Director Joshua Hull Talks Idiot Gore

Here is a new interview with director, Joshua Hull. Some HorrorSociety readers may remember him as the director of Beverly Lane, which is currently up for a bunch of Golden Cob Awards. Mr. Hull has a brand new film that is in the pre-production stages called Idiot Gore. Idiot Gore will be a horror comedy and…well, wait. You can read the interview below to find out all about this film from script, to casting, to how you can even be in it!

Since you wrote the screenplay, can you tell me where the concept for Idiot Gore came from? How did the idea come about?

The idea really came out of my love for the slasher genre. I’m a die hard Halloween fan & I’ve always wanted to make a slasher film. Not just any slasher film, I wanted it to be unique & fresh. The biggest draw to the Halloween franchise is obviously Michael Myers but I’m a big Dr. Loomis fan. I started thinking about approaching a slasher story from a seriously flawed version of Loomis. An idiotic, alcoholic Dr. Loomis with that “I’m a rock star” mentality. Gus Pruitt is pretty much Loomis meets Kenny Powers. Once I came up with Gus, the rest of the concept worked itself out.

Idiot Gore has quite the incredible cast, lots of indie stars including Jim O’Rear, Kaylee Williams, Shawn C Phillips, Kitsie Duncan, and Babette Bombeshell. Were characters written with them in mind or did you see the spark during the casting process?

Well there wasn’t really a casting process so to speak haha! Jim O’Rear was in Beverly Lane but he came on the production so late (month or so before filming..) that I didn’t get to spend a ton of time with him. I had a blast working with him & during lunch breaks on Beverly Lane I started pitching Jim concepts for the next film. I knew he would be perfect for Gus Pruitt so I immediately began writing the role for him & casting around him. Shawn came onto the project before there was a script but we had talked many times on the phone. Him & O’Rear have pretty much been attached since day 1. We had a few actresses very interested in the “Laurie Strode-ish” role but Kaylee went after it hardcore. I had Kitsie in mind from day 1 for her role. Bryan Wilson came on as Gus’s hilarious rival early on. We also have about half of the Beverly Lane cast returning so I knew their qualities & how to write for them.

We did the “create a killer” contest with Dreadcentral where folks could submit a slasher concept & the winning design became our killer. I recieved the “Sadie” concept & instantly knew that was our killer. I knew Babette through Shawn so we talked & that’s pretty much how Bab came on as “Sadie”. I love ensembles & I love to not only know my characters but know who is bringing them to life so I usually try to cast then write.

The plot of Idiot Gore centers around a fallen author and a reality show crew. Films like Halloween: Resurrection, Killer Movie, and Wrong Turn 2 have done the same. What is it about Idiot Gore that will make it different from the before mentioned films?

Well for one we don’t have Busta Rhymes! Mainly those are all traditional slasher films. There are people running for their lives at every point. I think what separates us is we are a comedy then horror. The 1st half of the film is a comedy along the lines of an Apatow film or Adam McKay. Then we flip the film on it’s head & it becomes a very serious slasher film with comedic relief.

I’ve seen the teaser trailer exclusively at dreadcentral.com for Idiot Gore. I think it’s safe to say that the killer in this film is a woman, or can we expect some sort of Sleepaway Camp-esque twist?

Yes, the killer is definitely a female! Bob Bower created the “Sadie” concept & as soon as I saw his concept I knew she was the one for me haha! It goes with the whole “fresh approach” to the genre. Instead of having a bunch of half naked women running from a man, why not have a bunch of half naked men running from a woman? The evolution of “Sadie” has been incredible to watch & hopefully it will be a special feature at some point. From Bob’s idea to the concept art to Babette’s character tests to her actually coming to life. It’s going to be amazing to watch.

I hear that you are planning on involving fans with filming as much as possible, including shooting a couple scenes at the Days of The Dead Convention.. Where can fans keep up to date on the film’s process and to see where they can get involved?

Yeah it’s something I wanted to do on Beverly Lane but our production schedule was insane! It’s something I wish more filmmakers would do. There are all of these gripes about how indie film doesn’t get respect or enough attention. Show them what you are doing, involve the fans in every aspect & they can be a part of the project. Don’t only involve them in the process if they are “donating” to your film (and don’t get me going on that haha..) We are doing a behind the scenes/making of blog over at The Blood Sprayer. We did the contest with Dreadcentral. I have so much planned because we wouldn’t be able to do this without fans.

Yes, the Days Of The Dead guys have been incredible! I approached them about filming our convention scenes & they were all about it. We are filming a big crowd scene on July 2nd that anyone can be in. It’s going to be a blast! O’Rear, Kaylee, Bryan, myself & a few more cast members will be on hand all weekend long. Come by & get a sneak peek at the “Sadie” mask. We will also be revealing the official poster art there as well! If your interested in being in the scene, find us on Facebook or at DAYS & let us know!

At this point, how do you believe that Idiot Gore will stack up against your other successful film, Beverly Lane? Do you expect fans to embrace Idiot Gore more or is it still far too early to make a guess?

You know it’s still very early in the Beverly Lane shelf life haha! It’s been a tremendous ride with it so far. I never expected the kind of success & luck we have had with Beverly Lane. It’s odd to think we were nominated for 5 Golden Cobs & have only screened 3 times in Indiana! There are 49 other states that still need to see it (hint, hint..)

However, they are 2 different monsters. BeverlyLane was my 1st film & we shot it in 4 days which was an incredible experience but also VERY stressful. The main thing with Idiot Gore is showing improvement & growth. It’s a big script & a big jump up for everyone. We have a ton of practical effects so we are going to take our time with the project & get it right. I think if fans were crazy enough to embrace Beverly Lane then they will definitely embrace this. It’s fun to have a little anticipation!

Can you tell us anything else about Idiot Gore that you know that you haven’t touched upon yet?

It’s a slasher film by slasher fans. The script contains a ton of “Easter eggs” that will make even the smallest genre fan happy. We are even lucky enough to be filming some stuff at The Myers House NC! We’re respecting some of the rules but we are also creating our own universe & we are having a blast bringing it to life.

Do you have a guess-timate, or a basic idea, of when horror and comedy fans can expect to see Idiot Gore?

We are aiming for Spring 2012 but of course there will be images, bits & more released before then. We keep the fan page updated daily & of course you can find me on Facebook as well to stay updated!

As you can see, Idiot Gore sounds like it will be quite the interesting film. It has an allstar cast, unique concept, and a solid plan on how to appeal to as many horror and comedy fans as possible. To keep up on future updates, check back at HorrorSociety and/or “like” Idiot Gore on Facebook here. You can also view the teaser trailer here, but beware! It has a catchy tune throughout the video that is up to par with the “one two, Freddy’s coming for you,” jingle in A Nightmare On Elm Street. “Saaaaadie Graaace.”