*Late last week I wrote a semi-detailed breakdown of an upcoming horror flick titled Green Card From Hell. That was all in preparation to get the readers ready for this very interview. I was delighted to get these cast and crew members on the phone because they are really some of the backbone of the movie. Green Card From Hell sounds like it is going to be one Hell of an interesting, sexy, and bloody movie; and if anything I can’t wait to see the bloopers and gag reel when it is released. For now, though, find my very long and detailed interview with some of the cast and crew of Green Card From Hell below!
For the interview, here’s a little chart so you know who is speaking.
C = Chase Dudley, known for Past Due and Final Offense
K = Kennie Combs Jr., known for Undying Love For You
S = Sierra Holmes, known for “VH1’s Scream Queens,” and Piranha 3DD
Sam = Samantha Stengel
…Is this going to be a short or a feature film?
C: It’s going to be a feature film. It’s actually the longest screenplay I will be directing. It’s 148 pages. Kennie Combs and I wrote the first draft and he did an amazing job. Jonathan Jones took over and did the final draft and together we came up with a really great screenplay.
…How did you come up with the idea for Green Card From Hell?
C: Kennie Combs and I think about different aspects of movies and [our plot] hasn’t really been done before. It’s not one of those movies that are really popular these days like zombies or vampires. I was in production of one my other movies – Final Offense – and I had a dream about a mail order bride type of serial killer. I told Kennie about it and he really loved the idea and made the script from there.
K: Chase came to me with the idea and he kept tossing around for a while. This was something that hasn’t ever been done before. It really has the potential to be something great. The story is really different than what it started as being, but the final product – which Jonathan Jones finalized – ended up being something even more than we could have imaged. It’s edgy, and nothing that’s out there. That’s what made us all want to work on the project and we’re excited to get it out there.
…In what genre would you classify the movie?
C: It originally started off as a horror film. Then Kennie, Jonathan, and I had a conference call and I was telling them I thought the movie would be much better if it were done in grindhouse style. They loved the idea too and Jonathan went way beyond my expectations from there. It started off as a slasher film and now it’s a grindhouse film with a lot of horror, comedy, and action. It’s a big combination of the best films you could ever want because it doesn’t fall into one particular genre.
…And Amy Bentley will be handling the special effects?
C: Amy Bentley is phenomenal. I’d seen her at a zombie walk last year and I had been friends with her for a year. [At the walk] she had make up on herself, but I assumed someone else had done it. I told her it was really great and I’m always looking for talent. I asked her who did her make up and she said [she did]. I said all this time talking about horror films and you never told you were really good at doing this. She’s one of the best I’ve seen in the business and one of the best I’ve worked with.
K: She is definitely underrated. She has brought a lot to this project. She blows my mind just by what she’s done and what she’s created. It’s exactly what this product needed. Everyone has really had their creative aspect brought out and that’s what we’re all about; being creative and making the best product.
…Tell me a little bit about your characters in Green Card From Hell?
S: I’m going to be playing the main character. I don’t have one name in the movie; it’s complicated. I’ll be playing the Russian mail order bride who kills a whole bunch of people throughout the movie.
C: I am the director/actor and trouble finder of this production along with Kennie. We are executive producers too along with Sierra.
S: Kennie and Chase also have a small part in this movie.
C: I play the role of Derek who is one of Kennie’s best friends. I’m the comedic relieve of the project. I’m the immature, bad advise giver best friend while Dustin Cates plays more to his better side, more mature best friend. It’s good conscious vs. bad conscious.
K: Derek does have that goofy side to him, but in the end his character – besides his faults – sticks with me through thick and thin. He’s not as bad a character as [Chase] is making him sound. I play Alex who is the mail order bride’s husband and punching bag. He’s a bit of a nerd which carries over from my real life a little bit. We ended up doing it up more for the comic relief part of it. He’s been thru a lot. He’s a business man who owns his own restaurant. He recently went through a break up and decides to go to the world of mail order brides and mayhem ensues.
C: Sierra is the mail order bride. One of her names in the movie is Nikita. Kennie Combs plays Alex. Lola Scott plays a detective. Jessica [Fowler] plays another detective, Claire. Stacey Gillespie is a film maker and he plays a bartender. Special thanks to Jason and Chasidy Eason for letting us use their home. We couldn’t be more grateful. They’ve been really open to let us move [things around] and shoot and do anything we needed to do in their house. Amy Bently for doing the art and creating awesome props for the movie and giving us the best quality. I feel really blessed.
…Has there been any funny off-screen stories that you can share?
S: I don’t know where to begin. My stomach hurts from laughing so much.
K: It’s an epic saga that’s all I can say. We’re not short of laughs on this thing. Jessica Fowler brings such intensity to her role. I enjoy watching her really get into it. I had to do a scene with her. I literally stopped in my tracks in the middle of the scene because I couldn’t not pay attention to her. We’re still filming and then I realized I forgot I was in front of the camera. It’s a little hard sometimes when you’re acting with people who are that good that you forget where you’re at.
S: When they came to me with this project I was so excited. I didn’t think I was good at accents and they told me I had to have a Russian accent throughout the whole movie. So all of a sudden they ask me to do a sentence [with the accent] and I said it and I had a perfect Russian accent. I was like where did that come from?
C: She nailed it
S: We fooled around to see how good my accent was. We went into stores and I’d talk to people with the accent. I went up to one person and said something and they were actually from Russia and they responded to me without knowing I wasn’t really Russian.
S: We all have a sick sense of humor. We’re always cracking jokes and laughing before the camera starts. Then we have to take a deep breath and calm before action.
C: One of the scenes with Sierra, she is trying to crawl on the bed and her shoes weighed more than her. Big black boots. I admire her character. She was the little engine that could, trying to keep a straight face even though she was having trouble [getting on the bed].
S: The bed was so high up! It was hard because I couldn’t get my body on the bed with 20 pounds boots on me.
S: Some of the guys started to do improve and Jonathan [Jones] didn’t want to cut so we kept rolling and rolling. He finally yelled cut and said it was really hilarious, but we had to do it again because there was a motorcycle in the background.
K: The scene ended up being pretty much perfect with that take, but it gave us another chance to get some more laughs.
…How far into principal photography are you?
C: We’re making steady progress. We’re making sure we bring the best product possible so we’re slowing it down so we can focus on proper things like make up, acting ,and focusing on the project and making sure it’s really good quality. We have such a dedicated cast and crew. We want to make sure production runs its course and don’t rush.
S: We were supposed to be done in April, but we extended production until June just to make sure everything was perfect. We don’t want to be rushin’ the Russian.
K: It is a lot shorter filming process than we were going to start with. We agreed in the end that since this product has so much potential – that it was going to be better than we thought it would be – it was better to extend the deadline. I think we’re all happy with that. We’re making sure everyone is bringing their A game. We don’t want it to be one of those other films that you can see any day of the week. This is going to be a game changer for a lot of reasons.
C: Jonathan jones – director of photography, editor, and producer – also drew out story boards for the project so we can get really creative ideas going. We have such a big cast and crew and we can’t fit everyone on here so I wanted to give everyone their props.
…At this point another cast/crew member is joining us, can you tell me a little bit about your roles in this movie?
Sam: I have two roles. My first role is the assistant to the director. I answer his phone calls, questions during the productions, and run around like a chicken and make sure he has everything he needs. Sometimes directors forget to take care of themselves so I get him plenty of water and food. I also play Clarissa in the movie. I turn Chase’s [character] down at one point.
…Girls, what place do you enjoy more – behind the screen or in front of the screen?
S: Personally, I love being in front of the camera. There is no question about that. This is the first time I’m helping out behind the scenes. I wanted to come on board to help things go a little faster. Definitely love being in front of the camera more. Sam had to go, but I think she’s a bit of both, 50/50.
…What are your plans for Green Card From Hell after post production?
C: We’re leaving our options open for film festivals, but we have ideas of who we’re looking for in terms of distribution. Big logos like Lionsgate and Magnet. Lionsgate is one of the biggest independent film distributors out there and show love to indie movies like this. Magnet would be my second choice because they also do really well with independent movies. I just hope we get a good distribution deal because this is one of the most talented cast and crews I’ve been a part of. Sierra is one of the most professional actresses I’ve ever seen in front of the camera. It took her two days to get here and all she needed was a shower and then she worked for a long time without complaining. It’s really rare, someone who wants to work and will put in overtime to do so. I’m grateful that for. Kennie and the entire cast and crew also get a shout out.
*Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, guys! I really appreciate it and I’m looking forward to seeing more from you.
Follow Green Card From Hell on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Card-From-Hell/1484128821813206
Check out Green Card From Hell on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3568170/?ref_=nm_flmg_spl_1
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