Frighten Time

Frighten Time

     If memory serves, “Frighten Time,” came from an independent film project, I worked on, with at least 3 of my show business friends. The project was originally called, “A Fright in Time.” My friend Anthony started calling it, “Frighten Time,” and that worked, for me. This was not the first independent film, I ever worked on. It was the first, to pay me for doing makeup. Specifically, special effects makeup. I do not know how to make you look glamorous. I put an open wound, on a guys head, for another Indy film, but they never gave me screen credit, or a copy, of the film, or even paid me. So, they suck. I did another Indy film, that was absolutely the worst, piece of garbage. I am so happy my name, and face, are not associated, with it. I am not visible, but you can hear me yelling obscenities, at someone, during a traffic jam, that took place, inside someone’s apartment. I guess they edited - in, the freeway, or traffic noise, for the final cut. I never saw it. So, they really suck. I have been told that in order to succeed, in Hollywood, you must work, for free. Sorry Orville. That s**t just ain’t gonna fly! I work, for free, only for people, I like. 

     I cannot remember, where I met Mike B. I just know that he, and I, as well as others, belong to a group of people, who like to wear makeup. Makeup, with depth. You know, like a shotgun blast, to the face. We like to play with latex, Morticians wax, molds, prostheses, paint, and stage blood. You got a problem, with that? I hope so, because I, like my friends, live for shock value. 

     “Frighten Time,” was structured like “Creepshow.” It has several episodes, each with some sort of macabre twist, along the way. It also has a story, “wrapped” around it, about a young girl, who is at odds, with her mother, over her love, for a scary radio show. Mom, by the way, looks young enough to have this girl, for a daughter. Provided she got pregnant, at age 13. Just my humble opinion, and no offense meant. I’m just saying that mom looked pretty young. I know, because I saw her face, up close. Eventually, in this story, the girl shoots her mother, and I put the bullet hole, in moms head. Have a nice day. 

     Mike wrote, and directed, and for me, produced this project. We shot some of it, at Hansen Dam, in the San Fernando valley. Some at a public park, I cannot remember, some at our friend Cathy’s house, and some at another apartment, somewhere. I do not recall, where it was, or who lived there, but I remember putting a large open wound, on the chest, of our victim, and loading it up, with stage blood. Supposedly, he has had his heart removed. If you want to know the rest, see the movie. It’s a regular gore-fest! Nothing like a Robert Rodriguez, or Tarantino, but we didn’t have their resources. 

     When we shot at Hansen Dam, we were “Gorilla” shooting. That is, filming without permission, or permits. It is done, in the Los Angeles area, all the time. Our scenes involved flesh-eating zombies, young pretty girls, and mad science? Somebody got hit, with a shovel, and a good time was had, by all. I was lucky enough to have my friend Anthony along. We made all the body parts, and the zombies, look pretty good, even though we were operating on zero money. In one scene, a girl looks into a mirror, and sees something that is clearly, not her reflection. Maybe her house is haunted, or maybe she is bats hit crazy. Anthony, and I, did all the special effects makeup, for that film, and we both got screen credit. 

     At Cathy’s house, we shot scenes involving a body, in the basement, that had been there, for exactly one year. I did mikes face. I was rushed, and I am an amateur, so you can see, I need more practice. I should have chose different colors, or added more colors, like blue green, or even yellow. I used mostly red, and black. I should have colored the back, of his neck too. Oh well, hindsight, etc. My monster did not look, or move, like he had been dead, a year, but it was my debut, sort of, so I loved it anyway.

     Our dead man, who won’t stay dead, gets to kill a bunch of evil, conniving b*****s, and there is gore! What more do you want? It’s not a sex film. Like all films, of this genre, there is at least one a*****e, who you know, is going to die, and you can’t wait to see how. In our little film, ALL the a******s die. Worth watching, just for that. We have many of the stereotypes too. A dumb blonde. A bully. An over protective mother, and a rebellious teenager. A guy, who couldn’t get laid, even if he was a house brick. And lets not forget those evil, conniving b*****s. We even got a flesh- eating zombie, that isn’t dead. She just likes to have her friends, for dinner. What about the screaming girl, in a bikini?  A staple of all low-budget scary movies. We got her too! 

     One time, myself, Cathy, and Mike, got together at “Norms” restaurant, in North Hollywood. We were there to discuss ideas, for a different project. One, involving vampires. I am not much, of a vampire fan, with the exception of, “From Dusk Till Dawn.” I know people, from that film. I have mentioned, some of them, in this writing.  There are no other vampire movies, in my collection. Cathy, and I collaborated on a vampire script. I still have a copy. It was fun, and I don’t often share my writing, with anyone.

     I am still in touch with Cathy, and Mike B. We speak to each other, on an irregular basis, but we are still in touch. I am hopeful, we will all get together again, one day, to work on another project. Cathy is not as available, as she once was, having become, a new mom. Mike is still a struggling actor, Anthony has a day job, and I am still writing. We all love show business. For us, making movies is fun. Blood splatter is fun. Sick humor is fun. Shock value is fun. Doing all this, without CGI, is fun too, but the most fun, is when we are all together, working on something, and it turns out ok. We are not alone. Los Angeles is full of all kinds of people, making all kinds of movies. Especially now, when everybody’s phone, is also a video camera. If you have a digital camera, a computer, the right software, and a bunch like us, who knows what might happen? Besides, if you are going to dream, dream big.

     “A Fright in Time,” was, for me, like baking my first cake. Not many, besides me, wanted to eat it. 

It was also like my first car. I couldn’t wait to drive it. I am grateful to Mike, and Cathy, for letting me, be a part, of their crew. I still do 3D makeup, occasionally. Most of the time, it’s around Halloween, as I am not now working, in show business, in any capacity, whatsoever. I was not an extra, in this film, so what does all this, have to do, with extra work? I met Anthony, Cathy, and Mike B., while working as an extra.

     The other independent films, I previously mentioned, will not be named herein, because lies were told, and promises were broken. No friendships were made, and the one other film, that I did see, really sucked hard. I also met these forgettable people, while working as an extra. Ya gotta love show-biz!