NOTE : I received an email today that threw me for a loop to start my day, I read the email that said and I quote "You're nothing but a horror guy and you should stick to what you know, don't try to reinvent yourself as an action writer or a sci-fi writer, stick to what you know best and be a gore whore."
I decided to take a walk, take care of some business while i mulled over the e-mail and how to respond to it. Normally I don't respond to these types of e-mails but this one is from someone I considered a friend so this blog will serve as my response to that e-mail..
I decided to take a walk, take care of some business while i mulled over the e-mail and how to respond to it. Normally I don't respond to these types of e-mails but this one is from someone I considered a friend so this blog will serve as my response to that e-mail..
By : Jamie Santamore
I want to start this off by saying that everyone is entitled to their opinion, that's what so great about our country! This person who sent me this e-mail I once considered a friend and for them to say these things really hit me hard. I was on my walk when I decided to write this blog and give my thoughts on this persons comments.
Am I just a "Horror guy" ? As of right now all I have released is Horror yes but that doesn't mean all I will ever write / direct / produce is horror movies. there are many crossover directors. John Carpenter, Wes Craven, James Wan just to name a few. I don't see why people feel they have the right to try to squeeze me into a box that I clearly don't fit in. I have many ideas outside of the horror genre.
I wrote on my Facebook page yesterday that THREE of the FIVE scripts that are ready to go from Wicked Carnival Productions / Top Guy Productions happen to be Horror movies one is a Sci - Fi / Action movie the other is the TOP SECRET Project that I'm keeping very close to my chest until we start casting.
People have told me that doing anything but horror is a waste of my time because I won't get distribution. I wrote, directed, starred in and did the makeup FX for Sins of Man : Rise of Mortis and have a consignment agreement with Bull Moose Music in Maine and New Hampshire (which I set up on my own) we've sold more then half of our stock.
I feel in today's marketplace the term distribution is something that changed meaning recently, with the advent of the internet, and streaming services distribution is only a few clicks away. Call me old fashioned but I figure if a movie is well made, great story, amazing action scenes, good acting and has the right visual aides (cover art / promo material) behind it the movie has the power to stand on its own.
So in this person's mind no matter how many ideas I have outside the horror genre I need to shelf them and continue to write horror movies because that is my place in the world? Why? what give you or anyone else the right to tell me I can only make horror movies for the rest of my career?
I have said since day that this isn't about the money for me I know my movies need to make money for me to be able to continue to make them, I'm not an idiot but money hasn't ever been my main focus. I love to create and tell stories that is the main reason I make movies. I'm a fan of movies! I love to watch movies, talk about movies and write and direct movies.
With all of that being said I want to make it a point to tell you that I will never walk away from the horror genre completely because Horror is my first love. it's a well know fact that John Carpenter's Halloween is my favorite movie of all time in any genre and it always will be. while I may write and/or director an action movie or a Sci - fi movie from time to time my heart will always be in the horror genre.
I've found a new love of writing short films. I think it's very challenging to write an entire story in a few pages as possible. I enjoy the challenge and I have written three horror shorts that if you all enjoy them could be turned into feature length films. I have a sci - fi movie ready to go as well as the TOP SECRET Project that I'm really excited about. I plan to star in that movie and hand off the directing duties to Chris Fyfe. I'm in heavy training for this role and I look to be in top physical condition to play the role of a lifetime.
In closing I want people to know that you shouldn't allow anyone to put you in a box, you can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it. I had people telling me I couldn't make a movie and now that I'm getting ready to start production on mt third it's funny to look back at all the negative people I had around me and see how far I have come as a creator and my team has come in creating thee movies for fans the world over to enjoy. I will keep expanding my box filling it with as many great ideas as I possibly can.
STAY HUMBLE, STAY HUNGRY MY FRIENDS :)
Am I just a "Horror guy" ? As of right now all I have released is Horror yes but that doesn't mean all I will ever write / direct / produce is horror movies. there are many crossover directors. John Carpenter, Wes Craven, James Wan just to name a few. I don't see why people feel they have the right to try to squeeze me into a box that I clearly don't fit in. I have many ideas outside of the horror genre.
I wrote on my Facebook page yesterday that THREE of the FIVE scripts that are ready to go from Wicked Carnival Productions / Top Guy Productions happen to be Horror movies one is a Sci - Fi / Action movie the other is the TOP SECRET Project that I'm keeping very close to my chest until we start casting.
People have told me that doing anything but horror is a waste of my time because I won't get distribution. I wrote, directed, starred in and did the makeup FX for Sins of Man : Rise of Mortis and have a consignment agreement with Bull Moose Music in Maine and New Hampshire (which I set up on my own) we've sold more then half of our stock.
I feel in today's marketplace the term distribution is something that changed meaning recently, with the advent of the internet, and streaming services distribution is only a few clicks away. Call me old fashioned but I figure if a movie is well made, great story, amazing action scenes, good acting and has the right visual aides (cover art / promo material) behind it the movie has the power to stand on its own.
So in this person's mind no matter how many ideas I have outside the horror genre I need to shelf them and continue to write horror movies because that is my place in the world? Why? what give you or anyone else the right to tell me I can only make horror movies for the rest of my career?
I have said since day that this isn't about the money for me I know my movies need to make money for me to be able to continue to make them, I'm not an idiot but money hasn't ever been my main focus. I love to create and tell stories that is the main reason I make movies. I'm a fan of movies! I love to watch movies, talk about movies and write and direct movies.
With all of that being said I want to make it a point to tell you that I will never walk away from the horror genre completely because Horror is my first love. it's a well know fact that John Carpenter's Halloween is my favorite movie of all time in any genre and it always will be. while I may write and/or director an action movie or a Sci - fi movie from time to time my heart will always be in the horror genre.
I've found a new love of writing short films. I think it's very challenging to write an entire story in a few pages as possible. I enjoy the challenge and I have written three horror shorts that if you all enjoy them could be turned into feature length films. I have a sci - fi movie ready to go as well as the TOP SECRET Project that I'm really excited about. I plan to star in that movie and hand off the directing duties to Chris Fyfe. I'm in heavy training for this role and I look to be in top physical condition to play the role of a lifetime.
In closing I want people to know that you shouldn't allow anyone to put you in a box, you can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it. I had people telling me I couldn't make a movie and now that I'm getting ready to start production on mt third it's funny to look back at all the negative people I had around me and see how far I have come as a creator and my team has come in creating thee movies for fans the world over to enjoy. I will keep expanding my box filling it with as many great ideas as I possibly can.
STAY HUMBLE, STAY HUNGRY MY FRIENDS :)
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