All the Facts on Those 13 Tracks... 

A digital lobby card for 13 TRACKS TO FRIGHTEN AGATHA BLACK.

Last October I was contacted by a writer from a horror film platform who wanted to interview me about my film 13 TRACKS TO FRIGHTEN AGATHA BLACK. We spent quite a bit of time discussing the piece before I was sent some questions to answer. A month later, he used a photo from my film and a snippet of an answer I gave him for a completely different article on making indie horror films. I decided to go ahead and publish the original Q&A because a) his questions were interesting, b) I felt a bit misled, and c) dude - my time is valuable.

How did you make the move from entertainment journalist to independent filmmaker? Or did it go the other way?

I moved to Dallas, Texas right after I graduated from college (I went to OU for film production). At the time, there was a lot of film and television production in the area, so it seemed like a solid place to start. But just a few years after the move, all of the tax incentives went away and most of the high-profile productions left with them. But I stayed and redirected my career where I found work as a marketing copywriter and entertainment journalist. I never lost my passion for film and continued to make short films on the side. 13 TRACKS was my first feature, which I made after years of covering low budget horror films for publications like Fangoria and GoreZone.

The gorgeous Dutch Colonial location in Dallas, TX. 

Are the challenges worth the reward in independent filmmaking? What is the hardest part? The most rewarding part?

There are many challenges making microbudget films, but those challenges are part of the reason I love making them so much. I would say the hardest part, for me, has been finding the ideal locations within the production budget. However, I’ve had a lot of luck securing unique homes and practical sets that add value and scope to my projects. That terrific Dutch Colonial home we used in 13 TRACKS is a character in itself. The most rewarding aspect would be collaborating with really talented people who believe in the project and are 100% committed to seeing it through.

A still with record props from 13 TRACKS TO FRIGHTEN AGATHA BLACK. 

I still listen to horror stories from the vinyl albums I had as a kid. I listen to them all year long, not just in the fall. The idea of the story felt a little like you knew me. I didn’t think there were others like me. Where did you get the idea to integrate these stories into a horror film? What was the inspiration?

 

Brother, you are not alone! Several years ago I discovered a blog where some lovely soul had uploaded dozens of vintage scary story and sound effects albums. I had owned a few as a kid, but was unaware of just how many of them were made in the 60s/70s. Most people who came of age in those decades are probably more familiar with the scary sound effects records, but there were plenty of creepy spoken word titles created for the youth market as well. Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and other horror icons from the day recorded several – many of which have become part of my go-to records year-round. (I still have a turntable, and spin records all the time.) After discovering the blog, I downloaded everything that was posted and began listening to them obsessively. At some point, I thought it might be intriguing to make a film that celebrated them in a way that was true to their spirit. Some of my favorite horror films revolve around complicated heroines whose inner thoughts are shared in voiceover. LET’S SCRAE JESSICA TO DEATH and MESSIAH OF EVIL are films that haunt me to this day. I simply traded the voiceover conceit with the scary stories (which often act as stand-in for the thoughts of the protagonist).

 

Was it challenging to be working in two different media at once (film and audio stories)? Which came first: the screenplay or the scary tracks?

It was a fun, creative challenge that I enjoyed spending time on. I was fortunate to meet a very talented songwriter/composer named Andrew Jones who loved scary story records and psychotronic movies as much as I did. I would have never attempted to make the film (which relies so much on the audio component) without him. He recorded the sound, the audio for the stories, and composed the score.

 

The screenplay definitely came first. But because each track was so integral to the plot, I had some idea about the tone or the basic structure of what I wanted. For instance, there is a story that the protagonist Agatha hears at one point – that sort of guides her into a house across the street (where some bad things are occurring). I wanted the track to contain a story that would be a lighthearted one geared towards kids from a different era while at the same time offering a jarring juxtaposition with the terrible things Agatha was experiencing inside the house.  Hopefully creating an uncomfortable tension…

 

Bridie Marie Corbett in a production still from 13 TRACKS.

I watched this movie three times. It’s way more complex than it appears on the surface. There are a lot of layers and ways reality ties in with delusions (if they even are delusions) of the main character. What was your writing process like? Did it involve a lot of string and index cards to keep things straight?

That’s really nice to hear! There are several layers to the film that a viewer might pick up if they are really listening to the stories. But I also tried to make the narrative as accessible as possible for causal viewers. When writing the script, I didn’t have an involved process like index cards. However, after the basic script was completed, I did have extensive notes regarding what each story would need to convey – the key information that Agatha would need to motivate her in moving forward. I also had several different kinds of stories in mind, some more adult-oriented, to represent the different subgenres within the “spooky vinyl” umbrella.

The incredible cast and crew film an exterior scene. 

How would you recommend a person watch this? Should they pay more attention to the scary tracks or are they just there for mood? Do they tie into Agatha’s real life?

Well, the tracks are very important to the narrative – and the film wouldn’t work without them. They are often the key motivators for the protagonist to move forward. I think Bridie Marie Corbett (the actress who plays Agatha) is very compelling and helps to bridge both tracks and the action being played out onscreen. Though the film can be viewed on different levels, I did have to make a decision on what was really happening so that I could help tell the most compelling story I could. The stories do tie into Agatha’s real life and there is a reason that she is being influenced by the records – but it’s not necessary to understand all of it to grasp the basic plot. I do like ambiguity in my horror films as well.

 

You have some impressive talent working on this film. Emma Siate, for example. Did you know Emma before this? If not how did you get her onboard? Are there other talented folks you’d like to point out?

Emma was part of a local special effects outfit called Pink Mist. I believe it was started by Andy Joe Arrasmith – and the two of them did the effects for the film. I forget how we were introduced, but I know they read the script and were impressed with the unique storyline. The two of them were wonderful to work with and certainly made the few effects scenes really memorable. Loyd Cryer, the man who singlehandedly created the popular Texas Frightmare Weekend convention, was a producer on the film. He helped secure Pink Mist and the voice talent of iconic actor Udo Kier I truly lucked out with 13 TRACKS – and was able to connect with lots of great local (Dallas) talent. My lead Bridie was certainly a find – the film wouldn’t work without her engaging performance. My cinematographer Daniel Frank had only shot one previous film, but he was so intuitive and committed to the project. He was a terrific collaborator. As I already mentioned Andrew Jones was my true creative partner on the film. And my husband Dan Gremminger did all of the art for the record albums, which really helped sell the premise.

Emma Siate and Andy Joe Arrasmith (Pink Mist) work on Alissa Horton's (the Crooked Old Woman) makeup.

Speaking of talent… independent films can suffer from low budgets and unseasoned actors. Not that that is a bad thing; it’s just a reality. And, there’s a lot of charm in that. It’s one reason independent films stand out (for me). This film doesn’t quite feel like you made it with people who were eager to get a start. It feels like you have seasoned talent. Was it hard to assemble this team? How did you decide who would get the roles and the jobs?

Thank you! Again I feel I got really lucky with the cast. I got some really good advice from my A.D. Lisa Lafayette (who is also an incredible actress). I cast most of my actors from a production portal called Backstage. I put out a call and was able to view reels of local actors interested in the project. That’s how I cast Bridie, and the terrific Lara Williams who played Agatha’s friend Nancy. I had worked with Moira Wilson on a previous project – and she introduced me to Van Quattro. Both of them are great local actors who have been in the business for years.

 

Cast and crew gather around cinematographer Daniel Frank, 

The stutter editing (I'm not sure what to call it). Whose idea was that? It was very effective. Especially in the knife in the face scene... we get all the violence by seeing before jump to after. It works because that stutter effect appears several times throughout the movie, making it a stylistic choice.

Well, sometimes when you are making a microbudget film you don’t always have time to get all the coverage you need for a scene. This can be very unfortunate when editing and the action doesn’t cut together properly. The knife in the face scene is one instance where we had great footage, but it didn’t cut together, so I had to get creative in the editing. I decided halfway through the film that using jump cuts married to skips in the audio (record jumps) would be a clever way to incorporate the old vinyl into the action – while saving some moments that didn’t exactly cut together. Then I began to use it as a freaky device to illustrate Agatha’s fragile POV. I’m so glad you found it effective!

 

LtoR Cullen Thomas (George) watches as director Bradley Steele Harding discusses a scene with Sandy Johnson (HALLOWEEN 1978) on the set of OCCULT CANVAS (2027). 

What’s coming up next for you? Are there any projects you can talk about?

I am just finishing up post-production on my follow-up feature to 13 TRACKS called OCCULT CANVAS. It’s an homage to early 70s made-for-TV horror productions from Dan Curtis – and shows like NIGHT GALLERY. I had such a great experience making 13 TRACKS that I wrote the film with parts for many of the same players. OCCULT CANVAS is a much more ambitious project than 13 TRACKS and definitely took longer to shoot. While it proved to be a much more difficult endeavor, it has also been very satisfying creatively. Inexplicably, Sandy Johnson, who played Michael Myers’ sister in the original HALLOWEEN (my favorite horror film), agreed to appear in it. I am still a bit dazed that I was able to conjure that bit of incredible casting. I am looking forward to its release early next year.

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