I met up with a producer who’s named GilO, last week He wanted to make a very low budget film. Despite the fact that he is working for a legit movie production studio He wanted to make something that was not the usual commercial fare.

GILO: “ I want to do something that is low budget but very striking and attention grabbing! “

FLIM: “ Uhm…You want to grab the audience by the balls before the opening credits roll up! “

GILO: “ YES! YES! That’s it! “

FLIM: “ So what do you have in mind? “

GILO: “ I want it to be low budget but at the same time something that the audience can easily get into. BUT it shouldn’t be commercial! It should be unique and at the same time very accessible to the audience.”

FLIM: “ Ok. What else? “

GILO: “ That’s it! Do you want to order coffee? “

FLIM: “ Oh yes. Please.”

The waiter comes over and takes our order.

GILO: “ A FRAP for me. How about you FLIM?

FLIM: “ Irish coffee.”

GILO: “ Where were we? “

FLIM: “ You want something cheap and exciting and original and very pop for audiences all over! “

GILO: “ Yep. That’s it.”

FLIM: “ If you want the film accessible. The only way to go is to decide what genre to do it in.”

GIL0: “ Let me think, let me think, let me think.”

I flexed my arms while waiting for him to decide. Muscle soreness all over. I had a hard session in the gym this morning and then I had to rush back home and go to the shop and change the tripod head and then did four hours on the EDITING BAY for the project I’m doing with Jason and then had to rush all the way to this mall for this meeting.

GILO: “ Let’s do a horror movie.”

FLIM: “ Sounds great. Do you have anything on file? A synopsis or a germ of an idea? “

GILO: ”In fact I have something very original. “

I perked up after hearing this. I LOOOOOOVVVVVE HORROR MOVIES. Not the slasher films from the JASON BORHAS/ FREDDY KRUEGER DOJO STYLE. I love the old universal classic horror films and the movies of VAL LEWTON that rely more on atmosphere and tension than blood and guts and visceral action pieces.

GILO: “ You have seen the RING right? “

FLIM: “ RING is the American version. RINGU is the original Japanese movie.”

GILO: “ The Japanese version. It made a lot of money for the distributor.”

FLIM: “ That was a cult hit. “

GILO: “Incredible. So I want to do something like that”

FLIM: “ You mean do a horror film with the same kind of tension and moody ambience?

GILO: “ Yes! Yes! “

FLIM: “ Sound’s cool.”

GILO: “But We have to come up with an object that should be cursed. Just like THE…

FLIM: “ THE RING, right. You mean household appliances. That are cursed! That causes instant death on those who use them.”

GILO: “ Yes! That’s it! But it’s got to be original.”

FLIM: “ I agree. I mean there are so many household appliances to chose from…where to start…where to start.”

I paused in thought as I sipped the coffee. This really poses a poser! How do you come up with something original from elements obviously lifted from a very popular film? That is still fresh in the public’s CONSCIOUSNESS.

GILO: “ Oh and there should be shots of the person, as in photos with his face distorting.”

FLIM: “ You’re cutting too close to the RING.”

GILO: “ Then how about his reflection in the mirror disappearing? How about that?”

FLIM: “ Hmmmmmm….”

GILO: “ I’VE GOT IT! WE’LL USE A CELL PHONE! Its never been done before! “

FLIM: “ I think another Japanese film already used that! “

GILo: “ How about a fax machine? “

FLIM: “ Faxing threatening notes…I don’t know.”

GILO: “ A REFRIGERATOR! A CURSED REFRIGERATOR! “

FLIM: “ Already been done in the early eighties by some local studio. Quite lame, I’d stay way from it if I were you who knows what kind of stigma it still carries!”

GILO: Well how about if I buy the rights? “

FLIM: “ Why would you like to remake a bad film? “

GILO: “ It has a built in audience.”

FLIM: “ I guess…. “

GILO: “ I’ll make a few phone calls and see where it leads. But in the mean time come up with other alternatives other storylines that we might use if.”

FLIM: “ Will do.”

Later that evening as I went back to the editing room I wondered what would he say if I tell him lets do a cursed basketball that dribbled people to death after the third game. It’s going to be really cheap! Just get basketballs and it would be interesting to shoot someone being killed by it.