An accomplished producer as the head of Magic Dog Pictures, Simone Kisiel is working on establishing the studio's output with several shorts and features under her belt. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, the forming of the company and several of their productions and upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Simone Kisiel: Hi Don and thank you so much for having me, it’s a pleasure! I had my “first kiss” if you will, with horror when I was very young. My dad shared his love of classic horror movies with me when I was around 6 and my first memory of a “scary movie” was the original Mummy - the scene where the mummy leaves his sarcophagus and we watch a man’s mind break in real-time when he says “he… took a walk!” The idea of a horror that you can experience, but not see, has stuck with me forever.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
SK: I was into genre films and I very much have my dad and brother to thank for that! As mentioned, my dad and I watched the classics of which my favorites are The Mummy and The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Later, in my early teenage years, I saw The Sixth Sense with my brother in the theater. The scene where the boy gets pulled into the cabinet at the birthday party and we can hear him screaming and pounding on the door, but we cannot see what is in there scarred me in a way that is hard to describe. It’s a similar concept to what struck me in The Mummy. Finally, when I was around 14 I watched The Descent with my brother and his friends. They thought it would scare me; they did not realize how hungry I was for stories about badass women fighting subterranean monsters.
Me: When did you discover a passion to go into the movie-making industry? Were you interested in any particular aspect of the business?
SK: Initially, I wanted to be an actor, that was my focus from adolescence through college. I was around 9 when I put up my first play (in my parent’s living room) but funnily enough, I didn’t get to play a human woman in a production that wasn’t my own until I got to college! Up until then, I got to play a pirate, football player, chimpanzee and several male characters from Our Town.
Me: When you entered NYU-Tisch for your studies, was there any kind of push towards a specific style or format?
SK: I went to NYU Tisch for drama so I ended up with a BA in Drama and a Minor in Creative Writing (and I graduated with honors!). During my tenure at NYU, I attended the Atlantic School for Acting and Stonestreet Studios, the film and TV studio affiliated with NYU. Atlantic pushed their style very hard; I refer to my time there as acting boot camp. They really attempted to empty our cups and to fill them up with a certain dogma and I found much of that unhelpful and actually dampened my interest in performing arts altogether. It’s the creativity and release that I loved, not a rigidly structured acting technique. Stonestreet went in the opposite direction. They were sort of a mish-mash of whatever film-related education they could pull together. I learned how to act for soap operas…?
Me: Shortly after, you formed your own company Magic Dog Pictures with Alexandra Grunberg. What was the inspiration to start your own studio together?
SK: After graduation, I worked first as an intern and then as an editor/director for Stonestreet Studios which is where I met Alexandra Grunberg. She was one of my students in an advanced acting class where she demonstrated she was diligent, dedicated, curious and talented - the qualities I look for in all collaborators. Fortunately for me, she and another student approached me about creating a horror/comedy web series (HOUSED, Winner Best Sit-Com Miami Web Fest 2015) and the rest is history. Bringing Alexandra’s writing to life has become an addiction that I don’t plan to kick!
Me: What do you provide for clients through the studio? What do you hope to achieve with the future of the company?
SK: Magic Dog Productions is a full-service film production company. Since its founding in 2015 Magic Dog has produced, directed and edited more than a dozen films, mostly in the psychological horror and horror/comedy genres, but its filmography also includes select documentaries. While some of the films released by Magic Dog have been in-house projects, the majority have been produced under contracts with third parties. Our objective is to continue producing socially conscious, character-driven and culturally provocative films in the thriller/horror and comedy genres and the right kind of documentaries, while promoting women and other underrepresented creators both in front of and behind the camera.
Me: Given the side range and style of content produced by the studio, is it easy or difficult to get into a different mindset needed for a new project?
SK: Every project is like a brand new baby to me! While I of course bring a whole skill set and tons of experience to each piece, every project really does require completely independent thought, strategy and vision. One of the things I love most about my work is that it’s so diverse. I can spend the morning working on an abstract horror short that explores societal pressures to be “normal” and the afternoon working on my feature-length documentary about the dangers of brands co-opting social movements to market their products. All of what I do is gravely important to me, and I very much appreciate that my days are never the same.
Me: With plenty of short films early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
SK: Shorts are the stepping stone to all film-related pursuits as far as I can tell. Shorts often have very small budgets so it requires quick thinking and risk management to really get what you’re looking for. Once you can successfully produce a short, it’s only a matter of appropriately scaling up. I highly suggest to fresh filmmakers and creatives that they do not skip the step of creating short films before they take on the bear that is a feature.
Me: What are some of your favorite memories working together on-set?
SK: My favorite memories of being on set were from when we shot Good Intentions in Darien, CT. The location was a giant mansion and the cast/crew stayed over for the duration of the shoot. It was such a tremendous pleasure to actually hang out with the people I love working with, to hear their stories and their whiskey-fueled laughter ring out on the edge of the Connecticut woods. I’d relive that whole shoot if I could.
Me: Among your latest projects is the genre effort "Bugs: A Trilogy." What can you tell us about the film?
SK: Bugs: A Trilogy is inspired by the 1975 made-for-TV movie Trilogy of Terror. Alexandra Grunberg, who is also the writer, plays the lead character in each of the three shorts that make up Bugs. The premise of this anthology is that often, being a human woman is just plain horrifying. Whether it be dealing with a violent child, not being able to access the healthcare needed to keep us safe, or being disbelieved when reporting a trauma, we don’t need monsters to feel the terror.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
SK: Everyone on set was hand-picked by me, so everyone really knew what they were getting themselves into. For me, the most important part of crewing up and casting is that my talent is cool to be around. I’ll select an actor or crew member with less experience before I’ll cast or hire someone with a less than ideal attitude or ego. The point, the ONLY point, is to do very good work, so everyone on set was consummate professionals!
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
SK: My cast/crew definitely found it to be funny that I couldn’t handle or look at the real (already dead) spiders that I procured as props for a scene in Hatchling. I am very aware that I made a film called Bugs with bugs in it, and I’m cool with bugs generally but I do NOT do spiders. It took me 7 months to edit the one-minute spider segment with actual footage of spiders and I wasn’t better onset (for reference, I’ve edited an entire feature film in 1.5 months). I still close my eyes during those two pieces of Bugs; even though I directed and edited them, it doesn’t mean I want to experience them ever again!
Me: Beyond these projects, what else are you working on that you'd like to let our readers know about?
SK: At Magic Dog, we’re in development with several feature film scripts and are aiming to have our next feature produced alongside a major platform or entity. Outside of that, we have a short abstract horror film (Tartarus) about to hit festivals and three short films that will soon be released on VOD platforms (Introvert’s Guide to Activism, Good Intentions and Recovery)! Follow our socials for announcements on these film releases! (@magicdogproductions)
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!
SK: I have three pieces of advice. The first piece is to just dive in. Depending on what level of experience you have (and your budget/equipment) you really can just dive in. You have a cell phone and an idea? You can make a short film. Have a DSLR and some actor friends? Find a cool location, write something specifically for that. Look around you and use what you have to begin to build your brand, your style and your vision. My second piece of advice is that work begets work, opportunities beget opportunities. So long as you’re not being abused or hurt, it’s okay to volunteer or to barter to gain experience and to meet fellow artists. In a word, whenever you are able, say yes (and then show up). And my final piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask for help/support/input/advice. If you identify someone in the industry who is doing what you want to be doing, reach out to them with pointed questions - you will be surprised what people are willing to do to help you (and please pay it back by supporting them on socials, etc. no one likes a taker).
Have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously and never, ever stop trying.
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