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‘The Mind’s Eye’: Joe Begos On Telekinesis, Exploding Heads and Low Budget Filmmaking

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THE MIND'S EYE

Almost Human director Joe Begos returned to the Toronto International Film Festival last September with The Mind’s Eye (review #1#2), an insanely gory and violent telekinetic revenge thriller set in snowy 1990 New England.

The Mind’s Eye follows a drifter (Graham Skipper) with telekinetic abilities who targets a doctor who is creating a synthetic telekinetic power serum.

Bloody Disgusting readers are going to fall in love with Begos after they finally get to see his latest entry into the horror world, not only because the movie is awesome, but because he’s truly “one of us”.

Begos is a hardcore genre fan, who makes the kinds of films he would love, and does it all by himself. If you live and die by the saying, “support indie horror,” Begos is a rising star that not only delivers quality genre fare, but also has a lot to teach aspiring filmmakers.


THE FREEDOM IN MAKING A TRULY INDEPENDENT FILM

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 5.31.37 PM

“Both movies were made 100 percent through my production company, which is essentially produced by just me and my friends that I made short films with,” Begos tells Bloody Disgusting, explaining that they truly went the indie route by maxing out credit cards. “We made ALMOST HUMAN on credit cards, essentially, and then sold the film off. So, when making MIND’S EYE, we had the experience of developing, shooting, finishing, and selling a movie all ourselves. We were able to extend that same production model to the next film, even though it had a bigger budget.

“The perks with this are that I get final cut,” he added, sharing the various pros in making a movie by yourself, “I can shoot wherever I want, and go at my own pace, so long as the movie comes in on budget. This allows us to do whatever the hell we want, and really decide where the money goes and how we want to pull things off. I was trying to attach an experienced producer for a long time after the movie was fully financed, and everyone told me it was impossible to do what I wanted and still pull the movie off. So we said “fuck it,” and did it all ourselves, again, and pulled off EVERY SINGLE THING that was in the script.”

But there’s no scenario where you get your cake and can eat it too. Begos also reveals just how difficult it was to pull of production, which included battling a snow storm.

“The shoot was insane. Getting two feet of snow is horrible, as it is logistics wise, especially when you are literally out in the middle of nowhere…We were straddling such a tight line, and all of the gags/sequences were so expensive that there was very little room for error. On top of that, if you go over budget, there is no company [that’s going to] suddenly give you the money to cover the overages.”


MAKING THE KINDS OF FILMS HE WOULD LOVE AS A HORROR FAN

Begos is a huge horror fan and in making his films he’s always aiming to make something a younger version of himself would love.

“Almost everything that excited me about horror movies that I watched when I was younger,” Begos explained when asked what happened in his life that led him to be inspired to make The Mind’s Eye. “I know that the genre has usually meant a fairly low budget, but I’m so sick of movies that take place in a house with nothing going on, and zero tension. That’s what 90 percent of horror is these days. I wanted to do something ridiculous, over-the-top, with real explosions, practical effects, and unique concepts that we haven’t seen in a long time. That’s what excites me.”

“I wanted to do something that was reminiscent of a fast-paced, hazy fever-dream with psychokinesis running rampant,” he adds. “Of course trying to do all of this, and shooting in the middle of nowhere at night – during a blizzard nonetheless – doesn’t exactly lend itself to a tiny budget, but we managed. The things we were able to pull off with a little trickery is pretty awesome.”


HEADS EXPLODE! HARDCORE PERFORMANCES

The Minds Eye gif

Talking about screaming, making intense faces, and heads exploding, how did the actors, especially Graham Skipper, make it through the shoot without their heads literally exploding?

Begos explains: “There were definitely a few times we though people were going to have an aneurism; we had legit veins bulging out of their heads [laughs]. I wanted the telekinesis to come with an immense pain with its use, I think the actors did a great job of pulling that off.

“For the effects, I reached out to Brian Spears and Pete Gerner, who were responsible for a lot of the Glass Eye Pix films. The one that stuck out to me in particular was Stake Land, which was under a million bucks and was loaded with effects- all of them great. I instantly reached out and they were into it, though they warned me in advance that I’d have to cut some effects…

“DIDN’T HAPPEN!

“We even ended up adding some,” Begos boasts. “Once they came on board and we got together we were able to work together to make it work. Those guys are awesome at what they do and I’ve had experience shooting effects, so I knew some tricks that could help us sell stuff a bit better and those guys brought it to a whole new level. We approached most of the big effects the same way that the best movies did. ‘Oh they blew apart that head with a shotgun? I guess that’s what we are going to do!’ Shotguns, explosives, puppets. We used it all.

He continued: “Knowing how much work it was going to take to choreograph most of these effects, we scheduled for a long shoot. We somehow managed to get 37 days out of the shoot, around half of which were for effects and prep.”


DIY PHOTOGRAPHY

Begos wears many hats as he’s also responsible for The Mind’s Eye‘s stunning color palette. Here Begos talks about how he learned this process.

“I essentially had to learn it out of necessity when I was first learning how to make movies, because there was nobody else to do it. I was fortunate enough to be learning all of this stuff at a time when camera were becoming available to the public with features like interchangeable lenses and frame rates, and all that. It really allowed me to learn how to shoot with cinema style capabilities and once I had moved out here and hired a DP to shoot something, I was still choosing lenses and shots and all that. It didn’t go over well. So I just started shooting myself again for both ease and budget. I’d love to use a DP, but when you are trying to shoot a movie on the other side of the country – for very little money and in just 37 days – lodging and salary for a DP and camera op really start to skyrocket. I’d rather do both and be able to blow up more shit. I’ll start working with a DP once the budget allows [laughs].


RLJ Entertainment will release The Mind’s Eye, which stars Graham Skipper, Lauren Ashley Carter (Darling, Pod), John Speredakos, Noah Segan (Looper), Matt Mercer, Larry Fessenden, and Jeremy Gardner, in theaters and on VOD and iTunes this Friday, August 5.

Zak Zeman (V/H/S, Under the Bed, Aggression Scale, Late Phases) produces with Josh Ethier and Graham Skipper.

Mike Pereira called the film “a highly entertaining ode to the telekinetic subgenre,” while also boasting a “third act [that] erupts in a full-on display of hilariously gargantuan acting and buckets of bloody fireworks that satisfies in spades.”

Zack Connors and Rachel Meadows were born with incredible psychokinetic capabilities. When word of their supernatural talents gets out, they find themselves the prisoners of Michael Slovak, a deranged doctor intent on harvesting their powers. After a daring escape, they are free from his sinister institution, but the corrupt doctor will stop at nothing to track them down so that he may continue to siphon their gifts for his own use.

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

Exclusives

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Film Festival Announces Second Wave of Titles for Epic 20th Edition This April

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Azrael SXSW 2024
Pictured: Samara Weaving in 'Azrael'

Brazil’s Fantaspoa film festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the festival is breaking numerous records, presenting an impressive total of 114 feature films, 22 of these as World Premieres, marking the largest number of feature films in Fantaspoa’s long history.

The final selection of feature films for Fantaspoa’s highly-anticipated 20th edition has been exclusively presented to Bloody Disgusting, so read on for everything you need to know!

The festival tells us this week, “With a diverse selection, the feature films screening at Fantaspoa XX have been divided into seven distinct competitive categories: International, Ibero-American, National, Documentary, Animation, All-Nighter, and Low Budget, Great Films. These categories promise audiences a variety of cinematic experiences, from the fringes of horror and fantasy to the depths of the human imagination.

“In addition to feature films, Fantaspoa will screen 123 short films, totaling 237 participating works, making this edition of the festival the largest in its history.

“The stunning lineup of competition titles includes the International Premiere of E.L. Katz’s SXSW charmer AZRAEL and the World Premiere of The Butcher Brothers’ new Devon Sawa-starring thriller CONSUMED, and Fantaspoa is also proudly presenting a diverse selection of special screenings, including Demián Rugna’s recent Argentinian hit WHEN EVIL LURKS with the writer/director in attendance. The fest will also feature special screenings of two Argentine films, 2014’s JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS, Fantaspoa’s first original production which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and TRENQUE LAUGUEN, which was selected as the best film of 2023 by Cahiers du Cinéma.

“Fantaspoa XX will also have the honor of presenting a special screening of Robin Hardy’s classic British folk horror film THE WICKER MAN (1973) in the presence of the director’s sons, Justin and Dominic, who will be also attending the festival for the previously-announced World Premiere of their stunning new documentary, CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN, which offers a very unique perspective on the lasting legacy of this cinema masterpiece.

“Among the confirmed guests for the festival’s second wave of films are Alejo Rébora and Daniela Jimenez (7 Lives), Paulo Caldas (Atmosphere), Jaco Bouwer (Breathing In), Karim Lakzadeh and Arash Jooyandeh (Dark Matter), Ryan Ward and Mackenzie Leigh (Daughter of the Sun), Nando Martínez (Fantastic Golem Affairs), Mike McCutchen and JJ Weber (A Game in the Woods), Mario Mayo and Jaime Arnaiz (I’ll Crush Y’all), Roger Elarrat (I, Nirvana), Mike Hermosa (The Invisible Raptor)Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana (Jorge & Alberto Vs. The Neoliberal Demons), Benjamin Pfohl (Jupiter), Gabriel Papaléo (Liminal Space), Igor Bastos (Motherboard), Armando Fonseca (Remind), Julio Cesar Napoli (Road to the Mouth of Hell), Gonzalo López-Gallego (The Shadow of the Shark), Máncel Martínez (Shit Happens and Miracles too), Guto Parente (A Strange Path), Juliana Muras (Trenque Lauquen), Kenichi Ugana (Visitors – Complete Edition), and Demián Rugna (When Evil Lurks).

The 20th edition of Fantaspoa takes place between April 10 and 28, 2024, and is presented by the Ministry of Culture, Fantaspoa Productions, and Instituto Ling, with sponsorship from Crown Embalagens, America Embalagens, and Banrisul.”

Below is the full second wave of feature films to screen at Fantaspoa XX:

  • 7 LIVES (dir. Alejo Rébora. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • ALBERT PYUN: KING OF CULT MOVIES (dir. Lisa D’Apolito. 2023, United States, International Premiere)
  • ANNA’S FEELINGS (dir. Anna Melikyan. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ANOTHER CURSED MOVIE (dirs. Alberto Andrés Fasce and Mario Gonzalo Varela. 2023, Argentina, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ATMOSPHERE (dir. Paulo Caldas. 2023, Brazil/Germany, Regional Premiere)
  • AVIVA (dir. Boaz Yakin. 2020, United States, France)
  • AZRAEL (dir. E.L. Katz. 2024, United States/Estonia, International Premiere)
  • BA (dir. Benjamin Wong. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • BABY ASSASSINS 2 BABIES (dir. Yugo Sakamoto. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (dir. Junta Yamaguchi. 2021, Japan)
  • BREATHING IN (dir. Jaco Bouwer. 2023, South Africa, Latin American Premiere)
  • CLARICE’S DREAM (dirs. Fernando Gutierrez and Guto Bicalho. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE COMPLEX FORMS (dir. Fabio D’Orta. 2023, Italy, Latin American Premiere)
  • CONSUMED (dir. Mitchell Altieri. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • DARK MATTER (dir. Karim Lakzadeh. 2023, Iran, Latin American Premiere)
  • DAUGHTER OF THE SUN (dir. Ryan Ward. 2023, Canada, United States, Brazilian Premiere)
  • DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS (dir. Chris Huang Wen-Chang. 2022, Taiwan, Latin American Premiere)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: KRIEMHILD’S REVENGE (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: SIEGFRIED’S DEATH (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • EIGHT EYES (dir. Austin Jennings. 2023, United States/Serbia, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ENCOUNTERS (dir. Dmitry Moiseev. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (dir. David Gregory. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FANTASTIC GOLEM AFFAIRS (dirs. Juan González and Nando Martínez. 2023, Spain/Estonia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FUNERAL (dir. Orçun Behram. 2023, Turkey, Latin American Premiere)
  • A GAME IN THE WOODS (dir. Mike McCutchen. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • THE GLASS HOUSE (dir. Taras Dron. 2023, Ukraine/Cyprus/Romania/Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE HANDS OF ORLAC (dir. Robert Wiene. 1924, Germany, Austria)
  • THE HYPERBORIAN (dir. Jesse Thomas Cook. 2023, Canada, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I’LL CRUSH Y’ALL (dir. Kike Narcea. 2023, Spain, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I, NIRVANA (dir. Roger Elarrat. 2024, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE FIGHT (dir. Rainer Sarnet. 2023, Estonia/Greece/Finland/Latvia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE RAPTOR (dir. Mike Hermosa. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS (dirs. Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana. 2014, Argentina/Brazil)
  • JUPITER (dir. Benjamin Pfohl. 2023, Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • KIM’S VIDEO (dirs. Ashley Sabin and David Redmon. 2023, United States, Regional Premiere)
  • THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE (dir. Piotr Biedroń. 2023, Poland, Latin American Premiere)
  • LIMINAL SPACE (dir. Gabriel Papaléo. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • M (dir. Vardan Tozija. 2023, North Macedonia/Croatia/France/Kosovo/Luxembourg, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MONSTER WITH MANY NOSES (dir. Abigail Schaaff. 2023, Spain/France, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MOOR (dir. Chris Cronin. 2023, United Kingdom, Brazilian Premiere)
  • MOTHERBOARD (dir. Igor Bastos. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE MUTATION PROTOCOL (dir. Marcelo Leguiza. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • THE OTHER SHAPE (dir. Diego Felipe Guzmán. 2022, Brazil/Colombia, Regional Premiere)
  • PANDEMONIUM (dir. Quarxx. 2023, France, Brazilian Premiere)
  • REMIND (dir. Armando Fonseca. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • RESTLESS WATERS, SHIVERING LIGHTS (dir. Ángeles Hernández. 2023, Spain, International Premiere)
  • ROAD TO THE MOUTH OF HELL (dir. Julio Cesar Napoli. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • SATRANIC PANIC (dir. Alice Maio Mackay. 2023. Australia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE SHADOW OF THE SHARK (dir. Gonzalo López-Gallego. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • SHIT HAPPENS AND MIRACLES TOO (Dir. Máncel Martínez. 2024, Colombia, World Premiere).
  • THE SLEEPING WOMAN (dir. Laura Alvea. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • A STRANGE PATH (dir. Guto Parente. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE TENANTS (dir. Eun-kyoung Yoon. 2023, South Korea, Latin American Premiere)
  • TRENQUE LAUQUEN (dir. Laura Citarella. 2023, Argentina, Germany)
  • VISITORS – COMPLETE EDITION (dir. Kenichi Ugana. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE WAIT (dir. F. Javier Gutierrez. 2023, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • WAKE (dirs. Thom Arizmendi and Austin Parks Stewart. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • THE WEIRD KIDZ (dir. Zach Passero. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • WHEN EVIL LURKS (dir. Demian Rugna. 2023, Argentina)
  • THE WICKER MAN (dir. Robin Hardy. 1973, United Kingdom)

Head over to the official Fantaspoa website to learn more.

Devon Sawa in ‘Consumed’

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