What made you want to do the work you do? Please share the full story.
If I could name my motivation for filmmaking in just two words it would be “unrelenting passion”. Even when I hate what I love, the idea of never doing it again is not something I seriously entertain. I’m even lucky enough that my nine to five is professional video work marketing and podcast producing. Though I may be lucky to be doing what I find fulfilling, it’s the visual storytelling aspect of Blood Moon Pictures that really drives me. Nothing is more gratifying that creating a universe of characters and see them resonate with an audience. I’ve been doing it so long now I can’t imagine it not being part of my life.
Tell us 3 surprisingly easy and 3 surprisingly difficult things about your business.
The three easy things are; listening to others regarding their ideas. Everyone on set is creative and want to be heard. I love collaboration, so this comes very easy. Another is writing the script once I get motivated. Once I start I cannot stop and usually finish the first draft within a couple of weeks. The last easy task is giving credit where credit is due. Three hard things to do regarding filmmaking are, financing. Finding someone with deep pockets who is equally interested in your creative endeavor is highly frustrating. Replacing someone on the cast or crew because of their ego. It’s never a pleasant conversation and always ruins a friendship. Something that would seem easy but isn’t, is getting motivated to write a screenplay. I can get easily distracted and or very lazy. I mean Phantasm isn’t going to watch itself for the hundredth time.
What are the 3 things you like best about your work and why?
Again, collaboration because working with other creatives gives me a charge. It’s a great time when you’re with an enthusiastic and likeminded team that have similar goals. The production process is always a lot of fun because you get to see all the stress and headaches from pre-production really coming together. Lastly would be experiencing the final picture with an audience. It can fun but also equally mortifying depending on the group sensibilities. Either way it’s a total blast.
What are your greatest 3 skills and how have they helped you succeed?
Not being afraid to fail has been my lifeline to success. And I use “success” lightly because that word gets thrown around a lot. I believe I’ve had some small successes, but I wouldn’t consider myself successful. Nevertheless, you won’t know until you give it a shot. Every success I can count on my fingers is standing on the shoulders of hundreds of failures.
Perseverance is my other great skill. I’m always following up and touching base. Communication is very important. Sadly that seems to a dying attribute. If it weren’t for putting myself out there then there’s no way I’d have amassed all the attention I have.
Preparation and following though are things I excel at. There was a project I started back in 2011 maybe. I didn’t have everything in place or the full support I needed to pull it off. I let a slew of people down and for a brief time that stigma followed me around. I vowed after that to make sure I had all my ducks in a row. Thanks to that and networking, it led me to partnering with Eric Huskisson, my producing partner and friend. Together we make a solid creative team.
Tell us about a time where you saw a surprising outcome that you did not expect.
When we began pre-production on New Fears Eve, our most recent holiday horror comedy, we assumed community support would be flippant as it has in the past. However, this was not the case. Our connections with entrepreneurs and businesses paid off as they rallied around the project. From Musick Studios and Asylum Tattoo and Art Gallery to local bars like The Pub on Second to restaurants such as Famous Bistro to Kentucky Wesleyan College and Owensboro Community Technical College; the Owensboro Police Department, River Park Center, Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau and more. I didn’t believe we would get the support we did but I was dead wrong.
How do you get yourself out of a funk? Please share the details.
I suppose it depends on the funk. If it’s an artistic funk then surrounding myself with people who understand and support my goals helps a lot. I also watch movies I love pretty frequently. That always puts me in a good mood.
What do you value most and why?
The time I’ve been given on this planet. It’s intensely fleeting. Every day I’m trying to do something that matters. Unless I’m being lazy and then I’ll just watch C.H.U.D again. Otherwise I’m creating, scheming, planning, networking and learning.
What are you doing that is difficult? Please explain.
We’re in the early pre-production stages of our next film production. I’ve written the script for New Fears Eve 2 and the next step is securing financing. That is always difficult because you’re trying to convince someone that your idea is worth the gamble. We’ve proven we can finish a film, we’ve proven we can make a film that resonates with horror audiences and has marketability now that it has been picked up by Cineverse, but the hard part is proving we can make something that is truly a financial success. We need the person who believes we can do that who can get behind us with the right financial support.
What is your favorite movie and why?
Damn. This is always a very tough question. I’ll give you my Top 5 and that’s only because I love so many films. They would have to be Ghostbusters, The Monster Squad, My Bloody Valentine, From Dusk Till Dawn and I’ll throw in Angus for a little flavor [laughs].
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
Take a few bigger risks. I don’t regret the path I’m on. I made the choices I have for a reason and I’ve made peace I’m not Steven Spielberg. But there are a few times I probably could have swung a little harder.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If yes, what is the best way to reach you?
I never stepped into this arena to inspire or motive, though I’ve been told I’ve done both. When you put yourself in the limelight and do something that catches people’s attention you’re now in the position to be asked, “How can I do that?” I had to learn a lot of what I know by doing it but I’ll never shy away from answering questions. If anyone is interested in filmmaking, Blood Moon Pictures or our productions you can email us at bloodmoonpics@gmail.com or contact me directly at starks.pj@gmail.com.
Just for fun, what is your favorite dessert?
All of them. Well… most of them. Sugar is my vice. That’s why I’m fat and have to work out nowadays so I can stave off getting fatter.