An upcoming effects artist and actress working in the indie scene, Sabrina Rose has created a burgeoning career in the industry with her work in front of and behind the camera for several prominent indie films. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, working as an effects artist, and some upcoming films of hers.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, were you always into genre films growing up?
Sabrina Rose: No, not really but to be fair my mom took me to see Psycho in the theater when I was 3 years old and I can't help but think that ultimately lead me down the path of horror movies.
Me: What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
SR: Surprisingly I don't actually watch a lot of horror movies but I would say my favorites are 80's horror. Critters, Leprechaun, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Tales from the Crypt.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
SR: I've been in the industry my entire life. At 3 days old I became a baby model. Then, I set foot on my first television stage at 3. My first commercial was in kindergarten. In college, I studied theater arts and also took outside modeling/acting classes on top of that. It's just part of who I am. I love every aspect of it.
Me: Having worked on various aspects of film production, do you have any particular preference for working on any?
SR: I can't get enough of Special Effects. I've learned so many amazing things from working with Chad Buffett from Raptor FX Studios and one thing he's really taught me is- The scarier the better! Details are what make it believable. I have just absolutely loved learning how to create these creepy, horrific scenes with him.
Set design and special effects also go hand in hand. Mick Strawn showed me how to create an entire scene down to tiny details of spider webs, aging an entire building but also utilizing one building for 4 different time periods. I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to learn so much from such talented individuals.
Also, I absolutely adore the slate. There's something about making sure every scene is slated correctly that makes the engraver in me extremely happy!
Me: What do you go through in a typical day on set? What type of priorities and tasks do you go through to ensure a successful day of filming?
SR: The first and most important thing is to have my coffee. From there everything else falls into place. A typical day consists of figuring out exactly what/where we're filming, what effects are needed, making sure we have all cast and crew, that the set is ready to go, that we take some selfies, and remember to laugh and have fun throughout the day. If we have issues arise we focus and figure out what we can do to fix it or alter it or get additional cast/crew to set if need be. I like to really hype people up on set and get everyone excited about what we're doing. I really feel like if people are having a good time you're going to be able to see it in the final outcome of the production.
Me: As an actress, is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What do you look for in a character to be excited and interested in playing it?
SR: I played a drunk once and that was probably my most fun character. I honestly like things that take me out of my normal comfort zone. I also played chaos once and it was entirely frantic but I felt more accomplished with that than with any other type of role I've done.
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on-set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
SR: I don't really do anything specific to stay in character but I definitely do more crew stuff nowadays than acting so if I'm on a set just acting, I'll help out with whatever crew things need to be done if they need help. And if they don't need help, guaranteed I'll be talking and taking selfies with people.
Me: Having worked on several 'Friday the 13th' fan-films in "Roseblood," " Vengeance" and "Vengeance: Bloodlines," does that give you a bit of extra sympathy for the character going forward?
SR: The Roseblood I worked on was a family dinner gone awry. It came out before the one you're referring to. It was one of the most difficult but satisfying sets I've worked on because almost the entire thing took place in one room with all of the characters at the table together.
Vengeance and Vengeance 2 Bloodlines gave me a love for Jason Voorhees that I never knew existed. When I was growing up Friday the 13th scared me entirely too much. So much so that I couldn't watch them more than once. Now I watch them over and over again. All because I was asked to come to host my show, West Coast Insider, and interview the cast and crew at their read-through. As soon as I walked in and realized I knew half the people there I knew I had to be part of it. So at the end of the party, I went up to Jeremy Brown, Director, and just basically informed him that I wanted to be on his set. The rest is film family history.
Me: Outside of these films, you've also involved in the indie film “With Child.” What attracted you to the film?
SR: Originally it was the fact that Laura Wilson is in it and since we've worked together before, I would do anything to be on set with her again! Then I spoke with Jeff, learned about the storyline and even more people I've worked with before are going to be in it and I just honestly felt like I needed to be part of this production. The concept art, the storyline... All of it just makes me want to be there and see it come to life.
Me: With a stacked cast of talented indie actors and actresses involved, what are you most looking forward to getting to work with familiar names and those you haven’t worked with before?
SR: I will be working crew on With Child so currently the only things on my list are making sure to share the content, like/comment on everyone's posts so it gets more reach and invite people to like the page. I'm really looking forward to working with those I've worked with before and I can't wait to get to know those I haven't met yet! We're going to have so much fun bringing this movie to life!
Me: You're also working on the upcoming "Door to the Inferno." What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
SR: We stayed on location for 14 days and filmed where we lived. It was an absolutely beautiful location. As for the cast and crew, we're all in it for the horror. This is the 3rd production I've worked on with 7th Street Productions and Raptor FX Studios. Pillow Party Massacre will be on Tubi soon and next up will be Exorcism in Utero followed by Door To The Inferno. For each of these films, we lived on location and worked hard to create something terrifying for the audiences.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
SR: There are so many moments on set for every production but when I think of odd moments it takes me to Penny Palabras with Director Ken Carlson. One night we were filming a ghost scene and random things kept happening. Just odd little moments. Like the velcro lights that just fell down... And then, I'm just standing there off to the side in the middle of a take holding my slate and it just breaks and the bottom half comes crashing down. I'm not sure if it was the same night but we also had a coyote saunter by in the middle of the scene. Only a few of us saw that because we didn't want to interrupt the shot but sure didn't expect that that night!
As for the current productions, all hilarious stories must wait until they are released!
Me: What else are you working on you’d like to share with our readers?
SR: There are a few things that are possibilities but nothing else is set yet. I do know that- Pandimensional- Ken Carlson, Sean Driscoll, and myself are working on hopefully filming in the summer of 2024 but that script is still in progress.
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, 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?
SR: Go for it! Have fun! Take the selfies! Get bloody! Play with costumes and makeup and create sets. Write a short, and turn it into a feature. You are capable of doing anything and everything you've ever dreamed of! Make all your nightmares come true!
Sweet Screams -❤️ Sabrina Rose
This interview ran as part of our 2023 Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out the rest of our month-long celebrations including various reviews and interviews:
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