An Interview With Award Winning Filmmaker Emma Dark
Emma Dark is the mastermind behind one of the most talked about short films on the independent horror scene over the past year, Seize the Night, and has won a string of awards. Not only was this Emma’s first serious venture behind the camera, she produced, directed and starred. Now she is returning with a brand new project – Salient Minus Ten. We managed to catch up with Emma and she took ten minutes out of her very busy schedule to chat to us.
Hi Emma, it’s great to finally catch up with you.
Could you give our readers a little bit of information about yourself and how you got into making films and acting?
It all started back in 2013 when I featured in a Kim Wilde music video – ‘Every Time I See You I Go Wild’ (WATCH IT HERE). At the time I was a fairly successful alternative model and this was really my first experience of being on set for any kind of professional film or music video. As it turned out I was very heavily featured in the final edit and it was really this that inspired me to move into video, and away from modelling.
You have come a long way in a very short period of time. That’s pretty good going.
Have you always wanted to work in the film industry?
No, I wouldn’t have said so, it’s more about art for me, which is something that’s always been in my blood, whether that’s fine art, photography or filmmaking. I’m also not sure I can go as far as to claim I work in the film industry, not just yet. Although I’ve seen an incredible amount of success over the past year or so I’ve not earned anything, I mostly do what I do at a loss. Maybe one day that will change, fingers crossed!
Well we think you have a very bright future ahead of you.
We recently got to see your short ‘Seize the Night’, what was the inspiration behind the movie?
I don’t make any bones about stating I like films like Blade and Underworld when it comes to vampires. Pounding music, leather and general kick-ass moves really do make an entertaining film, in my opinion. Perhaps not as sinister as some of the more traditional vampire movies we are used to seeing, but it brings them into the here and now, and for me that makes them fairly menacing. So when I decided to make a film, and a vampire film no less, it was natural for me to make something in this vein. It really has absolutely nothing to do with films like Blade or Underworld plot line wise, but stylistically that was the kind of slick film I wanted to make. Probably a bit ambitious for a first film, but what’s the point of doing anything of any magnitude in life if it doesn’t present you with challenges you can learn from.
How did you find juggling the directing, starring, writing, editing and producing the short?
Challenging, but as I said in my previous answer, I like challenges! There’s a misconception that taking on multiple tasks on a film will cheapen it and lower the quality standard, personally I believe that depends on the standards of the individual themselves. As a filmmaker I believe in taking on as many challenges as are logical, practical, and that you are genuinely capable of. Often this meant I worked very long hours, especially when it came to the editing and grading.
You did a very good job judging by the finished product.
You were a major force behind the making of this movie, was this something you have been wanting to do for a while?
Well yes, of course, it’s my film, I’d hope I was a major force behind it! Seriously though, never forget that you can’t do absolutely everything in this art form at this level, having a great team behind you that can work with you effectively on set and in post is of great importance. And don’t forget to credit and promote them! I see too many filmmakers simply completely failing to credit crew in Q&As. I’ve always made sure I’ve named my crew and promoted them to the very best of my ability. That probably means I should list them all here, but seriously I always try to mention as many cast and crew members in interviews as possible, and I feel after people have put so much time and effort into your project that’s the least you can do, support and promote their work.
Emma Dark and Dean Sills
Did you feel like you learned a lot from your experiences making the short?
Absolutely! Although the end result is brilliant, or at least as brilliant as it humanly can be, you learn from your mistakes. Making such a complex high production value looking film, with a large cast and crew of almost thirty people to manage when you have no significant past production or directorial experience, was pretty much going into filmmaking at the deep end. I had a wonderfully observant and talented team though, and I’m a perfectionist, so most mistakes didn’t pass by without being swiftly spotted and rectified.
That’s great to hear. Having a supportive and talented team behind you is very important and it seems like yours was just that.
We also wanted to know if you have any plans to revisit the world of ‘Seize the Night‘?
I’d like to at some point. It’s been an intense ride and there are other films I want to make before revisiting, but I’d certainly like to work with super talented screenwriter Rick Humphries again and push the story forward. Realistically it will probably have to be a feature if I come back to it for financial reasons, although my dream would really be to make a big budget (looking) TV series out of it.
We would love to see ‘Seize the Night’ as a series!
Have you been surprised by the great reception the short has received at festivals?
I wasn’t sure what to expect out of the festivals to be honest. I did submit the film to lots of horror film festivals, although the way it’s turned out I think broader genre festivals are the ones who have really appreciated it. I do think sometimes the horror festivals give themselves too much of a narrow view of horror, with blood, guts and comedy usually being at the forefront of selections. And to think, a vampire film without blood and guts… of course, I wanted to do something different… All in all I’d say it’s been a success though!
Do you have any favorite directors or anyone you try to emulate or take inspiration from?
I don’t really want to emulate anyone else, or be perceived to. I just follow my own creative flow, and hopefully it doesn’t come across looking too much like anyone else’s. However everyone is inspired by others, so if I’m going to cite anybody who has multiple films of an identifiable style that I appreciate I’ll state Quentin Tarantino. I like his ‘can do’ attitude and no rules approach to filmmaking as well as his artistic style.
Is there anybody who you would like to work with in the future?
Probably too many people to mention, and possibly even some I can’t yet mention…
Have you got any projects in the pipeline you can tell us about?
Yes! I’ve just announced my new short film ‘Salient Minus Ten’, which is crowdfunding now. This time around I’ve gone for more of a dark Sci-Fi storyline, although I’d say it has more horror elements than ‘Seize the Night’ did, and will actually be much more shocking and sinister. As you might expect I’m writing, Producing and Directing again, and I’ll be editing and grading. I’m also acting in it, as a rather evil character (no surprises there), although I’m not playing the lead this time. Partly this was because I wanted to focus a little more behind the camera in this film, and partly because that’s just how the story flowed when I wrote it. I’ve cast Yorkshire based actor Dean Sills in the lead. Dean is a great actor, his performance in Ross Adgar’s psychological horror short film ‘The Railway Carriage’ really blew me away. Dean’s really very good at expressing emotion on-screen, and I’m really looking forward to working with him. And just a little plug here from me… If you haven’t already please check out ‘Up North’ on Essex-TV, it stars and is written by Dean and is co-produced and directed by filmmaker Steve Call, who is an exceptional filmmaker and someone to watch!
We are really looking forward to Salient Minus Ten, it sounds like a very exciting project.
What is next for Emma Dark?
Well ‘Salient Minus Ten’ will take up a lot of my time I’m sure, but I do have some acting roles in the pipeline too. As you might expect I can’t talk about them as they haven’t been announced yet, but I’m glad to have been offered a couple of really fantastic parts of great substance. I do like to act as well but I find most roles offered to me usually involve not wearing much or are a little two dimensional, which is surprising I think after playing Eva in my own film ‘Seize the Night’ where the character is really quite the opposite! I’ll also be playing a part alongside Hammer scream queens Judy Matheson (Twins of Evil) and Caroline Munro (Dracula A.D. 1972) in horror short film ‘Count Frankula’ later this year. ‘Count Frankula’ is written by David Barry (Please Sir!), who will also be starring, and co-produced by Stuart Morriss of London’s ‘Misty Moon Film Society’.
Wow! It you have got a lot going on this year. Good luck with Salient Minus Ten and everything else you have going on. We will keep our ears open for more announcements in the near future.
If you want to know more about Salient Minus Ten the CLICK HERE
You can also watch Emma’s previous Short Seize the Night HERE
