Articles

Death Valley: Exclusive interview with producers and directors

Details

Created on Tuesday, 02 August 2011 20:19

Hits: 1227

On July 22, 'Death Valley' was introduced at San Diego Comic Con 2011. I couldn't go, but I achieved to contact Executive Producer Julie Kellman Reading, that forwarded my questions to director Drew Daywalt, Co-Executive Producer Spider One, and Executive Producers Austin Reading, and herself!
As always we achieve to make an interview in this site, we have to very grateful as we are only a fan site. Thanks to all of them, specially to Julie. They have been very nice to us!

Remember that 'Death Valley' premieres on August 29th on MTV.


1. It seems zombies genre is in fashion these last few year: a lot of new movies have been made on that subject, some of them very successful, and now that phenomenon has moved on to TV Shows. Last year AMC's 'The Walking Dead' did a good job, and this season some other 'monsters' TV shows are coming, starting with MTV's Teen Wolf and now Death Valley. Do you think this is a temporary pattern or zombies have arrived to stay? Why do you think people are attracted to this type of 'monsters'?

[AUSTIN READING] I think TV has broadened its scope over the last 5 years and the success of True Blood and Walking Dead has shown how large the appetite is for the undead!

I think zombies appeal to people because they represent a mass consciousness of where we are as a people. Early on they stood in for racism but now they can be thought of as our repsonse to consumerism and technology - and in unsure times, they really resonate with genre fans at a core level.

2. But 'Death Valley' is not just about zombies. Vampires and werewolves are also present on this show. Will can you explain where they come from? What is the starting point of the story? Why was Undead Task Force created?

[AUSTIN READING] A big part of the series is unfolding the backstory of the vamps and werewolves. Suffice to say, the vampires have both ancient origins and unique characteristics in our show. The werewolves we're very excited about because they are being treated in a very practical, real world way.

3. 'Death Valley' is a mix between horror and comedy. Fifty-Fifty? Will we see really scary scenes or horror part is more 'light'?

[JULIE KELLMAN READING] We really tried to make the balance between horror and comedy feel organic to the concept of the show. We committed to both - when a moment is comedic, its really, really funny. When it's scary, its really really scary. I think people will be surprised as to how far we go in both directions.

4. I guess there has not been any confirmation yet, have you planned to do any more Death Valley seasons?

[JULIE KELLMAN READING] We wont have an official confirmation until the show premieres. Hopefully the show will have earth shattering ratings and we'll be picked up again quickly!



5. I have seen Fewdio Horror's shorts and read some interviews with Drew Daywalt. What I have learnt is that Drew's conception of horror is a more classical than some of the newest Hollywood's flicks (defined by him as "torture porn"). His shorts have been compared with Wes Craven's way of making films. However 'Death Valley' seems to be more visual and direct, it's not psychological horror. What does this change mean to him?

[DREW DAYWALT] It's weird. I hear comparisons to Wes Craven, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper and Clive Barker often, especially their early films. I think it actually has more to do with the fact that they have the ability to terrify an audience than any particular technique or style that I might have in common with them, so I take that as a great honor. These guys were working with very little money at the beginning of their careers and it brought a raw, dangerous energy to the films. And that's a big component of creating fear on film. As far as DEATH VALLEY is concerned, I was fortunate to work with a team who knew that even though the majority of the show was gonzo bombastic humor and action, they also knew we had to slow things down a little when it came time to create any real fear... the really powerful kind of fear that puts your heart in your throat and shoots you full of adrenaline. So the end result on screen is a great mix of different kinds of scares as well as different kinds of humor.

6. Damon Lindelof was with you at the Comic Con Panel. Is he related to the show in any way? Do his past work have a great influence in your work (Drew Daywalt)?

[DREW DAYWALT] Damon Lindelof has nothing to do officially with the show, aside from being a fan, which is great because he's done such great work himself. Like Wes Craven, he's already shown great early support for Death Valley which is great.

7. I read in Spider One's twitter: "6 years ago, I ran around with 1 camera, some friends and no budget! and now look what is happening" . How did this project start? Does the final result looks like you imagined at first?

[SPIDER ONE] DEATH VALLEY started as a concept over six years ago. I had moved from Hollywood to the San Fernando Valley and was taken by the strange mix of ugly and beautiful. There were quaint, family friendly neighborhoods mere blocks away from gang infested territory. Manicured lawns underneath power lines and airplane traffic. So, of course in my twisted brain, I thought... "what a great place for a monster invasion!" and so DEATH VALLEY was born.

I pitched the idea of this "Cops and Monsters" show around to a couple different networks but didn't get any takers. It just didn't seem like anyone really understood it. So, I decided the only way to convince people that DEATH VALLEY was a great idea was to prove it by actually going out and filming it myself. So, with a few hundred bucks for a budget and a handle full of talented friend along for the ride, I shot two scenes that I eventually cut into a trailer.

A friend introduced me to Austin and Julie from Liquid Theory. We all connected as people and they both really connected with the idea. We formed a partnership around the project and worked together until (long story short) MTV picked up the show!

The final result is, oddly enough, not that different from what I imagined all those years ago! Of course, things morph and change as you go along and as more people become involved, but at the end of the day the show is better that I could have ever hoped for!

Trailer


Comic Con Panel


Thanks again to all of them! Really, thanks very much!