Film: Arson
Director: Erin Broussard
Writers: Donny Broussard, Erin Broussard
Synopsis – Ageing boy band, Actual Size, can’t seem to reach the level of stardom they think they deserve. After biding their time playing run-down pizza joints and dive bars, they decide to do what many bands of legend had done to achieve fame. They decided to sell their souls. Unfortunately for them, not reading the fine print could prove disastrous.
Arson will be playing at Dead and Sudburied on Saturday, 18th October at 9:25 pm.
Q. Your film Arson has been selected for Dead and Sudburied. Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect from the film?
A. It leans hard into the comedy side of horror/comedy. Erin and I are both fans of heavy metal horror, so you can expect a lot of nods to that subgenre and some great original music.
Q. You share the co-writing credits for the film with director Erin Broussard. How did the original idea for the film come about, and what was the process for collaborating on the script?
A. I wrote a short comic book when I was a kid about a zombie metal band, and when Erin and I started talking about what we wanted to do next, we went back to that original idea and expanded it. She added the boyband side of the story, and we ran with it. When we write together, it’s pretty seamless. We both take turns writing and rewriting, until we come to a place where we both feel good about. It’s a fantastic partnership.
Q. Were there any changes made to the script during filming?
A. Sure. Some of the dialogue got changed due to improvisation from some of our actors. Erin loves letting the actors play in our sandbox, and it usually yields great results.
Q. What were some of your favourite memories of making the film?
A. The most fun I had on set was when Arson plays their concert. It was a blast to shoot, and then we all got to dance together. The zombie groupie feast was a lot of fun, too. It’s always cool when you get to cover everything in blood.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. Nothing crazy. The most difficult part of the entire shoot was how long it took to get the actors into their makeup. It’s not a fast process.
Q. What makes Arson stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. I think we have a unique comedic voice, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we also love blood and guts. We don’t want to reinvent the genre; we want to make the types of films we love, and we want to have fun doing it.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
A. I hope they have fun, and maybe check out the music of the great musicians who created tracks just for the film. Shout out to Mike Trebilcock, Golgothan, and The Bad Dreamers!
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. Absolutely! We are currently writing what will be Erin’s first feature film. It’s a funny, splatter fest.
Q. If someone was looking to get into filmmaking film what advice would you give them?
A. Just go out and shoot something, then rinse, wash, repeat. Don’t wait for permission to follow your dreams. If you wait for the perfect circumstances, you’ll be waiting forever. I am always inspired by the filmmakers who do whatever it takes to get their film made.
Arson will be playing at Dead and Sudburied on Saturday, 18th October at 9:25 pm.
You can find out more and keep up to date about Arson by following Donny Broussard on Instagram and Mallow Entertainment on Instagram and Website
Find out more about the festival and purchase tickets for Arson here
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
