"BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT."

David Buchert: Director

1. Tell us a little about your background, where are you from and when did you decide that you wanted to become a filmmaker? LIKE MOST PEOPLE INTERESTED IN FILM I BEGGED FOR A CAMERA WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. MY FRIENDS AND I WOULD GET TOGETHER WITH ANY EXCUSE POSSIBLE TO FILM SOMETHING. I MOVED TO NASHVILLE, TN AFTER SOME FRIENDS CONVINCED ME TO GO TO A NEW ART/FILM SCHOOL. AFTER GRADUATING AND LEARNING VERY LITTLE, BUT MAKING GREAT FRIENDS, I BEGAN WORKING ON MUSIC VIDEOS AND INDIE FILMS. THE FIRST TWO FILMS I WORKED ON WERE BOTH HORROR FILMS(BLOOD, FRIENDS & MONEY AND LYCANTHROPE) SOON AFTER, I BEGAN WORKING AT THE NASHVILLE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL. AS A CHILD I WAS SCARED OF EVERYTHING. I USED TO HIDE BEHIND THE COUCH FROM GODZILLA. AT THIRTEEN I SAW THE EVIL DEAD AND THAT’S WHAT CHANGED MY LIFE. THE FLOODGATES WERE OPEN AND I MADE UP FOR LOST TIME BY WATCHING EVERY HORROR FILM I COULD GET MY GRUBBY LITTLE HANDS ON. 2. Who inspired you to become a filmmaker? IN 1990 I MET SAM RAIMI AT A CONVENTION JUST BEFORE DARKMAN CAME OUT. I WAS A TOTAL GEEK FANBOY AND GAVE HIM THIS LONG LETTER ABOUT HOW GREAT THE EVIL DEAD WAS AND HOW IT HAD AFFECTED ME. TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT A RESPONSE ANSWERING ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. HE WAS A VERY KIND AND GENEROUS MAN. IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL ASS I MIGHT HAVE LOOKED AT THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. HE WAS GREAT AND GAVE ME HOPE. 3. Tell us about your latest film "Blood Oath". What was it like Directing the project? THE MOVIE IS ACTUALLY LIKE THE DON QUIXOTE OF SLASHER FILMS. IT WAS TROUBLE FROM THE START. WE LOST BOTH OF OUR LEAD ACTRESSES IN THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO SHOOTING(WE REPLACED ONE THE NIGHT BEFORE, LUCKILY SHE WORE THE SAME SIZE AS THE ACTRESS THAT DROPPED OUT), OUR FIRST F/X GUY FUCKED US OVER, AND WE LOST OUR FUNDING ONE WEEK INTO SHOOTING. I WAS LIVING OUT OF MY CAR AND SLEEPING ON FRIENDS COUCHES WHILE WE WERE SHOOTING. I WORKED MON-FRI TO HELP PAY FOR THE MOVIE ON THE WEEKENDS. DON’T GET THE WRONG IDEA, IT WAS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE AND IT HELPED ME EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY. IT ALSO PROVED TO ME THAT IF I CAN MAKE SOMETHING WATCHABLE UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK. 4. Your other film "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" is also in post production, tell us about it. AT THIS POINT BEHIND THE WALL OF SLEEP IS A SORE SUBJECT. ROBERT ZIEGLER, MY PRODUCTION PARTNER, AND I WERE ASKED BY ONE OF THE PRODUCERS OF BEYOND THE WALL OF SLEEP TO CREATE A BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE FILM. THEIR FILM WAS PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS, AS MOST ARE, AND WE WERE GIVEN FULL ACCESS TO THE SITUATION. WHEN WE SHOWED OUR FINAL VERSION TO THE CREW THEY LOVED IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PRODUCERS DIDN’T HAVE THE SAME ENTHUSIASM. WE HAVE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM FOR YEARS AND RECENTLY SIGNED SOME OF THE RIGHTS OVER. THE DOCUMENTARY HAS SINCE BEEN RE-CUT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO WATCH AS IS NOTHING LIKE OUR ORIGINAL CUT. OTHER THAN KEEPING OUR PRODUCER CREDITS, OUR NAMES ARE OFF OF THE FILM. 5. Tell us about your production company Albatross Films, Inc. ALBATROSS FILMS,INC. WAS CREATED PARTLY DUE TO THE BATTLE OVER BEHIND THE WALL OF SLEEP. IT WAS LATER THAT WE DECIDED TO MAKE BLOOD OATH UNDER THE NEW COMPANY. MY PARTNER CAME UP WITH THE NAME OF THE COMPANY. IT’S TAKEN FROM THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER. 6. From your experience, what do you think is the most important thing for a Director to bring to a set? A SMILE. I’M SERIOUS WHEN I SAY THAT. IF YOU AREN’T IN A GOOD MOOD THEN HOW CAN YOU KEEP UP MORALE? LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WHEN WE WERE MAKING BLOOD OATH MY LIFE WAS FUCKED UP BUT THE CAST DIDN’T KNOW THAT BECAUSE I KEPT IT SEPARATE. THIS IS THE ONLY THING MOST OF US WANT TO DO SO IT HAD BETTER BE FUN. 7. Any future projects in the works? Give us the scoop! BLOOD OATH 2:BLACK TIMBER MAY BE THE NEXT FILM WE MAKE. WE ALREADY HAVE THE SCRIPT, IT’S JUST A MATTER OF FUNDING. THE SEQUEL IS MUCH BIGGER AND WE CAN’T FUND IT OURSELVES LIKE WE DID THE FIRST ONE. WE WRITE TWO KINDS OF SCRIPTS, ONES WE CAN MAKE WITH LITTLE MONEY AND ONES WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMEONE ELSE MAKE.

Blood Oath Poster   Natalie Hart in Blood Oath   Robert Ziegler Albatross Films, Inc.

Tiffany Shepis in Blood Oath   James Reynolds and Natalie Hart     Visit David's MYSPACE Site for More Information: Albatross Films

8. What is the biggest problem with Hollywood today? I CAN’T KNOCK HOLLYWOOD BECAUSE IF SOMEONE ASKED ME TO GO THERE AND MAKE BIG BUDGET HORROR MOVIES I WOULD JUMP AT THE CHANCE. LET’S BE SERIOUS, MOST PEOPLE WOULD, THEY JUST WON’T ADMIT IT. THE ONLY THING BAD I CAN SAY IS THAT MOST PEOPLE I HAVE WORKED WITH FROM L.A. BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN YOU BECAUSE THEY COME FROM “THE MOVIE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”, NOT BECAUSE THEY KNOW MORE THAN YOU. FROM MY EXPERIENCES, THEY DON’T. 9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? HOPEFULLY STILL MAKING THE KIND OF HORROR MOVIES THAT I WATCHED AS A KID. I ALSO HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO HELP OTHERS MAKE THEIR FILMS. 10. Do you have any advice to aspiring filmmakers? ANYTHING I SAY COULD BE FOUND in ROBERT RODRIGUEZ’S BOOK REBEL WITHOUT A CREW. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOVIE GO MAKE A MOVIE. DON’T SPEND MONEY ON FILM SCHOOL(I COULD MAKE ANOTHER FEATURE IF I HAD THAT MONEY BACK) SINK YOUR FILM SCHOOL MONEY INTO A CAMERA AND MAKE SOME SHORTS TO GET A GRASP OF FILM LANGUAGE. LISTEN TO DVD COMMENTARIES AND LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT, NOT TEACHING IT. 11. When all is said and done, what 3 things would you like for people to remember about you? 1. I NEVER GAVE UP 2. I NEVER FUCKED ANYBODY OVER 3. I SMELLED GOOD 12. Here's where we give you a word or phrase and you give us the first thoughts that pop into your mind. Hollywood: DON’T NEED TO GO THERE TO MAKE MOVIES Toxic Shock TV: SUPPORTS THE INDEPENDENTS Favorite Genre: HORROR Biggest Regrets: IS THIS A QUESTION ABOUT THE GIRLS I SHOULD HAVE ASKED OUT IN HIGH SCHOOL? Biggest Prick: ANYBODY WHO TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN’T ACHIEVE A DREAM The funniest thing that has ever happened to you on a set: I GUESS IT WOULD BE FALLING DOWN WHILE WE WERE SHOOTING ONE OF THE FINAL SCENES OF BLOOD OATH. I WAS RUNNING BACKWARDS SPOTTING MATTHEW DYER, THE D.P., SO THAT HE DIDN’T FALL DOWN. I TRIPPED OVER A TREE ROOT AND LANDED RIGHT ON MY ASS. LUCKILY, MATTHEW DIDN’T FALL DOWN AND THE SHOT LOOKS GREAT SO IT WAS WORTH A LITTLE EMBARRASMENT. Your biggest "break-thru" moment: (I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS “BREAK THRU” BUT IT WAS SURREAL) SITTING IN OUR EDITING ROOM WATCHING BLOOD OATH WITH LLOYD KAUFMAN. WHEN IT WAS OVER HE RESPONDED, “IT’S BETTER THAN ANYTHING TROMA EVER MADE.” WAIT…WAS THAT A BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT? You can only watch three movies for the rest of your life, which three: 1.THE EVIL DEAD(THE ONE THAT STARTED IT ALL) 2.BOOGIE NIGHTS( 2 1/2 HOURS OF BRILLIANCE) 3.BILLY MADISON(ONE OF THE FUNNIEST MOVIES EVER) You can only listen to three ALBUMS for the rest of your life, which three: 1. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST/THE LOW END THEORY(THE BEST HIP-HOP ALBUM EVER) 2. ENYA/SHEPHERD MOONS(DON’T LAUGH, IT’S AMAZING) 3. OTIS REDDING/THE VERY BEST OF OTIS REDDING(MY FAVORITE SOUL)