 How did the idea
for the film HEAD
TRAUMA come
about?
The concept for HEAD
TRAUMA stems from two unrelated
events in my life. The first was
a head on collision that left me
in intensive care and erased a
number of days from my memory in
1994. The second seems a little
more abstract in its connection
to HEAD TRAUMA but nonetheless is
very important. For a little over
two years I worked to get a TV
show that I co-created off the
ground with a major network. We
eventually got to shoot a pilot,
which tested well, but never got
picked up. Soon we found
ourselves in development hell.
The process reminded me of the
five stages of grief: Denial,
Anger, Bargaining, Depression and
Acceptance. So I decided to
incorporate the five stages of
grief into the script for HEAD
TRAUMA. They provide the backbone
to the story, which plays out
over five days. Each day
represents a different stage of
grief.
Do you have a favorite scene from
the film?I have a
couple favorite scenes for
different reasons. The ring of
fire scene is exactly the way I
envisioned it. I really enjoyed
shooting the scene where we blew
up the car and also when the
house was knocked down. It’s
hard to find a favorite. But I
also love the run through the
cemetery – its funny a lot
of people have thought that was a
steadicam shot but it is just a
car with the DP shooting out an
open window and me driving. Poor
Vince (George Walker) had to run
so many times and the sun was
setting. We didn’t have
permits and we were trying to
steal the shot. In the end we
nailed it just as we lost the
light.
One of the strongest things about
the movie is its ability to
sustain an unsettling mood. As a
director do you have any secret
for achieving that?
I was trying to keep things off
balance and in the process I
wanted to create a sense of
tension. The films that effect me
the most tend to be the ones that
take their time and build an
atmosphere. You want to create a
balance between story, character,
tension and full out scares. What
you think on set is often
challenged in the various parts
of post. The advice I’d give
is the chill factor. Does it give
you chills when you write it, at
times when your shooting it,
during the editing and when its
married to sound design and
music? If you hit any number of
the above you might just end up
scaring someone.
So how can our readers check out
the movie. I know you played
Sundance and Cannes...but are
there any pending plans for a DVD
release?
 The
movie actually played the LA Film
Festival and a couple other
festivals in Europe, Asia and
South America. HEAD TRAUMA had a
17 city theatrical release late
last year. The movie is currently
available on DVD in the US and
Canada. It can be purchased
online and also in retail
outlets. For more info visit http://headtraumamovie.com In
addition I’m doing a number
of special screenings across the
country and in Europe this
summer. The screenings are what
we call a Cinema ARG (alternate
reality game) they are a mashup
of movies, music, gaming and
theatrics. The movie is scored
live, characters emerge from the
audience and viewers can interact
with the movie by using their
mobile phones. The next screening
is in NYC on July 14th, then the
movie will travel to LA, San
Francisco, and Europe.
Is there are specific reason for
the 8 year gap between this and
your first film the acclaimed
'The Last Broadcast'?
I was working on a TV show that I
created for FOX, started a tech
company and was directing
commercials and music videos.
When the TV show fell apart after
shooting a pilot I took the
frustration of the process and
started writing HEAD TRAUMA.
How do you think you grew as a
filmmaker between your first
effort and the second?
In so many ways. I’ve found
a confidence in my work and my
voice as a writer and director.
I’m more comfortable with
the business side. Plus most
importantly, I’ve slowed
down to enjoy the whole
experience. I feel like the
luckiest guy on the planet that I
can do what I love to do for a
living. And I’m happy to say
that the same obession to make
movies is still there. Like it
was when I first picked up my
first camera at the age of 16.
And as a filmmaker who or what
have been your biggest
influences?
The biggest influence to my work
are my own life experiences.
Drowning at the age of 10 and
being ressecitated. Losing
everything we owned in a house
fire when I was 14, hiking the
Appalacian trail, living out of
my car, hitch hiking through out
the United States and South
America and almost dying in a
head on collision with a garbage
truck. Outside of life
experiences. I’m a fan of
narrative, doc and experimental
films. Stan Brackage, Roman
Polanski and Fredrick Wiseman
have had an impact on me. Music
is also is a large influence from
jazz like Sun Ra and Rashid
Rollin Kirk to bands like Can,
the Minute Men, the Clash, the
Rolling Stones and many many
more.
 You're also
currently working on a book,
'Putting the Mass Back in Media'.
What's the general thrust of the
work?
The book is part of a free
resource that I’ve started
for filmmakers called workbook
– http://workbookproject.com The book
is about changes in media
creation, distribution and
consumption. It is meant to
bridge the gap between tech and
filmmaking.
Do you have any other upcoming
projects you would like to let
the www.racksandrazors.com readers know
about?
I’m working on two
dark and twisted flicks. Both are
based on events in my own life
mixed with fiction. Similar to
how HEAD TRAUMA dealt with my own
head on collision with a garbage
truck that left me plagued by
vicious nightmares, these new
works draw from some of the
darker experiences in my life.
'Wired' magazine named you as
"one of the 25 people
helping to reinvent entertainment
and change the face of
Hollywood". If you could
reinvent Hollywood
instantaneously through some
magical means what would be some
things you would change about it?
That content creators would see a
fair share for the work that
they’ve made. A reduction in
sequels and remakes. And a focus
on stronger stories, characters
and writing.
Okay, we're pulling the car
into the Lance Weiler Drive In.
What three horror movies will you
show on the triple bill for the
night and what goodies are they
going to be serving up at the
concession stand?
1. the tingler – gotta love
the first LSD trip on film
 2. the
exorcist – because I saw it
when I was 11 and it still freaks
me out
3. If it’s cool I’d
like to hold this space for my
next dark and twisted flick.
The concession stand – full
bar PLUS all the regular
concession fare.
What scares you in real life?
Not too much
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