Interview: actor Damian Maffei

*Damian Maffei… I first came to know of the greatness that is Damian Maffei when I watched the epic short film, Night of The Pumpkin. Damian’s scene turned out to be my favorite scene of the entire movie and I ended up friending him on Facebook. Months – and many random conversations – later, I learned that Mr. Maffei was actually an accomplished actor with a background in theater and an impressive horror resume. Obviously, I needed to interview him and expose my readers to Damian’s greatness. Read my interview with Damian “Jack of All Trades” Maffei below.

Q: Can you introduce yourself to readers? Tell us something interesting about yourself.
D: How is everyone? Good. My name is Damian Maffei. I’m an actor in some stuff, and people pay me for it. Something interesting about myself? I’m a junkie for the film The Invisible Man, the 1933 classic starring Claude Rains. I’ve spent a great deal of time and money I didn’t have acquiring anything I could from the film. I’m also a sucker for nature-run-amok flicks; starting with the uber-good ones such as The Birds and Jaws, all the way down to such beauties as Grizzly, The Pack, and Tentacles. Can’t get enough. And why should I?

Q: I see that you have done a lot of plays. Do you think that gave you a good background when heading into films?
D: I did come from theater and would like to remain there consistently. It certainly never lead to any film work, but theater is a helluva beast. Finding new things, what works, and what doesn’t during the rehearsal process is a great journey for an actor. And when you get into something that has a decent run show wise, you’ve got to keep it fresh and real for yourself and for the audience. That’s the challenge. Heading into the film world where there generally isn’t much rehearsal (unless you’re working with Brett Ratner who is a rehearsing machine), theater will help you to find the interesting choices in the material for yourself.

Part of the beauty of doing a play is the live aspect of it, where anything could happen. You have your script, and you’ve rehearsed and blocked it, sure, but things happen. Staying in the moment and being ready for anything will prepare you to take whatever comes at you, and make it work. Great stuff happens then. It happens a lot with film, some of the finest moments in cinema come from reactions by actors who were just in the moment and bounced something great back. Of course, if something doesn’t go according to plan in film, you can just re-shoot it. Generally.

Q: IMDB lists The Offering as your first movie credit. How was this first experience for you?
D: I vividly remember The Offering experience because it was to be my first film appearance. I was still in school. Someone knew someone, so myself and two friends were going to go to the set and be featured extras in some capacity. That’s all we were told – show up at this time. So I woke up that morning, put on my Sunday best, combed my hair (which I was out of practice doing) and met up with my friends, who were wearing t-shits with their dangly skull earrings and general ragamuffin appearance. I “tsk’d” them and we set off.

Got to the “set” and met with the director who looked at my two friends and said “Oh, you guys would be great for the office delinquents!” Then looked at me and said “You can be in it too.” Mildly crushed that my friends had outdone my sweater and hair part, I wasn’t going to be outdone long term. We sat down in the set office, which, I guess story wise, was the principal’s office. The main character in the film was in trouble. Apparently. We were told to sit down in the seats, and I immediately dove for the one closest to the camera. Out instructions were that as soon as “action” is called, we were going to stand up from our chairs and walk out of the office. Despite that not making any sense to me, I was like “what the shit?” I put on sweater and hair gel to come down here and not even get my face some camera action? Bullshit.

So it was go time, they called action, we all get up and the other two head for the door, and as I’m heading… I turn back and look towards the principal. My character was a sweater wearing, hair parting jock, but I wasn’t going to put up with “the man”. So I gave him a glance, and met my goal of having my face seen. Of course as the last one out, I was instructed to close the door, which bounced off my foot (because I couldn’t yet walk and overact) and therefore bounced wide open. They had to cut and redo it. Next time I cleared my foot. But some cable got in the way and I couldn’t close the door. I was in great danger of getting my own ass bounced off the set. Third time proved to be a charm though, as I stood up, glared, turned and closed door. It was magic. I don’t know if anyone has actually ever seen that movie. I don’t know of its availability. I think I’d be interested to see it. I know my big scene remained in there.

Q: Then you started with horror. Let’s start with Nikos The Impaler. It sounds like a trip! Did you get to work with horror legend Felissa Rose at all?
D: I believe I did Nikos during my first year of acting school. And my performance indicates that (not sure what that means). Nikos is one that I’ve seen, and I do believe I have a copy of it. It’s one of these things that after viewing (for weeks) I couldn’t form the words to describe the film. Thinking about it… I still can’t. I will say that at least once at every horror con I’ve been a guest at, someone comes up to me and mentions Nikos. With great gusto. It’s certainly got its fans out there.

It was the first American film done by Andreas Schnaas, who at the time was a German splatter director with some wild success over there. I suppose it’s still true. I’m fairly certain he’s still German. I didn’t have any scenes with Felissa, although I did wind up “working” with everyone on set as I logged in time helping with f/x, dressing sets, and even running the boom pole. Jack of all trades, master of none. Felissa and I sort of formed an alliance together, played practical jokes on unsuspecting folks and hung out during the hours and hours of unscheduled down time. I added matchmaker to my resume of things I’m not great at and have no business doing, and set her up with a friend of mine shortly thereafter. It went well. For a little while. Then not so well. I’ll omit the names to keep people out of it. Except hers, too late for that.

Q: You have a cameo in Ghost Lake, which kind of sounds like a new spin on The Fog. What can you share about your time on this film?
D: My time on Ghost Lake was fantastic. It’s a bit more of a cameo, a bit less than “co-starring”. I had known Marcus Koch, who was hired to do the F/X on the film, and he flew in to NY to stay at my house for a couple of days before making the trek upstate. I had toyed with the idea of jumping on a bus with him and heading upstate to where they’d be filming and just kind of making myself readily available. It’s not generally recommended, but it’s what I did. So I went for it. Took an 8 hour bus trip, showed up and introduced myself to director Jay Woelfel, insisted how wonderful I’d be in every aspect, and just kind of refused to go away until they made use of me. They finally gave in.

This was the ultimate case of me trying to pull off the “jack of all trades” bit, although here I did it with more success. I spent maybe a month and a half on that set, which was shot in Upstate NY, and we all stayed in this cottage on the lake, which also doubled as the main house in the film. I really did have a great time with it, the people were awesome, and I learned quite a bit. It was the ultimate skeleton crew, so whenever I wasn’t on-screen, I was doing something else. Fixing lights, waving branches, running sound, playing ghost/zombie arm, sinking boats, to name a few. I believe we started filming in September and went through most of October. Upstate NY can get cold. So can water.

Q: You have a much larger role in Closed For The Season. What was it like having your first lead role in a horror film?
D: Director Jay Woelfel had contacted me about Closed For The Season, told me it was in the works, that he’d like me to play a part in it, and that it was going to be filmed in an amusement park in Ohio that had been abandoned for 30 years. The last part was all I needed to here. I’m a sucker for trespassing and wandering around abandoned places, so to have full access to this park that hasn’t operated for that long…was amazing.

As for the film itself, CFTS is very different. Woelfel easily could have gotten access to that park and written himself a standard issue slasher, but he didn’t. He, in fact, wrote something that deals with a subject that one doesn’t necessarily think of when they’re in the presence of all those rusted rides with trees and plants growing all over and through them. It’s pretty sad. That park was one of the hottest spots around when it was in its heyday. It was a place of great fun and enjoyment, unforgettable memories for many. People had first dates there, children had their first roller coaster or Ferris wheel experience there. The ballroom at Chippewa Lake Park (where we filmed) had many a great, big bands come in there and play the night away. Laurence Welk broadcast from there. To see it fall to the state it was in, overrun and uncared for, with many of the buildings burnt down from arson and stupidity, stuff long gone from theft and vandalism… It’s very sad.

The film, which is more of a supernatural thriller I guess you’d say, deals with that. And I had a fantastic time filming it, and did so with a lot of great people. I made some good friends out of that film, and people I’ll work with again.

Q: This brings us to Night of The Pumpkin! It’s currently making the rounds at film festivals and will be screening at the New York City Horror Film Fest. Pitch this film to people who’ve never heard of it!
D: Oh baby! My pitch: Night of The Pumpkin is the classic retro story of good vs. evil. If good is some jackasses in a graveyard performing half-assed seances, and evil is a growing demonic pumpkin.

Q: When I think of Pumpkin, I think of Samantha Hahn battling a CGI pumpkin. What do you think of first when remembering your time on set?
D: There’s just something about Halloween themed horror movies. The one’s that capture the essence, the feel, the smell of the holiday. I love it, and have always wanted to be in one in some shape or form, so when I found out Frank was doing this, I had to get in there. When I showed up to set, it was like 11:30 or so at night. The street was filled with people in costume, getting ready to run from some unseen horror. It was very cool. Otherwise I think of the time when I wore that prosthetic on my face for about 5 hours. That part was actually being filmed in my old hometown, so at some point I drifted off and wandered the streets, started into some people’s living room windows, stuff like that.

Here’s a fun fact that you can bust out next time you and your friends are in a heated match of Boggle. A “did you know” segment. Did you know? The screenwriter of Night of The Pumpkin also wrote… Nikos The Impaler. It’s all true.

Q: Where are you now? What are you up to in terms of your acting career?
D: I’ve got some stuff firing away that I’m truly excited about. For most actors, it’s important to line up your next job before the one you previously worked on comes out in case it’s bad enough to completely ruin you. For me, I’ve got Christmas With The Dead coming out (soonish) based on a book by legendary author Joe R. Lansdale (who also served as exec. producer) and directed by Terrill Lee Lankford. This won’t be one I have to hide from. I’ve seen it, am quite happy with it, and can’t wait for others to get the opportunity to check it out. It’s… Different. As so much of Lansdale’s stuff is. I’ve also got a short film that I did, and am very proud of beginning to grace some festivals. I think it’s really, really good. It’s called Stable House, and was directed by Brian James Fitzpatrick (of  The Offering office delinquent fame) and I think it’s really moody, and people are going to enjoy it.

Right now I’m signed on to be in an adaptation of Brian Keene’s Castaways which is just getting cooking production wise, and I’m supremely pumped about that. Robert Angelo Masciantonio (Neighbor, Cold Hearts) is on to direct, and it is going to be a grisly, in yo’ face, bag of awesome. I’m also lined up to rejoin Lansdale and director Jay Woelfel in separate trenches once again, and while there isn’t much more I’m allowed to say about them, I will say… I’m very excited about them. Like giddy. School girl giddy.

Q: Favorite horror film?
D: There it is. What day is it? I can never just pick one movie for this question. I don’t see how I can start now. On any given day it could be The Invisible Man, The Birds, Black Christmas (76), The Descent, Jaws, or Carpenter’s The Thing. I didn’t exactly answer your question specifically, but you can’t go wrong there.

*As we mentioned in the interview, Night of The Pumpkin is an official selection of the New York City Horror Film Festival. It will be screened on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 9:00PM. The event will take place at Tribeca Cinemas. Click here for more information. Also, click here to view Damian Maffei’s full filmography.

Thank you for your time, Damian, and your lengthy answers!