Derek Maki: Getting Under the Skin with I, of the Wolf’s Favorite Creature. By Brian Kirst
Writer, director, producer and actor Derek Maki truly has it going on! With roles in Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha’ Hood and Creature Story (as the titled creature) and with the creation of Carnage and Deception behind him, Maki truly is working on his horror film pedigree. Maki is also one of the talented brains behind the comic I, of the Wolf and he recently took some needed time off from baying at the moon, to answer these wooly questions for Horror Society.
www.derekmaki.com www.iofthewolf.com
Brian: So, Derek, who were your first performing influences – KISS righteously defeating the Phantom of the Park – Harrison Ford battling a rolling, limb smashing rock – a pre-high piano teacher with a flair for the dramatic?
Derek: Growing up I was very impressed with Jack Nicholson. He was amazing in anything I had seen. He can act circles around anyone. I also grew up loving Meryl Streep and, funny you mention him, Harrison Ford as well. I actually met Harrison when I was young, around 22 years old, and I told him when I met him that I felt he deserved an Academy Award for his role in Regarding Henry a film that is brilliant and sadly not seen by many Ford fans! If my acting could compare to the three people mentioned above, I would die a happy actor!
Brian: And a very successful one, as well! – What was your inspiration for Carnage and Deception: A Killer’s Perfect Murder (featuring the awesome Brooke Lewis)?
Derek: My sick twisted mind! LOL, honestly I wrote that thriller about a killer while sitting on a beach in Puerto Rico. There I say with my laptop while watching the blue, blue waves kiss the sand of the beach. Then at night in my hotel room, while overlooking that same beach, I continued to write. HOW IN THE WORLD I got that evil stuff to come out of my mind while enticed by such breath taking beauty still to this day shocks me! I just wanted to have a fun movie where the killer was right there in front of us, and yet the cops could still not catch him. Brooke Lewis was cast as a “sexy bar girl”. We loved her so much but she did not suite the role she auditioned for. BUT I had to have her in my film so we gave her a line or two. The “sexy bar girl” was only supposed to be an extra, but Brooke was SO AWESOME that we gave her the “expanded” role!
Brian: Oh, we love our little Ms. Brooke here, too! – Is there anything that stands out about your time on the set of Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood?
DM ANSWER: I will not say any names, BUT the thing that stood out in my mind was how child like an actor was on set. My friend, Warwick Davis (the LEP in the film) was trying to concentrate so hard on a scene and this kid just kept screwing around not listening to the director. It was like the 18th hour of the day and Warwick was so tired. All I could do is sit there and watch the scene play out, thinking to myself the whole time “Gee, I want to be a successful actor so badly and this kid keeps making jokes, how did he get this role and I am still struggling?” It was this time on set that really made me realize, when you’re making a film, no matter how corny or serious or sad or funny it may be, there is a time to play and a time to be serious and you MUST know the difference. I was able to compare this to my time on The Fan with Robert De Niro. That was my first acting job and I was so blown away with how Mr. De Niro was on set, focused and deep in his character. There was NO screwing around on that set! So by combining these two experiences I know, when on a set, it’s OK to “have fun” and when to “be serious”. After all you never know WHO is watching on a set, you must always be professional!
Brian: True! – Despite the heavy make-up was there a certain quality that you truly wanted to bring across as The Creature in Creature Story?
Derek: The creature in that movie has very little screen time. I worked with the director closely to give him the performance he wanted. He explained to me that my role was small but very important. A little girl, who thinks up the creature, created the creature in the story and it comes to life. There was one scene where I was supposed to sneak up on the girl and her grandfather while they were in a mobile home. The scene called for a large bang on the door that would scare the girl. I told the director NOT to tell anyone on set BUT that when the time came I was actually going to throw myself full against the door to create a very REAL and loud bang sound. The first take was mind blowing the screech form the young actress was so real. We did 2 other takes, but she anticipated the bang at the point, so of course you know what take made it into the final cut. It’s little things like that, that give an actor the pride in their role especially when the director went along with it and agreed it would help the scene. Although that has little to do with heavy make-up, at least you can see how an actor works with the limits he has to help create a moment on film. You know, as a side note, I could not see at all with the fake eyes on, I was 100% blind. So I had to listen to the director carefully to move and approach fellow actor sin scenes and at the same time pretend I could see so that it did not look like I was reaching out to see where I was. I figured if I bump into something or fall we’d just do it again. I told myself not to be afraid and to just go for it, and you cannot tell I have no site in the shots I am in…. I impressed myself (pat on back) LOL.
Brian: Awesome story! – Speaking of which, can you tell us a little bit about the story and background of your awesome sounding comic I, of the Wolf?
Derek: A friend of mine, Neil Kaplan (a voice over actor, PLEASE look him up) approached me a few years ago after my indie film Instant Dads won several awards. He wanted my skills (what little there are) as a writer and director to help write the WOLF story with him. The first few meetings we had, I actually had no interest. I have other projects I am focusing on and did not want to occupy my time with something that was not mine. BUT once he told me the story, the twist in his Wolf-Man tale I wanted to be part of it! It’s a different take then the normal Wolf-Man stories we are all used to. I am credited with the creation of the Wolf-Man’s name and I did help bang out the original treatment and script. From there Neil went on to refine the script and create the final draft that we used to create the comic. I served as editor of the comic and worked with the artist drawing the comic to help convey the story Neil wanted to tell. I feel we did a pretty good job. The idea behind the comic to get a full graphic novel out of it and then have it turned into a feature film. We actually approached a few studios about it already BUT everyone wants Vampires right now. Another roadblock was Universal re-make of their classic Wolf-Man tale…. Studios are afraid to compete. BUT we have a plan and we’ll see what the future holds!
Brian: Terrific! – Lastly, any words of advice (IE: Never try to steal a savage leprechaun’s gold) or future projects that you’d like to tell us about? And thanks – this has been better than spending 6 hours in the make-up chair any morning of the week!
Derek: Advice, to whom? I guess in life good advice is “Do not give up”. As for future projects, I have a pitch into Lionsgate to re-boot the Leprechaun franchise, a film that Warwick Davis is attached to star in IF they green light the project. So I would ask that readers out there keep their fingers crossed for me!!!!
Thanks for the great interview I enjoyed chatting with you. I would ask that you let people know about my web site www.derekmaki.com and if they want to know more about the comic book go to www.iofthewolf.com.
THATS SCERY