Peter Dukes and his comrades at Dreamseekers Productions have been giving genre fans some unique short films for many years, and most recently they delved in to the werewolf sub-genre with their short film “The Beast” co-starring Bill Obsert Jr. In the midst of directing his latest short film “Little Reaper,” director Peter Dukes took time out for an interview and discuss his love for film, his methodology, and his plans for “Little Reaper,” a short film about the grim reaper’s rebellious young daughter.
For those unaware, who is Peter Dukes?
I’m an independent writer/director/producer based out of Los Angeles, where I’ve produced 15 films under the banner of my company, Dream Seekers Productions.
What can you tell us about Dream Seekers Productions?
Dream Seekers Productions is a company my sister, Aubrey, and I started back in ’05, although we’ve been making films together much longer than that. We specialize in horror, sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, drama and (soon) comedy live action films, though we’ve dabbled in animation as well. Our work. Low budget as it is, has been featured/reviewed in hundreds of sites and various publications worldwide. We’ve built a solid platform with a growing fan base, and we plan on staying busy and continuing to grow.
How long have you been making films?
Like many indie filmmakers, I think it’s fair to say I’ve been making films since I was a young kid. It eventually led me to film school, and a few years after graduation I officially founded Dream Seekers. We’ve been working hard to produce a picture, sometimes two, each year since.
Which movies influenced your love for genre filmmaking?
I’ll stick to horror on this one. One of my earliest influences was Steven Spielberg. DUEL, JAWS and POLTERGIEST, which Tobe Hooper actually directed, of course, but Spielberg was heavily involved with. Spielberg showed us that a film can be a summer blockbuster AND smart. For some reason, many think you have to choose between the two. I’m also a big fan of Dario Argento’s DEEP RED and SUSPIRA, John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN and THE THING, Hitchcock’s THE BIRDS and PSYCHO, Carl Theodore Dryer’s VAMPYR, Jacques Tourneur’s THE LEOPARD MAN and CAT PEOPLE, Joel Schumacher’s THE LOST BOYS, Tomas Alfredson’s LET THE RIGHT ONE IN as well as…well, I could go on and on.
Don’t even get me started on books. I’m a book junkie. That’s where a big part of my horror inspiration comes from. HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Ray Bradbury, Mary Shelley, Henry James, Susan Hill, Shirley Jackson. These books aren’t the goriest or most ferocious horror you’ll ever come across, but they are stunningly well crafted and original and they set the bar about as high as one can set it. These people all had their own unique voice/vision. They told the kinds of stories they wanted to tell, not so much adhering to whatever the current trends were, and that’s why many of these films and books have stood the test of time.
What genre have you yet to tackle that you’d love to someday?
A western I think. I’ve done just about everything else! My dad loved westerns growing up, as did many kids in past generations. It was such a big part of their lives. That genre isn’t as big as it once was, nor will it ever be again as its time has come and gone, but I’d really get a kick out of making an old fashioned “hold on to your boot straps” western, as a nod to the classics of yesterday and as a gift to all those people who still pine for the genre.
Which genre has been your favorite to work in?
We love all genres, so long as there is an interesting and challenging story involved, but we certainly have a soft spot for horror and fantasy. These genres generally allow for a tremendous amount of creative flexibility, where you can just kind of let your imagination run free, so we certainly enjoy taking advantage of that.
Which person living or dead would you love to work with?
In terms of film, I guess I’d have to say either Steven Spielberg or Krzysztof Kieslowski, each representing different sides to the filmmaking spectrum. They both have an astoundingly consistent aptitude towards telling a story through the medium of film, which believe me, is not always an easy thing to do. They might not hit a homerun every time they step up to the plate (in this business, I don’t know how that’s possible), but the amount of high quality work they’ve created is hard to wrap one’s head around. Yet, they did it again and again and again through the years. I’m sure most are well acquainted with Spieberg’s films, but for those who haven’t tried Kieslowski? Do so! I mean it. THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE, THE COLORS TRILOGY, THE DECALOGUE and others. He was an auteur and definitely worth your time to check out.
Have you had a favorite film you’ve worked on, yet?
No. There are some of my films that I personally enjoy more so than others, but I’m proud of all of them in my own way. Each represented a certain step in my “cinematic education”, if you will.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned from working in the movies?
When I’m asked this, my answer is always the same. Make sure you really love filmmaking. Sounds silly, I know. Always does, but it’s the best advice I can give for people starting out. It really is. The rest is just details, which they’ll figure out along the way. Loving FILM and loving filmMAKING are two very different things. Make sure you truly love the process and business of actually making movies, because if you’re only in it for the fame and money, the glitz and the glamour, you are probably in for a rude awakening. Not that there’s anything wrong with incentives like that, but just consider them icing on the cake, not the cake itself.
What has been the reaction to your last film “The Beast”?
“The Beast” has received a tremendous response from both viewers and the press, especially for such a small lo/no budget film. I’m very pleased to see that there are still people out there who are interested in watching an old fashioned subtle horror picture, relying on patience and atmosphere, as opposed to the current trends of torture porn (as I call it) or in your face shock horror. There is a time and a place for that type of horror, and I can’t knock it because it has a big audience. There’s a long and rich history to this genre, and one of my goals is to help people remember that there’s other kinds of horror out there.
What was the experience like working with Bill Oberst Jr.?
That was a very difficult shoot, which is often the case when you don’t have a lot of money or time to work with. So, working with a guy like Bill was a life saver because he was such a gracious guy, and a pro. A cool customer who came prepared and rolled with the punches with no complaints. It’s not everyday you work with someone who takes their craft that seriously while not taking themselves too seriously, or becoming a prima dona, etc.
He made my job easier, and I can’t thank him enough for that. Oh, and need I mention his talent in front of the camera? Yeah, that was nice tooJ Peter and Alexander Le Bas were also terrific actors, John Snedden photographed a beautiful picture with minimal resources and Giona Ostinelli wrote the perfect score for it. That film would not have reached the finish line without them all. People stepped up to the plate.
With the economy as it is, do you find making films becoming more and more challenging?
When you’re making films as low budget as mine, the economy doesn’t impact the situation all that much. I was always used to producing on a shoe string budget anyhow!
What are your thoughts on the recent Kick starter boom on the internet in terms of funding independent films?
I think people make the mistake of thinking sites like Kickstarter or Indiegogo make the process of securing investment easy. It’s not. Never will be. What it does to is just offer another option to consider, and I think that’s great. Why not? The more the merrier I say. I haven’t worked on a crowd funding production before, as my process is a bit different, but kudos to those who’ve done their due research, prepared themselves as to how to run a campaign like that properly, and gone on to achieve their goals.
What can you tell us about “Little Reaper”?
“Little Reaper” is a quirky horror comedy about the grim reaper’s difficult teenage daughter taking over her dad’s duties for one day. Chaos ensues. I definitely went a little crazy with this script because…well, why not? Ha. I had a lot of fun with this picture and I’m hoping people really enjoy it. It’s set to be released very soon. It stars up and comer Athena Baumeister and John Paul Ouvrier, with John Michael Herndon, Katharine Stapleton, Katy townsend, Allisyn Ashley Arm (of Disney channel fame) and Sorsha Morsava.
This was the first film where I went out and secured investment outside of my own pocket. I produced it under the Dream Seekers banner with Danny Derakhshan joining us as Executive Producer. Melissa Cottingham, Shane Mehigan, Colin Mehigan and Justin Caustillo are on board as Associate Producers. They’ve been a great producing team, and I hope to work with them again down the road.
Where did the idea for “Little Reaper” stem from?
Death is an important theme in many of my productions. Not in any macabre way necessarily, it’s just something that’s often on my mind. I’ve tackled it in past dramas, thrillers and horror films, but I decided this time I was just going to take this theme, turn it on its head and have some fun with it. It’s a wild script, and I think/hope everyone involved really enjoyed the experience. I know I did.
How long did the screenplay take to write?
One night. I’m a fast thinker/writer. When I get inspired, my creative alter ego kicks into high gear and completely takes over. Revisions would come in the following days, of course, but the initial draft took only a few hours.
Will it be a short film or a feature length film?
It will be a short film. We hope to make the jump to features soon. It’s a tough town when it comes to breaking into the indie feature scene. Finding investment can be tricky. It’s easier to fund a three million dollar movie than it is to fund a half million dollar one. Sounds strange, right? Anyhow, I’ve been close on more than one occasion, but it’s proven an elusive goal so far. I would expect nothing less. It comes with the territory when you want to hop on the indie filmmaking train!
What was the experience like working with fellow director Athena Baumeister?
Loved it. About ten seconds into Athena’s audition for the title role, I knew the part was hers. She was perfect for it, that’s the long and short of it. Her personality and vivacity were just what this film needed. Her experience as both an actress and a director was very helpful, as she not only came to set prepared, but knew what to do to make my job easier, knew the lingo and the on-set etiquette. Heck, she even corrected ME once or twice! It’s always a pleasure to work with someone who’s dialed in like that. I hope to see her go a long way in the business. She’s got the acting chops and the personality to make it happen.
Are you planning on sending “Little Reaper” to film festivals?
Yes, we’ll start with local festivals in and around Los Angeles and we’ll just see where things lead after that. I enjoy the film festival experience, but it’s generally not my main focus when producing these films.
What about “Little Reaper” appeals to you creatively?
It’s the kind of script that has very little boundaries in terms of where you can take the story, and when I give myself free reign creatively, it’s always a fun ride to see how crazy things might get. I’ve done heavy drama and broody psychological horror, among other things, so this is just one of those lighter scripts that I wanted to have fun with, wherever that might lead, and that’s a process I very much enjoyed.
What kind of experience is it working with your sister in the industry?
I’m a big family guy, so it’s been very nice having Aubrey close by all these years. We get each other, so whenever she’s on set it helps me do my job more effectively. When things get tough, she knows how to help alleviate the stress, the distractions, the burdens. She’s been very busy these last couple of years working on major motion pictures such as THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, THE AVENGERS, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, PACIFIC RIM and others, but she’s still a big part of Dream Seekers and always will be.
Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers looking to get their first film made?
Honestly, what new filmmakers will learn the most from is just going out and doing it. Live and learn, my friends. Just make sure you’re prepared. Don’t rush into a film before you’re ready, but don’t wait too long either or you’ll never do it. There’s always a hundred reasons why you could wait a little longer. Sometimes you just have to pull the trigger.
When preparing for your film keep in mind that EVERYTHING will take longer than you anticipate. If you think a scene will take an hour to shoot, in reality it will probably take two or even three, and so on and so forth with all aspects of your production. You’ve gone to all the time and trouble to bring the production together, so it’s worth it to spend just a little more time and money to make sure you get the film you really want.