Scott Goldberg

(HorrorSociety): Who are you and what are you doing here?

(Scott): My name is Scott Goldberg and I’m an independent filmmaker from New York. I am here to make a difference in cinema of today, through awareness of what we do as a society, who we are as people and why we make the decisions we make. I feel it’s very important to make films about the horrors of life and that is something I am interested in talking about visually on screen.

(HS): Now I was going to ask you how you got into filmmaking, but that seems silly anymore….so….is filmmaking something you have always dreamed of doing?

(Scott): Filmmaking for me is exciting because it’s a job in where you get to create and have freedom, especially in independent filmmaking where you do not have an investor breathing down your neck or someone over your shoulder telling you, “I don’t like that, let’s do this instead.” I’m not subjected to that part of the business just yet, so therefore I can make whatever I want, however I want, and make things that speak to myself and that will make an audience think. I cannot see myself doing anything but creating and making films. I think when you start working on the studio system, your freedom will be cut down, much more so than if you were working on your own.

(HS): I would like to talk about your latest project now, but it seems you are a busy guy and have multiple ones you are working on now. So what’s going on?

(Scott): My next short film is called Kimberly and it has already started production. I was going to start shooting All I Want For Halloween this month, but this film was of more interest to me. It was an idea for a super short and I am finishing up some final touches to the script, but it’s an interesting story. It’s about prophecies, our society, life, death, war, and family values.

(HS): Do you shoot mostly on digital or film?

(Scott): Currently, I am shooting all on digital. It’s interesting because with digital, you can make it look very professional or you can make it look like shit. I tend to lean towards making films that are high quality. I like to take my time and make quality films. I’m the type of director that likes to shoot a lot of coverage because I always feel that it’s great to have more than you may need. That is the beauty of shooting in digital. It isn’t as expensive as buying film, processing it, etc. I do think that film has an overall better look and feel, but when you don’t have the money, you have to shoot in digital. A lot of filmmakers shoot on digital because it’s cost effective and is easily accessible. Anyone can pick up a camera and make a “film”, but you have to understand it will take years of patience and strain on the wallet. Digital video is very good for filmmakers with low budgets. A hot trend right now is HD and the look of it seems much more of a higher quality. I have not yet shot on HD but it’s something I would most likely consider.

(HS): Since digital cameras and cheap editing software that is available now, many people are getting into making their own movies for little money. Do you think that is a good thing or could it give indie horror a bad reputation?

(Scott): “Standards will be set in where the bar will be raised higher.” Those are the words of Christopher P. Garetano, and I agree with him. The fact of this matter is this: Anyone can buy a camera and make a “film”. But it takes time, dedication, hard work and countless hours to make a quality film that has the ability to speak to people. It’s also the job of the director to make that happen. The problem with a lot of so-called “filmmakers” is that they don’t have patience. Most people never see results and they give up. That is the difference between the average person who just thought it would be fun to shoot a short zombie film with his friends one weekend opposed to someone who is trying to do this for a living. The key here is to never give up. You work with what you have. That is the most important thing,

(HS): So how do you go about getting financing for your projects? Throw parties, beg, credit cards…?

(Scott): I currently shoot weddings and bar mitzvahs on the weekends and do some karaoke jockeying on the weekdays. That gives me enough money to rent out equipment and make my short films. My goal is to make a bunch of shorts, edit them into a demo reel and shop it around to studios. I actually already have a demo online that have been getting some rave reviews from the fans. We played the demo reel at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in September and the fans really liked it. I do believe that I have a ways to go and will continue to work hard to make my dream come true. I will not give up. That is not an option. If I have to make independent films for the rest of my life, so be it. I love this too much to give up.

(HS): You have worked with some famous people and some not so famous. If you could make your ideal cast who would be in it?

(Scott): The main thing would be this: I would want to cast people who are right for the job and for people whom I feel can play the role the best. I worked with many different people, with many different outcomes. Some were very nice and others turned sour. That is filmmaking. Nothing is perfect in life and same goes for making films. Sometimes peoples intentions aren’t what they seem at first and you learn more about that when you make a film.

(HS): Did you ever have anything that happened while shooting that you thought…maybe I shouldn’t be in this business? Accidents, fights, crew quitting…etc.

(Scott): No, because I love filmmaking and as a filmmaker, you have to understand that ANYTHING can happen. A cast member could be in danger and accidentally get impaled by a knife while rehearsing a scene with another actor. It Is your job as a director to make sure the cast and crew are safe and that no one gets hurt on your film set. There have been some mishaps, but it’s all water under the bridge now.

(HS): Is there any kind of advice you can give people that want to make their own movie?

(Scott): Don’t cast your friends and don’t expect to make a masterpiece your first time out. Also, it really depends on what the person wants to make a film about. If it’s about zombies, that’s great. That’s the usual film that horror filmmakers start out with. Zombie films are fun and they’re gory and who doesn’t love a zombie film? I do feel however that zombie films, along with vampire films, have been outdone to the point where people want to see something new and something different. It is very important to make an interesting film and to find people who have talent and can help your production. Reading up on filmmaking is also very important to understand the technical aspects of it all. Also, working as a PA at first on sets of independent films. That is also a good start as well. You need to start making contacts.

(HS): So whats the best
ways to get your name out there and start making contacts? The internet, festivals, etc..

(Scott): I feel that the best way to get your name out there is to both promote and make films. But it will take a while until you start getting recognition. If you over-promote, it will feel to people as if you’re shoving your name down their throats, so the best thing is to let your films speak for yourself, get them into film festivals, start winning some awards and it’s also very important to make contacts with other filmmkaers and espcially the fans. A mailing list to have at a film festival or convention if you have a dealers table is very important so you can keep in contact with all of those who have shown interest in your work.

(HS): Now a lot of horror movies in have political themes and messages embedded into them. Movies like Night of the Living Dead. Are your movies similar or have some sort of personal meaning and ideas in them?

(Scott): Very recently, as I have been finding my voice, my films have been becoming the type of films that make people think. My latest short film, Kimberly, will be a film that will make people think. It has a lot of hidden messages and meaning to it. The main message is for people to interpret but it is about today’s society and my comments on how things are in today’s society. We have the ability right now to make films that can have an impact on people’s lives. That is what most intrigues me about making a film.

(HS): Is there a certain film or films you can recall that really had an important message to you personally? Horror or non-horror?

(Scott): I thought that the film, The Day After was a good film about nuclear war and what would really happen if a nuclear bomb hit the United States. Although it was from the early 80’s, I felt it was really how people and the government would act in case of a nuclear bomb attack. I think we live in so much fear today, especially with fear-mongering of the news channels that we sometimes stop living and are too scared to talk about what is really going on.

(HS): You can actually watch one of your shorts online right now…All I Want for Christmas. Do you have plans on releasing more of your films online? And do you think that viewing movies online will be something that will be more common in the future?

(Scott): It is very important in my opinion, especially when everyone isn’t familiar with your work, to put it online so they can get familiar with it. Putting my short films online has saved a lot of time and money for the fact that I don’t have to send out DVD’s to horror sites and that gives me more time to write, edit my films and spend time doing what I love, which is creating. I will continue to release my short films online. Feature lengths, now that’s a different story.

(HS): But if you had an opportunity to release something that people had to pay for first, like Video on Demand or The Horror Channel’s site, would you try that?

(Scott): This is a business and we all need to make money to make out next project. Many films may never see a single cent because maybe they aren’t good enough or haven’t gotten enough recognition at festivals or from the general public. I do feel that after a filmmaker feels they are ready and feels that they are good enough, they should start looking to make some money off of their own films. At that point, you would have made sacraficed so much to get to that point, that you’d have to make some sort of profit for your hard work.

(HS): So what’s it like to win awards for movies that you have made? Winning anything for me is great, I could just imagine what its like for you!

(Scott): It’s good for the recognition and it feels good to win an award, but the main focus for me now, personally, is to make films and to create and let the films speak to myself and to the audience. I think it’s great that awards are given out, and it’s great or a resume, but all in all, the main thing is to keep on making films that entertain and make the audience think. That is the philosophy that is missing from horror films and films in general of today.

(HS): Do you have any plans on making anything that is not horror related? A comedy maybe?

(Scott): Yes, of course. Not until recently, have I begun to find my “voice”. I believe that every filmmaker has their own “voice” inside of them and they just have to find it. I try not to label myself as a horror filmmaker anymore because I don’t only want to make horror films. Believe me, I’m a huge horror fan, but who is to say that a zombie film or a vampire film is “true horror”? Like I said before, I believe that horror can be taken from real life experience and from real fears from oneself.

(HS): What is one of your worst “real life fears”?

(Scott): Real life fears for me would be death, loss of family, war, not having the freedom that America used to stand for. We live in a world right now where there is death every minute of the day all over the world, and it’s not death from dying in bed at an old age. Most casualties today is from man-made War and stupidity. We, as people, are becoming fat, unhealthy and lazy. We need to break out of this trance, and speaking to people through films is one of those ways to break people out of the trance. We have the ability to speak to people on so many levels about the current events in the world, and we must focus on that as filmmakers I feel.

(HS): I see that you went to college and got a degree in film. Just curious…what kinds of grades did you get?

(Scott): Film school is good to learn and to be hands on to an extent, but the best thing to do when you’re in film school is to be as hands on as you can. I did some 1st Assistant Camera work for some student projects, as well as writing and directing. I always tried to incorporate my love for horror into my projects during college.

(HS): Do you think that people take you more serious as a filmmaking because of your degree?

(Scott): Every since college, I have worked on my own and made films on my own. The contacts I made were working on my films and putting out casting notices and crew notices online on mailing lists. A degree is crucially important and I feel that it’s important to graduate from college. It’s good credibility and college for myself was a pretty good experience. I look back on it and appreciate those who helped me learn through my four years of college. It was a learning experience and well worth it.

(HS): I also see that you really are a vegan. Is that a lifestyle choice or just healthy living on your part?

(Scott): It was both really. My personal trainer at the time whom was vegan, Chris Califano, got me interested in veganism. I was vegetarian at the time, and he told me that if I wanted to gain more muscle, lose weight and be in great shape, to not eat meat or dairy two times a week, and I tried it. The next week, I went back to meat and dairy and felt horrible. Something di
dn’t seem right. I felt sluggish and weighed down and very unhealthy. I didn’t like that feeling, so I changed my lifestyle and became vegan. Then shortly after it became an animal rights issue and I tried to get people aware of how animals were slaughtered to at least open their eyes to think about what they were putting into their bodies. Just like any situation, you learn from it. I was so passionate that I would get into arguments with my friends because they would make fun of my lifestyle, but as I grew up and matured more, so did my attitude. I now know not to shove information into people’s faces. Everyone has their own lifestyle and life to live. As people, we need to live and create. The best thing about becoming vegan was I knew that I was saving animals lives by not eating meat and dairy.

(HS): What are some of the influences that turned you on to horror?

(Scott): Ever since I was little, I loved horror films. I’ve been a fan since I was about six years old. Friday the 13th had a big influence on me at a young age. I was born in 1982, so in the late 80’s, early 90’s, there were a lot of Friday the 13th merchandise, like hockey masks, etc. I would dress up every Halloween and be either Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers.

The things that influence me today for when I make horror films is life and fear. It’s very important to make a film about something that concerns you and that you understand well. That way, it’s easier for the audience to understand It because you know your fears very well. It all really depends on the filmmaker and if they are good at making a film work.

(HS): What are you thoughts on the current state of horror films? Are you a fan of the remake trend right now?

(Scott): No. I am not a fan of the remake trend at all. I don’t like the feeling of the remakes and I don’t like the idea behind the remakes. If they want to make remakes, remake films that need to be remade and not the classics. It’s all about making the quick buck in the world of remakes. Trust me, making money is good, but it seems as if for now big studios have given up on original horror films. The originals worked for a reason: They were scary and effective. You have filmmakers of today trying to copy those films, and that’s just as bad as remakes. Do you know how many Texas Chain Saw Massacre rip-offs there are? Hundred’s probably. It’s time to make a change and what better time than right now.

(HS): So what are some of the most original films you have seen lately?

(Scott): Horror Business is a great documentary that I have seen. I think that there are a lot of really bad films and then there are gem’s like Horror Business which are innovative and new. For those who don’t know, Horror Business is a documentary film about a group of filmmakers and what they go through to make their own horror films. I was blown away when I saw the film a year ago and have been a fan of Chris Garetano’s work ever since. I thought the Paul Solet’s short film Grace was another excellent film as well. The Descent was pretty good as well.

(HS): What would you like to see more of in horror, gore and effects, or suspense?

(Scott): I’d like to see a mixture of both, but within situations that are more realistic. Halloween didn’t rely on a lot of blood. It relied on mood and suspense, which is what made it an effective film. The filmmakers knew what they were doing. Yes, they had their influences, but they weren’t trying to copy their hero’s shot for shot, line for line. The films that are considered classics are classics because they stand the test of time and because they are unlike any other horror film out there.

(HS): I see that you are making the rounds at the festivals and conventions. Is that something that you would do even if you didn’t make movies?

(Scott): To be honest, this past year was my first year going around to horror festivals and I really enjoyed it. There are so many passionate people at festivals and I think it’s great to have the mixture of both filmmakers and fans at a festival because it goes hand in hand. As for conventions, my first horror convention was in 2003. At the time I was making my first feature length film, which unfortunately never got finished, and that was my first taste of seeing the horror community come together. I believe at my first convention I got some autographs. I like both film festivals and conventions because even though they are similar, they are very different.

(HS): What do you have coming up in the future?

(Scott): Well, I’ve become good friends with a local filmmaker, Christopher P. Garetano, whom has been a tremendous help in helping me understand how great of a filmmaker I could be if I put In the effort that is needed. He is featuring me as one of the filmmakers in his upcoming documentary Son of Horror Business. I am very grateful for that. I feel as a filmmaker, it’s important to get your story out there. When the film is done, I think you will see a change in how I used to be as a filmmaker and how I am turning out to be, and the things that I am realizing. The shooting for that has been going on for about a year now and has been an interesting experience. I am planning to make a short films DVD with all of my shorts on them, with commentary, behind the scenes footage, etc. That is an idea that I am working towards, so we shall see what happens.

(HS): I met Chris at a Fangoria convention last year, nice guy. How did you come to work with him?

(Scott): We actually met at a Fangoria convention as well. He told me he was impressed with my dealer’s table set up and wanted to shoot some behind the scenes stuff with me. I agreed to it and last October he came to Glen Cove to shoot some behind the scenes footage of The Day They Came Back. Then as each month progressed and as I shot more films, he came down and documented them. Christopher is one of those filmmakers who knows exactly what he wants and to be around someone like that, it’s really great. I really do look up to him as a big brother in a sense because he has helped me along my journey and he definitely knows what he is doing.

(HS): One last question…What is horror to you?

(Scott): Horror is fear of the unknown and fear of each other and everything that surrounds us. I will continue to make horror films that make people think.

Thank you Scott for taking the time out of your schedule for this interview. Good luck with “Kimberly” and every project in the future! As alway we will keep you up to date with anything new from Scott. You can find him at the links below: