Rough Cut - author interview

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Catwalk that originally appeared on the web site Horrorview. A fan favorite, Rough Cut has been rereleased in paperback by Dark Arts Books. The ebook is available from Crossroad Press.

Q: Welcome, Brian! Thanks for your time, and wow, I really loved Rough Cut. Where did you come up with the initial idea for the story?

BP: Rough Cut actually began as a screenplay, a B movie turned inside out. It was intended as an exploitation movie about exploitation filmmakers.

The script made the rounds in Hollywood with some encouraging nibbles but no bite. I was told the audience for this kind of movie was too “specialized.” So I turned it into a novel as a way to reach that specialized audience.

Overall, the story appealed to me because I’m a fan of B movies. I’m fascinated by the quest of the low-budget filmmaker to strike gold with limited funds and scrappy perseverance.

Q: I've dealt with the indie film scene for over a decade. It's obvious you have a great feel for the b-movie ecosystem. I got a strong Lloyd Kaufman feel when I first read Harry's introduction. Was the Troma films icon an influence in Harry's character?

BP: Yes, in part. Harry is something of a hybrid of several low budget, DIY movie makers: Lloyd Kaufman, Roger Corman, Ray Dennis Steckler, Fred Olen Ray, and, of course, Ed Wood. I read Kaufman’s book (Make Your Own Damn Movie), Corman’s book (How I Made A Hundred Movies In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime) and even some indie filmmaking “how to” books. I listened to Steckler’s commentary track on The Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters. I watched more Grade Z horror movies than is healthy.

Q: I loved the tie-in to the simple, middle Pennsylvania, Catholic couple. What was the influence to include a small-town actress wannabe in the overall feel of Rough Cut?

BP: I wanted to paint the contrast between an outsider and insider’s view of Hollywood. Nora Hurley escapes her small industrial town to go west and live out her dreams in L.A. She expects a shimmering paradise of glitz, glamour and instant stardom. Instead, she encounters a dirty, drab city littered with broken dreams and opportunists. Her fate is one of the main drivers of the story.

Q: I think I know the answer to this already, but give our readers an idea. How much of the horror movie legacy was already carved into your brain (pun intended) vs. what you had to research for Marcus' obsession?

BP: Most of it was already soaked into my skull. As a kid, I watched the Universal and Hammer monster movies on TV. I devoured Famous Monsters of Filmland. I made my parents buy me back issues for Christmas. Later, I experienced the 1980’s “slasher” boom. I’ve always enjoyed the vicarious thrills of the horror genre. However, I do not collect movie props like Marcus or attempt to make my own movies.

Q: I loved the pop culture references you worked in. There were two particular instances where you mentioned the modern struggle of indie authors vs. big print. Does your opinion match the characters'? What kind of opportunity do you think is out there for independent authors in today's multimedia markets?

BP: I believe the playing field is leveling somewhat with the changes in publishing and distribution. To be a success, you don’t have to be picked up by one of the “big six” or receive featured placement in chain bookstores. With ebooks, print on demand and the Internet, there’s a much lower cost of entry and an immediate access to distribution. At the same time, this has created a glut of small presses and self-published works, so you have to work hard to get noticed. But many of the tools are at your disposal. You have more control over your destiny. Hopefully, the good books will get noticed.