Saturday, July 17, 2010
Michael Allen
SKG Films is a production company based in Ontario, Canada. SKG is relatively new to the biz', but already they are participating in three films: 48 Hours in Purgatory, Bitter, and now Abolition. Abolition will also be shot in Ontario and the film is directed by the also relatively new Canadian director Mike Klassen. Klassen takes some time out from producing and writing to talk about his horror and thriller influenced film, Abolition. Have a listen to this tit-for-tat interview, as Klassen describes his film as "if Taxi Driver and The Exorcist had a baby." These are two parents you want to have.
(Michael Ross Allen) Hello Michael, nice name and thanks for talking about your film. Now, can you intro' readers in to your film? What is Abolition about?
(Mike Klassen): Hi Mike, Abolition takes a different outlook on the person responsible for the end of the world - Joshua is the main character and the film follows his journey of discovery about himself and the affect he has on the people around him.
(MRA) Okay, I am still perplexed! When you say on SKG Films: "What if your next door neighbour was the end of the world?" Well, I hardly ever see my neighbours, so that would not be a big deal. So, let me pose the question to you: "What if your next door neighbour was the end of the world?" What would happen?
Continues...
(MK) Well, the idea is that the person who you least expect, the person who lives next door to you, the person you work with - could be the person responsible for the end of the world. Religious circles have a very clear idea of what kind of person this could or should be. I am trying to challenge these thoughts and ideas.
(MRA) Alright, there seems to be a strong supernatural, or spiritual element here. I have always wondered what that loud banging was next door. Now, I know.
Since you have finished the writing on the film, what kind of genres are you hoping to bring to the film?
(MK) My hope is that if Taxi Driver and The Exorcist had a baby - that baby would be Abolition.
(MRA) Strangely, I have always thought that if any male could give birth that person would be Robert De Niro.
Okay, back to the questions. Andrew Roth, Caroline Williams, Elissa Dowling and Reggie Bannister have already been attached to the film. Andrew Roth plays the title character Joshua. Is Joshua the neighbour of the neighbour who is destroying the world? If yes, how will he intervene or is he simply complacent?
(MK) Yes, he is the person burdened with the task. That question is the whole point of the film. I want to keep the concept of the film sort of vague - only so that there is an air of mystery going into the film.
(MRA) When you say burdened I am thinking self-determination or fate. I tend to believe that characters need to choose their participate in events. I am sure you cannot reveal everything about the film, but I think this is something to consider.
So, what other projects are you working on that you can talk about, outside of Abolition?
(MK) The other project, I'm not directing but producing, that is going through the company SKG Films is called Bitter. There will be updates concerning Bitter in the next week or so, but Bitter is a great concept written and to be directed by Jason Armstrong.
A short I'm involved with called Mom (executive producer) is shooting next month, written and directed by a talented man named Robert Barrow. Again, more info on this is to come in the next month but this is a short I'm very excited about. Also, I am behind (executive producer) getting a feature grindhouse film off the ground called The Taking of Savannah written and directed by U.S. indie film maker Jeff Chitty. That film just finished shooting and has entered post!
(MRA) Hey, thanks so much Mike for writing out this interview and for the exclusive on your latest film, Abolition. Seeing so many Canadian directors doing well in the horror genre and otherwise really makes me happy. Best regards and continued success, Mike!
(MK) Thanks Mike for the interview - best!
Abolition on SKG Films:
Abolition at SKG
SKG Films on Facebook:
SKG at FB
A trailer for Taking Savannah is here:
Trailer for Taking Savannah at Dread Central
Support our sponsors please:
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(Michael Ross Allen) Hello Michael, nice name and thanks for talking about your film. Now, can you intro' readers in to your film? What is Abolition about?
(Mike Klassen): Hi Mike, Abolition takes a different outlook on the person responsible for the end of the world - Joshua is the main character and the film follows his journey of discovery about himself and the affect he has on the people around him.
(MRA) Okay, I am still perplexed! When you say on SKG Films: "What if your next door neighbour was the end of the world?" Well, I hardly ever see my neighbours, so that would not be a big deal. So, let me pose the question to you: "What if your next door neighbour was the end of the world?" What would happen?
Continues...
(MK) Well, the idea is that the person who you least expect, the person who lives next door to you, the person you work with - could be the person responsible for the end of the world. Religious circles have a very clear idea of what kind of person this could or should be. I am trying to challenge these thoughts and ideas.
(MRA) Alright, there seems to be a strong supernatural, or spiritual element here. I have always wondered what that loud banging was next door. Now, I know.
Since you have finished the writing on the film, what kind of genres are you hoping to bring to the film?
(MK) My hope is that if Taxi Driver and The Exorcist had a baby - that baby would be Abolition.
(MRA) Strangely, I have always thought that if any male could give birth that person would be Robert De Niro.
Okay, back to the questions. Andrew Roth, Caroline Williams, Elissa Dowling and Reggie Bannister have already been attached to the film. Andrew Roth plays the title character Joshua. Is Joshua the neighbour of the neighbour who is destroying the world? If yes, how will he intervene or is he simply complacent?
(MK) Yes, he is the person burdened with the task. That question is the whole point of the film. I want to keep the concept of the film sort of vague - only so that there is an air of mystery going into the film.
(MRA) When you say burdened I am thinking self-determination or fate. I tend to believe that characters need to choose their participate in events. I am sure you cannot reveal everything about the film, but I think this is something to consider.
So, what other projects are you working on that you can talk about, outside of Abolition?
(MK) The other project, I'm not directing but producing, that is going through the company SKG Films is called Bitter. There will be updates concerning Bitter in the next week or so, but Bitter is a great concept written and to be directed by Jason Armstrong.
A short I'm involved with called Mom (executive producer) is shooting next month, written and directed by a talented man named Robert Barrow. Again, more info on this is to come in the next month but this is a short I'm very excited about. Also, I am behind (executive producer) getting a feature grindhouse film off the ground called The Taking of Savannah written and directed by U.S. indie film maker Jeff Chitty. That film just finished shooting and has entered post!
(MRA) Hey, thanks so much Mike for writing out this interview and for the exclusive on your latest film, Abolition. Seeing so many Canadian directors doing well in the horror genre and otherwise really makes me happy. Best regards and continued success, Mike!
(MK) Thanks Mike for the interview - best!
Abolition on SKG Films:
Abolition at SKG
SKG Films on Facebook:
SKG at FB
A trailer for Taking Savannah is here:
Trailer for Taking Savannah at Dread Central
Support our sponsors please:
Best Blu Ray Players
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
| | |
Stumble It!Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email
Posted in: 2010,abolition,bitter,canada,canadian,director,director interview,filmmaking,horror,mike klassen,mom,producer,the taking of savannah,thriller
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