Bliss of Evil, inspired by true events, follows the journey of a sound engineer in 1997 Brisbane who is forced to confront her past trauma. Trapped in a recording studio with her girlfriend's grunge band, they face a sinister killer, known as Bloodface, lurking in the shadows.
I recently had the opportunity to interview actor & co-writer of the film; Corrie Hinschen to gain some behind-the-scenes insights into the film.
As an avid film lover, which films would you say inspired you to get into the industry?
"I’ve always appreciated films that take risks and push boundaries. Things like the original Texas
Chainsaw Massacre by Tobe Hooper, Category III Hong Kong films such as Dr. Lamb, French-extreme cinema like Martyrs, Japanese films like TAG, Ichi the Killer, Lesson of the Evil (anything by Takashi Miike), and South Korean films like The Chaser and I Saw the Devil. I also love gothic horror, so anything from Hammer – especially the Cushing and Lee films." How do you approach creating compelling characters and dialogue? "When it comes to crafting compelling characters and dialogue, I draw heavily from personal
experiences and the diverse range of people I've encountered. Being neurodiverse, my thought processes may differ from those of neurotypical individuals, but I see it as an asset that allows me to tap into unique perspectives and narratives."
Can you talk about the making of Bliss Of Evil and how the concept came up?
"Josh Morris (Director) and I were having lunch at a Korean restaurant in Brisbane one day and I told him about some experiences I had when I was in heavy metal bands. We always wanted to make a slasher film, so we used that as a base and went from there; it all happened pretty organically to be honest. I ran the idea past another friend, Lauren Shaw (Producer), and the three of us agreed to go thirds in funding the film. Josh and I went through about 8 drafts of the script before we were happy with it."
As someone with a history of working in television, what has been your experience with
transitioning into film? "The most challenging aspect of "Bliss of Evil" was undoubtedly the restricted budget and shooting schedule. With only 15K AUD and 13 days of filming, we had to make the most of what we had. Also, navigating the landscape of film distribution in Australia, especially for micro-budget indie horror with queer themes, proved disheartening. However, the overwhelming support from the USA and Europe contrasted this, highlighting the disparities in the local industry. Our distributor in the USA has gone above and beyond making the film available on Blu-Ray, Amazon Prime, Tubi and getting a deal with Screambox. I just wish that was reciprocated in our own country." Being a small budget film, you found yourself having to take on the part of Bloodface, not
only in an acting capacity, but singing as well. How did you approach playing the part and
do you think you will be in front of the camera more often in the near future? "The way that came about was because we couldn’t afford to pay another actor. I remember having a meeting with Josh and Lauren and we said something like “Ok, so we need someone tall, that we can make up to look imposing, someone that can sing and looks like they belong in an alternative 90s band” – I basically looked at them both and said “I guess it’s me then”. We really wanted for Bloodface and Isla to have a dynamic similar to Laurie Strode and Michael Myers which is funny because in the original Halloween, Nick Castle played Michael due to a similar situation, so it’s kind of perfect. I wrote the song when we were coming up with the story - we had the title first which is based on a quote by Werner Herzog – I can’t really remember how I put the song together because my song-writing style is similar to my screenwriting style as in I just pick up a guitar and see what comes out. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to doing some more acting. I really enjoyed playing Bloodface and he will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve not had anyone approach me to act in their films but there’s a couple of Australian indie horror directors I would love to work with as an actor, even if it was just a small role. I guess we’ll see what happens."
There appears to be a resurgence of people getting back into physical media, how does it feel to
walk into a store & see your film for sale on the shelf?
"I’m big on physical media myself, so I think it’s great. People really love those lavish collector’s
editions and I’ve purchased a couple myself. Our Blu-ray was released in the states but its region
free. We’re lucky enough to have the support of a few indie retailers such as DVD King and Play
Music & DVDs that are stocking it locally." Writing a script for a micro-budget film presents unique challenges. Can you discuss how
the limitations of the budget influenced the writing decisions? Were there specific scenes
or elements that were added or modified to accommodate the constraints while still
serving the narrative? "We basically based the entire script around the location. We were lucky to have access to Elephant Studios in Brisbane and we spent a lot of time there during pre-production. We didn’t have the money to build sets, so we scoped things out and wrote around what we had access to. Damian Hussey, our Director of Photography, made maps for himself and made plans of each room to know where the camera could go to film certain scenes. There wasn’t a lot of room in the building, but we made it work to our advantage and it added to the claustrophobia of the narrative."
Micro-budget films often rely heavily on grassroots marketing and audience engagement.
How did you approach promoting your horror film within limited financial means, and
were there any strategies that proved particularly effective in building anticipation and
connecting with your target audience? "We submitted to as many horror festivals as possible. This proved to be essential in getting the film
out there. With the film receiving official selections at Salem Horror Fest, Soho Horror Fest, Panic
Fest and Monster Fest, the press we received from that was invaluable. We were also lucky enough
to have Creepy Duck Designs create our official poster which brought some extra eyes to the film. I reached out to established filmmakers like Chris Sun, Tristan Barr, and Brian Trenchard-Smith, all of
whom I respect and they were more than happy to give advice and help out." What advice would you give someone looking to write their own film? "Write within your budget. If you only have a few thousand to play with, then don’t write something
with elaborate special effects, costumes and sets. Find a location and write around that. Try and say something with your film. Always ask yourself “What’s my thesis statement?” and make sure you
know what your themes are – this is what will make your film stand out. Sure, you can go into the
bush with a handy-cam and run around for 80 mins, but make sure that you’re saying something
impactful and be true to yourself."
What are you working on next? "I’ve got two completed scripts that are both horror but at different ends of the spectrum. I’m not
sure how much I can say but both are in early-development and there has been interest. The first
film is an A24 style Gothic-horror found-footage film that’s heavily inspired by Asian extreme cinema
and quite possibly going to be the goriest film ever made in Australia; it’s certainly not something
Western audiences are used to or prepared for. The other film is an over-the-top slasher with a twist
– think From Dusk Till Dawn meets One Cut of the Dead meets Terrifier. I’m currently in negotiations
to get both off the ground and I’m sure word will get out once/if they get the greenlight." As the face of one of Australia’s newest Slasher villains, what are your top picks for must
see horror films? "That’s very sweet of you to say. I could talk about horror films all day, anything I’ve
mentioned during this interview, but maybe I’ll suggest some undiscovered gems or films
people may have skipped over or not heard of.
- The Changeling (1980) this film starring George C. Scott is a masterpiece of horror
cinema and is tied for me with Kubrick’s The Shining for best haunted house film. If
you’re a fan of James Wan, then you’ll love this because it’s very clear he has borrowed
heavily from it for films like The Conjuring and Insidious.
- The Devil Rides Out (1968) this film based on the novel of the same name by Dennis
Wheatley is, in my opinion, Hammer’s best Horror film and Christopher Lee gives his
greatest performance. Watch if you love anything involving the occult and Satanism.
- Last Shift (2014) the original version of Malum. A far superior film to the bigger-
budgeted remake. Watch this alone, in the dark, and hopefully you won’t shit yourself.
- The Trollenberg Terror aka The Creeping Eye (1958) a B-Grade 50s black and white
horror film that I believe has been treated unfairly. This is one of those films that is ripe
for a remake similar to The Thing, The Blob and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I would
absolutely love to remake this – I have a treatment ready to go!
- Tell Me Something (1999) if you love films like David Fincher’s Se7en or Kiyoshi
Kurosawa’s Cure then you’ll love this hidden gem – basically South Korea’s entry into 90s
thriller-horror-crime films."
Bliss of Evil is available now on Amazon Prime Video Australia & on Blu-Ray at select stores.
Soxie The Salacious Spectre is Perth's own horror host, presenting films each month during Dreadful Frights at The Backlot Perth & the annual Perth Horror Film Festival.
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