Interview with Filmmaker David Rawlings (SLASHED!)

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

David Rawlings: I’m a huge fan of 80s horror. The cheesier, the better. I grew up on Freddy Kruger and Jason Voorhees, and always wanted to take a unique stab at that genre.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

The general pre-production and production took about 6 months. Post Production was initially another 3. However, I wanted to really make sure the audio was as correct as possible. It took longer than I was expecting, so the finished product probably took one whole year to complete.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Retro Arthritis

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The weather. We only had 2 full days to shoot everything and we got rained out for one half of those days. Considering 90% of the shoot was exterior shots, it certainly created a headache to the entire crew and cast. Not to mention that the public park – we were shooting in – closed their public bathrooms at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Really pleased. I was glad to see that audience members really enjoyed it and understood the direction. My favourite moments are when we flashback to the “80s” and it was great to see the audience to get a kick out of that. Thank you for all your kind words.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

Being a fan of films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, I wanted to create my own serial slasher killer… but wanted to have fun with it. Taking the idea of an ax-murderer who has aged and not at the level that he used to be, gave me some great ideas for dialogue and scenes. I’m also a fan of the likes of Monty Python and wanted to inject some of that goofy humour and ridiculousness as well.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

It’s probably a tie between The Goonies and Jurassic Park.

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

It’s really rather simple. Once the film project has been uploaded, being able to simply and efficiently submit your film to a wealth of different festivals certainly makes things less stressful.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

Bon Jovi – Livin on a Prayer

10. What is next for you? A new film?

I’m currently working in the UK as a video editor. I’ve got many ideas and scripts for other shorts, and I hope to be back into pre-production very soon.