| BLOODSPIT |
| An Interview with Duke Hendrix. |
| Duke Hendrix is part of the creative team behind the zero-budget splatstick feature The Killbillies, and the even more ambitious follow-up, Bloodspit. I caught up with Duke to get the lowdown on these films. |
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| BLAKE : |
| KILLBILLIES was a pretty impressive low budget film. How much did it cost to make, and how long did it take to shoot? |
| DUKE : |
| The film cost us around 2 grand. We already had the camera, and Ringo Ray had the sound gear, so the money basically went on things like the masks we wear, the baby zombie, blood, and we bought a computer and a shitty edit program. We didn't hire anything, or anyone. I remember going to this place enquiring about sound, and the girl behind the counter asking what the budget was. |
| I said "two grand". She said "Oh...we may be able to fix you up with something". Then I said "No, two grand is the budget for the whole film". She laughed, and said "You can't make a film for that kind of money". As for filming, it probably took us 25 days, though that was spread over 3 months. We shot all the interiors in a little house in Sydney's inner city Petersham, and the guy who rented it did all the sets. His girlfriend didn't like us invading their place, so we had to wait until she would visit her parents and run in and set up. He also did all the set designs, and drew the pictures in the Bobby The Brown Bear scene. The other problem we had was that the guy who plays "boy" would never turn up, so we had to wait outside his place and highjack him. |
| BLAKE : |
| Your latest project is a vampire film called Bloodspit. Can you tell us about it? |
| DUKE : |
| I've always had a thing for vampire films. I remember when I was a kid, my brother and I used to watch creature feature hoping for a vampire film so we could look at those big breasted scream queens. So to me, making a vampire film is something I've always wanted to do. Bloodspit is about Count Otto Blaughspich. He has had the family crest stolen from his coffin by the famous vampire hunter Dr. Ludvick, so now Otto can't sleep in his coffin or be ressurected. The Count has to get back in the mirror world to survive , and must get his castle of freaks and creepy sisters to help him. Most of the people from The Killbillies are back and we also have some new blood (pardon the pun) in Zenda Markova, who plays Countess Gisela Blaughspich and Spanky Doll, who plays the Counts maid. Grant Biffin, the guy who made the zombie baby and the masks for Killbillies is also back to do the effects. Right now we are shooting whenever and whereever we can. |
| BLAKE : |
| What are the most important lessons in low budget filmmaking that you've learn't from making Killbillies that you're putting into practice with Bloodspit, and what kind of a budget do you hope to complete Bloodspit on ? |
| DUKE : |
| I think first and foremost make the film for yourself, that way if anyone doesn't like it fuck 'em. I know people who have tried to make commercial films on subjects they are not really into and now they can't stand watching them. Also, don't listen to anyone who is negative saying you can't do this or that. As corny as it sounds you have to stay true to what your vision is, 'cause at the end of the day the people that advise you disappear real quick if the film sinks. As far as technical issues are concerned I'm probably the worst person to give advice, but when we filmed Killbillies we found that the continuity wasn't so great, in fact it wasn't even good....well it was just plain fucked. I'm not talking about people wearing different shoes in two shots of the same scene, I think that's quite funny, but we missed shots of people walking through doors, moving from one side of the room to the other etc. So shoot everything you can from every angle, go nuts it's only dv. Also I think improvisation goes a long way. The best stuff in Killbillies was improvised or made up just before a scene. We also used a lot of scenes with mistakes that should have been trashed that we found funny. Last but not least, trust your instincts and try and be a little different. You have to remember that it's only a film. The budget on The Killbillies was two grand. This one is going to have a four grand budget, 'cause it's gonna be more gory and needs more make-up, etc. So far we have 11 mins. edited in the can and it's only cost us 300 bucks and we've already paid for fangs and most of the make-up so here's hoping....oh yeah, never use ulead pro to edit. It sucks ! |
| BLAKE : |
| What are some of your favorite cult films? |
| DUKE ; |
| I'm not a student of films really, so I can't remember directors names or even the names of some of the films I like. But I really love Paul Morrisey's Flesh For Frankenstein, and Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I think Evil Dead 2 is genius, same with Blue Velvet. On the more culty side of things I really dig Dracula vs. Frankenstein and Jorg Buttergiet's Schramm, as well as Mother's Day and Bloodsucking Freaks. Comedies like Animal House and Top Secret are a big influence on us, as well as The Three Stooges and various cartoons like Looney Tunes and Ren and Stimpy. I'm more of a 60's t.v. guy. I love The Munsters and The Addams Family, Lost in Space, and Get Smart. Ed Wood is a hero. Some of his stuff is unwatchablebut hey, so is Harry Potter. |
| BLAKE : |
| What's the worst thing you've seen in a cinema lately? |
| DUKE : |
| I'm not really a cinema goer. I'm very anti-social when it comes to films, I like to sit and watch with a few friends or by myself. I can't stand hearing a cinema audience laugh on cue...it drives me insane. The last bad one I saw which is the last time I went I think, was Planet Of The Apes. Marky Mark or whatever the fuck he's called shits me to no end, and I was disappointed in Burton whom I like a lot. The end of the film was o.k. when he lands in San Fransisco or wherever and all those apes come in cop uniforms, but even that's ripped off Evil Dead 2. Actually, the last film I saw at the cinema was Memento, which blew me away. The script is fuckin' awesome....I just walked out thinking 'damn, that film just set everyone else back ten years'. My four year old daughter wants me to take her to see the new Harry Potter film, but I'm like 'why don't we buy hip to be square Barbie instead'. |