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Joe Barbarisi Interview
Flowers For The Dead
 Q:
How did 'Flowers for the DEAD' come about?
A: Back in 2004 I put together a 'screen test' film using
my Super 8 camera at a local cemetery (Westwood NJ where most of 'Flowers for
the DEAD" was filmed) just to see how it would look on film and wanted to
stagger around the cemetery as a zombie..since a cemetery is a great stage and
movie set for a horror film. Was pleased on how it came out, and decided to put
together a zombie film using my wife Linda, and i would of course play a Ghoul
and set up a few attack scenarios to see if we can come up with something..just
for fun really.
screentest can be viewed here
http://www.zombiefriends.com/video/watch.asp?vid=649.
Q: Have you always been a fan of
horror movies? (If so, when did it begin and how?)
Since I could walk, I was always into all types of
films. But my true favorite was the horror film. Growing up in the early 70s
i was more a fan of the old Universal Monsters like the Wolfman with Lon
Chaney Jr and Frankenstein, The Creature from the Black Lagoon all the
classics. Thats all we really had in those days..Micheal Myers and Jason
Voorhis havent arrived yet so the classic Universal Monsters were the Horror
gods in my grade school days.
Also one of my first memories was not being allowed to see William Castle's
"House on Haunted Hill" which would air on WOR (New York TV) 'Chiller
Theater'. too scary for a 5 year old kid at the time. But i clearly remember
sitting at the top of the stairs (not going to bed as I was told) as my
older brother and sisters watched the classic 1959 film as i just sat lat
the top of the stairs Listening and the famous screams at the opening of the
film.Imagining what was happening on the screen as i listened. So i guess it
comes from those feelings i had as a kid, and wanting to find and feel those
experiences again as i got older...so here I am.
Q: What
is your favorite horror movie, why, and how many times have you seen it?
A: I guess it has to be John Carpenter's
Halloween.....cant tell you how many times Ive seen it...studied it. (100s)
John Carpenter is the reason i started making films. Since Halloween I was
more into how the film was made ("How did they do that?") and from there
making my own films started.
Picked up my first Super 8 camera a year later (1980) made a short zombie
film called "The Union Cemetery" (1981) and my own version of 'Halloween'
(1981) along with a bunch of shorts like 'The Bionic Man' all of these films
are going up on 'Youtube' soon...and pleased on how they look today since i
found a great film transfer company out in Northridge CA whom did a great
job transferring my old footage.
Q: What made you go into directing?
A: Without a doubt the films of John Carpenter and George Romero inspired me
to do so. I wanted the look and feel to those films, and would find the time
and friends to help me do so...I always seemed to have a vision of what i
wanted even as a kid. As I got older took a few cinematography classes,
history of film, lighting classes in colleges in Tucson AZ and a semester in
NYC School of Visual Arts just to fuel my hobby really.
I Think directing just became a natural thing...didn't like being in front of
the camera too much (but somebody had to play the parts) i always seem to
know what i wanted to get out of my films, and my friends knew me like
brothers..so they knew what i was looking for as well. I hope i still have
that connections with people who have worked with me on films. There's is a
connection there, if you find the right people who love the process of
filmmaking it all comes together.
Q:
Is directing a horror movie different than other film genres?
A: No Doubt...there's a lot more freedom here in this
genre. your able to create situations/charactors/stories and go anywhere
with it..same with SCI-FI its just fiction. The freedom to create something
that nobody has seen before or something that just cant happen in real life.
Horror films can create your own worlds and stories. As long as you manage
to bring some reality or truth to you story/film you should get the audience
attention...just go with it. Try to create something that would work and
dont get carried away..you have to make sure what you create in your mind
can put down on film depending on your budget and willing actors. you don't
want to have a situation where it just cant be done with what you have...you
really need to plan ahead before you shoot.
Q: Would you like to
direct movies in other genres (If so, what genre and why?)
A: Absolutely the horror/sci-fi is my true passion in
filmmaking. But im a huge fan of Oliver Stone as well...would love to make
some kind of Bio-pic or true event much like Mr Stone is known for. There a
famous murder/trial story that occured back in March of 1957 near my
hometown and at one time best selling novel called 'Breif Against Death' by
Edgar Smith who was the convicted Murderer (and author) of a 15 year old
girl and who is basically telling his side of the story in this great book.
The story always had my interest since its like a 'Hometown legend stories'
and the murder crime scene was basically in my Aunt and Uncles backyard
before their home was even built..it was a sandlot at the time in 1957. If
you can find the book I suggest you do so..its a great cover to cover read,
and has maps of the crime scene and all kinds of things perfect to set up
some kind of screenplay.
I would also like to do a western of some kind (maybe with a horror twist) I
lived in Tucson AZ for a few years and find it a great venue or setting to
come up with something. Also a huge baseball fan and know the ins and outs
of the game..I could do a baseball film of some kind for sure..again maybe a
horror twist thrown in there somewhere. the only thing I wouldn't do is a
comedy..although I have a great sense of humor dont think anyone knows my
sense of humor other than my wife..so dont think that would happen.
Q:
What was the most difficult part about
making this movie (FFTD)?
A: The time and willing participants. At first it was
just me and my wife...I'd set the camera at locked running quickly get in
frame do the shot..run back to the camera turn off the shutter. As the the
film progressed on selected weekends from 9/2006-10/2008 the crew became
larger..my wife Linda works with a few filmmakers themselves (Eric Conforti
and Richard Moschella) and are both huge fans of the genre and they were
aware of our project..once they came on board it all fell in to place.
They never worked on a FILM most digital shorts created by Richard and they
seemed very interested in my Super 8 cameras and they picked up the process
as we went along..Eric became my Assistant Director and learned quickly and
he was key to the production as it turned out. Richard was great as a Ghoul
(so i used him for two ghouls!) plus he loves Tom Savini and make up
effects. Richard also supplied some 'Zombie' life size puppets we used and
he seemed happy to be able to create something from his props and make up...
So this gave him his own freedom to come up with something that would work
for the film..it it really did.
I guess patience is a must in making a film..once you start you shouldnt
stop just because of time issues..if you cant shoot one weekend because its
rainy or cloudy or someone cant show up..try again the next weekend..or the
next. If you have people (including yourself) who are pleased what you
created so far there is no reason why you can pick up where you left off..it
all depends on our passion to get it together in the end..and i think we did
that, it shows.
Q: What
was it like working on the original location of the original Night Of The Living
Dead movie?
A: Filming in Evans City Cemetery a true dream of mine...to be able to look
through my camera lens seeing these locations myself i now knew making this
movie in these famous locations was what i needed to do to give 'Flowers'
some charm and novelty.
Starting with seeing Gus Vansandts remake of PSYCHO which gave me the idea
of shooting a few scenes (shot for shot) in the original 'Night of the Living
Dead' filming locations. Me and wife Linda took a week off of work and made
the 7 hour drive up route 80 to Evans City PA. We found a beautiful bed and
breakfast place in nearby Zelineople PA(much like the Image 10 group did
fourty years before hand) We quickly fell in love with the area and i
couldnt wait to get to the actual filming locations and see them in person.
I soon found the first opening shots from NOTLD on Franklin Rd and put the
camera in the best of my knowledge in the actual locations from the original
NOTLD trying to capture what Romero did 40 years almost to the day.
It was no doubt the highlight of the whole time on the film, and will be
going back come Halloween 2009 for Gary Streiners 'The Living Dead Festival'
and keeping my fingers crossed maybe have 'Flowers for the DEAD' as part of
the festival with a screening of the film.
And in the future, the wife and I plan to move to the area as soon as are
able to do so.
Its probably the best vacation I ever took...just a great part of the
country Butler County.
Q: How long did the
film take to film? How long will the post production take?
A: Like i mentioned, the filming began in Westwood NJ
9/2006...Evans City was 10/07..we picked up shootinfg in Ridgewood and
Westwood 5/08 thru 10/08
Post production is underway as we speak. Making a rough edit of the film
first with my outdated post production hardware (no software!) then i will
take a ride to Reading PA come May and bring the master MiniDV converted
Super 8 films and Audio cassettes for the final edit and audio mixing with
the help of '50 BC Productions'' whom ive met on the set of theyre own film
'Fleshcrawl' (fleshcrawlmovie.com) where i played one of the featured
zombies in the film...and they have all the digital software and post
production facilities needed to make a great final product. So i hope by
June ill have the film done and ready for Short Film compittions and
festivals like 'The Living Dead fest'
I will be meeting with Gary Streiner next month at 'The Chiller Theater'
horror film expo this come April here in New Jersey to discuss his plans for
his festival in October and do what i can to help Gary to promote this great
event to celebrate NOTLD and all it inspirations to others like myself, and
also save the Caretaker Chapel in Evans City Cemetery which may be taken
down since its falling apart now. Ill also be interviewed on camera by a
documentary in the works at the 'Chiller Show' by docu-filmaker Charles
House who is devoting his docu on NOTLD and its fans/filmakers and people
who were inspired by the film like myself. Wants do do a segment on me as a
filmaker and my 'Flowers for the DEAD' short...we shall see what happens
Q: Did any "freaky" or
scary things out of the ordinary happen while filming the movie (if so, what
happened)?
A: Nothing freaky happened on the set..it was a smooth ride. although one of
my Ghouls was backing out of the cemetery and knocked over a tombstone with
his car - not good
Q: What
distinguishes this movie from other horror shorts out there?
A: Different with this digital age all films (features or shorts) seem to be
taking a short cut into creativity or thinking for that matter.. I want to
stay my 'old school ' ways...actually making a FILM!
Getting the films back after processing actually editing and cutting the
films. You cant argue with the look ...over the years since digital, it
seemed to have been forgotten. But if you look at the film you already seem
to be able to take 20 years off it or more.' Looks like it was made in the
70s or 80s. you already have something that makes it different than
digital....you aged the story just by shooting on film...that's a big step I
feel.
I think once people see what a filmed movie looks like in the end and how
different it really is to Digital.'.they are going to want that 'look' and
may inspire others to sh*t can the digital, become more creative and proud
of what you can put down on film'...the 'old school' way of making
movies...like it should be...they probably won't go back to digital.
I can be expensive sure...but if you plan ahead and make sure everything is
right (lighting, sound, focus, etc) its not that expensive and you wont
believe what just made...a movie...not a video..a movie, a creation...film is
forever!
Last, what I hope to get out of 'Flowers for the DEAD' is one of those
haunted house rides you took as a kid in a carnival or fair...where you drive
in to a spooky location and slowly scary things start popping up around
you. Not much you can do but 'ride it out' and hope you can get out before
the monsters come get you...that's what i hope to get out of this short Zombie/Ghoul night of the living
dead haunted house ride.
Q: Fill
in the blank: If not a director, you would be a __________________.
A: If i wanted to be something other than a
filmaker...of course a Big League Ballplayer playing centerfield for the
Mets...making catches out there like Tommie Agee! That sums me up I
guess...still a young kid at heart...and going to make the best of it while
having a good time doing so...and with a wife behind me all the way and
sharing the same type of dreams...why not take the ball and run with it if
you have the chance to do so
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