Sean Bingham knew he wanted to become a moviemaker after hearing a wild story while working with American paleontologist Jack Horner (of “Jurassic Park” fame) digging up dinosaur fossils in Montana.
Jeff Hall didn’t know he wanted to make Movies- until Sean decided to start making them, and decided to join his friend on his pursuit to become that next big thing in independent cinema. They’re definitely on their way! The duo recently crafted a fantastic horror throwback, ”It Lives Inside” which recently hit DVD and VOD.
The movie tells of a sleepwalker who finds a book that predicts his own scary future under the possession of a demon!
The guys discussed the making of this movie via an exclusive interview on August 28, 2018.
Movies, stories, and horror
Meagan Meehan (MM): What inspired you two guys to become filmmakers and how did you get your start?
Jeff Hall (JH): I’ve always been a creative person. Stories just seem to come to me in little snapshots which almost forces me to write. Movies can have a magical moment like no other medium. They move you, change you, and creates an indescribable stir in your heart. If I can create one of those moments in my lifetime, I‘d be satisfied.
Sean Bingham (SB): I’ve loved practical special effects since I was in grade school. My brother Scott and I were huge fans of Fangoria, and we always wanted to pull off effects like Rick Baker, Stan Winston, and Rob Bottin.
Man, they created magic! But it was the stories and the film-work behind what these magicians brought to life that made me want to be a film-maker.
JH: I think this started when Sean and I realized we had that same goal with the film. We just had to figure out what exactly to wanted to film.
SB: I was in Montana working with Jack Horner, digging up dinosaur fossils with a buddy of mine in the early 2000s.
We’d been in the high desert for about three months when we heard that the border patrol was looking for people that were running money or drugs across the Canadian border. Later on, I thought seriously about how I could make a movie around this scenario or anything else that was interesting. I went back to the science fiction story I was writing at the time and decided to turn it into a horror script.
MM: Do you two remember the first time you actually got paid to shoot some media and/or movies?
SB: Yes, I filmed Dawnavan Crawford forging a drop-point Bowie knife for his website. He’s an extremely talented blacksmith and actor. He’s featured in our film "It Lives Inside" which I captured on an Odyssey 7Q from the 4K RAW output of a Sony FS700. I also used a GoPro attached to the exterior of a truck for the crash sequence. I’m pretty sure that the drone shot in the closing scene used a Sony A series camera.
Ideas, casting, acting, and advice
MM: How did the idea for "It Lives Inside" come to you?
I came to a blurb about a Native American Cannibal spirit called The Atshen. I simply wrote a little story about how that could play out today.
Also, I hadn’t seen anyone use Shadow People/beings, at least at the time of writing. So the entity(s) took the form of smoke and shadow. The working title was "The Shadowing."
MM: What personally appealed to you two guys about it and is it a true story and how was casting?
SB: Most people are afraid of the unknown. Many more are afraid of who they might become when things get tough. This film shows us what that looks like.
JH: I worked with Michelle Delong. She runs a wonderful acting school called ACTS here in Oklahoma City.
MM: What’s upcoming for you two and what advice can you give to aspiring entertainment artists like filmmakers?
SB: We have several films that we are working on simultaneously.
One is a science fiction horror story that’s been in the works for quite some time. It involves artificial Intelligence so stay-tuned. For advice, I’ve said this before. If you want to make a film, go make a film.
You may have to decide whether you want to make art or sell a product. If you’re good or lucky or both, you may not have to compromise. Study the films you like and the ones you dislike. Find some like-minded people you can work with and form a team, a film crew. If you go it alone, your world is going to be very difficult.
JH: Unlike the families in this film, we both have kids. We have a great relationship with them. They acted in this film and helped us out by doing make-up, sound, and set-design continuity. So getting the family involved is always fun!
