuster. That’s on the mainstream side of the company. As for Cutthroat Island 2… I don’t think you have to worry about that.

On top of all this, you’ve written and directed a few features, most notably last year’s CAMP DREAD, starring Eric Roberts and Danielle Harris – how did it go for your first feature?

To direct? It was a blast. Eric and Danielle were wonderful to work with and have since become friends. We had a lot of fun shooting that film and it was great to have Felissa Rose back in a summer camp setting. I wrote the role of Rachel specifically for Felissa, we wanted no one else in that role. She also appears in Zombie Killers as a religious nutcase that’s scarier than the zombies.

How does the role of ‘Director’ differ from what you’re used to?

Well, your head is on the chopping block. It’s more than yelling action or cut. It’s about running a good, postive set and getting the vision through on the budget you have. Time and money are always the constraints but you need to show your crew you’re in charge of these things without having to say it. I am a firm believer in the phrase: “if you have to tell someone you’re in charge, you’re not.” As director it’s your vision and success is to be shared with everyone as part of the film. But defeat, is all mine.

You followed this up with ZOMBIE KILLERS: ELEPHANT’S GRAVEYARD, which rubber-stamped your cult status – mightily impressive considering it was only your second crack at directing! What do you think the key is to pleasing the horror masses?

There is NO pleasing the horror masses. You make the film you feel is your best and if they take it, they do and if they don’t they take to social media! 😉

The serious answer is: make good stuff. Some will like it, some won’t and that’s really the way it goes. Horror fans have been led astray and unfortunately some of the stuff that’s come out has created a following of people that truly don’t know the difference between good and bad entertainment. You’re up against fans that CLAIM they want something different but when you do that then they go: “Well it wasn’t like this or that.” NO, it’s something different. It’s supposed to be it’s own thing, but many don’t see it like that.

Cool answer, man. I couldn’t agree more.

Who are or what was your main horror influences?

Jaws. It was the film that made me want to make movies, but I don’t know if it’s truly a horror film. However, I was raised on a diet of classic horror: Price, Cushing, Lee, Karloff, Lorre, Chaney, Lugosi… all the greats. I loved those films and many sit on my shelf. It wasn’t all about gore and blood. However I do owe modern thanks to John Carpenter (interviewed here!) and his model for filmmaking and Tom Holland for his writing (Psycho II), and his 1985 Fright Night, which I hold dear.

Is there another upcoming filmmaker we should keep our eye out for?

Joe Raffa. Read this: http://www.sixdegreesmovie.com/apps/blog/youll-know-my-name-putting-indie-wannabe
Another is James Cullen Bressack. He’s wonderful.

Robin DeMartino is listed as the Casting Director on your new feature, DEATH HOUSE. Now, I’ve never spoken to the man, but he SURELY deserves a pay-rise! THAT is a fucking CAST!!! Trejo, Dee Wallace, Englund, Hodder, Mosley, Berryman, Doug Bradley, Foree, Gunnar Hansen, the list is mindblowing! How do you plan to utilise them all? My suggestion would be gung-ho, fuck the lawsuits, dress them in the outfits we all know best, and instigate a Celebrity Death Match scenario… Thoughts?

Well, Robin is the WOMAN! 😉

All of these names have specific roles and this is NOT a cameo gimmick movie. Fans will be thrilled to see what we do. I’ll decline on the trademark, character and copyright violations. You will not be seeing Jason Vorhees, Freddy Krueger or Pinhead in this. But thanks for the vote of confidence.

Fuck. Sorry, Robin. I’m sure you’re a beautiful WOMAN and not like a man at all. At least I tried to get you that pay rise. 😉

Seriously though, mate, great work. The craniums of your mass following may very well explode, Scanners style! Any details you can give us about it?

Sure. Here’s the synopsis. It gives all the details without the spoilers. There will be plenty of surprises in this. DH Press revise

The Slaughtered Bird recently met up with Ken Foree, Bill Mosley and Gunnar Hansen at HorrorCon UK, which we sponsored!

I see Gunnar at Horrorfest in CT this weekend!

Will you help spread The Slaughtered Bird word within your coolest-of-cool horror circles?

Send me whatever you need me to spread and I will do so! Thanks for the interview!

 

@TheBlueTook