Jeff Thomas

An Interview with Jeff Thomas

• Hello Jeff, Thanks for agreeing to talk to us about your new film, 13 Seconds.

Thank you so much for the opportunity, I love your site so this is definitely an honor.

• I'd like to start by asking if the transition from your work with television commercials to making a feature film was a difficult one?

Actually the transition was very easy. I've always considered my career in commercials just to be training for feature films. In fact commercials and independent filmmaking have so much in common. First off, you are always limited by time and budget. So commercials teach you to be effective in guerilla filmmaking techniques that will make your life easier on a film set. Plus, there are so many commercials out there that you have to make sure people will take notice. So you need to have an effective hook, a different style, and an underlying aesthetic to characterize your product. All this applies to filmmaking as well. There is a lot of competing product on the video stores shelves and as a director you have to make sure that your product stands out.

• As well as the in-your-face FX and gore, there are some subtle psychological shenanigans going on in 13 seconds. Do you think it's as important to leave as much to the audience's imagination as it is to graphically portray a scene?

That is a great question, because it is difficult to answer. In "13 Seconds" it was important to start off with some very graphic and violent images and slowly move into some more psychological and spiritual issues. I wanted the first half of the film to be very visceral then to abruptly veer off into another direction. Ultimately my point with the film was that the most violent or graphic material may not be the most horrifying or disturbing, but instead be the more psychological issues that all of us are uncomfortable with facing. So the film needed to start off very strong then come to a simmer as more clues and hints were developed. However, would this formula work in another film, possibly not. In some cases the graphic material works and with other scenarios you need to be more subdued. Ultimately, the answer is dictated by the overall narrative structure of the film.

• The music score complimented the atmosphere in 13 wonderfully. How much involvement did you have in the making of the soundtrack?

Thank you, I appreciate you mentioning that. I definitely had my share of input into the music, but it essentially came down to leaving the job in the hands of a few very talented artists. This was an arduous experience as it seemed that I had interviewed so many musicians and bands. Some were good, many were not, but I had a distinct vision for what the music should be like. I very much did not want a rock or metal score, not that I dislike either genre of music, or would never use it in a film, but because I thought a more traditional and gothic score would compliment the visuals and atmosphere better. Oddly, the music I liked best for the main theme was written by a fantastic guitarist, Jay Sunde. After several nights of self torture, Jay taught himself to play piano and the main theme slowly took form. Michael Poland did a great job with the rest of the score. Unfortunately, the film was accepted into several festivals and several distributors wanted to take a look at the film, before it was even finished. Michael was out of town and the film's score was not completed. After rushing the final edit, Rob Miller, our special effects artist, and myself sat down and actually scored the film with Michael's music, which was actually his demo CD. The funny thing is that overwhelmingly critics and audiences really enjoy the music. Maybe some day we'll do a two disc special edition that includes everything that we had planned for the release but could not include because of time.

• Do you enjoy writing as much as film making?

Absolutely. I enjoy both equally the same. Writing is my first love, but directing has become my trade. Both share some awesome rewards and have their own independent challenges, but ultimately I feel the two go hand in hand. I don't think I could direct something that I did not write.

• The narrative and the visuals are finely balanced in 13 seconds. Do you think it's harder to actually tell a story in horror films than in other types of movies, because of the audience expecting to see gore, violence, etc?

No, not at all. People expect to laugh in comedies and audiences expect thrills in action movies just as horror audiences expect to be scared, disturbed, and chilled. I have seen so many films that have allowed set pieces, whether in horror, action, or comedy, to actually stop the narrative dead in its tracks. When dealing with genre trappings and audience expectations it is important to utilize that as a means to propel the narrative rather than just stop the story. With horror films, the violence and the gore should only serve to propel the story. If it is not integral to the narrative then it is unnecessary.

• One of the reasons that I enjoy independent films is because of the fresh ideas and creativity that I've seen. Do you think working with a limited budget encourages ingenuity and inventiveness? How does the available budget affect the writing process?

Yes, limited budgets will always encourage true inventiveness. Look at all the classic films, the majority of them were B-movies upon their initial releases. With limited budgets, filmmakers need a way for their work to garner attention. Whether it be quirky and off the wall or subversive and over the top, filmmakers need a spark for their projects, and without money to throw at the problem, they need to be inventive. You are correct, most of the best cinema is independent because it offers us something new. For me, budget in the writing has never been an issue. As a director I love the challenge of creating what is written, that is definitely something I have gleaned from the commercial background. And I work with a great crew that I know is up for the challenge as well. Rob Miller is a great effects artist that is truly one of the most creative people I have ever met. He does a fantastic job of realizing the written word with a very affordable illusion.

• The location for 13 seconds was perfect. Was it difficult finding the right setting or was that location in mind when you were writing?

Actually the location that inspired the story was not available, at least not to shoot a horror film in. With this problem, I looked for several different locations to shoot in to create a sprawling, turn of the century academy. We shot on seven different locations, ranging from historical homes to the basement of a hundred year old insane asylum that still had the chains in the walls where patients were bound. Plus, we build sets for the second floor hallway, the sitting room, the air vents, and the gallery. The majority of the nighttime exteriors were shot at a very dated location that has now become an art commune. I found this while searching online for a registry of haunted locations.

• Now you've unleashed 13 seconds on the world are you diving straight in with another project?

Yes, thank you for asking. R. A. Mihailoff, Leatherface of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3, and I will be teaming for a new film that will definitely push some boundaries.

• Thank you very much for your time Jeff, and thanks for giving us a great horror film! Good luck with your future projects.

Thanks for the opportunity and keep up the great work. S.J.T.