Premiering May 24 on Shudder, actor Graham Skipper steps into the director's chair for his newest feature Sequence Break. In addition to a review of the film, I also got the chance to speak with him on his early career as an actor and his newest film.
Me: Hello and thank you for the opportunity. What initially drew you into making movies as a kid?
Graham Skipper: I remember I bought an old VHS camcorder when I was like 12 and I immediately started making my own movies. There's one legendary one called TOMATO where I take viewers on a "virtual reality" journey into the mind of a tomato. I was a...weird kid. But I guess really my obsession with wanting to make movies was rooted in just liking a lot of movies! My friends and I would try to recreate Monty Python scenes, or even make up some of our own, or try to emulate scary scenes that we'd seen in other films. It was a lot of trial and error, the light at the end of the tunnel being the thrill of popping in a VHS tape that you made that you could watch just like a real movie. That was so cool.
Me: Do you mind being known for the genre work or do you want to try out other genres?
GS: I was a genre kid through and through, so I couldn't be more proud to be known for my genre work. It was horror and sci-fi films that inspired me as a kid, so I'm thrilled that my career has led me to work in the genre I love so much.
Me: Having worked in various activities within the industry, do you find any particular aspect more appealing or rewarding?
GS: They're all rewarding in their own way! As an actor it's a real adventure to dig so deep and be so focused on just your character, your motivation, your own viewpoint, that when you finally see the full film it's always exciting. As a director and a writer, there's a thrill in creating a world of your own, with a tone and a look that's unique to you. Both are hard work but both absolutely pay off in a profound way.
Me: What particular character of yours that you've played would you like to see resurrected in a potential sequel?
GS: Joe always had a great idea for an Almost Human sequel that involved Seth getting to become the villain, so I would love to get that opportunity!
Me: Your new film, 'Sequence Break,' was just recently released on Shudder. What is the film about?
GS: Sequence Break is about a reclusive video arcade technician named Oz that is caught in a crisis point in his life. His beloved shop is closing, he's just met a girl that for the first time he's having a real human closeness with, and a mysterious, sinister arcade game has appeared in his shop that is causing him to have bizarre hallucinations and biomechanical mutations. He has to solve the mystery of the game and go down the proverbial rabbit hole in order to save himself and those he loves.
Me: Where did the concept for the film come from? Was there any kind of behind-the-scenes experiences in getting the project started?
GS: The first spark of the film was many years ago when I read an urban legend about a killer arcade game. From there it gestated for a long time before I decided I needed to write a story about a guy caught between two passions, and I felt that body horror was the lens through which I could best tell that story. I combined all of those elements and that's how Sequence Break was born! The production process was pretty smooth! It all came together very quickly and I had an amazing team helping me make it happen, so all of the behind the scenes experiences in terms of getting it started were for the most part smooth and easy.
Me: With such a small cast and the few locations, was the low-budget a hindrance or a liberation in the creative process?
GS: A little of both! You can always use more money, but any hindrances force you to think creatively, so I think a lot of the film's success is partly due to needing to think outside the box in order to make the most impactful film possible.
Me: Was it always your intention to add a blend of romance and sci-fi to the more obvious horror elements?
GS: For me, the romance is really the heart of the movie. Without a grounded, human relationship that the audience can root for, the horror and sci-fi elements don't land, so it was vital to me that the love story be at the center and all of the other elements grew out of that.
Me: How did the cast react to the shooting conditions in a special manner? What was the film-set like in-between takes?
GS: It was a great set! Everyone was super easy to work with and just focused on getting the job done well and doing it with a smile. It also helped that we had actual arcade machines on set, and you better believe everyone was playing them between takes.
Me: Did you find it challenging working behind-the-scenes instead of in front of the camera?
GS: It was challenging in a different way, I think. It was more about spreading your focus to every aspect of the film, and being able to delegate responsibilities to different departments and giving them freedom to interpret what you needed from them. In front of the camera you are responsible only for yourself, as director you're responsible for everything, and that's why it's crucial to build a team around you that you trust to be the stewards of your vision. I was incredibly lucky to have the team that I did supporting me.
Me: Does having your acting background allow you to connect with actors in helping them conduct their scenes?
GS: I think so! I just tried to treat my actors the way that I like to be treated, really. It also helped that I recognized how actors like to be directed, and that any adjustments I felt needed to be made, that I could address them in an articulate way from an acting point of view. But I also had a cast of amazing actors that needed very little direction, so that part of the job was easy!
Me: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers? Thank you again for the opportunity.
GS: Just check out Sequence Break on Shudder! It'll melt your eyeballs! And thank you!
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