Anyone who has been following the
surge in popularity of Independently
made films will have heard of Jonathan Chance, or if not him
personally then certainly some of the projects hes been involved with.
The Timeslip, part of the Chance Encounters Film productions, won the
Best Sci Fi award in 2011 at the Geek Independent Film Festival. It is
perhaps his work with this very successful group that brought him to a
position where he was able to start work on "Something Like A
Phenomenon". "Phenomenon" is a labour of love for Jonathan and I
was
keen to find out why from the man himself.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for taking the time to speak to me while you are
over in the UK. You have been referred to as a "Guerrilla Film-maker"
but I sense I great deal of affection for the growing Indie Film
business. What are your opinions on this oft overlooked area of film
making at the moment?
Hi Daniel, nice to finally sit down
and chat with you! I admire anyone that
can do it. A lot of respect for anyone that tries, it really isn’t given the
respect it deserves especially if you can make something great with little or
no resources. I really feel guerrilla film making is the heart of original independent
film, definitely. You can’t get any more hands on than doing it all yourself.
It’s easy to critique someone’s work but go out and make a movie? It’s tougher
than it looks. After one feature film and four shorts all self-funded - anyone
who tries to wear the many hats of the film making process know it can be
tough. Now, there’s b) the other end of the spectrum - people who work up from
runners to AD’s then eventually to direct films, which can be a long arduous
journey in itself. By this point those people must be crying out to do/show
their own ability and vision to what they want to produce. I feel lucky to be
in the former - the guerrilla filmmaker can do anything to their hearts desire
(within budget or no budget but again that’s where the real artist in you gets
creative!) find their staple of originality all the while getting the
experience to be an Indie Director – not necessarily a big studio Director
perhaps, but Richard and I (the other half of Chance Encounters) didn’t have to
wait to see what we could do and be capable of with so little at hand. The
Timeslip we still used the same work ethic as before with a slightly better
camera and the result was our most successful film to date. It only gets me
more excited for the future - by what we could do when we’re not held back by
always funding our own projects – with the same sensibilities we hold so dear in
always keeping the films ‘real’ despite if the film is in the realm of horror
or fantasy.
It seems, at least to me, that things can only improve from here on in
thanks to the development of films financed and promoted using social
network, especially twitter, is there still an issue with getting the
large multi plexs to screen films?
Oh yes! Always is for the little
guy. I agree it is easier now more than ever to get your work seen – but the competition
is higher than ever because everyone is having a go at it. It just forces you
to be better, try to stand out and always think differently and make what is
distinctly one of our films – so people will want to come and see a Chance
Encounters film whether it be solely a Jonathan Chance film or Richard Chance
film or a Chance Brothers film. A guy by himself or small Indie group simply
cannot get his film in a multiplex without moneyed help of a PR company or
simply knowing people. Paranormal Activity would not have been as popular were
it not for Screamfest and the mega advertising campaign everywhere – most
people can’t afford things like that. To be taken seriously essentially you
still have to try and get your foot in the door like the old days but Twitter (like
how I met you!) and other social networks and websites definitely help get the
word out and the responses we hear completely encourage and support us to want
to continue knowing there is an audience wanting the same thing we want - we
always appreciate it.
So, moving on to "Something Like A Phenomenon" Can you tell me a
little about how you came to hear the story of "the most haunted house
in Britain" and how you came to be involved in making the film about
it?
I was nine years old and a friend
and I read about it in old ghost books and heard stories from locals. Just
knowing there was this scary story literally on our doorstep fascinated me more
than anything and I wanted to know more. The story of a real haunted house and
this rather eccentric, but essentially pioneering first ghost hunter in Harry
Price was so interesting! When I was in my teen’s friends and I went along to
the existing spot to record phenomena of our own and I totally see the
fascination in the unknown, it’s always interested me. So combined with my love
of horror movies and finding my passion in film making after a few films around
2008 I started writing scenes for Phenomenon - reading up on people in Harry Price’s
life; friends, enemies and all about his work and I knew that one day I would
make a film about it. Or at least if one of my films took off and I could
finally be at a stage of making a financed work this would be my dream film to
make. Knowing now that there is a plethora of supernatural films – my intention
was never to jump on a band wagon but rather make a true ghost story to end the
- and let’s start at the beginning. Or at the very least offer my take before
someone else makes a film about Borley Rectory in some awful untrue modern
setting and state it was ‘based on a true story’. My story is one of truth blended with the
spirit of an innovative time for science and the supernatural. And it’s by
someone who knows the legend well. I want my script transcend to screen to make
a classic horror film that will stand the test of time – like the films I grew
up on. I don’t want it turned into another implausible CGI ridden mess. The
legend, myth and truth essentially hangs in the balance. This is a big one for
me and what’s more I’m proud of my local history. I want to bring what the late
great Michael Reeves brought to Essex with The Witchfinder General four decades
ago – a unflinching, pulsating nerve inducing horror film based on a real
legend – he is a perfect example of where we are steering onward and upward
from guerrilla film making to our next step up in evolution and progression. I
hope it will be our timeless ‘Witchfinder’ of today for Essex, England a place
steeped in haunted history!
Michele Mulkey has recently announced that she is working on the
lovers of fantastic quality special effects. Does this mean you are
moving towards "old school scares" rather than CGI driven effects?
Absolutely! In horror CGI should aide not ‘make’ the scene
if used at all. I want to get back to the feel of believability again. Speaking
of believability brings me to my secret weapon; SFX artist Michele Mulkey! I am
completely over blown, happy and very blessed to have someone of her standard
and calibre to want to work on the film and - become head SFX artist for it.
She has wanted to work on something like this for quite a while and I’m happy
it’s my film. Her unwavering passion to see this get made from the very start
means so much. With her on board the better this film will be, we can make a
great movie – I already know it will be of higher quality when we finally get
to production and trust me… this is not one I want to cut back on – it has to
be done right! In FX whether it’s our own self-financed indie films where we’re
making the FX ourselves down to classic horror films – how you build a scene or
cut it or film it chances are it still holds up better than a CGI horror film
from five years ago – I am and always have been for the classic scares. A great
horror film will always have suspense, build etc. It’s more believable,
tangible. CGI has its best merits in supporting SCI-FI fantasy/ horror - there
it is jumping bounds and always improving – you only have to look to say
Battlestar Galactica or The Avengers
they look fantastic. But in the horror genre until I’m not questioning whether
or not something is fake – real SFX will always make a better horror film. Great
SFX you never ask was that CGI? You never question its legitimacy. All my
favourite horror films are traditionally made.
Have you been a fan of Michelle's work for long? How did you get
involved with working with her before this project?
Oh yes! She has produced and
contributed her unique original style over so many genres and of course my
favorite’s horror and sci-fi (of course). I don’t doubt the standard of quality
she will bring to Something Like a
Phenomenon. I met her on line through projects she was talking about on
Twitter and simultaneously I was tweeting about my own films namely The Timeslip doing the film circuit, The
Veil: Unmasked Edition
(their first film recut and packaged now streaming) and a sci-fi collaborative
project anyone can get involved in Richard is working on called The Last War. We were on friendly terms for a time then many tweets
later Phenomenon came up and Michele
must have seen something in my proposal article that resonated and she jumped
to come on board. I couldn’t believe it! So many people high in the industry
don’t get in touch – but the fact she saw my screenplay proposal and wanted to
get in touch with doing the effects and concept drawings, I was ecstatic. With
her support I can see this might be the ‘one’ that breaks through. Always on
the outside looking in after so many years in the Indie film rat race trying to
prove ourselves with our own films it goes to show with enough effort,
experience and building exposure and accolades you too can meet someone as cool
as Michele and raise awareness of someone in the industry if your work has well…
something.
How far into pre production are you? The big question being are you
actually going to film in Borley Rectory itself if not the grounds?
Slowly wins the race for sure. This
has to be done right. Having said that - as quickly as Michele coming on board
happened beginning the journey from script to screen, a don’t doubt if there is
interest for a really real ghost story the ball will get rolling even quicker
soon, so keep watching this space!
I'm interested about the pitch for this project? Did you approach many studios?
In the process of it currently,
looking around – we have a balls to the wall approach – no holding back. Whichever
studio is with us on this we’ll be ready to go. The ‘found footage’ thing is
done – it’s amateurish and predictable. We don’t want it to be bogged down in a
sea of similar looking films that come out every year it seems. We want to
bring something new, as said before my aesthetic is guerrilla style, maybe even
documentary slightly – but it has classic ghost story written all over it. An
air of grandiose even – but only on surface – underneath it’s an indie with a
black hearted underbelly.
"Phenomenon" has already been awarded the position of Semi Finalist
for the Shriekfest 2012 awards, an impressive award, does this help
when it comes to casting?
I really hope so! Denise Gossett and
the team at Shriekfest are wonderful. They are very supportive of independent
filmmakers and screenwriters. I was really proud to have become a semi-finalist
in such a prestigious festival – and I’ve seen where former finalists and
winners have picked up from afterwards. I already have a ‘wish list’ of casting
I would love for the film. Who I have in mind – if I can just get one or two
would bring considerable weight to the production. I am well aware today a lot
of teens have a short attention span and this would be a traditional horror
that will suit the niche (who are crying out for a real, gritty proper horror
film from yesteryear) but in the story set around the one year Harry Price has
a lease to the most haunted house in England all walks of life take part in the
experiment of living in the house within the year and some of the important
characters are youngsters who carry out the experiments the house (which I’m
sure kids will relate to). Meanwhile, Price and his cohorts - the main adult
characters need to have great screen presence that bring different generations
of cinema-goers together and has to hold the screen. I know the perfect actors
in mind that can bring the perfect balance of lending weight to the film and compliment
it but not upstage the film itself. The house and its goings on is probably in
all essence the biggest character in the story.
I'm assuming that working with Dennis Wheatley on the film short wont
do you to much harm, how did that come about?
Finally, have you any idea at this stage of timescales for production?
How can readers follow developments with the films production?
Indeed! Just like Michele coming
on board things could just take off - so watch this space! The website will be
up very shortly it will be under: http://somethingphenomenon.wix.com/movie
meanwhile currently our Facebook
page is: http://www.facebook.com/WhoIsHarryPrice
Also mine or Michele’s twitter handles will always keep
people current on what’s developing – and of course people talking about it and
getting the word out really will help us move into production faster too J