An upcoming filmmaker with a solid resume to her credit, Alice Wells has turned her attention quite recently to the formation of the production studio Cordell Productions to work within the genre. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, working with Cordell Productions, and their latest feature "Suspect."
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Alice Wells: I, unfortunately, saw my first horror movie (or part of one) when I was about 5 or so. My family went to a drive-in and typically the late-late movies were more adult-oriented and we would fall asleep early and miss them. Well, one time, I woke up in the middle of a movie to see Santa Claus trying to attack someone in their house. It was quite an experience!
I also saw some very old b/w Dracula movies in 2nd grade which gave me bad dreams for months. I also grew up watching and reading a lot of Stephen King and true crime, especially serial killers. I’m fascinated with human psychology and behaviors.
Me: What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
AW: Since I grew up in the '70s and '80s, it was classic horror movies, shows, and novels I was exposed to. Stephen King being among my main horror inspirations (his stories and movies), the Twilight Zone (psychological horror), Tales From The Crypt, Nightmare On Elm Street, Gremlins, The Omen, and finally films and shows like Blair Witch Project, American Horror Story, Grimm, etc.
Me: When did you first discover a passion for filmmaking? Were you always interested in the creative arts growing up?
AW: Yes. I started dancing when I was four and performed at Wolf Trap in Virginia and the Kennedy Center before and danced for a number of years into high school. I was also part of our drama club where I held a variety of crew positions like director, assistant director, props, general production, scripty, etc. I also did the same for a community theater in North Carolina for a couple of productions. I had always dreamed of being a screenwriter but never thought I could or would do it. Very late bloomer.
As for filmmaking, honestly, it was not something I really ever focused on until ‘it happened’. I only really started writing screenplays in 2021 and started filming in 2022.
Me: Having worked on various aspects of film production, do you have any particular preference for working on any?
AW: First, I love screenwriting and if I’m writing something I hope to film, it’s written with production in mind, without sacrificing story or character. I also produce, cast, manage post-production, and direct. Directing is a lot of fun at the indie level, but I know what I don’t know so it’s a great challenge to push myself to continue learning even if I’m not directing anything.
Me: As a major driving force in the production company Cordell Productions, what initially inspired you to become involved in the company? What do you provide for others through your work?
AW: Cordell Productions came about with my writing partner, David J Keogh. It was named after a character he portrayed during an online tableread, which is how we met. We figured the best way to get our stuff out there was to do it on our own and so far that’s what we’ve done.
In addition to doing our own productions, Cordell Productions offers a number of other services through a network of other film professionals. Voice acting, acting, songwriting, post-sound, and screenwriting services like writing, coverage, editing, etc.
Me: Is there any specific type of genre you prefer with your productions? Is there any style or format you find easier to get into even without a preference?
AW: I love writing it all, but in indie, it’s very hard to do certain genres that will sell, like comedy, etc. Right now, our focus/my focus has been horror/dark comedy and thriller for filming. But I really would love to be able to do it all – comedy, sci-fi, horror, thriller, etc.
Me: That brings us to your latest project, "Suspect." What can you tell us about the film?
AW: Suspect is a psychological crime thriller feature I co-wrote with David and then produced and directed. My first. It’s about two detectives who take things too far while interrogating a man suspected of kidnapping a high-profile couple.
Everyone is guilty of something and everyone is Suspect (or a Suspect).
Me: Where did the inspiration for the film come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
AW: The inspiration originally came from David from an old idea he had about psychological interview experiments involving a small group of people. It then expanded to a suspect and two cops taking on one of the most controversial topics and taking a page or two from current headlines (No spoilers) ��
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented indie actors, how did you settle on the cast getting involved in the film? What characteristics did you look for with each performer that they brought to the table that helped bring the production to light?
AW: This was easy. David is also an amazing film, TV, and stage actor so we cast him as the Suspect, Rupert Bates. Our two cops, played by Ethan Crystal and Bevin Victoria were also easy choices as they were both cast (along with David) in the first project I did, which was our international award-winning TV pilot, John Sunshine’s Lost Rock ‘n’ Roll Tapes. Both David and Ethan, I cast after meeting them on social media during COVID when people would perform tablereads. Bevin auditioned for a part that opened up during our production of John Sunshine and is a force to be reckoned with.
The character Kenny, played by Casey, was a new friend of mine and even though he had never acted before, I could tell he was a natural and we created a character for him that allowed him to push himself while still being himself. He crushed it and steals the movie!
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
AW: The majority of the film was filmed in a single location – a house (inside and outside) and we had a pretty large crew for an indie film of this size, but it was important for us to cover all bases to ensure we came away with a quality product. We were very agile in our filming and had an amazing DP and filmed 2-cam which also helped tremendously during the editing process.
In terms of our schedule, the cast and crew were used to filming the way we planned it and we did a number of tablereads ahead of time so everyone was very familiar with the material before we started filming. As for genre, this was a psychological crime thriller and everyone had a similar experience working on indie horror films, so there were no challenges with filming.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AW: We had such an aggressive film schedule that most of it was all business, but the vibe was great. The one thing we had that I think everyone loved was ‘Cine-Pillow’ (pronounced ‘cinny’) which was a regular pillow that we taped up and it was used by the DP to lay down on when getting some amazing shots or when David’s character was on the floor. After filming, we took pics of Cine-Pillow partying a little too hard with some rum. I must say, Cine-Pillow was very professional while on set though. ��
Additionally, I had worked off and on for nearly 5 years (long before I became a filmmaker) to get a company that I liked to work with. I finally had something for them and they agreed. We were able to get brand and in-film product placement with Yolo Rum, a premium rum company out of Denver, Colorado. We made sure we used them not in just one establishing shot, but in multiple scenes, actions, and dialogue. We are both fans and supporters of each other.
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
AW: It’s impossible to stop, to be honest. I’m creative in multiple ways so I am always pursuing one of my creative loves, usually at the same time.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
AW: As I mentioned earlier, John Sunshine’s Lost Rock ‘n’ Roll Tapes is our award-winning (both in screenwriting contests and film festivals) horror TV pilot. We have also written the entire first season and our goal/hope is to get investors for it, get it made, and then release it as with the current industry environment, it appears harder and harder to “break in” on your own.
Additionally, we have an amazing retro Christmas horror screenplay that has some interest from a well-known director/writer, but again, we have to do a lot of the work ourselves to get it in front of people to get produced.
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? Thank you again for your time!
AW: I would say, if you want to be an effective screenwriter and/or filmmaker, you need to get on a set, see how things are done. Learn the entire process. Especially if you want to be a screenwriter, you need to understand that your words = money and learn to edit yourself to be produced, not just read.
At the end of the day, this is about a visual medium and it’s important to learn that a story on paper has to go through so much before the general public ever sees it, and I know that when I started writing, it wasn’t until I was on set that I truly understood ‘how to write’ without sacrificing character, story, dialogue, etc.
Also, I would say, that horror is the best/easiest genre to get made and seen at the indie level, but it’s not necessary to be ‘gory/bloody’ in horror to make an effective and thrilling film.
This interview ran as part of our 2024 Women in Horror Movement celebrations! Click the banner below to check out our complete coverage:
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