During the last few years, I've met a number of young filmmakers who have created feature length motion pictures in an autonomous fashion that would have made John Cassavetes envious. I'm talking about young people - fresh out of college, in college, and even in high school - who have written, produced and directed their own feature length horror films. They don't procrastinate and they don't allow lack of budget to deter them; they complete their films, and, thanks to the Internet, they have a means of distributing them. Most importantly, they learn from their mistakes and evolve as filmmakers.

Adam Steigert, a 22-year-old who lives in Hamburg, New York, outside Buffalo, is preparing for the world premiere of his second feature, GORE - and he has already finished shooting his third project. I didn't see Steigert's first film, the zombie comedy BITEZ, but I understand that GORE - which he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-produced with the equally youthful Stef Wlosinski - is a noted step forward. GORE will have its world premiere on October 10th, and will be available as a limited edition DVD that same day. In addition, Steigert is in negotiations with a major DVD label regarding the film.

True to its name, GORE revels in the red stuff. It centers around a police detective (Michael O'Hear) who believes a hideous mass murderer named Gore, whom he once brought to justice, and who subsequently escaped, has returned to his old stomping ground and ways. A massacre leaves a single young witness (Wlosinski) that O'Hear must interrogate to get to the bottom of the grisly homicides. The film interweaves a policier motif with brutal murder scenes and the script presents a twist that I found highly original for a micro-budget film. Special make-up effects artist John Renna creates "Gore" in both the flesh and the make-up.

I'll be conducting a series of interviews with the key members of the GORE troop to support this indie effort, and Steigert is first at bat.


We're from two different generations of indie horror filmmakers. I'm very interested in what horror films you grew up loving, and what made you decide to become a filmmaker.


NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD director George Romero is the main reason for me wanting to do film. The whole "dead anthology" from NIGHT-LAND. I love how George has messages in his movies while still maintaining a great story that people can be attracted to. I believe that film should always have a purpose, some moral code behind which can relate everyone or anyone to it.


Did you attend film school?

I began film school, yes. However, after the lack of openings in the local marketm I did have to resign from my true passion. I picked up with business management, "whoop."


Your first feature was the zombie comedy BITEZ. What mistakes did you make on that that helped you with your new film, GORE?


Many. As anyone can figure, your first film always needs help. BITEZ did win our studios an award for best make-up in show at the Harrisburg film community festival during the fall of 2008. One mistake was starring as the lead character in the film. BITEZ was shot on only one camera, and in addition had a lack of special digital effects, and the editing programs were very unprofessional. For GORE I decided to invest in new editing software, CS3, to create amazing shots which BITEZ was never able to do.


I know you made a series of short films featuring "Gore" as well. What is it about this character's mythology that made you want to expand your ideas into a feature?

In respects to "Gore," I find it extremely personal. Out of everyone who has worked on the project, I have been with it the longest. Each character that's introduced is a lead into a false state which makes them fall victim to their own defaults. The character Gore is just an unstable force that meets unstable victims.


You co-wrote, co-directed, and co-produced GORE with Stephanie Wlosinski., who also had a key role in the film. How did your collaboration work in each of these areas? For instance, how did you direct a co-director?


During BITEZ Stephanie Wlosinski was behind the camera almost every shoot. I personally have known Stephanie all my life so when we began to cast the film, I asked Stephanie Wlosinski out right "Would you want to play Alice Moore, do you think because you haven't really acted that you could handle that part?" If I remember correctly, Stephanie wasn't sure at first that she wanted to try it. After we talked about it more, I believe the idea aroused her interest. Stephanie was excited, since we wrote together. Stephanie also knew exactly what we wanted from this character. The collaboration off screen was nothing but positive. We had a mutual respect for each other, when she's acting I direct and when I act she directs. We don't get to the point where we step on each other's toes. Point blank, when I direct I am the boss, when she directs she is the boss. I believe that worked very well during the shooting of GORE and when neither of us were acting we would collaborate on how to design the scene.


You've got some really strong performances, especially from Michael O'Hear as your detective character and Stephanie as Alice, they young witness upon whom some of the story revolves. I also liked Eric Fields, who is very convincing as another cop. You avoided the trap that a lot of young DIY filmmakers fall into, which is casting actors who are obviously way too young for the roles they're playing. How did you like working with actors, and with this cast in particular?

The cast/crew of "GORE" was amazing, the people were great! Of course, there were days that included conflict with one another but everyone knew and respected that at the end of the day we were there to make something much more, something that people will hopefully remember us by good or bad. As a young director, I could take lesions from people like Michael O'Hear who have worked on bigger budgets and put that into practice for a good finished product.


John Renna is a triple threat in this film: he has dual roles, as Gore and yet another cop, plus he supervised the make-up effects and serves as one of your co-producers. It must have been really difficult for him to apply his own make-up.


What John Renna did on GORE was outstanding. He did things that any one man would say "it can't be done." On top of that, Stephanie and myself where always pushing him for more. There were actually days John would have to tell me "it can't be done with just one person." I would always reply "John, don't tell me it can't be done, tell me what you need or how long." As for John's dual roles, when he was "Gore" or "Steven" he was always able to define himself from the two characters. Until you see the credits you'll be convinced that "Gore" and "Steven" are played by separate people. I can't speak for John on the difficulties of doing his own make-up, but I will say role call for "Gore" was about 3-4 hours earlier then when we began to shoot him.


Despite all of the collaborators you had, at the end of the day you were the sole editor. Is that your favorite step in the process?


Favorite step, yes. Editing, next to writing, is my favorite thing. To be honest, I hate to direct, when I take on a project I like to edit alone. When I look back at the length of time I edited GORE I could only stay from 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. I would edit then go to work at 4:00 p.m. come back home at 12:30 a.m and edit till 3:00 a.m. I did this from the beginning of July till the middle part of August. As long as I direct and produce a movie I will always do the edit work.


You're having your world premiere at The Hamburg Palace Theater on 10.10.09. Are you able to discuss your distribution plans after that?


Indeed, the script of GORE is more like a book and tells our story better than the film could ever do. Much like any book to film adaptation. Currently we are working out a deal with Lionsgate Entertainment. Maybe one day we will all see GORE on the silver screen. I was told by a producer from Lionsgate Entertainment who has produced a couple of the SAW films, and who has seen the GORE script, that GORE could be the rebirth of "the 80's slasher films." Overall, our distribution through our studio is small - we do have DVD's available starting on the 10th of October to be purchased either at the premier or online at www.deftonepicturesstudios.com .


As you know, there are a lot of micro-budget horror features being produced in Buffalo right now. Can you speculate on why that is?


What I can say to that is, there is a lot of talent across Buffalo: actors, directors, writers, musicians, etc., I believe that people with these talents are tired of waiting around for that "right moment." People want to-do what they love. We all push ourselves for that "right moment" and sometimes lose track of actually just having fun and doing what we love. This is my own personal belief, I don't want anyone to get confused. I strongly believe if Buffalo was given a chance with those people we could end up seeing another Hollywood.


What are you working on next?


DefTone Studios has many new projects coming out within the next year. First will be the follow up sequel to BITEZ, which just wrapped, titled BITEZ PRESENTS: THE FEVER. I have been working on editing that film which will be close to "film quality" - we shot with new cameras on that film plus new film stock filters that really give it that film kick. BITEZ PRESENTS: THE FEVER is not directed by Stephanie Wlosinski or myself. Someone new stepped up to the plate to take the BITEZ universe in a new direction, director Mark J. Mendola. Also a vampire flick with the working title MOSTLY DEAD, which is being directed by Hernan Caraballo and Stephanie Wlosinski; again, I have signed on to be editor. I am also working on a deal with John Renna on becoming the "A" editor for his short film IT'S IN BACK. Lastly, I am working on a new script titled THE COLONY, an epic story of life after a nuclear disaster. I believe with our new equipment our studio is getting (cameras and new editing software) our projects will only get better. I love to work with new people and I am always looking for new talent. If anyone ever wants to get a hold of me that could always write to me at deftonepicturesstudios@yahoo.com or email me off the website under the "feedback" page.