In the past couple of months, I’ve seen two films by Indiana filmmaker, John Taylor. John’s movies aren’t at all the norm for indie film; John’s movies are dark in tone, but kind of funny at the same time…kind of like life! So, after checking out both PROMENADE and BRAINWRAP, I thought it would be nice to sit down with John and find out what makes this Midwestern up and comer tick.

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BM - Tell me how you got your start in filmmaking?

JT - I spent my entire 20's thinking, reading, and talking about making movies. Somewhere in there was even a class or two on the subject. But more than a decade later, I still hadn't made a film. Over that same period of time technological advancements in audio/video improved A LOT, making quality equipment accessible to nearly anyone, as well as affordable, when compared to costs of shooting on film. So the old excuse of not having enough money to make a movie soon became a thing of the past. Anyway, I got a call one day from a good friend of mine Matt Stahley, saying that he and a friend of his, Thomas J. Smith, were coming out to visit for a week and..."Let's shoot a movie." I quickly penned a story outline, bought a used camera, and a couple of weeks later we started shooting PROMENADE. That's literally how it all started. Matt would go on to be Director of Photography on BRAINWRAP and LEACH. Thomas J. also starred/co-starred in all three films.


BM - Your first movie, PROMENADE, is really the story of a man whose life is unraveling. How did you get the idea for that movie?

JT - I was going through a tough time professionally at that time. I absolutely hated my job, not so much the work, but the work environment. I was taking care of my family of six, and due to the economy, really didn't feel like I had any other options. I felt completely trapped. The stress eventually took its toll on me physically, mentally, emotionally, and creatively. Depression soon gave way to anger and rage, and each day became a personal struggle to keep myself from going off the deep end. And what did that mean? It could have been anything...but in each scenario the outcome was not good I can assure you. I regularly explored the possibilities of "what would happen if" I couldn't take it anymore..."if" I was pushed too far? Somewhere along the way, PROMENADE came out of this. And despite its negative roots, it was important for me to try and tell the story in such a way that played out like "This is funny...unless it's happening to you." I think this unconsciously became my version of some sort of self therapy. Being able to laugh at this guy who has it worse than me, you know? Cause if you can't laugh anymore...you're dead.


BM - How hard is it to make an indie movie that's NOT a horror movie?

JT - Not hard at all actually. The hard part is marketing and getting people to watch an indie movie that's not a horror movie. The great thing about horror is that it has a massive fan base. In addition, horror fans tend to be more "accepting" of low-no budget films than other genres. It stands to reason why so many indies go that route.


BM - Your follow up movie, BRAINWRAP, is closer to comedy than drama, although it's a pretty cerebral comedy. Did you decide to make your second movie a bit lighter?

JT - Ironically, I originally intended make a horror film for my second movie. I wanted to try and make a film that already had a built-in audience so to speak with hopes of making something back financially. However, at some point during the writing I began having doubts about how frightening I thought I could actually make this movie. So, for fear of making a "non-scary" movie that came off as completely lame, I amp'd up the humor and we shot BRAINWRAP. I think I have good comedic timing so it just made more sense at the time, as well as ultimately making for a better film. Although, this being yet another dark comedy, only made for another movie that was not easy to market.


BM - You're currently in post production on LEACH, what can you tell us about it?

JT - LEACH is my first attempt at a genre picture...a thriller. It stars Jim Dougherty as Wes, a recovering alcoholic who discovers that a recent acquaintance of his, Ron, played by Thomas J. Smith, is a corrupt police officer. Due to his own checkered past, Wes is not sure where to go for help and spends the remainder of the film trying to protect his family amidst an ongoing game of cat and mouse with Ron. The film also stars Libby McDermott, Raymond Kester, and Jim Hunter. It was filmed on location in Anderson and parts of northern Indiana. At the time of this interview we are close to picture lock, and are starting to move on to sound design, visual fx, and music. We should be ready for a screening in April of this year. For more details and updates please visit the Leach The Movie web site.


BM - What do you find to be the biggest challenge of being an indie filmmaker in Indiana?

JT - I've only ever been a filmmaker in Indiana, so I'm not sure I have any practical basis for comparison. Though, a good friend of mine, Deniz Demirer, a filmmaker from San Fransico once told me..."The only difference between filmmakers on the west coast and filmmakers in the Midwest, is that there are more people out here doing it. That's it. The struggles are all the same." For me personally, the biggest challenge has been finding an audience...getting my work seen. You bust your ass for weeks...sometimes months, trying to promote your film and get people interested enough to come out...and like a dozen people show up for the screening, half of whom were in the movie! It's frustrating. Hell, it's harder than making the damn movie!


BM - What advice would you give someone who wants to make their own movie?

JT - Just jump in with both feet and try. Sink or swim. The knowledge you will gain from the experience is unparallel. I learned more from making one movie than I did in over ten years of theory...things that I will apply to the next film, and the one after that. Learning through doing, completely hands on. For me there is no better way. In addition, save yourself a big headache later on and immediately surround yourself with doers...positive people. So many individuals at this level like to "talk shop"...yet so few of them accomplish anything but. Make friends and connect with those that are actually making films. I cannot stress this enough. Learn from them, not only what to do, but what not to do.


BM - The biggest complaint (if you want to call it that) from indie filmmakers is financing. How did you finance your movies?

JT - PROMENADE and BRAINWRAP came out of my own pocket. But neither film would have really gotten made had it not been for the support of the people involved with each film. Everyone who participated in those films basically paid their own way for the most part, just because they wanted to be involved. It's quite a blessing to be surrounded by that kind of network, and for that I'm truly grateful. LEACH, however, would prove to be a much bigger venture than anything I've done to date. After breaking down the script I figured I'd need at least ten thousand to get it shot...ten thousand I didn't have. So I went to one of my best friends, let him read the script, then I asked for the money. He said yes. In addition, I received a few contributions from close friends, along with principle cast/crew members who gave their time and agreed to work for profit points, lodging, paid travel expenses, and meals. Again, none of this would have been possible had I not surrounded myself with great people.


BM - After LEACH, what's next for Colorfully Dark Productions?

JT - God only knows.


BM – Thanks for taking the time, John.

JT – Thank you.


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If you haven’t seen PROMENADE or BRAINWRAP, then do yourself a favor and check them out! You can find out more about these and Colorfully Dark’s next movie, LEACH, by heading over to the Leach web page. Personally, I can’t wait to see what John does with LEACH and, on behalf of everyone here at Rogue Cinema, wish him all the best!