Porno (2019)

Director: Keola Racela

Writers: Matt Black, Laurence Vannicelli

Stars: Evan Daves, Jillian Mueller, Katelyn Pearce, Bill Phillips, Peter Reznikoff

When five teen employees at the local movie theater in a small Christian town discover a mysterious old film hidden in it’s basement, they unleash an alluring succubus who gives them a sex education…written in blood.

Following the UK showing of Porno at Arrow FrightFest on Friday, I got an opportunity to ask director Keola Racela a few questions about what horror fans can expect from the film, which has already been described as a cult classic in the making.

Q. How did you get into filmmaking originally? 

A. I really hadn’t made a film before film school. So, I started pretty late. For some people, hopefully for most, it’s not a huge mental leap that the first step in filmmaking can be as simple as just picking up a camera. But for me, it wasn’t so easy. I felt like someone had to tap me on the shoulder and give me permission. It wasn’t until I got a job teaching documentary filmmaking to high school students, where suddenly I was the one empowering others to be filmmakers, that I got over that feeling. I mean, who was I? Nobody! Applying to film school was a way of empowering myself to become a filmmaker. Though it’s certainly not necessary for everyone (my god, the debt!), it was instrumental for me.

Q. Porno has been selected to play at Arrow FrightFest, can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect from the film? 

A. Porno is a horror comedy about five religious theatre employees that find a mysterious film in the basement of their theatre. After watching it they think they’ve watched pornography, but they’ve actually watched a demonic movie that unleashes a succubus that terrorizes them over the course of one night. Hopefully there are laughs and scares to be had in equal measure.

Q. This is your first feature film as a director. How did you get involved in Porno and what attracted you to the project?

A. This film was made with friends from film school. The writers, Matt Black and Laurence Vannicelli, and producer Chris Cole phoned me up one summer afternoon and asked if I wanted to make a movie. It was that simple. To be able to jump in and work with a bunch of friends was really a no-brainer for me.

Q. How difficult was it creating the balance between the horror and comedy?

A. One of the things I love about horror is that the heightened circumstances lend themselves well to comedy. Before we had any characters or story, we started with the premise of a haunted porno theatre, which is funny to begin with. I think a big credit goes to the writers for finding the balance in the writing and then to our amazing cast that really sold it. They played the film without any irony, which made it all the funnier.

Q. Did you experience any issues bringing the film together? 

A. The film came together very, very quickly. The financing we had available to us was contingent on a timetable, and the timetable dictated that we shoot the film in the fall. I was asked to direct the film at the end of July of 2017, and at that point there was no script. By early November of that same year, we wrapped shooting. From no script to shot film in a little more than three months was a wild and wooly ride. I give full credit to our producers Chris Cole and Sarah Oh for pulling it all off. Chris for being the wild man who had the vision that this could happen and Sarah for having the skills and wherewithal to make it a reality. I also have to say, the film owes so much to our cinematographer JP Wakayama Carey. We never could have pulled it off without him. He’s a complete genius and made the film look like we had much, much more than we did. He kept his cool and saved my bacon countless times.

Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?

A. Working with the practical effects was amazing! Brett and Greg, the brilliant duo behind our practical effects were constantly blowing us away. There was scene in particular, which I will not detail though you’ll know when you see, that floored everyone. It became a real fulcrum in the shoot. After they unveiled this particular prosthetic there was an understanding for both cast and crew understood there was no going back!

Q. What makes Porno stand out as something different in the horror genre? 

A. I wanted to make a film that would have been something I would have wanted to watch when I was a teenager. Something funny, and a little outrageous and with a lot of heart. What we came out with was horror sex comedy with practical gore FX! Teenage me is fist pumping from his grave!

Q. What is your favourite scene in the film? 

A.  I have a lot of favorite scenes! They’re all my special babies, really. Even the misshapen ones. I have watched the film innumerable times, but one scene that always gets me is the scene in the office where the kids discuss whether or not Mr. Pike is liar. It was all fun and games during the shoot until we shot that scene, and I think walking off set that day even the cast was a little surprised. It’s a bit of a tone shift that hopefully deepens the entire thing. Though there are still laughs in the scene, it has some great dramatic heft and the actors really carry it. I’m proud of their work.

Q. Do you have any other projects which you are working on?

A. I have a bunch of stuff I’m cooking up! What I’m most excited about is a trio of horror films that I’m working on with the Porno writers, Matt and Laurence. Each one is a different shade, but all of them are exciting. I can’t wait until we pull back the curtain on these babies.

Q. If someone was looking to get into directing themselves what advice would you give them? 

A. Watch, watch, watch! Watch as many movies as you can. Follow your interests down whatever paths excite you, seek out the sources, see how they’re all connected. Then pick up a camera and go.

Philip Rogers

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!