Canadian independent filmmaker Brett Kelly was recently in town for the Buffalo Screams Horror Festival to showcase his “More Than Horror” entry, Avenging Force: The Scarab. He was also the recipient of the Independent Spirit Award at the festival for the 16 independent films he’s worked on since starting in 2001. His other films include Iron Soldier and The Feral Man. With the help of two diehard Brett fans – Madeline and Jared Ciricillo, I was able to set-up a brief interview with Mr. Kelly, along with his lovely wife Anne-Marie, at My Tomato Pie (plug!) on the day before Avenging Force was screened.
Buffalo Rising: When was the moment when you realized you wanted to be a filmmaker?
Brett Kelly: It’s kinda funny because when I was a kid I wanted to be Indiana Jones. And so we wanted to make movies like that and I’d run around the yard, pretend to run away from boulders. But then for a while, I forgot all about it and I started getting into acting and then I thought I would make my own work so I started directing my own movies. Then I remembered, “Oh yeah! When I was a kid I wanted to do this!” So yeah, it was just making my own opportunities.
Buffalo Rising: Came full circle. Who were your personal influences? I know you mentioned Abbott & Costello, silent comedy. For your horror work, who influenced that?
Brett Kelly: My favorite movies are Evil Dead 2, Double Indemnity, and Cannibal: The Musical, in no particular order. So, I don’t know if I have a specific horror influence, but as a filmmaker it was Billy Wilder. He’s got such a wide variety of stuff. Like he did Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity, and Sunset Boulevard.
Buffalo Rising: Stalag 17.
Brett Kelly: Yeah. He could do anything that guy.
Buffalo Rising: Your horror movies are not overly violent or gory. Is that a personal choice?
Brett Kelly: Well, it might not be a personal choice, but what I like was the Universal monsters. I remember being a kid and watching the late show with my dad. And that’s what I like best about horror and, you know, you never see intestines flying across the room. Some of the stuff that scared you the most was subtle. So I like that, but I got gory a few times. I just prefer to creep people out without throwing it in their faces.
Buffalo Rising: What advice can you give to aspiring filmmakers or people who have a few films under their belt?
Brett Kelly: Get into retail *laughs*. One of the things about today is the equipment is so easy and readily available that people think that because you have the equipment, you can automatically direct. But what people should do is, it seems obvious, but watch a lot of movies. And don’t just watch the movies you know you’re going to like. Watch movies you think you might hate because you never know where inspiration comes from. You might watch a silent film and never know you were into shots like that or inspiration like that. So watch stuff you might not like.
Buffalo Rising: How did you get involved in the Buffalo Screams Horror Festival?
Brett Kelly: I think it was through Facebook, the magical device of Facebook, I saw that Greg Lamberson was a mutual friend with someone I knew and he said he was looking into expand into something something and superhero films. And I just finished a superhero film and it was opportunity knocking. I sent it off and I’m glad that I did. I’m having a great time and I’m stoked to come down here and that people want to see this stuff.
Buffalo Rising: One more question. What are some of the future projects you’re working on?
Brett Kelly: I am working on a superhero mockbuster. And we may be doing a creature feature or a zombie film. I’ll remain mum on the details until further along. Stuff like that.
Buffalo Rising: Thank you very much, Mr. Kelly.
Brett Kelly: Thank you.