Now on VOD, Brett Bentman’s Apocalypse Road fixes on two sisters who are separated in post-apocalyptic future. It’s a tense, tense ride…
Congrats on the film! Do you remember how you pitched the film to your investors and cast initially? What was it that got them to want to be involved?
When I approached the sole investor in Apocalypse Road, it was more about pitching myself then the film. Bill Nicholas has been a friend for years and he’s been a huge support beam for us. He’s been in on every one of my feature films and even helped out on some shorts. So many times young filmmakers get so caught up with dollars and budgets, they forget the simple truth that not every dollar is a good one. You wouldn’t want investors on set that don’t believe in you and just want to see a return would you? I have been there, done that, and it’s not a fun time.
How would you describe the tone of the film?
The film has a very stoic, benign tone to it. We did that on purpose. I wanted viewers to feel the terrible weight these characters carry with them, so at the end, when we see the title cards, it’s not a fun feeling to have watched the film, but it evokes discussion. Not much is spoon-fed in Apocalypse Road. I wanted to keep it open to some interpretation.
What kind of guidance and direction did you give those appearing on-camera?
My job is to create a vision for the film. The actors are responsible, in my eyes, to buy into that vision and then bring something personal to the role so they’re not just reading lines. We would block the scene, I’d let the talent know what we needed and where we had to end - then, I yell action! And cut! And to me, the actor can do their job in-between. They did a bang up job of it too!
Was there anyone you would’ve wanted to have involved but couldn’t get?
Always. But honestly, we wanted to keep Apocalypse Road local. We knew our budget and we wanted to showcase certain actors here in Texas. Our state gets a bad rap for talent; some of it is warranted, but we’ve proved that there is some good talent here.
How has the reaction to the film been so far?
Really awesome. It’s always gotten a great response from test audiences and premieres. We are so lucky to have such great feedback so far!
What’s coming up for you?
My film Kreep, staring Judd Nelson, should come out sometime next year, and our thriller The Night Before is currently available on Red Box. We have a few scripts waiting on funding for 2018, Duke City and Female Robbery, which is a prequel to Apocalypse Road!