FX master Vincent Guastini has made the jump to directing and if you’ve every seen him work (and you definitely have), you may be wondering what took so long. The only question you should be asking though is why haven’t you seen THE DARK TAPES yet and what’s next. luckily, Vincent Guastini has some answers for you. Read on and get ready to get excited…
Vincent Guastini best known for his make-up effects work in “Requiem For A Dream” ,“Dogma”, “Last Of Mohicans”, Letters Of Iwo Jima, & Stephen King’s “Thinner”.& many more has a directing debut which was release worldwide on April 18th has taken the critics and awards by storm. “The Dark Tapes” which Vincent not only directed the wrap around but is one of the producers on the film as well and did all the make-up effects for this new found footage film. Which has garnered over 56 awards its already a critical success having swept all the film festivals and getting kudos from every genre critic including Blumhouse, Ain’t it Cool and Rue Morgue, calling it, “The best jump scare and best practical effects” It’s the most awarded and critically acclaimed found footage film since “Blair Witch”.
Vincent says,” I did not have much time to direct the main wrap around called “To Catch a Demon”. I had originally 4 to 5 days to direct which was once planned as an episode on to itself. It later became the wraparound due to some later editing issues and me also being cut down to really doing my job to 3 days after losing days on set to unforeseen interruptions. I had to make up the time and also keep the story and script to be somewhat cohesive so that in editing even if I was not editing it I was hoping people would not be confused and the footage is still there to cut together. I also had some complicated practical effects, stunts & action. Producer & writer, of the film and director of the other segments Michael McQuown was the one who came up with the idea on set to make it a wraparound, I also contributed to the Twilight Zone ending of my segment to wrap up the ending of the film.
The film was released on April 18th on all platforms and is being distributed worldwide by genre giant distribution company Epic Films run by Patrick Ewald . Vincent say’s Epic was the first one I wanted to handle the movie and first phone call I directed my producer to call, and to my shock they said yes!. right out of the gate.
All the effects for “The Dark Tapes” was designed and created by my company but for my segment my demon is over a 7 foot tall nightmare that stalks genre star Courtney Palm. (Sushi Girl) I also art directed the set and made allot of the props in the episode. I went for a kind of Ghostbusters type tech for the machine that was catching the demon. On found footage film side I can say I’m really not a big fan of directing one I love doing movies that are cinematic. So I found it a challenge doing a movie this way and wanted to see if I could do it in a way that hopefully is a different experience, watching Ridley Scott’s Alien over and over again helped me allot. Also working for and doing the effects for the kings of found footage movies lately namely, Adam Robitel on “The Taking of Debra Logan”, “Insidious 4” and doing “VHS Viral” with Aaron Moorehead Justin Benson & Todd Lincoln was a big help experience wise doing mine.
Next up for directing is “Deadly Skies” this is going to be my most visually ambitious project that I promise some stuff has never been seen in quite this way in a long time. With a budget right now project a million dollars . Think “Close Encounters” meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and you can get a pretty good idea where I want to take this. Amy Williams has just come on as my producer she produced the muti million dollar movies “Mothers and Daughters”, & produced with me on “Rock Paper Dead” another film that I not only produced but did all the creature and make-up effects on. Which was directed by horror legend director Tom Holland.
I got offered to do the effects on their film and come on as a co-producer after I heard that they were trying to lock in a director. I suggested Tom Holland and bingo the deal went through. It’s been the 6th movie I have produced now. I love branching into producing films and directing them as well as doing the effects.
But it was personal dream to get Tom Holland on a genre project again and be able to effect that happening is something I want to continue to do as a producer not only for him but other legends in the horror film universe that would normally not get that chance as much anymore due to prejudice in Hollywood towards some of our older geniuses thinking there too old or don’t have the same chops as some of the younger guys.
It’s my way of giving back to what they gave me when I enjoyed their work growing up as a kid and how they influenced me. On the directing side I’ll jump off into more diverse areas right now I just want to scare the shit out of People.
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