Talking With The Dead: 13 Questions with Reyna Young

Michael Jones-Slit of the Wrist FX

1.  How did you first get involved in making horror shorts, and what led to the formation of Last Doorway Productions?

My first year in college I helped out a friend of mine make a couple of his films and I had a lot of fun on them. I have always loved Horror and always wrote so I thought why can’t I do this too? So I wrote a script called “Uninvited” and got a bunch of friends together and did a casting call and cast a group of people which I thought would be great and from their did what I learned from my friend and from whatever books I bought and read. Then there were arguments on set and I pretty much got rid of a lot of my crew including my friends who were so down to help but fooled around more them anything and shot the thirty minute by myself. Even then because I was a woman trying to make a film they never took me serious.

Look at me now and they are still trying to make a complete film. Not bagging on them or anything it’s just I never had the support and it was an all male crew of so called friends. After being made fun of when I showed the film around I shut down for about a year and then started up again with Confession and Sinner. My husband John and I were just starting a relationship when Confession was being shot. I showed up at his house when we were friends and asked him to edit it for me. He then learned quickly how to edit. From their we started going out and he started to help out more, then the website formed because of him and he got more into it and from their it’s been a roller coaster ride. I’ve always had the name Last Doorway productions stuck in my head, I guess because Last Doorway is what I wanted to call my Twilight Zone type of show. I think it fits well…..

2.  You list Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Wes Craven, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino as people that you hope to some day work with. What is it about these individuals in particular that makes you want to work with them, and what specifically would you like to do with each of them?

I wouldn’t care if I was acting in their film or getting them coffee, anything to just study them and how they direct and do things on set. They are the main Directors I would love to work with really, it would be an honor to just help them out any way I can. They each have this personality to them that’s just so natural when it comes to directing. They are all great writers and each of their films entertain me and is always different and exciting to watch. If I could just follow these guys around for a day on set, my life would be complete.. LOL

It’s not even in a fan type of love too it’s more like I love them for being great directors and writers. I want to be in a movie with Bruce Campbell, I want to be in a Sam Raimi movie. I would love to follow around for a day Rodriguez or Tarantino. Wes Craven I would love to just stand their and watch him direct. These guys are amazing at what they do and I feel that their should be more females like this for me to worship as Directors. I love Catherine Hardwicke and Mary Harron and they to me are just as great. I do feel though we need more female Directors in the Horror genre…

3.  You did a series of shorts (3) entitled Confession with Dylan Walsh as your lead actor. I really enjoyed how you brought his inner thoughts into the shorts and how you portrayed his actions. How did you develop the character and story, and have you considered turning this into a feature length film?

Another short story I wrote in High School after a break up. LOL I have always been fascinated with Serial Killers, like what makes them tick and why do they do the things they do. What’s going on in their head when they murder someone. When I wrote this piece though I myself was thinking about killing the guy who broke up with me. So it was all my thoughts and what I was thinking about. I know right from wrong so I never killed him. I again threw it in my drawer and found it when I found Sinner and thought about making it into a short film. I took acting classes in high school with Dylan that’s how I knew him and asked him if he was interested and at the time we were also working together. He is now involved in Last Doorway productions and he’s great to work with. I love Dylan he’s funny and loves acting and he just loves to help out with what he can too. After the first one got so much buzz I wrote two and then three. Again it was a break up that lead me to write and with three I had kind of a difficult time with it because I kill him off and I didn’t want to see him go but I thought I’d surprise everyone, and I did, I even pissed some people off. Glad to know people are watching and enjoy it. I have had reviews where people say it reminds them of Hitchcock. I have been told I was the female Hitchcock. This will be a feature film yes! I haven’t completed all of it but the script is almost done. Dylan Walsh will come back too. Yes it will be a little gruesome and it will dig deeper into his mind.

4.  You also did another short entitled Out of Print. The short was an official selection of the 2007 Viscera Series Film Festival and was the award winner as well. Can you tell us a little bit about the Viscera Series Film Festival and how did it feel to have your work recognized by them? Do you plan on expanding on the ideas of Out of Print?

Out of Print was a dream I had one night that I was tied up in a bed and being hacked to death, never saw my killer. I then woke up and said “that’s my story” I was for weeks trying to come up with something unique and different just for the Viscera Fest, which was started by Shannon Lark CEO of Chainsaw Mafia. She’s a good friend of mine and I wanted to submit something. The hardest part for me was getting females to work with me on it. It had to be an all female cast and crew. Jennifer Burket from my film Sinner helped out and my sister Ysabel Young. I had to teach Ysabel how to use a camera and lets just say I was very hands on with everything. I probably could have shot the whole thing myself I was that hands on. It was hard but I shot it in an hour and spent like 5 bucks to make it and I won. It felt great to be a winner, I never really win anything so it was a surprise. I get great feedback from it. Everyone always tells a story with their short films I just wanted to get straight to the killing. I plan on doing a feature. A female who never dies, she’ll be like Freddy Kruegar or Michael Myers… She’ll always come back!!

5.  Sinner was yet another short that you did. Was Sinner meant to be a loose follow-up to Confession, or is this more of a stand-alone story? Where there personal events in your life that led up to this story?

Sinner was more of a stand alone story, it has nothing to do with Confession. Dylan Walsh the same actor from Confession is in it but that’s because he wanted to do another film. LOL Sinner was written when I was in High School and I had found out I was cheated on, after a lot of crying, my crying turned into anger which turned into revenge you can say. I sat down on front of my computer and just write this story, a one page story. I was not planning on writing it, it just kind of happened. I then threw it in my drawer and didn’t find it until two years ago when I started getting into heavy film making. I then read it over again, didn’t have to change anything it was perfect the way it was and decided to film. Found a great actress Jennifer Burket and went from there. Just like Confession I wanted the story to be told with the past images popping up. I don’t know why I just like it that way. Another popular short film of mine and I’m glad people enjoy it.

6.  With your alter-ego Miss Misery, you host The Last Doorway Show on the web. When did you first come up with the concept of the show, and how well do you think it has been received by the genre? What are you hoping to achieve with the show?

Every website that I know covers the latest in horror and independent horror and whats going on with who but I wanted to do it as a show instead of writing down reviews or interviews. I wanted to physically go out and interview the actor or tell a review on my very own show. My inspiration for the show would be The Twilight Zone because I’ve always wanted to have my own show called the The Last Doorway where I would show horror shorts I wrote and directed. I also wanted to help out the independent artist and help get anyone I know some recognition. Then one day I did an interview at a convention and from there it grew. I loved doing interviews and decided I would also go out to the horror cons and interview anyone I could get my hands on. As I got more into it I figured I was doing it because another inspiration to me was Creature Features, hosted by the great Bob Wilkins and later on the awesome John Stanley.

That show also helped inspire me to do my own show. Online is the future and that’s why I’m not on public access. I hope to help out the independent artist, whether it be a film maker, photographer, band, actress, actor, whatever they may be I’m here to help get them some recognition. The show has been doing great and going strong. 33 episodes later we get piles of mail a day from people wanting to be on the show or show their short film. I’m just really glad I’m here to help out the independent artist. I hope the show will grow and one day attract sponsors….

7.  On your show, you have had interview segments with the like of the Living Dead Girlz and Adrienne Barbeau. What has been the most exciting interview or event that you guys have covered so far, and what would be your dream person to interview or dream event to cover?

All the events I cover are exciting to me because it’s always something new and everyone I interview I get excited about. Gunnar Hanson and Tony Moran were the most “WOW” – Interviewing Tony was a dream come true since Halloween was the first horror film I ever watched and next was Texas Chainsaw. I am not the kind of chick who gets nervous but they made me a little nervous. When I interview celebrities that I love and love to watch and can’t wait to meet them I don’t get nervous I just do my thing. I’ve never really gotten nervous before going on stage or anything like that, I guess I’m just a natural to stage, I’m not sure.

My dream interview though would be John carpenter and Wes craven, oh and San Raimi. Those guys would definitely make me a little nervous. When it does happen I just hope I don’t forget my questions. I haven’t done the Gorezone convention. I heard about one happening and I really wanted to go but couldn’t make it out there. That would have to be my dream con…

8.  Since you wear so many different hats such as writer, producer, director, editor, music and actress, do you have any aspirations to work on other people’s projects, or do you just want to keep doing what you are doing for yourself? Would you be interested in being a actress in other horror films?

I love just doing everything myself for my company and not having to worry about other peoples projects. I did recently just work on two short films and the reason why I did it was because I thought I needed a change for a minute and these people really needed my help. Plus I made some great friends who want to help my with my projects so it was a great opportunity on both the films to meet some new people and I cannot wait until one of the films is out to watch. It’s called “Eye For a Tooth” Directed by James Forbes. I’m also an extra in it with my husband, it was a lot of fun and I would love to work with him again. I started off wanting to be an actress since I was a little girl. I have done commercials, plays, short films and one Independent film. I kind of got out of that whole acting thing to do more film making but I wouldn’t mind doing some films, I look at everything as you only live once try to do everything you can now….

9.  Hollywood has really been on a remake and big budget craze as of late, which makes it hard for the low budget filmmaker to get their product out to a viewing audience. What do you feel is the most challenging aspect of being an independent filmmaker today and what would you like to see changed in the industry?

I think the most challenging is the fact that everyone is out there making a movie and it’s hard to tell a story when it’s been done so many times. That and being independent means I don’t have that much money to make a movie. I try to make my films for little to no money and I do most of the time and I think that’s great because then I look around the house for creative ways to do stuff in my films without having to buy something expensive for it. Originality I believe is the key to a good film. Right now the industry to me is standing still and doesn’t know where to go. Re-makes are stronger then ever and it’s because all the originality is gone. We need to bring it back.. NO MORE RE-MAKES!!

10.  Film goes in cycles just like any other fad in pop culture. Many people today would say that we are re-entering the torture-porn cycle of the mid to late 70s and 80s. Would you agree with that or do you think today’s films lack that true shock element of the originals?

Well I feel that today Horror is lacking a lot of shock elements to it, a lot of originality. I mean we are now in a world of re-makes and the only way to get out of them is for someone out there to come out with something original. Original and good. That’s hard to do now a days considering the fact that a lot of things have been done and are washed up. I mean when was the last time you could really watch a good horror movie and enjoy it. Now a days people get together and make a horror film just because they can and then they throw some naked chicks in there getting killed and there you have a movie apparently. I think right now Horror is stuck in a world of remakes and no there is no shock element right now… We need more of that!!

11.  Having done several shorts and The Last Doorway Show, do we have more shorts to look forward to and what is the possibility of seeing a full-length film from your production company?

Well I love doing short films but I find myself starting to stir away from it and going toward more of a bigger goal. The Women In Horror Documentary I am doing is huge and I never thought of it exploding the way it has been with press and magazines. Once I’m finished with it and it’s released and out into the world I have a script written and ready to make Confession the feature film. Confession is a popular short film of mine and everyone who watches it asks me the same question “When am I going to do the Feature?” Well I feel now is the time and my main actor Dylan Walsh is ready to take it on too, that is what’s so great about it. To know he is excited to come back and take on this character again is great. Knowing me though I’ll probably pop out a couple more shorts since my mind is full of ideas every day.

12.  You also like to write poetry. Would you mind telling us a little about your poetry and have you had anything published?

My Poetry Book called “Dislocated Thoughts” is all my poetry form high school that I wrote when I was going through break-ups and depression. It’s very dark and mostly about being heart broken. I put it all together and self published it through lulu.com. I started writing poetry at the age of 9 and read a lot of Edgar Allan Poe, that’s who intrigued me. He’s so dark and mysterious, I love him… I then got into Sylvia Plath and just went from there. I hope to self publish another book by the end of the year. Here’s a snippet for you…

Nightmares are poisoned power
The mind cannot control
Bittersweet this is so sour
Burned into a hole

The shadow that lurks inside my mind
Aggravating head trips
Departed in time
With voices of another kind

To disappear without a trace
Twilight dead
In another place
In my rest bed

Trying to wake up
Would have to be my goal
My heart in ache
Eating out my soul

Nobody ís by my side
No matter how much I’m down
I can never hide
I always seem to drown

13.  You are certainly living the dream by making shorts and hosting The Last Doorway Show. What advice can you give other aspiring film-makers out there and can you tell everyone how to get in contact with you for show ideas and comments?

I’m going to give you a great piece of advice “Never Give Up!” No matter what anyone says, no matter how much you get teased and laughed at, no matter how many times your parents tell you to go to school and get a degree, just never give up on what you really want to do. Make films, throw blood everywhere, put on a mask and chase someone, just don’t give up. Read all you can from film making books, don’t just watch horror films, study them, watch the making of on the special features. Learn all you can from the good and the bad movies.