Cook was nice enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for The Indie Film Revue.
IFR: How did Zombiefied come about? What drew you back into film after such a hiatus?
TODD: Zombiefied came about because I discovered that my film Death Metal Zombies was getting quite a following over the years. They always say it takes 10 years to get noticed and it's a good rule of thumb. In 2005, 10 years after the initial release of DMZ, I discovered by researching the internet that people were having keg parties and screening DMZ weekly, many fans were blogging about it, the amount of bootlegs was even more than ever, so I figured it was a great time to do a new film the way I always wanted to but never could.
So I based Zombiefied on the DMZ concept and wanted to make it super intense, brutal and non-stop, completely abandoning the old style of the SOV (shot on video) dayz.
IFR: How long did the filming process take you? And what can you tell us about the shoot and those involved?
TODD: This film took about 2 years due to Hurricanes, non-stop weather issues and most of the film takes place at night and outdoor. It also has so much action, that there is not so much dialogue in the film and shooting action sequences can take days just for a few minutes. There are a ton of intense action scenes all throughout so that added to the time necessary to shoot.
The cast and crew was the best I have ever worked with...all pros and it made a huge difference cause you really had to be constantly on every detail to pull off a film like that. It was a ton of work but more worth it than anything I have done so far in my 25 year career as a director.
IFR: Where do your ideas come from? And could you tell us a little about your writing process?
TODD: My ideas are usually just my twisted mind, but being a huge fan, I also cannot help but pay homage to my fave horror films at times as well. The writing process was ultra fast for every film I did except Zombiefied. Death Metal Zombies I just sat down and wrote the whole movie in one 4 hour session. Many scripts were written quickly, but Zombiefied being the different beast that it is, took 6 months to a year of ideas off and on. I did not have time to write every day so fit it in my schedule as I could.
IFR: What made you want to get into film making? Are there any specific films and directors that have inspired you over the years?
TODD: Friday the 13th, the original, period. I already was obsessed with film and horror since I saw House of 7 Corpses, but it was the original Friday the 13th film that made me literally start making Super 8 horror films a week after seeing it. I was 8 years old and every single movie I made was a Friday the 13th copy with my childhood touch. I went on to direct my first full length film in 1990 which was a Friday the 13th fan film called Friday the 13th Part 13: The Final Destruction and that was just the beginning.
My favorite film in the entire world is Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and my ultimate life goal has always been to direct a Friday the 13th film for release some day. As a fan, I would get it right...I was born to direct at least one!
Favorite directors that influence me: John Carpenter, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and George Romero more than any. The Italian films are a big influence style wise.
IFR: Coming from the 80's and 90's SOV era, who are some young filmmakers who you think are paving their way today?
TODD: I used to distribute most of the films from most of the SOV directors and I always watched the movies that came my way. Chris Seaver used to send me his fan made films and shorts and I watched his style grow over the years to the extent his stuff was picked up by other labels in the future. I was proud of him for always sticking to his style and forming his LBP company.
Todd Sheets and I made friends in the early to mid 90s and hung out, sharing ideas, processes etc. and had thought of working together some day but as things go, we lost touch for a lot of years until Facebook recently. Amazing how one site has brought me back in contact with so many people I miss. I always loved his style of being extreme gore king and going over the top. He made some really fun stuff so he was always a favorite SOV director. I hope he continues onward doing horror.
IFR: For your fans out there, what can they expect as far as rereleases in the future?
TODD: I have another film called Broken that I hope to do some day and that is an actual story of my life, told in part reality mode and part film mode with a total slasher/revenge story wrapped around the true story of my life. I have always wanted to do this movie, but am waiting until the time is right.
My friends have been pressing on me to do it for a decade, but I will know when the time is right. I have already done a teaser trailer just a few months back and we have a FB page for it as well, but it's going to be considered a constant work in progress until I have enough of what I want to edit. It will contain a ton of stock footage since it relies on true actual story-telling of the bizarre and fucked up life I have had and still have as a horror director.
IFR: How do you feel about the whole VHS collecting craze that's been growing over the past few years? On the same note, how do you feel about seeing your films being so sought out and going for such high prices?
TODD: I saw the original VHS boom, the death, and now the revival. I saw my films do well or not so well depending on the title, and now I see the fan base has grown immensely and there seems to be WAY more respect for the SOV style today. There are still plenty of viewers who just don't get it or never will, but now there are many more fans who like the SOV style which is really great to see.
Seeing the movies go for high prices is interesting and strange sometimes, but an HONOR to see that people want them. I have held myself from releasing many of my old VHS SOV films onto DVD for timing and now with Zombiefied coming out in 2012, I felt the time is right for those older unreleased movies to hit DVD as well. Fans have been asking me for a decade on some and I apologize for taking so long but in the entertainment world, timing is everything and I knew there would be a time, I just was not sure when but now I know!
IFR: What is up next for you? Another film? And what about the future of Zombiefied?
TODD: I am currently negotiating a world-wide release for Zombiefied which is the most important thing of all right now. I cannot wait for people to finally be able to check it out as I am most pleased with that film.
"The Good Friend", which is currently in production, is a giallo-slasher film that I am producing and also acting in and DP on and the film is under the Screamtime Films LLC wing. This film is directed by Marcus Sabom. My first non-horror film from our sister company Galaxy Film Productions will go into production soon as well. This film is being done with the company co-owner and first time director Scott Frank who will be directing a heart warming feature called Carly.
Many thanks to Todd once again. Over the past few weeks I have teased Todd about a 'surprise' that I had been working on. Wait no longer good sir.
- Brandon Bennett
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