Marc Schryer & Major Tom Films hit HorrorCon
By Angela Valente Romeo
For some it is the “the smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd.” For others it is “lights, camera, action.” For Marc Schryer it may have been a little of both.
Marc has experience as an actor, writer, and film producer. He recently completed principal filming on his independent film A Psychopath’s Memoirs. “This is not my first film but it was the first film that I am involved from start to finish,” said Marc. “I was writing a book. I shared part of it with a friend who suggested it would be a great script. I started thinking about it and began to view the story line differently. I saw the story as an episodic series. Four months later the screenplay A Psychopath’s Memoirs was ready to be cast.”
“A Psychopath’s Memoirs is a psychological thriller. It is not a horror film in the sense that one thinks of when they hear ‘horror’ film even though the film is premiering at HorrorCon International (horrorcon.wix.com/horrorcon2015) on September 25 and 26th. The film has twists and turns that delve into the dark side of our psyche. It is not a slasher movie and no sorority girls were harmed in the filming of this movie,” continued Marc.
The film was produced by Marc’s production company Major Tom Films (www.majortomfilms.com). “I thought about the movie business. I knew the chance of an unknown writer/producer getting a script picked up in Hollywood was a long shot. I also know that I have a great story with endless possibilities. I decided to go for it. I not only financed the movie but I wrote the screenplay, scouted location, cast the actors, located a crew, worked on the makeup, worked as the soundman, ran craft services – if it needed to be done, I did it.”
Marc produced this 26-minute film on an ultra, ultralow budget, under $5000. “I have worked on many projects for little to no pay. While on sets, I met other actors and crew. I always watched the directors, camera – in short I went to film school by watching the workings behind the scenes. I used all those contacts and experience to get this movie shot. Many of the actors worked for no pay and the promise of craft services. For one of my principal actors, this was her first acting role. Most of my crew worked for no pay and film credit. While A Psychopath’s Memoirs is psychological thriller, the making of the film was a labor of love and trust. The people working on this film had to trust me to produce a great movie. They had to believe in my vision. That trust allowed me to complete this film.”
What did Marc learn making this film? “I have been a writer since I was in my early teens and an actor since 2009. When I decided to put my abilities together with local talent to make this film, I knew it would be an uphill battle. To keep costs down, principal filming was done in Corona, Riverside and Norco. I used local talent.”
“But I approached this as if it were a big budget film. I auditioned actors allowing them to read for all roles. Like any other director, I wanted to be ‘wowed’. Perhaps an actor would show me a new way of looking at the role. At the same time, it was a frustrating experience. I had a vision from the beginning. Because we were small, intimate crew everyone had an opinion. That was sometimes trying. There were times I understood why actors get blacklisted,” laughed Marc.
What is the next step for A Psychopath’s Memoirs? “I am hoping for audience feedback. I want to use that to judge how the movie is received. Are there things that need to be changed? Is the music right for a scene? Are the characters well received? I can sue that feedback to re-edit, if needed, and then present a great film to festivals. After that, I hope to gain major studio attention. This film is just the first in a series. I know it and soon everyone else will know it.”
For more information on A Psychopath’s Memoirs, check out www.facebook.com/A-Psychopaths-Memoirs. For more information on Marc Schryer, check out www.facebook.com/marc.schryer. HorrorCon 2015 opens September 25 at The Reef, 1933 Broadway in LA.
