NEW BADCLOWN INFORMATION
&
INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS HELLMAN
After many months of re-imagining, directors falling through, scripts being tossed, and endless debate, Chris Hellman returns to give us some new information on the Badclown film.
MS - Michael Simmons
CH - Chris Hellman
MS - Right off the bat, Chris, I have to just say it's great to see you're alive. Months have gone by and there has been literally no word on the Badclown project since November. Why so long to give an update?
CH - Honestly, the script was boring me and I tossed it. It was a neat concept but it was too hard to go many places with it. As unique as it was it was very limited creavitely, not many things could be done to not make it such a lengthy process.
MS - Well now that you have returned, tell us what exactly is being planned now?
CH - Badclown has been in the works since 2004, not too long after Lanky joined up with the crew. He was the original idea man so to speak (heh heh). His exact words to be were "it'd be great if we were made into a movie." That's when the gears started turning for me; I wanted more than anything to make a horror film about us as clowns are always scary but most clown horror flicks are cheesy or too comedic like Killer Klowns from Outer Space. As things have gone by, the scripts have changed because they were either too unoriginal, too much work, conflicts of interest, or flat out limited as far as how we could do it. About a week ago, I started a brand new outline with the help of a close friend of mine who also happens to be perhaps, possibly affiliated with Badclown already (heh heh). He and I have been trying to figure out something that might be somewhat unique but at the same time there's plenty of room to work with it instead of being stuck in a certain formula.
MS - What was wrong with the last script? The one you were working on when we last spoke in November?
CH - It was going to become too "Blair-Witchy" you know? It was a unique twist on the whole first person thing but at the same time it was going to be compared a lot to that film not too mention the way we planned to do it would have been different but still very limited on what we could accomplish.
MS - What info can you give us about this one?
CH - The only thing I can tell you is the close friend of mine will be directing it. We decided when he came on board that he could definitely be up to the challenge. Other than that there's not much to report as the outline is still being written and luckily he and I are perfectionists before we even present it to the other guys.
MS - The cast list has been shrunk down? How come?
CH - As of right now, Sneaky is the only one who has said yes to it. I told him we were redoing a lot of things and his words were, "Again? F**k it, I'm on board."
MS - Do you know who it will feature out of the clowns? All of them or only some?
CH - Not sure yet, we're still figuring all of it out. Right now we just want to get a plot going that we think will be good, not something thrown together like some of the past scripts have felt like.
MS - Well I have to ask because I'm sure fans of you guys want to know, have you and Simon Orion completely lost touch since he dropped out or do you guys still communicate?
CH - No we talk, in fact, he was the first guy I contacted about making a new outline with the new guy I have directing and he had nothing but nice things to say and he actually told me he wishes he could come back on board but he just doesn't feel like he has anything to contribute. I think he almost feels like he never did. He is complicated when it comes to film, I think he expects too much of himself.
MS - Will there be any info once the outline is completed?
CH - Yes definitely, in fact I might put up and actual page from the outline just so people can get a feel of where this is headed.
MS - Well thank you for your time, Chris, and I know I speak for quite a few when I say I really hope this project one day sees the light of day.
CH - You and me both.
For anymore information or any questions you might have, you can contact the Badclowns at:
