By David Seaman | Echo
Paranormal investigators hesitantly step inside a secluded house, waiting for any signs of ghostly activity. A novelist uses strange methods to overcome his writer's block, resulting in a terrifying night.
In the hands of horror film amateurs, these plots could come off as clichéd or uninteresting. But the storytellers and filmmakers behind these projects are far from amateurs: they're recent graduates of Taylor's film program.
Joshua Giuliano ('12), a student at the American Film Institute (AFI), is writing and directing the tentatively named "Nom de Plume" (French for "pen name"), an indie horror film. Sean Taylor ('14) is starring in "The Barlow House," a low-budget indie horror film from Pulp Productions. For Taylor, "The Barlow House" furthers his budding film career. For Giuliano, "Nom de Plume" represents his nightmares come true.
Giuliano decided two years ago that horror was the only film genre he wanted to make. "I like scaring people," he said. "When I was a kid, I would hide in closets and jump out and scare (people). The joy of jumping out at people and making them scream was second nature to me."
In order for Giuliano and his international crew (which includes a German designer and a Japanese cinematographer) to produce the film, they must raise $50,000 by early November. So far, they have $40,000, around 80 percent of the money. The movie films in early December.
Giuliano explained that because AFI is such a well-known and professional organization, the stakes for making the film are tougher than a student film production.
"We have to uphold their reputation, so it costs a little more money," Giuliano said. "The more restrictions you have, the more you have to work on your toes."
"Nom de Plume" involves a horror novelist and his disturbing artistic process. One night, his strange writing method comes back to haunt him.
A creepy concept needs a creepy location. The former Taylor film major is shooting in an apartment complex near AFI's location in Hollywood.
"There's more apartments than homes in LA, but it's one of the hardest places to shoot because of neighbors," Giuliano said. "You have to get permits, have to get the neighbors to sign forms and can't make too much noise, which is impossible on a film set. We haven't found a location we're really settled on yet."
Giuliano wants his story to have practical effects, giving the story a more eerie and real feeling. "Even if you know the makeup and effects aren't real, you're still invested in the world," Giuliano said. "It's just not selling it as reality. We are using effects more to enhance the world instead of adding some fantastical element."
"Nom de Plume" is Giuliano's thesis film as part of his AFI graduation requirements. Giuliano enlisted the kind of filmmakers he knows make quality productions: Taylor students. He has already recruited fellow 2012 grad Bill Parker, known for his Oscar-nominated visual effects work on "Nebraska" and current work on HBO TV series "Silicon Valley," for help with effects.
"I'm trying to get as many Taylor people or Taylor grads from the film program who are out in LA to work on the film," Giuliano said. "I want to keep this good community of filmmakers going."
While Giuliano looked for film locations and wrote about scary novelists, Taylor looked for acting work. "I found out about 'The Barlow House' from an online casting call. . . (and) thought the film sounded interesting," he said.
When the director requested him to submit two audition videos, Taylor decided to get creative.
"One was a simple monologue chosen for me and the other was an improvised scary story as if told around a campfire . . . . (For the second video, I said) that I felt a presence chasing me, then pretended to hear something off screen and move to check it out," Taylor said.
The video ended with screams and the distant barking of dogs. The director was impressed and hired him as the leader of a paranormal investigation group.
"The Barlow House" involves Cory, Taylor's character, investigating a haunted house with his team.
"As we learn about the history of the area, the entities appear more frequently, eventually leading to a full-blown possession," Taylor said.
The skills Taylor and Giuliano learned at college have been tremendously helpful in their film experience so far.
"I didn't know how to make a film before I came to Taylor," Giuliano admitted. "Taylor does actually start you from the ground up and teach you all the sides of filmmaking. I always knew I wanted to be a director and write my stuff, but I didn't know how to do that."
Taylor's previous work allowed him both to compose cinematography for and act in "The Barlow House."
"When I was on camera, I had to tell the director how to shoot each shot, then jump into character and try to forget about the lens entirely," Taylor said.
While Christianity and horror have a tenuous relationship, both Giuliano and Taylor were able to find the spiritual sides of their films.
"I suggested to the director that he add a reconciliation scene in the end, which I thought justified the intense exorcism scene leading up to it, and he was all for it," Taylor said. "The film obviously does not support or condone demonic (or) paranormal activity and is strictly for entertainment value."
Giuliano sees his work more through a moral perspective than a Christian one.
"Even if you are a Christian, or if you're not, it's important to explore the dark sides of life and humanity and to understand them," Giuliano said.
What's next for these hardworking cinephiles? Taylor has turned from horror for the moment to work on his new job editing entertainment for all live Disney and Marvel events. Upcoming projects include "Frozen On Ice" and "Marvel Universe Live."
Guiliano, ready to film a genre he has always dreamed of doing, is also ready to stick with his genre.
"All horror," he clarified. "I'm just focusing on horror."
Information on donating for "Nom de Plume" can be found on it's website, www.nomdeplumefilm.com
