Let me hear you SCREAM - 5 Questions with Tim Sullivan

Well now, it seems like it is time for my second interview...

  

                                                                   

Ten Items or Less

Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan

For those not familiar with Tim Sullivan, he is an actor/director/producer who specialises in horror and horror-comedy films.  My first experience was one cold February as my friends and I attended our first full Frightfest and what an experience it was.  Two days of dedicated horror fans sitting in a theatre for hours watching different genres of horror, whilst getting the opportunity to chat to the people involved (and eating way too unhealthily).  As such, I ended up meeting Tim Sullivan as we stood in the hall, waiting for the next film.  Not only did I get introduced to 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams but I got to talk to the man who made it happen and even got my poster signed (which hung on my bedroom wall until I sadly couldn't take it with me to Nepal).

However, enough about my personal experience and more about the man.  Not only is he a genuinely nice guy who takes time for his fans but he has an impressive resume to boot.  Not only has he directed and wrote 2001 Maniacs and its sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams, he has also worked alongside KISS in Detroit Rock City; had a cameo in Jeepers Creepers; directed the legend Robert Englund; and owns his own production company not to mention the variety of films he has worked on.  Also, check out his most recent film, Chillerama: I Was a Teenage Werebear, part of  a 2011 horror-comedy anthology.  Without ruining any of the storyline,  Teenage Werebear is a musical spoofing films such as Grease and Rebel without a Cause.  The trailer is listed below.

As Tim has kindly took the time to answer my questions, I won't talk any longer (links at the bottom of the page as usual) and will happily introduce you to Tim Sullivan:

1. If you could work with any one actor/actress, who would it be (alive or dead)?
   
   River Phoenix- Hands down the greatest young actor of all time and taken from us way too soon. I was a production assistant on RUNNING ON EMPTY in 1987 and got to know him- but sadly never got to work with him as director/actor.
   
    
2. What has been your favourite film to work on?
   
   That’s like asking someone to pick their favorite child! But if pushed against the wall- I would have to say my experience producing DETROIT ROCK CITY was my favorite because it was my first time producing a project of that scope- but more importantly, it was the chance to work with my childhood heroes KISS. It also marked the beginning of my long standing friendships and creative collaborations with director Adam Rifkin, editor Pete Schink and screenwriter Carl Dupre. Everything I’ve done since stems from that film.
   
    
3. Have any particular films you’ve seen stuck with you and/or influenced you?
   
   Seeing Bela Lugosi’s DRACULA at age five literally rocked my world to its core, opening my eyes to what I knew I wanted to do for the rest of my life- make movies that wake people out of the doldrums of their daily lives. As far as films that influenced me stylistically- the experience of seeing DAWN OF THE DEAD upon its release in 1978 gave me a ‘goregasm’ that furthered my mission to shock audiences with gleeful (ultimately harmless) subversion. AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON opened me up to the possibilities of breeding horror and comedy. And ROCK HORROR, as witnessed most recently with I WAS A TEENAGE WEREBEAR, inspired me to not dream it, but be it..
   
    
4. You’ve acted, produced, wrote and directed but which is your favourite part of the film process?
   
   I love, love, love working with actors on the set- but there is always the pressure of the gun to your head to get it all done within the budget and limitations, so there is always an underlying anxiety on the set. In the editing room, however, I truly feel like a master magican taking all the individual pieces of every aspect of a production (cinematography, acting, costuming, make-up, effects, music, etc) and putting them all together to form the final puzzle. So yeah, editing is my favorite part. My least favorite? Easy. Dealing with the business side of things where creativity is churned into a product for public consumption during the development and distribution stages.
   
    
5. Do you have any short words of advice for any future writers/directors etc?
   
   Be the first of yourself versus the next of someone else. Don’t compromise. Don’t give up. Stay true. And learn how to do it on a budget. But most of all- HAVE FUN!

Finally, before I add the links, I would like to thank Tim for taking the time to answer my questions and help a fledgling blogger.  I would also like to highly recommend his films as well, especially 2001 Maniacs and Field of Screams.  If you're a fan of horror or even if you're not, his films are funny, well written/produced and gory enough for all you gore fans out there.  Seriously, check them out and you will not regret it.  A review will be coming soon! 

Also, please check out and join his facebook page as well for information and insights into the films and the man behind the films!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewRebellionEntertainment
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0838374/

Chillerama: I Was a Teenage Werebear

2001 Maniacs

2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams

 

 Thanks for reading!