"Write a good story, write a good story and write a good story.”
"Write a good story, write a good story and write a good story.”
- Jean Gabin
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Welcome horror squad and fans of films, my name is THOMAS OTTERMAN, thank you for taking this journey with me as I discuss film in this Horror Q&A.
Today I am going to be interviewing the Director of the upcoming film PREDATOR HOLOCAUST, DAMIEN DE BOURGUIGNON, who is from LYON, FRANCE.
Let us begin...
DDB: My name is Damien de BOURGUIGNON, I am 40 years old. I'm a french director based in France and I'm working for more than 17 years. I've shot, edited and produced a lot of commercials and corporate movies for companies like GORE TEX, SALOMON, JULBO, MILLET.
TO: What projects have you completed in the past? and do you have any other projects lined up?
DDB: In 2015 I've directed and produced my first short, REGRESSION, an anticipation film inspired by Blade Runner and Deliverance. Produced with limited budget, REGRESSION won an Award of Excellence in Accolade Competition and an Award of merit in IndieFest Film Awards. In 2016 I’ve decided to make another short, RELLIK. A Thriller inspired by real events.
TO: Could you please tell the Horror fans that have yet to hear about Predator Holocaust something about the film without revealing any spoilers?
DDB: Oh ! This is a survival story ;-) The film takes place in Europe in 1940. A father and his daughter who escaped from Auschwitz are pursued by a group of SS. They sink into an amazing place, but very fast the Germans sent to get them back are confronted in one thing which decimates them one by one.
TO: What made you decide to do a Predator fan film and why is now the right time to bring this project to life?
DDB: I’ve got a lot of projects but in 2016 (end of RELLIK’s editing) I find a beautiful illustration about a new Predator. I asked to a friend if he wanted to make a fan movie with me. He said yes, and so I started to imagine a script with this new creature never seen before. Choose the period, the characters, was the most important : What I wanna say with this movie.
I don’t know if it was the right Time, but i’m sure that I don’t imagine, I directed a Predator movie, in 2015. I am not a Big fan about the Fan films. Some of them has not enought quality. For me, You must to respect the original work and in this Spirit, You must to be very professional.
DDB: In 2015 I've directed and produced my first short, REGRESSION, an anticipation film inspired by Blade Runner and Deliverance. Produced with limited budget, REGRESSION won an Award of Excellence in Accolade Competition and an Award of merit in IndieFest Film Awards. In 2016 I’ve decided to make another short, RELLIK. A Thriller inspired by real events.
TO: Could you please tell the Horror fans that have yet to hear about Predator Holocaust something about the film without revealing any spoilers?
DDB: Oh ! This is a survival story ;-) The film takes place in Europe in 1940. A father and his daughter who escaped from Auschwitz are pursued by a group of SS. They sink into an amazing place, but very fast the Germans sent to get them back are confronted in one thing which decimates them one by one.
TO: What made you decide to do a Predator fan film and why is now the right time to bring this project to life?
DDB: I’ve got a lot of projects but in 2016 (end of RELLIK’s editing) I find a beautiful illustration about a new Predator. I asked to a friend if he wanted to make a fan movie with me. He said yes, and so I started to imagine a script with this new creature never seen before. Choose the period, the characters, was the most important : What I wanna say with this movie.
I don’t know if it was the right Time, but i’m sure that I don’t imagine, I directed a Predator movie, in 2015. I am not a Big fan about the Fan films. Some of them has not enought quality. For me, You must to respect the original work and in this Spirit, You must to be very professional.
TO: What is like filming a Horror film in France? Is there a large fan base for Horror films currently in France?
DDB: Very large question. I’ve no production with me, so I made this movie with my little means. In France, the Horror movie is not very respecting by the french productions. They prefer to produced comedies. But maybe all that start to change with young directors who loved the horror movie, not only to frightened the peoples but make movie more deep with a real idea, a movie between entertainment and a reflexion about your world. I’m not a fan of horror, so I don’t know.
TO: What style of photography was used for Predator Holocaust?
DDB: We shoot in a amazing location. There’s no interior séquences, all was shoot outside. So with my DOP laurent lemonnier, we’ve decided to shoot with a restricted materials:
2 Aladdins LED panels and a Sony FS7 camera, an amazing camera with a good sensibility and render, and 2 lenses 28 and 85mm Zeiss.
DDB: Very large question. I’ve no production with me, so I made this movie with my little means. In France, the Horror movie is not very respecting by the french productions. They prefer to produced comedies. But maybe all that start to change with young directors who loved the horror movie, not only to frightened the peoples but make movie more deep with a real idea, a movie between entertainment and a reflexion about your world. I’m not a fan of horror, so I don’t know.
TO: What style of photography was used for Predator Holocaust?
DDB: We shoot in a amazing location. There’s no interior séquences, all was shoot outside. So with my DOP laurent lemonnier, we’ve decided to shoot with a restricted materials:
2 Aladdins LED panels and a Sony FS7 camera, an amazing camera with a good sensibility and render, and 2 lenses 28 and 85mm Zeiss.
This restrictions make the image so organic, and this is what I want for the project.
TO: What are some of the obstacles/challenges during production if any, that you have faced and how did you overcome them ?
DDB: A lot of ;-) weather, low budget, peoples who left the project one day before the beginning of the shooting.
For the weather, we’ve only one solution : make with it. So we’ve shoot under the rain, and it was genius cause the ambiance stick perfectly with the dramatic scene we shoot. The most difficult was when a DOP (Guillaume Balvay), a Camera assistant (Benjamin Verrier) and the sound engineer Pascal Jaquet left the project the day before we start the shooting. It was no professional but I keep my smile and I call few friends to find only a sound engineer. So I was alone to use the camera and make the light during 3 days. I was hungry because Guillaume Balvay take too much lights, too expensive and not easy to use for a movie shot in the nature. I’ve lost money and this person and his friends never apologize about your attitude. So during all the movie I fight against the problems. When you start a project like that, we must to be like a Predator.
TO: Do you have any tips or advice for future film makers that you may like to share?
DDB: 3 things : Write a good story, write a good story and write a good story. It’s not about me, it’s Jean Gabin. But it’s the most important before all.
For me, always make the maximum with a low budget. Never try to make bigger than you can make but just push the limit a little over. To make a good movie there is no receip but for me There are 3 essentials éléments : the story, the location, the actors, with that You can work. Emotion for me is the most important in a movie, not the effects, or the fight, or the camera. If you’ve a emotional and universal story we’ve a great movie.
TO: Why did you decide to put the campaign for Predator Holocaust on Indiegogo? and what was your experience using the platform?
DDB: Because we don’t have enough money and I have imagined that to produce this type of movie, we needed a big budget. But the 2 campaigns where a disaster. So what I did ? I decided to produce myself the movie 24000€ and make this with a small team. When I look back, the campaign was an error. I spend too much time to make this 2 campaigns, I thought about the money who needed, and finally, I forgot my movie. This campaigns made me blind. We can make movie without budget or very Low budget, but for that you must to be more clever than the others, more creative.
TO: Once Predator Holocaust is finished how will Horror fans be able to see the film?
DDB: In 2019 cause I’ve decided to make a 45 minutes or a feature movie. Actually, I wrote again the script with Stéphanie aten an amazing writer.
TO: Do you plan on having Predator Holocaust go through a festival run? what festivals would you like the film to be shown at and why?
DDB: No but I would like to show the movie to the Comic con in France. Of course I am open of festivals want to show the movie. I have imagine Big protections with the team and our Predator.
TO: Who are your Major Influences in film and why?
DDB: Predator by John McTiernan. Cause this is THE best Predator movie of the world forever.
Deliverance by John Boorman for the photography
Schindler’s list for the treatment and acting.
TO: What was the last really good Horror film that you have seen recently and what made it stand out?
DDB: It’s old, but It’s scream 2 and Saw. Two movies very intelligent. But I’ve seen soon « Happy Valley » . It’s a amazing series and I stand out when I saw for the first time. It’s not a Horror movie, but it’s so realistic and some scene are very creepy and dark.
TO: In your option what is the best decade for Horror films and why?
DDB: 1980 1990 cause wes craven was alive and Carpenter make this iconoclast movie : Halloween.
TO: What are your top 5 Horror films of all time and why?
DDB: Les diaboliques from George Clouzot. A powerful Thriller who traumatized a long time for the final scene.
Jaws for the opening scene
The Thing - Halloween for the idea and the director
Scream for the end
In the Mouth of Madness for Sam Neil amazing in this movie
Suspiria for the photography and the univers of argento
Saw for the script
TO: What is the worst Horror film that you have seen, and why was it so bad?
DDB: Happy valentine’s day ;-) Without interest.
TO: What format of media out of DVD, BluRay or VHS do you prefer to watch and why?
DDB: Youtube cause we can watched everything, old and recents movie, lot of style, unknown movies never exported in France.
TO: Do you think the future of Horror now is in the hands of Indie Film Makers?
DDB: Yes cause we’ve the liberty to create what you want. And the cameras are less expensive and give the quality to make movies.
TO: If you had the chance to pick any one Actor and Actress living or deceased to star in one of your films who would you choose and why?
DDB: Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Jackman, Anthony Perkins Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney weaver.
Cause they’re so talented and I love actors.
TO: How can Fans contact you?
DDB: On Facebook page of the project : https://www.facebook.com/predholcaust/
TO: Is there anything today that you would like to say to your fans?
DDB: Be strong, Always believe in your dreams and NEVER GIVE UP!
TO: What are some of the obstacles/challenges during production if any, that you have faced and how did you overcome them ?
DDB: A lot of ;-) weather, low budget, peoples who left the project one day before the beginning of the shooting.
For the weather, we’ve only one solution : make with it. So we’ve shoot under the rain, and it was genius cause the ambiance stick perfectly with the dramatic scene we shoot. The most difficult was when a DOP (Guillaume Balvay), a Camera assistant (Benjamin Verrier) and the sound engineer Pascal Jaquet left the project the day before we start the shooting. It was no professional but I keep my smile and I call few friends to find only a sound engineer. So I was alone to use the camera and make the light during 3 days. I was hungry because Guillaume Balvay take too much lights, too expensive and not easy to use for a movie shot in the nature. I’ve lost money and this person and his friends never apologize about your attitude. So during all the movie I fight against the problems. When you start a project like that, we must to be like a Predator.
TO: Do you have any tips or advice for future film makers that you may like to share?
DDB: 3 things : Write a good story, write a good story and write a good story. It’s not about me, it’s Jean Gabin. But it’s the most important before all.
For me, always make the maximum with a low budget. Never try to make bigger than you can make but just push the limit a little over. To make a good movie there is no receip but for me There are 3 essentials éléments : the story, the location, the actors, with that You can work. Emotion for me is the most important in a movie, not the effects, or the fight, or the camera. If you’ve a emotional and universal story we’ve a great movie.
TO: Why did you decide to put the campaign for Predator Holocaust on Indiegogo? and what was your experience using the platform?
DDB: Because we don’t have enough money and I have imagined that to produce this type of movie, we needed a big budget. But the 2 campaigns where a disaster. So what I did ? I decided to produce myself the movie 24000€ and make this with a small team. When I look back, the campaign was an error. I spend too much time to make this 2 campaigns, I thought about the money who needed, and finally, I forgot my movie. This campaigns made me blind. We can make movie without budget or very Low budget, but for that you must to be more clever than the others, more creative.
TO: Once Predator Holocaust is finished how will Horror fans be able to see the film?
DDB: In 2019 cause I’ve decided to make a 45 minutes or a feature movie. Actually, I wrote again the script with Stéphanie aten an amazing writer.
TO: Do you plan on having Predator Holocaust go through a festival run? what festivals would you like the film to be shown at and why?
DDB: No but I would like to show the movie to the Comic con in France. Of course I am open of festivals want to show the movie. I have imagine Big protections with the team and our Predator.
TO: Who are your Major Influences in film and why?
DDB: Predator by John McTiernan. Cause this is THE best Predator movie of the world forever.
Deliverance by John Boorman for the photography
Schindler’s list for the treatment and acting.
TO: What was the last really good Horror film that you have seen recently and what made it stand out?
DDB: It’s old, but It’s scream 2 and Saw. Two movies very intelligent. But I’ve seen soon « Happy Valley » . It’s a amazing series and I stand out when I saw for the first time. It’s not a Horror movie, but it’s so realistic and some scene are very creepy and dark.
TO: In your option what is the best decade for Horror films and why?
DDB: 1980 1990 cause wes craven was alive and Carpenter make this iconoclast movie : Halloween.
TO: What are your top 5 Horror films of all time and why?
DDB: Les diaboliques from George Clouzot. A powerful Thriller who traumatized a long time for the final scene.
Jaws for the opening scene
The Thing - Halloween for the idea and the director
Scream for the end
In the Mouth of Madness for Sam Neil amazing in this movie
Suspiria for the photography and the univers of argento
Saw for the script
TO: What is the worst Horror film that you have seen, and why was it so bad?
DDB: Happy valentine’s day ;-) Without interest.
TO: What format of media out of DVD, BluRay or VHS do you prefer to watch and why?
DDB: Youtube cause we can watched everything, old and recents movie, lot of style, unknown movies never exported in France.
TO: Do you think the future of Horror now is in the hands of Indie Film Makers?
DDB: Yes cause we’ve the liberty to create what you want. And the cameras are less expensive and give the quality to make movies.
TO: If you had the chance to pick any one Actor and Actress living or deceased to star in one of your films who would you choose and why?
DDB: Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Jackman, Anthony Perkins Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney weaver.
Cause they’re so talented and I love actors.
TO: How can Fans contact you?
DDB: On Facebook page of the project : https://www.facebook.com/predholcaust/
TO: Is there anything today that you would like to say to your fans?
DDB: Be strong, Always believe in your dreams and NEVER GIVE UP!
I personally am looking forward to seeing Predator Holocaust once it is completed. I first saw the original Predator 1987 film at the movie theatre when I was 10 years old, and have been a fan of the series ever since.
I am anxious to see what Indie Film twist Damien will bring to the series. I hope you all check out Predator Holocaust and once you do, come back leave a comment and let’s continue the discussion 💀✌🏼
"Be strong. Always believe in your dreams
and NEVER GIVE UP!”
- Damien de BOURGUIGNON
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