In his books, The Film That Changed My Life and The Best Film You’ve Never Seen, American journalist and teacher, Robert K Elder offers some suggestions.

The Film That Changed My Life provides 30 directors sharing thoughts on their first encounter with the film that inspired them to direct movies. Spanning several generations – from relative newcomers to Oscar Award-winning veterans – these are inspired and inspiring discussions of classic films that shaped the careers of today’s directors and, in turn, cinema history.

The Best Film You’ve Never Seen is not only a guide to some overlooked movies but a bold attempt to rewrite film history by 35 directors who recommend what they consider to be underappreciated films. They each champion their favourite overlooked or critically savaged hidden gem.

Both these books offer some perspectives on what makes a “classic” film beyond the regular “Best of” lists with thoughtful, personal reflections. 

The post Films You’ve Never Seen That Might Change Your Life appeared first on Biz Books.

The time has come for the release of the documentary, Tempest Storm, including a special run at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver from June 18th to June 21st.

We spoke to the lady herself, Tempest Storm about her illustrious career and the process of sharing her most memorable life experiences on screen.

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Can you start by telling us a little bit about you and how you became involved in this documentary?

I’ve been a burlesque performer since 1951, but I think of myself as an icon of show business, not just burlesque. I’m a performer, a public speaker, a dancer. I make appearances around the world. How did I become involved in this project? Number one, my manager Harvey Robbins suggested I should do a documentary. I said “I don’t think so.” But he said it would be good for me, but I was worried about telling my life story and re-living it all. He more or less talked me into it, so I said ok I’ll go for it. I met Kaitlyn Regehr in Toronto – she’s one of the producers, and she mentioned how much people would love to hear about my story and how I became a star. I thought ok, maybe I can do this.

What can you share about the process of working with director Nimisha Mukerji?

In the beginning I was a bit nervous about making a film and didn’t want to talk about certain things. I started to trust Mish – that’s what I always call her. She likes to listen and was very respectful. We had a lot of girl talks together with Lindsay (the cinematographer). They followed me on the road, they traveled with me back home to Eastman, Georgia. Mish brought out a lot in me. I will never forget the expression on her face when we saw the film together for the first time at Hot Docs in Toronto. She was waiting for me to say either it sucks or it’s great. I’m my own worst critic. And I waited until the credits were over and I turned to her and said – the film’s great! And her whole expression changed. She was so happy.

What was the most enjoyable part of this experience for you?

I think it was going back in time, going through the memories. Seeing my ex-husband Herb was incredible. He looked great at the age of 102. It meant a lot to me to see him after all those years. I loved his new wife too, you know usually ex wives and the new wives don’t get along but I really liked her a lot.

What was the most challenging part of this project and how did you deal with it?

We had our ups and downs, but eventually you iron it out. It was hard to talk about my private life, but then I thought it’s important to talk about the hard times and the obstacles I faced. People assume that because I’m an entertainer that I have everything in my hands, that I have it made. They don’t realize it was very hard getting  to the top. There were many times I didn’t have food, didn’t have money, didn’t have friends. There were times along the way I thought about going back home to Georgia, but then I toughed it out. I went without. I think anybody who is facing problems can overcome it. But you have to be very strong.

What can audiences expect from the film?

The public often doesn’t realize what it costs to become a star. I’m really glad that I did this documentary because it gave me a chance to tell people the things that I went through and how I made it. If you put your mind to it, you can survive anything.

Were there any documentaries that you watched before participating in this one or do you have any favourite ones from the past?

I saw parts of Bettie Paige Reveals All and I appear briefly in the documentary Behind The Burly Q. I like the idea of seeing films that capture real lives.

You have a long history in burlesque. How do you think burlesque has changed over the years and where will it go next?

I think over the years it has changed a lot. They’re trying to revive it, but I don’t know how it will come back because when burlesque started disappearing is when the hard core movies started to release. The question is how do you compete with that? The art of tease tells a story though, and people are really starting to appreciate it again. I was just at Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas and it was sold out. Men and women came out and enjoyed the show.  Whenever I go on stage at BHoF the minute my two feet hit the stage people stand up screaming and applauding. It’s just incredible.

Are there any entertainment-related books that have inspired you along the way?

Garry Marshall autographed a copy of his book My Happy Days in Hollywood before he gave it to me and I treasure it. He said he had a crush on me for years which I thought was just adorable! Garry has a great sense of humour as he talks about his career. He really paints a picture of the people he encountered, and his childhood growing up in the Bronx.

Looking back on your impressive legacy in entertainment, how would you most want to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as a beautiful, classy lady.

Where can people find out more about you and the film?

The trailer, showtimes, everything’s on the website – TempestStormFilm.com

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Thanks to Tempest Storm for speaking with us!

You can see the film from June 18th to June 21st at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver with a special Q&A with Tempest Storm and director Nimisha Mukerji on June 18th and June 19th. For tickets, please visit riotheatretickets.ca.

The post The Biz Interview: Tempest Storm appeared first on Biz Books.

Film Details

Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to theaters this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.

In theatres June 3rd, 2016.

Screening Details

Date: Wednesday, June 1st, 2016

Theatre: Silvercity Metropolis

Time: 7pm

How to Enter

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” Movie Contest in the subject line

Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Movie Contest appeared first on Biz Books.

Just ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Vancity Theatre on April 5th, Robert David Duncan talked to us about how his time as an actor and director influenced his work on A Legacy of Whining.

________________________________

Can you start by telling us a little bit about you?

I have been dedicated to acting for 10 years now, having decided to pursue it seriously in mid-life after working as a consultant, college teacher, author and public speaker. At one point, I literally “gave up my day job” and took a leap into the Stella Adler Studio summer conservatory program in New York, which was a wonderful experience.

After lots of acting training here and in New York and some cool experiences in acting, I decided to try directing. Ross Munro was a big encourager of mine, telling me that I should give directing a try, and that it was fun. He was right! Several years ago I formed a production company, Fat Punk Productions, and we have developed a number of films, most recently a feature called It’s About Love that is in post-production. We have been fortunate to have had a lot of success getting our films into festivals around the world and winning several awards. I have also written books on acting and filmmaking and teach both subjects.

Recommended Reading You Can Act On Camera Click a cover for more details The Art of Voice Acting Secrets of Screen Acting

What can you share about your character in A Legacy of Whining?

Hilariously enough, Dunc is like my evil twin. He is everything that I am not. Aside from the obvious physical and name resemblance, he is Mister Hyde to my Doctor Jekyll, which makes him a delicious acting opportunity. In real life, I am an optimistic, encouraging person. I’ve been with my wife for 25 happy years, I don’t party or pop pills, and I’d much rather be home in my nest when the sun sets. Dunc on the other hand, well…

What kinds of things did you do to prepare for your role?

Ross Munro and I talked quite a bit about the characters, and the homage to old buddy movies of the ’70s. We very early on had a meeting of the minds, and didn’t have to explore the script to death, because the rhythm of the communication between the characters was just so natural. We slipped into each of our characters very readily and our rehearsals were really a lot of fun. My wife was also great at helping me with the lines, and she still knows a frightening number of them – we are always tossing around Mitch-isms and Dunc-isms. I also think everyone has had a friend like both of these two guys, the one who remembers everything about the old days, and the one who couldn’t care less, the undermining friend, the starry-eyed dreamer, and so on. By the time you get to middle-age, there’s a lot of experience to draw upon!

You have a wide mix of acting and directing credits. What do you enjoy about each of them?

Directing is a lot of fun and I find it sits comfortably on me as a vocation, probably due to my background in teaching, acting and management. Acting though, is the real drug, and is my first love. There are times during a performance when you can be so in flow that you zone out, and only come fully back into yourself when “cut” is called and you see that everyone is quite excited by the work. I’m sure every actor gets that experience at times, and it is really special.

How does your experience as an actor help you as a director and vice versa?

Because I was an actor first, I get where most actors are coming from, which helps me immensely as a director. I have studied most of the acting traditions, and can relate to an actor that is working either from their emotional experience, or from a more cerebral or imaginative place. This helps me communicate my vision as a director in terms that we both understand. I also know to go easy on the number of takes because I understand the risks of burning out the actors. I aim for 3 takes maximum. To get to that level of performance I try to do a lot of work with each actor before we shoot. As for being an actor who also directs, I think it helps me understand what the director likely needs, and so I can bring that to my performance – things like repeatability in coverage shots, awareness of continuity and the like. In both cases, my empathy is deepened because I understand the different jobs on set, and the importance of serving the story and ultimately the audience.

Many of your directing credits are short films. What would you say are the three most important ingredients that every short film needs to be successful?

A story, a message and a theme you care deeply about. To some extent those elements overlap, but they are the key ingredients. I wrote a book called “Micro Short Filmmaking: A guided learning journey” which guides aspiring filmmakers on how to make a simple one-minute film. If you can get a story that fits into a minute, that is driven from something you care about, and leaves a viewer affected, then you can make any length of film. The important thing is to start. If you have a smartphone or other simple camera, you can make a micro short film for no money and get it into festivals and perhaps even win an award. I run workshops on micro short filmmaking, and I am constantly blown away by the creativity of the people who take part. These are the filmmakers of the future.

Are there any books or authors that have been influential in your career so far?

The Art of Acting by Stella Adler, Being an Actor by Simon Callow and Acting in Film by Michael Caine. I read very widely on acting craft, but those are the 3 that I would grab in a fire!

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?

Nothing comes easy, and everything takes more time and more work than you can imagine. It’s important to be working constantly on craft and generating your own work through writing and producing. Waiting to be chosen through the traditional audition process is a recipe for defeat and discouragement. You don’t need anyone’s permission to be working on your acting craft. Study, practice, write and shoot a simple film, surround yourself with others who are working hard, and be quietly grinding away all the time. Work more, talk less.

What’s your opinion on the current state of the Canadian film industry?

We are in the middle of a sea-change in terms of the democratization of content production. We are seeing feature films shot with iPhones. If you have a great story, you can find a way to make a film and get it out there into festivals and released online. It’s not a recipe for making lots of money, but there is a lot of talent here in Canada, and a lot of creative people. I think it’s a great time to be an independent film producer.

What other projects are you working on right now and where can we find out more about you?

I am in post-production on a feature film called “It’s About Love” and I am really happy with how it is coming together thanks to an awesome cast and crew. I am also filming a second feature which is an experimental iPhone film, and I have other projects in development. People can come visit us at FatPunkProductions.com, and can check me out on IMDB. Information on my current workshops and training is here. I am @duncanrob on Twitter, and am also on LinkedIn.

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Thanks to Robert David Duncan for speaking with us!

You can check out A Legacy of Whining at the Vancity Theatre on April 5th at 6:30PM.

Tickets available through VIFF.org.

The post The Biz Interview: Robert David Duncan appeared first on Biz Books.

The Gala screening and party taking place on Saturday, Feb 27^th. Tickets are now available!

For ticket information please visit Crazy8s.film!

Crazy8s is run by the Crazy8s Film Society, a not-for-profit society.  It was created to foster support for emerging filmmakers who have little or no access to funding for short films.

Crazy8s is currently looking for $2,500 in support. This goes toward the general operating costs of running Crazy8s including everything from insurance, equipment costs, publicity and advertising to venue rentals to part of the funds that go to each team.

Donating to Crazy8s means that you will be contributing to a reputable non-profit society and to the cultural landscape of Vancouver and BC.

The Highest Donor will get a one night stay at the Sandman Hotel in downtown with a minimum donation of $100. If a tie, a name will be drawn.

Furthermore, everyone who donates will have his/her name thanked in the Gala program and if you donate $100 or more projected on the screen at the Feb 27th Gala Screening for an audience of potentially 1,700 people.

Want to support Crazy8s 2016?

Visit their Indiegogo.com page to make a donation!

The post Crazy8s 2016 Short Films Gala and Fundraiser appeared first on Biz Books.

Film Details

When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea:  The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything.  Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers), The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo, Hamish Linklater, John Magaro, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong, Marisa Tomei and Finn Wittrock

Directed by Adam Mckay

In theatres December 23rd, 2015.

TheBigShortMovie.com

Screening Details

Date: Wednesday, December 16th, 2015

Theatre: Fifth Avenue Cinemas*

*you must be 19 years of age or older for admittance to this theatre

Time: 7pm

How to Enter

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “The Big Short Movie Contest” in the subject line

Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

The post The Big Short Movie Contest appeared first on Biz Books.

We are happy to share the Top 40 Finalists, as selected by the video pitch jury: Bill Hurst, Meghan Elie, Caitlin Byrnes, Paul Armstrong, Ines Eisses, and Kristyn Stilling.

Meet the Crazy 8s 2016 Top 40 Finalists!

Alphabetical by Team / Film Title

Abigail Kinch (Breathing Room)
Alayna Silverberg & Sean Tyson (The Mooner)
Andy Canete (Launey)
Antony Packer (The Trial)
Ashley Evans & Will Fitzgerald (Herculean)
Chelsey Moore & Carolyn Yonge (The Barber)
Chris Aitken (Resuscitate)
Connor Gaston & Ryan Bright (Smiley)
Darren Borrowman, Tom Belding & Bob Woolsey (Erwin)
Eric Boychuck & Lettie Costea (The Glitch)
Feet Banks (Are You Ready?)
Fiona Vroom & Jessie Fraser (Not Another Vampire Movie)
Greg Delmage & Annette Reilly (N.P.C.)
Hannah van Dijk & Jim van Dijk (Mystery Meat)
James Danderfer (Jass)
James Kingstone (Wheels on the Curb)
Jesse Lupini & Lucas Kavanagh (White Room)
Joel Ashton McCarthy & Nachapol Dudsdeemaytha (I Love You So Much It’s Killing Them)
Karen Nielsen, Christena Zatylny & Chelsey Stuyt (Perfection)
Kyle D’Odorico (Like A Thief In The Night)
Lelinh Du (You’ve Been Served)
Linda Rumney (Rehearsal)
Madeleine Davis (Transient in Stasis)
Marguerite Royer (Sky Divas)
Mary Galloway (Unintentional Mother)
Maya Saxell & Kim Oxlund (Edible)
Michael Campbell, Chris Wilson, Peter Carlone, Jameson Parker & Ryan Silva (Grocery Store Action Movie)
Natalie Goyarzu (Grasp)
Natalie Moon (Uncommon Courtesy)
Olesia Shewchuk (Sidewalk Battles)
Orsy Szabo & Krista Rand (Unlock)
Patrick Currie (Meet Cute)
Pauline Egan & Montgomery Burt (Lloyd’s Automotive)
Rohit Chokani & Ashley Rose (Arranged)
Sara Daruvala (The Chronic Blink)
Shannon Kohli (A Family of Ghosts)
Shauna Johannesen (Trying)
Tyson Laidler (East and West)
Veronika Kurz (20 Minutes to Life)
William Minsky (First Job)

The Top 40 pitch finalists will now go ahead and pitch November 27th & November 28th to our next set of judges who will select 12 teams to advance to the script stage of the competition.

The In-Person Pitch Jury:

Catherine Lough Haggquist (actor and owner of BIZ Books)

Glen Schaefer (film journalist, The Province)

Jem Garrard (director ‪#‎Crazy8sFilms‬ 15 ‘The Wolf Who Came to Dinner’)

Kaare Andrews (director and artist Marvel Comics)

Katie Weekley (producer ‘The Birdwatcher’)

Zach Lipovsky (director ‪#‎Crazy8sFilms05‬ Crazy Late)

The post Crazy 8s 2016 Top 40 Pitch Finalists appeared first on Biz Books.

We spoke with Rebecca Lee to get her insights into what makeup can add to creative projects and what her advice is for the makeup artists of the future in film and television.

________________________________

Can you start by telling us a little bit about you and what you’re up to these days?
I’m the head of the makeup department for the CTV television show Motive. We are in our fourth season and I have been with the show since the beginning.

What inspired you to pursue a career in makeup?
I started as an apprentice in the theatre department of UBC. There I learnt that makeup could be a viable career. The creative aspect and the collaborative nature of the theatre process inspired me to pursue makeup as a job.

How does the makeup process stay the same or change between film, television, or commercial projects?
The size of the medium may change but the process of breaking down the script, designing characters and executing flawless looks remains the same.

In the context of an entertainment project (Film, TV, Commercial, etc.), what does effective makeup add to a character?
Makeup can add so much to a character and adds a dimension acting can’t do on its own. From full prosthetics to just a simple corrective makeup adds an extra element to the performance and helps to tell the story or the journey of the character. Makeup also helps to prepare an actor for their role and feel at they “look” the part.

What are the main advantages of using a professional makeup artist for a film, television or commercial project?
Film and TV makeup is not the same as everyday makeup. Many things must be taken into consideration such as cameras lighting and the story being told. A professional with training from a school such as New Image College has the experience to bring all these elements together, maintain continuity and keep the actors comfortable.

What’s a typical day like for you?
When shooting, my mornings usually start around 6:00am. We process the cast and get them ready for the day ahead based on the call sheet. That might include beauty makeup, corrective make up and a lot of special FX. Most episodes of Motive have a dead body so that keeps us pretty busy too. Then my team and I maintain that make up and keep it touched up and looking fresh all day. At the end of the shooting day we clean everyone up and help them look after their skin so it looks beautiful for the next day.

What have been some of your career highlights so far?
Winning an Emmy in 2007 for makeup in a miniseries was definitely a highlight and a very happy time. I’m also blessed to work with a wonderful teams of artists and I’m thankful for that everyday.

What would be your advice to someone who wants to pursue a career in makeup?
Education, education, education. A school like New Image College will provide a new makeup artist with the tools and the skills to succeed on set. The great thing about New Image is they also provide work experience. This is essential for the student to determine whether a film career is something they would enjoy and also provides the first steps to getting into professional unions.

What books have been influential to you throughout your journey in makeup?
Stage Makeup by Richard Corson is the first book I read and one I return to often. It’s excellent for learning the basic concepts of makeup and has great pictures and is updated often.

Where can people go to find out more about you and your latest projects?
My website is RebeccaLee.ca

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Our thanks to Rebecca Lee for speaking with us!

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Recommended Reading

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

Stage Makeup
Richard Corson

[/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

A Complete Guide to Special Effects Makeup
Tokyo SFX Makeup Workshop

[/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third_last”]

Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen
Todd Debreceni

[bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

The post The Biz Interview: Rebecca Lee appeared first on Biz Books.

Where There’s Smoke… An Encounter with William B. Davis!

Book Signing, Interview and Q&A!

One of the most iconic villains in the history of television, the enigmatic Cigarette Smoking Man fascinated legions of fans of the 1990s’ hit TV series, The X-Files. Best known as “Cancerman,” he was voted Television’s Favourite Villain by the readers of TV Guide. The man behind the villain, William B. Davis, is a Canadian actor and director, whose revelations in this memoir will entertain and intrigue the millions of X-Files aficionados worldwide.

But there is more to Davis’ story than just The X-Files.

William B. Davis’ extensive acting experience began when he was a child in Ontario in the 1950s, and grew to encompass radio, theatre, film, and television. At the University of Toronto, where he graduated with a degree in philosophy, he turned his hand to directing, a move that took him to theatre school in Britain and a directing career. There, he reconnected with his undergraduate colleague, Donald Sutherland, and worked at the National Theatre, with such notables as Sir Laurence Olivier, Dame Maggie Smith, and Albert Finney.

Join us as William B. Davis discusses his career, reads from excerpts from his book, and answers audience questions. There may even be a few insights about the highly anticipated return of The X-Files!!

Here’s William B. Davis on Breakfast Television Vancouver talking about The X-Files and our event!

When: Sunday, November 15th at 7PM.

Where: SchoolCreative – Institute of the Arts (210 – 112 East 3rd Ave, Vancouver BC, V5T 1C8)

This is a free event.

The post Where There’s Smoke… An Encounter with William B. Davis appeared first on Biz Books.

As Christopher Chacon has a strong reputation as a valuable consultant on horror films, we spoke to him to find out more about his work and what horror films can do to “get it right” when it comes to films that explore paranormal themes.

________________________________

Can you start by telling us a little bit about you and what you are working on right now?

I am a writer/producer/director for TV, film and theatre. In addition to my work in the entertainment industry, I am also an anomalist/parapsychological researcher and scientific investigator/researcher of paranormal and supernatural phenomena, including the occult/metaphysics. Though my work dealing with phenomena is very confidential and entirely separate from the entertainment industry, I am able to apply my experiences and perspectives into that world to whatever projects I might be working on. As far as what I’m working on; I’m constantly developing new ideas and concepts in film and TV, way too many to mention here, some of my own creations, fact-based and fictional, and several that belong to other showrunners/screenwriters that have brought me onboard to collaborate.

How did you first develop an interest in the paranormal?

It wasn’t my original intent to investigate and explore paranormal phenomena, especially to this degree for this long. I was paying my way through college as a magician/illusionist and was approached by a family that wanted answers to the alleged haunt phenomenon keeping them up at night. After assisting them with their situation, word got out and more people approached me regarding their unexplainable encounters. Soon I was dealing with all types of complaints of poltergeists, psychic phenomena and UFO close encounters, just to name a few. A dozen cases turned into a several dozen, which lead me to embracing the parapsychological method for investigating cases, collaborating with a Parapsychologist. After many years of that, I was then recruited to work with a private scientific think tank, trained as an anomalist and investigated thousands of cases all over the world with an army of scientists and state-of-the-art technology. Since leaving that organization, I have been privately consulting (at gratis) for the last dozen or so years. All in all now dealing with these phenomena for about 30 years.

What is the biggest misconception about people who are involved in the paranormal field?

That everyone in this field blindly believes in the paranormal. The beliefs of those in this field run from one end of the spectrum to the other, from hardcore skeptics to, yes, those who blindly believe in everything. If I had to be placed on that spectrum, I would probably fall somewhere in the middle, though my personal belief system in dealing with these phenomena is a bit of a hybrid due to the nature and variety of extreme life experiences and training that I’ve been fortunate/unfortunate enough to have encountered in this field. And because the term “paranormal” encompasses anything that is outside of mainstream scientific understanding (including everything from parapsychology to cryptozoology, from UFO/alien close encounters to possession), the field is filled with an unlimited array of individuals and groups, from academic scholars to arm-chair researchers, each of which possess their own approach, typically as a result of their own personal belief system.

In your opinion, what do filmmakers need to do to accurately portray paranormal themes in their films?

The dynamics and laws of most paranormal phenomena, if not all of it, are not anywhere near as certain and established as, let’s say, space-travel and the laws of physics associated with it. If someone is doing a film about a deep-space journey for example, there’s a good deal of established knowledge that the writer and/or director can draw off of to ensure that the laws of physics and space are followed and keep the world they are depicting as real and tangible as possible. However for the majority of paranormal phenomena, many of the paradigms assumed to be accurate are not the case whatsoever, with depictions in film and media perpetuating these misnomers. Taking into account thousands of cases from around the world (different cultures, different environments, etc.), over the course of dozens of years, the actual phenomena taking place and being experienced would defy most presumed expectations. Therefore, even if a story’s phenomenon is closely based on long-held archetypes, it most likely is inaccurate to some degree. That being said, whether the writer is depicting a known phenomenon or inventing one, I feel the most important way of accurately portraying it would be to simply keep-true to the rules of the phenomena throughout the story, be it rules that are made up or borrowing rules from some long-held beliefs.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

What are some examples of films that you feel “get it right” when it comes to paranormal themed-stories? 

The films that come to mind are “The Exorcist”, “Poltergeist” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. Not necessarily because the phenomenon is being accurately portrayed (though they got it pretty darn close), but because of the manner in which the characters react to the phenomena (during and after).

Why have films about the paranormal remained high in popularity?

Paranormal-themed films have continued to be popular for a variety of reasons including; how they tie into our belief system (someone who believes and wants validation, someone who isn’t sure but craves to believe, etc.), how they can propel you into a world of complete uncertainty right in the safety of your theatre seat and the thrill of possibility when you realize there is so much we do not know, just to name three. Considering western-thinking that is often overly skeptical, easily dismissive and stripped of possibility, a film that makes what is thought to be impossible, very real, offers the ultimate escape. Of course phenomenal story-telling must also be considered; The imaginations of brilliant writers and directors that create compelling characters and tangible situations that we identify with is mandatory to breathe life into any paranormal story, no matter what the phenomenon.

What books have been influential in your career?

If referring to my “career” as an anomalist/parapsychological investigator, I’d have to say not many. It was the actual experiences (investigations, research, expeditions, etc.) in the field, in the real world, that has influenced me the most. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE BOOKS and have been known to spend hours, upon hours in bookstores and libraries, and am a fan of all types of books across the spectrum. On that note, if you are referring to my work in the entertainment industry as a writer/producer, I love books that expand my imagination and challenge my thinking, from Dan Brown novels like Dante’s Inferno to Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

Where can people find out more about you?

Because of the nature of my work dealing with phenomena and to accommodate clients, I’ve maintained a low profile for many years. As such, I’ve never bothered to create a source to offer more information about myself. If there is indeed an interest in finding out more about me, perhaps I should start looking into the best way of doing that.

________________________________

Our thanks to Christopher Chacon for speaking with us!

For more information about Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, please visit ParanormalMovie.com.

________________________________

The post The Biz Interview: Christopher Chacon appeared first on Biz Books.