Last Month I met Director Alex Bram, at the Carnival of Darkness in Los Angeles, a little short film festival that draw 300 guest’s into Westwoods legendary Majestics Theater.

After the festival this young up and coming Director with a humble attitude, took time off to talk with Rogue about his film Body Of Work which was Written by Shayla Beesly & Alex Bram (Alex also directed and produced the film along with his charming wife Renee Pezzotta and producing partner Leah Cevoli) Body of Work premiered at the Carnival of Darkness Film Festival at the Crest Theater in L.A. on August 8th along with some other great short films. “BOW” is Bram’s first film that he produced in the horror genre.

Besides that in 2006 Alex won at the Westwood International Film Festival the Best Documentary award for “By the Side of the Road: 911 in America”  at the Westwood International Film Festival his music video for “How Much it Hurts” has gotten the band Just Off Turner 36,000 views on YouTube. So let’s go on a ride and find out more about this talented young man!

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HMB: Alex, tell us a little bit about your background, where did you grow up?

AB: I grew up in Miami which was such a melting pot of different cultures, music and art.  It's in the South but it's definitely not "The South".  More of a tropical or international vibe. 
 

HMB: What are your earliest memories of horror and what made you decide to pursue a career as a Director?

AB:  Well I grew up during Nixon who was a terrifying boogeyman for a little kid.  I think the fact that I was an only child forced me to find unique ways to entertain myself.  I remember my "play time" was very complex.  For example, I would set up my toys and play out an entire two hour original movie.  I was probably eight or nine years old.  I would turn off all the lights and get these flashlights and play "Alien Invasion" which consisted of toy car chases, GI Joe vs. Hulk battles, car stunts and invariably, a climactic flood staged in mom's bathtub with a cast of soggy action figures.  It doesn't sound like I had very good supervision, huh?  Also, you can see me going over-budget even then.  
 

HMB: What does horror mean to you?

AB:  I love life itself and I don't know what comes after life, and that disturbs me.  So really anything that brings death nearer is horrifying - be it a car crash or a werewolf or serial killer.  Death is the ultimate terror, built right into our innate desire to survive.  I think even the most religious and enlightened holy men and philosophers have a fear reaction to death, no matter how at peace they say they are with the afterlife.  It's hard wired into our makeup so that we always do everything we can to survive.
"Saving Private Ryan" is not a horror film, but the sequence on the beach horrifies because it puts death right in our face without flinching.  By the way, this is only scary, or effective, if it's done the right way.  Realistic depictions of death and murder bring this natural fear reaction.  Many recent horror films, which have been put out simply to make money the first weekend cause it's date night, are not scary because death is presented in a light and flippant way.  If you present a kill scene and play it for fun or wink at the audience, then you are letting them off the hook.  My films will never let you off the hook.

This is why all those new Mummy films aren't scary, although the body count might rival "Private Ryan"... when an evil minion is killed off in front of Brendan Fraser, no one has a realistic reaction to this event.  If that really happened in front of you, bad guy or not, it would be a devastating scene which would haunt you for the rest of your life.  But since the Mummy franchise is more interested in being a video game movie and making money (check) than in being the cool horror story it originally was, the filmmaker does not acknowledge the reality of death.

Realism is important if you really want to scare.  This is what made "Blair Witch" so frightening - they played it for real, almost documentary style.  The scene in "American Werewolf in London" where the two guys are walking through the moors is terrifying because that's exactly what it would look like if that really happened.  I love John Landis.

HMB: How would you respond to those who accuse the genre of inciting violence and corrupting the young? Horror has a long history of censorship around the world, more than any other genre, why do you think this is?

AB: The voice of horror, and sci-fi as well, is very subversive and questions authority and religion and the status quo.  All those great Richard Matheson stories make you think about how we have set things up as humans and get you to thinking.  Sometimes our "leaders" do not like the idea that we are thinking about things.  That's a very dangerous thing for them.  So obviously this is something they would want to shut up.  Horror is an entertainment and it is a healthy way to consider and express our feelings towards the unexplained.  Trying to suppress this is contrary to nature and always blows up and creates something worse.  Like Nixon.  You see how I brought that around?... 
 

HMB: Are there horror films that you find offensive and do you agree with censorship in certain cases or should artists be allowed to show absolutely anything they want to?

AB: No censorship ever.  I welcome them to keep making those lame "Saw" movies.  I'm just not going to waste my time or money seeing them because I prefer to be scared than grossed out.  So, if no one bought tickets to these films, believe me, they would go away.  I think there's hope that people will catch on to the scam.  It's easier to make a gory scene than it is to make a suspenseful and unsettling scene.  It just takes more time and thought and those kinds of filmmakers are more interested in their bank statements and getting laid than any kind of craft.
 

HMB: Alex, let’s talk about “Body of Work” your newest film which was premiered at “The Carnival Of Darkness” in Los Angeles and which earned you standing ovations from the audience! What can you tell our readers about the film and this production?

AB: I would say that with "Body of Work" I have found my voice as an artist.  You can expect more from me in this vein.  It was great to hear 300 people whooping it up during my film and I was satisfied that they were excited about it.  It sure wasn't easy to make.  All of this stuff I have been talking about - real horror - I believe people are fucking starving for it.  It's so rare to bump into a true horror film that was made with care.  Every now and then a film like "The Ring" or "Zodiac" will come out and remind you about how it could be.  But for the most part it's these get rich quick schemes.

My film is an example of "retro-horror" which takes the lessons of Hitchcock, Carpenter and Kubrick and brings them into the modern world.  I am not interested in going backwards, but I do feel that it's necessary to study the old masters.  Hitchcock started in the silent film era and basically invented the language of suspense.  Spielberg was a disciple of Hitchcock and you can see that very clearly in the "Private Ryan" scene I mentioned earlier, as well as "Jaws", "Close Encounters" and "Jurassic Park".

I think these kinds of good hearty horror films will come back because there will always be an appetite for them. 
 

HMB: What were the main obstacles that the production faced during filming and were there any major issues you were forced to overcome?

AB: I was producer on this which ended up being an enormous responsibility.  I ended up firing about 4 people who chose to make themselves obstacles to a smooth flow.  I am very protective of this work and will not tolerate nonsense.  I am also a ridiculous perfectionist and I pushed everyone beyond their normal limits and comfort zones.  I believe every single individual involved in the production hated my fucking guts at one point or another, really... Without exception, I can remember stepping on everyone's toes and asking them to do something they don't usually do.  In the end, I hope they can look at the final product and be proud of it.
 

HMB: Your DP … did an amazing Job on “Body Of Work” did you shoot on HD or Film?

AB: We shot using the HD red camera.  I consider my DP, Cat Deakins, my co-author on this film.  She is on her way to being one of the masters and I hope to be at least a small part of that.  She will always be my first phone call on any future projects.  Again, all those beautiful shots took a long time to think about and then set up.  We shot the film in a mere four days and we were always racing against the clock.  Despite this, I never, ever, rushed Cat, because I was looking at what was coming out of her lens and I was just floored and quite ecstatic.  So, although it was costly, I let her do her thing.  Again, the toil and trouble paid off, I think.  She has already won several cinematography awards and I think she deserves another for this film.
 

HMB: What do you like about short films?

AB: Cutting to the chase.  No fluff.
 

HMB: What’s important for you when you attach yourself to a project?

AB: Everything is important which is why making a good movie is like winning the lottery or having all the planets align just right.  It's almost impossible to get everything in check.  You must have a strong screenplay.  Casting will make or break you.  I saw a great film the other day with a strong story and believable acting, but then the location sucked... and that took me out of it.

Music is critical.  I am very proud of the fact that "Body of Work" is over-flowing with good music and I thank Andrew Holtzman and his team who did such an amazing job.
But that story and that screenplay are definitely the first thing that's there and you shouldn't proceed without it.

HMB: What do you like or dislike about the business?

AB: It's an old story that the studios are only concerned with money and do not appreciate art.  I know this going in so I am not surprised or disgusted by this.  It doesn't bother me because it's just the way it is.  I try not to be ungrateful about the fact that I am able to express myself artistically.  It's hard work but it could be worse.
 

HMB: Some advice for newcomers?

AB: Work on yourself as a person.  Work towards having an opened mind which allows ideas to come in from the Universe.  Learn how to be still and become an open conduit for all this stuff.  People with closed minds and a lot of noise going on in their brain will kill creativity and result in those crappy movies I have been talking about. 

HMB: What’s next for Alex Bram, when can we expect your first feature?

AB: I don't have a timeframe but I can tell you that my goal will be to make the most terrifying movie ever made.  Even if I fall short of that, reaching for that should result in a pretty tight piece.  My career goal is to make a horror film worthy of an Academy Award.  There have been a few examples already: "The Sixth Sense", "Silence of the Lambs", "The Exorcist".
 

HMB: Please choose 5 people out of the film business (dead or alive), you want to have at your dinner Table.

AB: Quentin Tarrantino (somebody's gotta talk... and he's brilliant), Stanley Kubrick (although he would probably duck out after the soup), Robert Altman (party supplies), John Cassavetes and of course my wife Renee who would make sure I don't make a fool of myself.
 

HMB: Thank you so much for the interview Alex, and all the best for the Future!

AB: Thanks everybody!

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Links to Alex Bram:

“Body oF Work” Trailer
http://gallery.me.com/pezzottabram#100022

“Body Of Work” Review by Dave Minyard
http://www.shockya.com/news/2009/08/31/body-of-work-movie-review-2

Alex Bram on Imdb
http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm1396066

Carnival Of Darkness
http://site.carnivalofdarknessfestival.com