Unlisted Owner (2013)
Director: Jed Brian
Writers: Jed Brian and Tyler Landers
Stars: Chris Ash, Levi Atkins, Chloe Benedict, Abby Brian, Bentley Brian
The ‘Owner House’ has been vacant for several years because of its very dark history but with the recent series of murders it has been taken to the next level. A family who just moved in has been murdered causing the curiosity of a group of friends to get the best of them. Deciding to break in and investigate with hand held cameras, would be the worst decision of their fun filled night. The terrifying and suspenseful footage has been edited for the film ‘Unlisted Owner’.
Unlisted Owner is a new found footage horror co-writer and director
Jed Brian, which has now been released on DVD and VOD. I got a chance to ask Jed Brian a few questions about what we can expect from the film.
Q. Unlisted Owner is your debut feature both as a writer and director. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?
This being my 1st film my cast, crew and myself poured 110% into “Unlisted Owner”. You can expect to laugh, be scared, and be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.
Q. You co-wrote the film with Tyler Landers. How did you come up with the original concept and why did you decide to make it a found footage film?
The original concept started with an idea for a scene in the house which involved an attic space that I don’t want to spoil here. But after coming up with that scene I then created a story of what happened before and after the attic space scene. After coming up with the backstory I knew I had to shoot the film in a style I could afford which happened to be found footage.
Q. In addition to writing and directing you also act in the film. Did you find it difficult taking on both responsibilities as director and acting in the film?
Yes and No, when directing a found footage film it can be both difficult and helpful doing both acting and directing. For instance, when you have to concentrate on if your camera is in focus, remembering your lines, your actors’ lines and making sure the shot works can be very difficult. But at the same time when you are shooting in a found footage style doing all those jobs you have way more control over what direction your project will go compared to doing the same thing in a traditional movie shoot.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
For this film Blair witch, paranormal activity and grave encounters were huge influences in the found footage style I shot in. Also, slasher films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween helped in this experiment of found footage slasher that you don’t typically see. I also look at Eli Roth as a lot of inspiration for me as a filmmaker in general after seeing hostel I knew this is something I wanted to do.
Q. What makes Unlisted Owner stand out as something different in the horror genre?
I would say my combination of real-life horror as in these events could actually happen to people and it not being your run of the mill found footage film as it is also a Slasher movie that surprises a lot of people. One of the most common themes in found footage is something super natural so making it more realistic helps set it apart.
Q. Were there any changes made from the original script during filming?
We had a few things we changed while filming we added the original family of five footage and the road trip scene after doing a focus group showing in Vincennes IN. We also had to build a set to be able to make the attic space scene possible as there was no attic space in the house.
Q. Did you experience any difficulties during filming?
The attic space scene was one of the more challenging scenes as we had to splice the footage from the set into the real house footage and make it seem all real time with no edits. It took us Around 30 takes to shoot the scene correctly. Which can be seen on the special features of our upcoming Blu-ray release.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
I would have to say being able to make a film with your best friends is one of the coolest feelings ever. It’s a time in my life I can look back on knowing me and my friends accomplished something amazing that people all over the world are being able to watch and enjoy. It’s just a amazing feeling.
Q. Looking back on the film now is there anything that you would like to have done differently?
Nothing at all being our 1st film I’m so proud so what we accomplished. To be able to create this in our small community of Sumner IL. Is a feat all in itself.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are working on?
I have a few in the works just in the writing stages now. I just recently acted in a film called Trick and Treats that has Malcolm McDowell in it. I’m hoping there will be updates in the near future with a official release date. I also will be doing some horror conventions this year so be on the look out to see if I will be in your area in 2019.
Q. What advice would you give to film makers who are looking to write and direct their own films?
If you have a project you believe in go for it. No matter where you live you can accomplish anything and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whether it’s asking to borrow a house to film in or asking your local police department to be background filler, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that will happen is they will say no and don’t hesitate to overcome when you are told no. You just have to believe in yourself and you can accomplish almost anything.
You can find out more about Unlisted Owner on Twitter, Facebook and the website http://unlistedowner.com/
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!
