Recently here on National Horror Examiner I wrote a review for a short film titled Kill Devil Hill, a short film written, produced and directed by Robert Ace Jordan and is "a re-enactment of one of the most bizarre crimes in history; an unsolved crime that triggered a bizarre series of murders through out North Carolina."
The film follows the Reed family, Jesse (played by Taylor Graham), his wife Jamie (played by Melinda Bennett) and their two sons Joey (played by Aiden Miranda) and James (played by Hunter Miranda), at the end of a seemingly average day. Jamie tucks the boys into bed for the night, and then heads off to her bedroom, where hubby Jesse is waiting. What had started as little more than an average evening, would soon transform into a horrifyingly nightmarish demonic scenario, one that will leave this average American family in ruin.
I recently had an opportunity to talk to Ace Jordan about his work as a filmmaker, Kill Devil Hill and his future as a filmmaker.
This is your chance to learn more about one of the brightest upcoming filmmakers working in the horror genre today.
Hi Ace. Thanks so much for your time.
Had you always known you wanted to make movies? How did you get your start?
Always? No. I doubt I was hammering out plot lines in the womb. But, I have wanted to make films for a very long time. I believe I wrote my first spec script at 13 and I've been at it ever since. Professionally, I was contracted to write a teleplay for an HBO show in development at 18. I wrote music and worked odd jobs till about 25 when a DP (director of photography) friend invited me to work as a 2nd AC on an independent feature in Utah. I've worked in various parts of the industry ever since, primarily post production.
Who are some of the filmmakers who inspire you?
Growing up I think I was more inspired by films then filmmakers. My favorite movie as a kid was probably Return to Oz. It's such a dark children's story. I think it explains why my work has gone into such dark places. As an 80's kid, I was inspired by Steven Spielberg and Wes Craven. A Nightmare on Elm Street was the first film that really made me crap my chones. Of course, I was only 5 or 6 but it really introduced me to the power that scary movies had to induce fear. I love films that give me a visceral response. My biggest influence, by far, is Stanley Kubrick. We both have an obsessive eye for detail. I believe this subtle OCD is what makes me good editor. I also try to create material that pushes the envelope of not only genre but where a film can take you psychologically.
What are some of your favorite horror films, both classic and modern?
My favorite classic horror film is probably The Shining. My favorite modern horror film is The Mist. Both are based on Steven King stories. I just like the way they capture our ultimate fears. The Mist is amazing. I'm not sure everyone got that film. It basically puts you in the scariest situation imaginable then manages to suggest that our reaction to fear is even scarier than the fear itself. It touches upon the darkest parts of both science and religion as well. Fear has the ability to turn seemingly harmless, rational people into monsters that are even scarier then the monsters on the opposite side of the glass. It poses the disturbing question, "Are we the real monsters?"
Are there any specific actors or actress with whom you'd really like to work?
Seriously, who wouldn't want to have a beer with Bill Murray? There are a lot of talented people I'd enjoy working with but when it comes down to casting I only really think about who is best for the part.
You've worked as writer, director, producer, in the camera department as well as the sound department
and on visual effects. Does serving in so many areas on a film become taxing?
Generally, when I work on a film or commercial project I don't do more than one job. On Kill Devil Hill, however, I had to wear many hats in order to keep the cost down. The visual effects were the most difficult part for me because I had never done visual effects before. I basically had to learn on the spot. I knew if the effects sucked, it would ruin the movie. So, I took about two months and watched a plethora of tutorials, did some demos and voila. Sometimes you do your best work when there's a gun to your head.
Do you have one particular area of filmmaking that you enjoy the most? The Least?
Writing is my favorite part of filmmaking. I started as a writer and it's the most important part, the story. I love directing but it can get very stressful. I love editing but it's maddening sitting in a dark room 12+ hours a day. You start to lose your mind and you see your own work over and over again until all the impact is gone and you start questioning all the choices you made. My least favorite part of the process is producing, by far. It's business meets politics. I just want to tell stories. I need to find a good producing partner. Someone good. Someone I can trust.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the horror genre?
I don't watch a lot of horror films these days. I guess that pretty much sums it up. There's nothing wrong with remakes. Great stories are meant to be retold. It just seems that the people behind this recent crop of remakes are lazy and looking to make a cheap buck. The horror genre is dying for something fresh and exciting. I wish I knew what that was.
You mentioned your short film, Kill Devil Hill. I found it to be absolutely brilliant. Was the process of making your first film
all that you had imagined it would be? Can you tell me a little about what it was like to work on your first film?
I've actually made a lot of home movies and little projects here and there. Hopefully they never get out because I'm a nice guy and I don't want to have to kill people. There's one on my Facebook page called Flashing Midnight that I did back in 1999. Most of them are on old tapes that have been lost.
Yes, it was all I imagined it would be. I remember not too far into the first day of shooting thinking, "There is nothing else I'd rather be doing, there is no place I'd rather be." It didn't last long because I had a lot to do but it was a wonderful feeling.
Filmmaking is a lot like surfing and I know a lot about surfing because I've been surfing once. You can't control the ocean but you can enjoy the ride. I probably did many things wrong while making Kill Devil Hill but what I did right was stop trying to over control everything and just enjoy the ride. You will get the best out of cast and crew when you give them freedom to excel at what they do. As editor and executive producer, I had the luxury of cutting anything I didn't like. So, when it came down to making key decisions the answer was always just "show me what you got!" I remember blocking the grisly murder scene with Taylor and Aiden while the bedroom set was being lit. We came up with some great ideas right on the spot. It worked better than what I had in the script. If I had tried to force that scene and refused to listen to the talent, it would not have worked as well as it did. Filmmaking is a team effort.
Can you tell me a little about the events of which Kill Devil Hill was inspired?
I don't want to say too much because I think in a way it might ruin the film for some people. There were a lot of changes from the case that inspired the film. One notable change was that the family had a teenage daughter who survived. In fact, she was never even attacked. Just the two boys. I cut this character out completely. The biggest change is that the actual case took place in the UK not North Carolina. The reason I changed the location to North Carolina is because it will serve as the setting for a feature film I'm writing inspired by these events. Kill Devil Hill, the short, was only designed to be the first chapter in much larger, more complex story.
Are you currently working on anything that you can tell me about?
I'm developing a lot of things right now. The teen vampire sub genre is really hot and it's making a lot of horror fans mad. So, I'm writing a graphic novel in an attempt to destroy it. It's kind of like a John Hughes movie with guns and vampires. That is all I can say for now. I'm also developing a mind bending new short about a serial killer who unknowingly kills people in his sleep. I'm shopping a couple spec scripts too but the top priority is the Kill Devil Hill feature. If you thought the short was shocking, you haven't seen anything yet. The great thing about this story is that it is so mysterious. Not even the cast and crew know what it is really about. So if you think you've got it figured out, you're sadly mistaken. Just wait and see.
Thank you so much for your time, Ace. As I mentioned here and in my review, I think Kill Devil Hill is fantastic and I really look forward to both the Kill Devil Hill feature as well as all of your other future endeavours.
I said this in my review and I'll state it again, I believe it's safe to say that the name Ace Jordan, and Jordanfilm Empirical Pictures, is one that you have most definitely not heard the last of. Jordan has an extremely bright future ahead of him.
For more information, check out Kill Devil Hill on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kill-Devil-Hill/108601272457
and Jordanfilm Empirical Pictures official website - http://jordanfilm.webs.com/
To purchase a digital copy of Kill Devil Hill, for as little as $1.75, click the following link:
Click here to buy "Kill Devil Hill" at the Jordanfilm Online Store!
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