One of the most beloved and hardest working actresses in the indie scene, Mel Heflin has built a reputation with numerous high-quality performances in countless genre efforts over the years. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, how she approaches her roles and memories of some of her films.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Mel Heflin: I first fell in love with horror when I was a little girl. I would always beg my mom to let me stay up with her to watch Tales from the Crypt; it was our favorite for a long time.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
MH: The first movie I remember absolutely loving was Cherry Falls, a slasher, I remember some of these slasher movies would portray high school kids and being excited to look so grown up by the time I would get into High School. Looking back that’s funny. I did go on to watch all of the slashers and really loved the Freddy and Chucky franchises.
Me: What was the initial inspiration to get into the industry? Were you initially attracted to a specific aspect that appealed to you?
MH Are You Afraid of the Dark and Goosebumps really inspired me, I thought “Why not me?” and just wished for an opportunity to come one day.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What really attracts you to a specific role?
MH: I really love playing the final girl or a love interest, OR a creepy creature of some sort. I’m not sure if it’s the lead that I’m going for to get more ‘face time’ or if I really just want to hang out on set with those who become my temporary buddies for just a few days longer. Most likely the latter, time spent on set are my favorite memories.
Me: What do you remember the most about your first film, "Scarlet Rain," and your first time being on a movie set?
MH: I was just amazed by the comradery. People with all different backstories all coming together for a common goal. It was unlike anything I’d experienced prior.
Me: Your follow-up films, "They Walk" and "Our Devil's Night," brought about a more extreme form of horror. What do you do to stay in character while on-set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
MH: I feel very zen inside a character. The time between takes doesn’t feel like anything more than a few seconds. I’m sure there are thousands of little thoughts of ‘I need to make this face after that line’ or ‘don’t forget to pause between those words’ but it’s not stressful at the same time because on set is my happy place.
Me: As your career continued in the indie scene and saw you taking on similar such roles, were you ever afraid of being typecast into these kinds of efforts?
MH: Absolutely! I was so afraid of only being the girl who gets naked and dies first. While I love being able to add that traditional element to a film I fought for other roles that would show that I do have range. For a while, I was even driving 12+ hours just for auditions to try to ensure I wouldn’t get ‘stuck’ only doing those parts.
Me: Considering some of the scenes you were filming, what were the sets like at these times? How did you and the rest of the crew handle the types of scenes being filmed?
MH: During the nude scenes the crew downsizes to essential members-only usually consisting of the camera person, director, sound and the other actors in the scene making it a closed set. Generally, we film instead of doing a ‘practice run’ so that in case something gets filmed that’s good we won’t have to do as many retakes. During these scenes, there’s never any procrastinating and everyone stays on task and they go incredibly smooth and quick. People are always very respectful and often have a robe for me if any lights need to be adjusted or anything that would take more than a few seconds.
Me: You also turned to directing for the short "The Crawlspace Chapter II: The Succubus" in addition to playing the lead. What attracted you to direct the effort? Was it a challenge being involved in several capacities at once on a project like this?
MH: I’m not sure I’d want to do it again. While I enjoyed directing, I did discover it’s much harder to explain what’s in my head. Especially while trying to do anything else. I would probably consider it again with a bigger crew, but the crew was too small on that set for me to do both effectively. I really just prefer acting and helping out when I’m not in a scene.
Me: More recently, you've managed to film several titles with Mark Polonia in several of his films including "Bride of the Werewolf" and "Return to Splatter Farm" among several other films. Has your relationship changed over time based on how often you collaborate together?
MH: I think so! When he first called on me to film Camp Blood 7 – It Kills he didn’t know me, I didn’t know him. Immediately I was impressed and then upon seeing the final product I knew I needed to work with him again. His sets are a really nice mix of relaxed atmosphere while keeping on task and moving quickly. It's really amazing, I love their style.
Me: As well, you've also recently turned to writing a comic book. Where did the inspiration for that come from? What can you tell us about that?
MH: I’ve always loved comics! I’ve also had this idea for a movie for a long time, but no one was picking it up so comic artist David Faught and I chatted, he liked the idea so I wrote it into comic book form. The inspiration comes from my friend group growing up, the troubles we had waiting around every corner, thinking you have to worry about one thing and then something different was lurking all along. The Curst of the Lycanthropic Cheerleaders follows three college cheerleaders as they discover themselves, but then life happens. I’m so excited to be moving forward with this with David, he’s really great and brings such life to his art!
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
MH: I’m filming A LOT at home, probably filming once every two weeks which is almost as much as I did when I lived near DC. It’s super cool to get involved with projects I wouldn’t have been able to because of distance and funds.
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
MH: Just show up. Got invited to a set? Show up. Help out. make friends. It’s really easy to get involved with film. It’s been one of the most wondrous experiences of my life and can change your world, but you gotta show up. Learn every role of the crew, being able to help whoever needs it can make things move more quickly and it’s a kind thing to do. My last tip being STAY POSITIVE! You are living your dream, never let a long day and stale pizza steal your spark.
Thank you so much for letting me join your WiHM interviews!!!
This interview ran as part of our Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out all of our reviews and interviews about the occasion:
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