Ben Leonberg is the writer and director of Good Boy, the breakout indie horror film told entirely from the point of view of a dog. Shot over three years with a crew of three people and made for under seventy thousand dollars, Good Boy became a theatrical and streaming success, earning over $8 million at the box office, mostly due to its inventiveness, emotional depth, and commitment to a single, bold idea.

In this episode, Ben tells us the whole story behind Good Boy, from humble beginnings to box office breakout. He also gets into the details behind...

Brandon Christensen is a Canadian filmmaker and VFX artist whose directorial work includes Night of the Reaper, Superhost, Puppet Man, and VFX work on multiple films with a particularly close collaboration with Joe Begos on VFW, Bliss, Jimmy and Stiggs, and Christmas Bloody Christmas.

In this conversation, Brandon walks through the making of Night of the Reaper, his latest film, which is a nostalgic 80’s style slasher with very heavy Halloween vibes. Brandon also gets into how to consistently make films with limited resources, why he takes on editing and VFX himself, and how to achieve compelling pe...

Show Notes

Movies Mentioned

Books and Stories

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Fo...

Duration: 00:52:07

Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, and Alex Lee Williams are the filmmakers behind Dream Eater, a Lovecraft-inspired found-footage horror film shot on a shoestring budget in a remote Quebec cottage.

When their original project lost funding, they rebuilt it from scratch, turning their setbacks into a creative advantage and crafting an intimate, atmospheric story about dreams, dread, and an unraveling relationship.

The movie may be called Dream Eater, but the filmmakers’ story is a dream come true; powered by positive word of mouth and support from the online horror community, Dream Eater found a passionate audience an...

William Earl is the Executive Digital Director at Variety and the lead organizer behind the first annual Variety Horror Impact Report. The report spotlights the filmmakers, producers, executives, festival directors, and creative leaders defining the horror today. In addition to overseeing all digital editorial functions for Variety, William is recognized as the publication’s resident horror expert, covering the business side of entertainment with a particular focus on how horror operates as both a cultural force and a commercial engine.

In this episode, Bill unpacks why 2025 has been another landmark year for the genre, unpacks the state of...

Joe Begos is a renegade indie filmmaker and a household name in horror. His body of work includes Bliss, VFW, The Mind’s Eye, Christmas Bloody Christmas, and his latest splatterfest Jimmy and Stiggs—which is easily one of my favorite horror films of the year. I love this movie, I love that it exists, and I love what it represents.

Joe is one of the most adaptive and irrepressible filmmakers I’ve ever met—he’s worked across multiple budget tiers and has delivered a consistent stream of bold and unique horror films throughout his career.

What...

Clark Collis is a British author and journalist best known for his long career at Entertainment Weekly, where he spent 18 years as a senior writer. Clark is the author of two major books on horror: You’ve Got Red on You: How Shaun of the Dead Was Brought to Life (2021) and, most recently, Screaming and Conjuring: The Resurrection and Unstoppable Rise of the Modern Horror Movie (2025).

Screaming and Conjuring is a must-read for horror fans. Spanning the era from Scream to The Conjuring—with a final chapter capturing everything that’s happened since—it’s the closest thing we h...

Scott Brown and Anthony King are the Tony-nominated writers behind Beetlejuice the Musical. Together they adapted Tim Burton’s cult classic into a Broadway hit that blends grief, special effects, and lots of laughs. I am an unabashedly huge fan of Beetlejuice the Musical, which first opened on Broadway in April 2019, closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic, returned for a second run in April 2022, and wrapped again in January 2023. Now the show is set for its third Broadway engagement at the Palace Theatre, running October 8, 2025 through January 3, 2026, and I cannot wait because I have really missed this show.

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, where me and my cohost Adam Cruz break down the biggest horror news, share what we’ve been watching, and talk all things horror. This month we’re joined by screenwriter, producer, and director Joe Russo (Nightmare Cinema), who brings some serious insider perspective to the conversation.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they might have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent straight to y...

Joshua Lastine is an entertainment attorney and the founder of Lastine Entertainment Law, representing actors, directors, writers, producers and more. A former in-house lawyer at Lionsgate and ViacomCBS, he has worked on high-profile projects such as Halloween (2018) and The Blackening, as well as massive Netflix productions, indie films, and everything in between.

Recognized by Variety as a Hollywood Deal Maker, Joshua also serves as an adjunct lecturer in Entertainment Business Law at The Los Angeles Film School.

A lifelong horror fan with a collection of VHS, DVDs, and Blu-rays, Josh brings deep genre knowledge to...

Boaz Yakin is a New York City–born filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer known for his versatile work across indie dramas, mainstream hits, genre films, and TV. He began his career young, selling his first screenplay (The Punisher) at 19, and quickly made a name for himself with gritty urban stories and emotionally resonant character work.

Boaz directed Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, Safe starring Jason Statham, Max, Uptown Girls, A Price Above Rubies, Death in Love and his indie horror mystery Boarding School among many others.

Beyond directing, as a writer, his credits include The Ro...

We got a great one today, someone I’ve wanted to have on the show since year 1. Jim  Mickle is in the house. Jim is a director and writer, known for his bold genre-blending style. After graduating from NYU’s film program he made his directorial debut with the micro‑budget horror Mulberry Street (2006), followed by the vampire western Stake Land (2010). In 2013, he released his unsettling family cannibal remake (that legit gave me nightmares) We Are What We Are. Jim then ventured into noir-thriller territory with Cold in July (2014), starring Michael C. Hall and Don Johnson before transitioning to televisi...

Natasha Kermani is a director whose work includes Imitation Girl, Lucky, and V/H/S/85. Her latest feature, Abraham’s Boys, is an atmospheric, emotionally grounded take on Dracula and Van Helsing, adapted from Joe Hill’s short story.

The film explores the lives of Van Helsing’s sons, reframing familiar gothic mythologies through a new lens and examining the cost of obsession, legacy, and belief systems passed from parent to child. Abraham’s Boys blends Western aesthetics, intimate drama, and horror mythology to create something quietly powerful — and wholly its own. Available to rent on VOD and coming...

Jamie Harrison is a renowned illusion designer, visual effects creator, and theater artist, who, alongside collaborator Chris Fisher, is responsible for the jaw-dropping illusions in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage play prequel to the Stranger Things series. Both Jamie and Chris earned a Special Tony Award for Illusions & Technical Effects earlier this year.

In this conversation, Jamie walks through his background as a magician and theater artist and the deep historical roots of magic in live performance. He also shares the rigorous process of designing for large-scale theater, how ancient illusionist traditions can be used...

Josh Stolberg is a director, screenwriter, and photographer whose work spans comedy, horror, and thriller. Among the horror crowd, Josh is best known for his work as writer on movies like Sorority Row and Piranha 3D. Josh is well known for his contributions to the Saw franchise, penning scripts for Jigsaw (2017), Spiral (2021), and Saw X (2023).

His latest project is Skillhouse, which he wrote and directed. Skillhouse is a critique on influencer culture with brutal, practical-effects-driven set pieces by Steve Johnson. There was one sequence in Skillhouse that was so brutal the DP actually passed out. True story. Jo...

Chris Fisher is one of the leading minds behind the groundbreaking illusions in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stunning stage prequel to the beloved Netflix series. As Co-Illusion and Visual Effects Designer, Fisher helped craft an unprecedented theatrical experience that combines practical magic, cutting-edge engineering, and emotional storytelling — all performed live, night after night.

With a background in stage magic and major productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Back to the Future: The Musical, Chris brings a magician’s eye and a director’s instinct to theatrical illusion, redefining what’s possible on stage. I...

Kate Trefry is a key creative force behind Stranger Things. Joining the show as a writer in Season 2, she’s been with the series for over seven years, and her work has helped shape the mythology, tone, and lore of the town of Hawkins — and all of its beloved (and haunted) inhabitants.

Her latest venture takes the franchise into uncharted territory: the stage. Kate wrote Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a theatrical prequel set in 1959 Hawkins that blends psychological horror with jaw-dropping effects.

The First Shadow is one of the most incredible theater experiences I’ve eve...

Marc Schölermann is an acclaimed German director who made his feature debut with Pathology, a psychological thriller produced by MGM/Lakeshore and starring Alyssa Milano. His latest film, Bark, is a horror thriller about a man who wakes up tied to a tree with no memory of how he got there. Remarkably, the entire story unfolds within a single 10-by-10-foot space—making Bark not just a gripping watch, but a masterclass in single-location filmmaking.

Marc shot the film in just nine days. In this episode, he shares how he crafted a highly effective, technically simple fil...

Today’s guests are the creative duo Shannon Eric Denton and David Hartman — two multi-hyphenate storytellers whose work spans the worlds of comics, animation, film, and beyond.

Shannon Eric Denton is a veteran writer, artist, and transmedia creator with a career that cuts across comics, animation, television, and gaming. He’s worked with major studios including Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, and Riot Games. Shannon is also the co-founder of Monster Forge Productions, alongside horror legend Steve Niles, where they specialize in developing monster-centric IP for film, TV, games, and merchandise.

Joining him is...

Intro

Robin Block is rewriting the playbook for how genre stories get made. As the founder of CreatorVC, he’s behind the wildly successful In Search of Darkness documentary series, Aliens Expanded, and In Search of the Last Action Heroes—all funded and shaped by passionate fans. Now, with his new venture ScreamSeed, Robin is building the future of horror development: a platform that brings creators and fans together to incubate new IP and make bold, independent horror without waiting for Hollywood permission. In this episode, Robin shares how to build your own lane in horror, why fan...

Kurt Sayenga is a writer, director, and showrunner who has become a leading force in horror documentary filmmaking. Kurt made a name for himself with series like Eli Roth’s History of Horror, The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time, and Horror’s Greatest, where he brings a scholar’s eye and a fan’s passion to the genre’s most iconic moments. In this episode, we delve into Kurt’s journey from punk-rock zine publisher to award-winning documentarian, his approach to keeping horror history fresh, and his insights on the past, present, and future of the horror genre. Pleas...

On this episode we dive deep into the making The Invisible Raptor with writer and star Mike Capes and producer Nic Neary. The film is a hilarious, Amblin-inspired horror-comedy that delivers big creature-feature thrills (without ever showing the creature itself).

Mike and Nic share how the movie originated as a 3 AM idea, the journey from script to screen, and how they secured funding and distribution in a competitive indie film market. They also get into guerrilla filmmaking tactics, crafting a compelling pitch package, boosting production value with amazing locations and handling on-set crises. Please enjoy this conversation...

On this episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show, we’re joined by journalist and horror scholar David Katznelson. Known for his meticulous exploration of the horror genre’s history, David shares details behind a fascinating project where he watches and analyzes every horror movie from the 1970’s. His most recent focus has been 1974—a pivotal and hauntingly transitional year in horror.

From Texas Chainsaw Massacre to forgotten gems like Help Me, I’m Possessed, David’s work breaks down the evolution of horror, how societal chaos like the Vietnam War shaped the genre, and what makes 1974 a landmark y...

Today we’re joined by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Adam Elliot. Adam is Known for his painstakingly handcrafted stop-motion films like Mary and Max, and the shorts Harvie Krumpet, which won an Oscar, and Ernie Biscuit.

Today Adam shares the emotional and artistic journey behind his latest film, Memoir of a Snail—a deeply personal, darkly whimsical tale about a young girl named Grace and her struggles with isolation and self-discovery.

Memoir of a Snail—is nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and as much as I loved Flow and The Wild Robot, I’d lo...

I’m very excited because today, we’re joined by Elric Kane—filmmaker, podcaster, household name in horror and one of the most knowledgeable voices in genre cinema. Elric is the co-host of the ‘Colors of the Dark’ Podcast which I listen to religiously as well as & The New Beverly Cinemas ‘Pure Cinema’ Podcast.

Elric’s new feature ‘The Dead Thing’ launches on Shudder today! I got to see it at an advanced screening and I urge you to check it out on Shudder because it’s excellent and beautifully crafted.

In today’s episode, Elric and I dive deep into...

Josh Ethier is a film editor who has become a household name in horror. Josh is the editing force behind such films as: Contracted, Some Kind of Hate, We are Still Here, Mayhem, Leatherface, Bliss, VFW, Orphan First Kill, Christmas Bloody Christmas, The Seventh Day, Gretel and Hansel, Don’t Breathe and most recently Companion which he edited alongside Brett Bachman.

In this episode, Josh gets into his career history, editing process, collaborations with filmmakers like Joe Begos and Osgood Perkins and the story behind the recently released Companion, which is one of my favorite horror movies in...

Today we’re joined by action-horror filmmaker Steven C. Miller to discuss his latest barn-burner of a movie, Werewolves. Werewolves is an unapologetically fun and hydraulic creature feature packed with practical effects, action, and a whole lot of Frank Grillo. Steven dives into his experiences directing Werewolves, his focus on practical effects and full creature suits crafted by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., and his collaboration with star Frank Grillo.

Steven also shares his compelling origin story, which included living in his car in Los Angeles before going on to direct multiple action features and collaborating wi...

Today we’re joined by directing duo Adam Schindler and Brian Netto, the creative minds behind the new horror thriller Don’t Move. The guys share how they transformed the universal fear of immobility into a gripping narrative that they ultimately sold to Netflix and discuss what it was like shooting in the Bulgarian wilderness, working with legendary producer Sam Raimi, and how they developed a hauntingly charismatic serial killer played by Finn Wittrock, alongside a powerful and emotionally charged performance by lead actress Kelsey Asbille. Don’t Move is now streaming on Netflix.

Here are some key ta...

Duration: 01:08:13

Today we’re joined by indie filmmaker and casting director David Guglielmo, who recently wrapped his latest film, Love Bomb. David shares his journey of directing a script written specifically for him by friend and screenwriter Kathy Charles. We explore the creative challenges of transforming an erotic thriller into a dark comedy with shades of Scorsese's After Hours, and how he crafted surreal, Lynchian tones to set the film apart.

David also dives into the real-world setbacks he faced on set, from revoked permits to floods, and how quick thinking and flexibility helped keep the production afloat. Wi...

Cooper Roberts is an editor and director who just released his feature debut, All You Need is Blood—a delightfully gory tribute to Amblin-esque coming-of-age movies and zombie films. Cooper’s background includes experience in advertising and music videos, and most notably, he was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2016 for co-directing the music video for Jack White’s band, The Dead Weather, and their song “I Feel Love.”

All You Need is Blood is a movie I really want to shout from the rooftops for more people to see. It’s a love letter to childhood dreams of fi...

Today, we’re celebrating a special milestone—the 10th anniversary of The Babadook— with director, Jennifer Kent. The Babadook was Jennifer’s feature debut and has since become an iconic classic and one of the GOATs of horror.

Jennifer has been recognized for her ability to craft horror with heart, making audiences not only tremble but also reflect deeply on the emotional struggles at the core of her stories. Her follow-up film, The Nightingale, is a brutal yet emotionally resonant tale of revenge set in 1820s Tasmania. And Jennifer also wrote and directed The Murmuring for Guillermo del Toro...

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, a new concept where me and my cohost Adam Cruz summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they may have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent directly to your inbox every month, then sign up for my monthly newsletter at nicktaylor.com...

Adam Egypt Mortimer is an American filmmaker, Producer and graphic novel writer. Originally from Boston, Adam kicked off his directing career with Some Kind of Hate in 2015 and followed that up with 2019’s Daniel Isn’t Real and 2020’s Arch Enemy.

But Adam doesn't stop at films; he's also ventured into comics, co-creating series like Ballistic and Black Star Renegades. In this episode Adam opens up about his journey. We chat about facing personal fears as a director, easing the pressure when making your first film, and staying adaptable when shit goes sideways on set.

Adam s...

Joe Stephenson is a British director who made his feature directorial debut with the 2015 film Chicken. His second film was the acclaimed 2018 documentary McKellen: Playing the Part about the life and career of Sir Ian McKellen. Joe’s third film is, Doctor Jekyll, an adaptation of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde starring Eddie Izzard from Hammer Films.

In this episode, Joe and I delve into the process of reimagining a classic horror story with a modern twist, working with the legendary Eddie Izzard, as well as the past, present and future of Hammer Films. We also get into the...

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, a new concept where me and my cohost Adam Cruz summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they may have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent directly to your inbox every month, then sign up for my monthly newsletter at nicktaylor.com...

Alejandro Brugués is an Argentinian-Cuban director and writer known for directing Juan of the Dead, which is credited as Cuba's first zombie movie. He made his directorial debut with the 2006 film Personal Belongings and directed the segment The Thing in the Woods in the anthology horror film Nightmare Cinema from Mick Garris, as well as a segment for ABCs of Death 2.

Alejandro’s latest movie is The Inheritance, a horror thriller that revolves around a wealthy patriarch who devises a twisted scheme to prolong his life through a sinister game of manipulation with his own children.

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, a new concept where me and my cohost Adam Cruz summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they may have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent directly to your inbox every month, then sign up for my monthly newsletter at nicktaylor.com...

Joe Russo and Mark Gantt are the team behind Soul Mates, a horror romance that explores the complexities of modern relationships through a matchmaking service that spirals into darkness. Joe was the producer with Mark directing. Joe Russo is a three-time BloodList writer, producer and director known for The Au Pair Nightmare, which he directed, Hard Kill, which he was a writer on, and as a producer on Nightmare Cinema, The World’s Greatest Beer Run and the upcoming horror thriller, The Inheritance.

Mark Gantt is an actor, director, producer, and writer recognized for acting work on Th...

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, a new concept where me and my cohost Adam Cruz summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they may have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent directly to your inbox every month, then sign up for my monthly newsletter at nicktaylor.com...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show!

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much, much more.

Today’s guest is Charlie Saroff, a cinematographer who has quickly established himself as a powerhouse in the horror genre.

Charlie's breakout work on Natalie Erika James' Relic garnered wi...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show!

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

Francis Galluppi is the director of The Last Stop In Yuma County, a southern-fried, hard-boiled crime thriller that plays within the traditions of Tarantino, The Cohen Brothers, Taylor Sheridan, and Elmore...

Hey everyone, welcome back to The Howl, our monthly segment where my cohost Adam Cruz and I break down the latest horror news, share what we've been watching, and just generally geek out over everything horror.

The Howl is all about giving you a comprehensive yet entertaining look at what's happening in the world of horror, providing top-notch movie recommendations, and delivering a dash of humor along the way. If you want more of The Howl in your life, be sure to sign up for my newsletter at nicktaylor.com/thehowl, where you'll get a quick-read version...

Andrew Lobel is the screenwriter behind one of this year's breakout horror hits, Immaculate. His journey to bring Immaculate from script to screen is a serious story of endurance and passion—it took 10 years from Andrew’s first draft for it to emerge into theatres. In this episode, Andrew dives into his origin story, writing process, and the saga of transforming Immaculate from a script into a fully realized film. Please give it up for Andrew Lobel. 

Here are some takeaways from this conversation with Andrew Lobel:

Be patient and play the long game. Immaculate took...

Hey everyone, back with another monthly episode of The Howl, a new concept where me and my cohost Adam Cruz summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

Our goal with The Howl is to catch listeners up with all of the horror news they may have missed from the past month in a fun, conversational format. If you want a quick-read version of The Howl sent directly to your inbox every month, then sign up for my monthly newsletter at nicktaylor.com...

Today, we welcome Josh Forbes to the podcast, director of Destroy All Neighbors. This is a gleefully fun movie that feels as inventive as it is unhinged. It’s the kind of movie that I’m feeling really good about seeing more of because it’s completely original. 

This is Josh’s second feature after his debut Contracted Phase 2 and I think he’s really made a serious statement; the energy, attitude, fun and bonkers practical effects make this a very fun movie. The movie starred Jonah Ray with a very hilarious performance by Alex Winter and special eff...

Dave Clark is a filmmaker and creative force who's directed commercials for major brands along with multiple narrative films, including his 2019 feature, 'After She Wakes.'

Dave recently released a must-watch short film called ‘Another’ which is not only terrifying and beautifully made, but a great example of blending AI with live action filmmaking.

This film exemplifies Dave's significant contribution to the AI filmmaking landscape, showcasing how AI should not replace humans or any facets of the filmmaking process. Instead, it can serve as an incredible creative tool, adding unique and exciting dimensions to the work...

Today, I'm very psyched to speak with Ryan Turek, the VP of Development at Blumhouse and Producer across many titles including Imaginary, Night Swim, The Exorcist: Believer, M3GAN, The Black Phone, Halloween, Halloween Ends, Halloween Kills, Freaky, Happy Death Day and the list goes on.

In this episode, Ryan gets into his very compelling origin story from horror journalism to becoming a very pivotal figure who's shaping contemporary horror cinema.

Ryan also dives deep into the lesser known sides of producing as well as Blumhouse’s process for developing projects and nurturing directors. And we...

Hey everyone, trying something a little different out here. After 100 episodes where I've mostly focused on the guests, I'm introducing The Howl, a new recurring segment named after my newsletter of the same name. Once a month, I'll be joining forces with my friend Adam Cruz and we're going to summarize and discuss the past month's horror news, share what we've watched recently, and just generally nerd out over all things horror.

You might know Adam best from his Instagram account @MurderMemes_ which I will link in the show notes. Adam is also the creator of Blood...

Today we're talking to Andrew Corkin. Andrew is a producer who's body of work includes Martha Marcy May Marlene, the American remake of We Are What We Are, The Beach House (now streaming on Shudder) Alone With You, the feature debut of Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, the Netfliux docuseries, Pepsi Where’s my Jet, and many more titles. 

In addition to producing, Andrew is also a teacher who has taught at Emerson and The American Film Institute and goes out of his way to teach career lessons that are not typically taught in film school as evi...

Today we have the Director of Onyx the Fortuitous, Andrew Bowser. Onyx the Fortuitous is a blast of a movie, now streaming on Screambox and one of the things I liked most about it is 1, it had really awesome practical creature effects from Adam KreatureKid Doughterty, but two, it was such a unique vision of a movie that was cast straight from Andrew's skull. The vision behind this movie was super unique, super fun, hilarious, and the movie ultimately made it all the way to the Sundance Film Festival.

In this interview with Andrew, we get into...

Today’s guest needs no introduction, Eli Roth is one of the heads on the Mount Rushmore of horror and for good reason.

This is actually my second interview with Eli and if you haven’t already, I recommend listening to my first conversation with him prior to this one.

This time around, Eli and I dug deep into the making of Thanksgiving, the status of Thanksgiving 2, how he comes up with new gore gags, and they keys to running a fun and productive set. Thanksgiving, by the way, is now streaming on demand and avai...

Today we have a very, very special guest. Somebody who I've wanted to have on the show since I first started the show a few years ago. That is the legendary Eli Roth. We basically focused the conversation on Thanksgiving, his latest movie, which I highly recommend you go see. In any case, I figured I would give everybody a brief overview of the life and career of Eli Roth before getting to the interview.

Eli Roth was born in Newton, Massachusetts. His father was a psychologist, and his mother was an artist. He grew up on...

Mike Cessario is the CEO and Founder of Liquid Death, an outrageous new canned water brand with quality mountain water engineered to murder your thirst! Liquid Death has made a name for itself as an extremely disruptive force of marketing, and the brand's outlandish marketing stunts are as refreshing as the water itself.

To date, the brand has convinced 180,000 people to sell them their souls, has cursed its water with a real witch, and performed a reverse exorcism with an accredited warlock that allegedly put demons into the water. Customers who purchased during this time period were...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show! As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much, much more.

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome the innovative, resourceful, and determined filmmaker Robbie Banfitch. Robbie recently made an impressive debut with his first feature, 'The Outwaters.'

'The Outwaters'  is a...

Today, we are moving away from our usual discussion about cinema and diving into uncharted waters. A while ago, I developed a podcast concept called 'What Was That?', where I explored the world of the paranormal. The series didn't come to full fruition (yet), but I've held onto two pilot episodes that are ready to be revealed.

The first episode tackles a true event known as The Hanover Haunting, one of the most intense examples of demonic activity in history. Be warned, this episode delves into some intense content, so listener discretion is advised along with...

Welcome to The Nick Taylor Horror Show! Today, we have a dynamic duo, Director Anthony DiBlasi, and his wife, actress Natalie Victoria, joining us. 

After graduating from Emerson College and moving to Los Angeles, Anthony became a protégé of Clive Barker and worked alongside him on films like Midnight Meat Train and 2009's Book of Blood. 

Anthony made his directorial debut with the psychological thriller Dread, based on a Clive Barker short story. One of Anthony's most acclaimed films was Last Shift, released by Magnolia Pictures in 2015. His filmography also includes the psychological thriller Extr...

Welcome to The Nick Taylor Horror Show! Carter Smith is a writer, director, and photographer who has directed movies such as The Ruins, Midnight Kiss, and, most recently, Swallowed. 

Swallowed is an independent body horror film about two friends who find themselves swallowed up in a drug smuggling operation where they ingest drug-filled sacs and trigger a chain of horrific events. 

This is my second interview with Carter, so if you're interested in his director origin story, including his work with Paramount and Blumhouse, you should definitely go check out episode 34.

In this in...

Alison Star Locke is a writer and director who recently released her excellent feature debut, The Apology, with Anna Gunn, Jeanine Garofalo, and Linus Roache.

20 years after her daughter's disappearance, a woman's Christmas gathering spirals into a suspenseful showdown when an unexpected guest arrives with haunting secrets. As a storm traps them together, past grudges and hidden truths turn merry festivities into a psychological battleground.

This film combines emotional drama with horror and overall creates a very atmospheric exploration of guilt, loss, and revenge. I'll tell you the suspense building in this movie was masterful...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show. As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey.

Join me in welcoming Vincent Grashaw! Vincent is a writer-director known for films like Coldwater, And Then I Go, and last year's stunner, What Josiah Saw.

What Josiah Saw is a southern gothic psychological horror drama that takes us into the heart of a dy...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show.

John Truby is a widely known name in the realms of screenwriting and storytelling, having shaped the narratives of over 1,000 film scripts as a consultant. John is also the author of multiple books, including 'Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller,' and his latest release, 'The Anatomy of Genres: How Story Forms Explain the Way the World Works,' which delves into the core elements that shape various genres, with a big focus on horror.

On top of being an acclaimed author, John is also...

"Fear is earned through character; you might hear someone say that you're only as scared as the characters on the screen."

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show!

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

Judaic demonology has carved out its niche as...

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror show, Episode 100!

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

I have a very special episode in store today, one that should put a smile on all of your faces. That's right, Parker Finn is in the house! Parker is...

Mark Ramsey is an audio storyteller and maker of some of my favorite podcasts, including the Inside Series, which consisted of Inside Jaws, Inside The Exorcist, and Inside Psycho. Which if you have not listened to yet, do yourself a favor and download them all; they are a treat for any horror or cinema fan. 

In collaboration with his partner and sound designer Jeff Schmidt, Mark's specialty has become making memorable, compelling, and revolutionary audio experiences that thrill, inspire, make you smile, make you gasp, and touch your heart. 

Mark's latest creation is Dark Sanctum, a...

Kane Senes & Hannah Barlow are the director duo behind Sissy, an Australian slasher comedy about bullying, social media, and the processing of trauma. Sissy was the opening night film of the prestigious SXSW Midnighters program and won multiple awards on the festival circuit before becoming a Shudder original. Prior to Sissy, Kane directed Echoes of War in 2015 and then For Now in 2019, which he co-directed with Hannah, making it her directorial debut. Sissy is now streaming on Shudder, so check it out. 

Here are some key takeaways from the director team Kane Senes and Hannah Barlow, directors o...

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

Jean Luc Herbulot is a Congolese writer & director known for Dealer (2014) and the TV show Sakho & Mangane. His most recent movie is Saloum, a Senegalese horror-thriller about a trio of mercenaries escaping the 2003 coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau before taking r...

As always, each episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show explores how today's horror filmmakers are getting their movies made while deconstructing their methods and career strategies into practical insights that you can use on your own horror filmmaking journey. This includes their creative processes, funding resources, favorite books & tools, key life lessons, and much much more.

From Well Go Entertainment, The Loneliest Boy in the World is billed as a modern fairytale—except with zombies. When the sheltered and unsocialized Oliver is tasked with making new friends after the sudden death of his mother, he decides th...

Kevin Lewis is the director of multiple features, including The Method, Downward Angel, The Drop, and The Third Nail. Last year, Kevin wowed the horror crowd with Willy's Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage, and now Kevin is back in the director's chair with his latest creation, The Accursed.

When Elly is asked by a family friend to spend a few days looking after an elderly woman living in a remote cabin, she readily agrees, thinking a short trip to the woods will be a nice escape, but the cabin turns out to be anything but relaxing as Elly...

Deadstream is the feature directorial debut from husband-and-wife filmmaking team Vanessa and Joseph Winter that follows a disgraced internet personality who attempts to win back his followers by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house. But when he accidentally pisses off a vengeful spirit, his big comeback event becomes a real-time fight for his life.

Deadstream was a ton of fun. As a horror comedy, I was laughing pretty much throughout the course of this film which was legitimately, consistently funny. The movie even manages to pull off some legitimate scares with a surprisingly well-developed ghost...

Chris von Hoffmann is the writer/director behind multiple features including Drifter, Monster Party, and most recently, Devil's Workshop.

In Devil’s Workshop, Clayton a struggling actor is desperate for a role as a demonologist. But he has hostile competition with his long-time rival, Donald. Determined to get the role at all costs, he contacts Eliza, an expert in demon lore, to help him prepare. Spending the weekend at her home, Eliza forces Clayton to confront his troubling past through the practice of dark rituals. Does she want to help Clayton, seduce him – or destroy him? The shoc...

Conor Boru & Ed Hartland are the writer/director duo behind When the Screaming Starts, a serial killer mockumentary that's somewhere between What We Do in the Shadows and Man Bites Dog.

Aidan aspires to be an infamous serial killer, and when Norman, a struggling journalist, is invited to follow him on his journey to create a Manson-esque murder cult that embarks on a blood-soaked rampage, Norman’s dream of becoming a renowned filmmaker may have just turned into a nightmare. With laughs and shocks in equal measure, When the Screaming Starts marks Conor's feature directorial debut and is...

Pablo Parés is an Argentinian filmmaker who's worked on over 15 movies as director or producer. His films include I am Toxic, Plaga Zombie, and Damonium: Soldier of the Underworld. His latest feature Pussycake is a rollicking good time. It's been called Josie and the Pussycats meets Evil Dead, and it delivers on that promise. 

The movie mixes equal parts Peter Jackson zombie insanity with creature effects and tons of blood, guts, and vomit along the way. The movie is very stimulating visually and punches way above its weight as a low-budget feature. You can stream Pussycake ri...

Beetlejuice will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Every Saturday morning, Beetlejuice was my go-to cartoon, and my VHS of the movie practically melted from being watched so much. I had the action figures, the soundtrack, and the Halloween costume (as a child and as an adult). It wasn’t only my quintessential gateway horror movie, but it also shaped a lifelong unapologetic appreciation for all things weird and macabre. The movie had a “lightning in a bottle” combination of a devilishly rebellious spirit and a singularity of vision that introduced the world to the wonders of Tim...

John Adams, Lulu Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser are a family who write, produce, star in, and edit all of their films themselves. Together they've produced multiple features, including KNUCKLE JACK, RUMBLESTRIPS, THE HATRED, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, and most recently HELLBENDER which you can watch right now on Shudder on The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs. 

With HELLBENDER, the family shot the movie around the country during the pandemic using gear they bought themselves. The Adams Family is one of the most self-sufficient filmmaking outfits I've ever seen. They make all of their movies e...

Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick are the trio behind Yellow Veil, a NY/LA-based worldwide film sales and distribution company with a focus on horror and boundary-pushing genre cinema. Their slate includes Luz, I Trapped the Devil, Blood Quantum, The Cleansing Hour, Hellbender, Depraved, Sator, and most recently, Gaspar Noe's Lvx Æterna. 

In this conversation, Hugues, Justin, and Joe get into how they came together as a company, keys to successfully producing boundary-pushing indie movies, and what they look for in the movies they produce. Without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Yellow Veil. 

Hello dear listeners, Nick Taylor here - I apologize for my unannounced recent absence. Many of you have been extremely sweet online, talking about how much you miss the show and wondering when new episodes will be dropping, and I am very, very humbled and appreciative of every one of you. Here to announce that the show will be returning on September first! We got some great guests coming up, so please stay tuned, and thank you as always for listening. 

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Produced by Simpler Media

DJ Dodd is a Philadelphia-based producer of over 20 feature films and has also produced and developed television content for many major cable networks including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, Travel Channel, Nat Geo, History Channel, and Bloomberg, among others.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we get into DJ's backstory, his mentorship relationship with David Foster, his approach to casting major celebrities, and insights on how he's able to manage such an enormous amount of projects. Tons of insights here, DJ really is a guy who walks the walk as far as Producing and hustling, and I...

Randall Okita is a Japanese Canadian director and artist. His latest movie is the new IFC Midnight thriller, See for Me. See for Me is about a young blind woman, house-sitting at a secluded mansion, who finds herself under invasion by thieves seeking a hidden safe. Her only means of defense is a new app called “See For Me” that connects her to a volunteer across the country who helps her survive by seeing on her behalf through her phone. See for Me is now available on-demand and super entertaining, beautifully directed, and of the many fantastic performances, features one...

Jim Cummings is an American actor and filmmaker. He started his career in 2016 with the short film Thunder Road, which he extended into a 2018 feature film of the same name. You probably know him best for The Wolf of Snow Hollow, which he wrote, directed, and starred in. Wolf of Snow Hollow was one of my favorite films of 2020 and was the last performance of the dearly departed Robert Forster.

Jim's latest movie is The Beta Test, a dark comedy thriller about a hapless young man who unwillingly makes a sex pact and is thrown into a...

Ryan Kruger is a South African writer and director who burst on the scene last year with his feature debut Fried Barry. Fried Barry is completely bonkers in the most wonderful way. It's about a drug-addled man in Johannesburg who gets abducted by aliens. The aliens take full control of his body and we watch the title character Barry go through one insane drug-fueled and blood-soaked adventure after another under their control. It's a blast and was featured on The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (which is unarguably the best way to watch it). This movie is one...

Zak Hilditch is an Australian writer and director primarily known for the Netflix hits, Rattlesnake, and 1922, based on the Stephen King novella. Zak's earlier films include Transmission and These Final Hours. Zak is a very exciting director and has a very inspiring origin story, along with some great advice for pitching producers. I took a lot of notes from this conversation and hope you enjoy it.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Zak Hilditch.

Welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show. Patricia Day is the lead singer and standup bass player for the HorrorPops, a Danish punk band with a sound rooted in psychobilly, rockabilly, and punk rock with a horror-centric edge. I am a huge fan of HorrorPops and have been for over 15 years. My personal favorite songs are Psycho Beach, Where they Wander, Walk Like a Zombie, and Dotted With Hearts. Their sound is so cool and so much fun. They intertwine horror with 50's rockabilly with a tongue-in-cheek vibe, and I just love them. If you dig the Nekromantix, Misfits...

Christopher Alender and Marcos Gabriel are the writer/director duo behind The Old Ways; a fun and richly textured story about a young journalist who ventures into the jungles of Mexico to investigate a story of sorcery and healing, only to get kidnapped by a group of locals who claim her to be demonically possessed. Possessions, witchcraft, demons, and snakes, The Old Ways was not only a beautifully told story but a gleefully fun film. The Old Ways is now streaming on Netflix and was one of the top watched movies on the platform the week it came out...

Hello dear listeners, I wanted to issue a public service announcement: this episode gets into some darker territory than most episodes do and goes beyond horror into explorations of sexual trauma. As such, I wanted to issue this trigger warning.

Ben Young is an Australian writer-director whose feature debut, Hounds of Love, completely blew me away. Hounds is an extremely gut-wrenching depiction of a criminal couple who engage in serial rape and murder. I'm usually not the biggest fan of this kind of horror BUT, this movie is not nihilistic, in fact, just the opposite...

Chris Baugh is an Irish writer and director who made his directorial debut with Bad Day for the Cut in 2017. His latest movie is The Boys of County Hell, a vampire film set in Northern Ireland. I really enjoyed this movie! I'm a fan of the vampire genre but prefer edgier and more unique takes on the vampire genre, and this is definitely what Boys of County Hell delivers on. The movie follows a group of road workers who have to survive the night when they accidentally awaken an ancient Irish vampire. It delivers the gore, as well as...

Brian Yuzna is a man who needs no introduction. A writer, director, producer, Brian Yuzna produced multiple movies directed by Stuart Gordon, including Reanimator, Dagon, From Beyond, and Dolls. Brian directed one of my personal favorite deep cuts, Society, which, if you haven't seen, do yourself a favor and watch it, ideally with Joe Bob on Shudder. Brian also directed Bride of Reanimator, Silent Night Deadly Night 4, Beyond Reanimator, Return of the Living Dead 3, and many, many more. He's an icon of horror, and it was an honor to speak with him. Please give it up for the legendary...

Guys, we got ADAM FUCKIN’ GREEN ON THE SHOW TODAY!!

Adam is a guy who needs no introduction; the man behind Holliston, Frozen, Spiral, Digging up the Marrow, and the beloved Hatchet series, Adam is a household name in annals of horror history and a downright awesome human being. I'm sure you already listen to his podcast The Movie Crypt, but if you don't, I highly recommend you do.

Ok, this episode is amazing and clearly one of the best we've ever done. Adam slayed this interview and went above and beyond and completely over-delivered on...

Corinna Faith is a British Writer and Director who recently made her feature debut with The Power. The Power tells the story of a young nurse forced to work the night shift in a crumbling hospital during a time when England was plunged into mandatory blackouts every night to conserve power. As she works her shifts by candlelight, a terrifying presence threatens to consume her and everyone around her. The Power is a very atmospheric and spooky supernatural thriller, and the concept of nightly blackouts in an asylum is very eerie. The Power is now streaming on Shudder. Corrina...

Josh Miller is a household name in the horror community, an American filmmaker, writer, director, and actor. Among other things, Josh created the Fox animated series Golan the Insatiable and wrote the script for Sonic the Hedgehog film, and is directing the cult horror-comedy Hey, Stop Stabbing Me! He is the co-host of The Greatest Movies Never Made podcast, along with Stephen Scarlata, which showcases some of the most interesting movies that never got to see the light of day.

I caught up with Josh to talk about his overall career, writing processes, and how he got...

J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules are the founders and executives of BoulderLight Pictures, a horror-centric production house in Los Angeles. Under BoulderLight, JD & Rafi have put out over 15 movies including: Becky, Pledge, Contracted, Dementia and most recently, The Vigil. When asked who the next Blumhouse will be, Jason Blum, without question, said BoulderLight pictures. Between their shrewd emphasis on economics, eye for bold talent, and recently launched international sales arm, JD and Rafi are a force to be reckoned with - and it seems like they are just getting started.

In this interview, we talked about...

David Prior is an American writer and director who made his feature directorial debut with The Empty Man. The Empty Man is an epic in the world of horror and one of the most criminally overlooked horror movies of 2020. The movie itself has the scope, ambition, and execution of a Chris Nolan movie while mixing elements of cults, quantum horror, and creepypastas into an extremely unique mythology that is all its own.

Guys, if you haven't seen it, you have to. Empty Man was one of the most ambitious horror movies of recent years. The story behind...

We have a super special episode today with Brea Grant and Natasha Kermani in the house!!

Brea Grant is an actress, writer, director, graphic novel author, and a household name in the horror community.  Perhaps best known among us horror fans for her acting work in Dexter, Heroes, After Midnight, and Rob Zombie's Halloween 2, Brea also recently wrote and directed the very bloody and very funny 12-Hour Shift, now streaming on Hulu and if that wasn't enough, Brea has released her newest graphic novel Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandaughter.

Natasha Kermani is an I...

Steve Niles is an American comic book writer, novelist, screenwriter, and producer with a prolific portfolio of groundbreaking horror comics including Criminal Macabre, Ash & the Army of Darkness, Batman: Gotham County Line, Ghosts of Krypton, a Superman adventure and October Faction upon which the Netflix show is based. Steve also wrote the original comic and adapted the screenplay for 30 Days of Night among many, many other things. 

Steve is also the co-founder of Monster Forge, an extremely exciting production house specializing in monster-centric projects that extends across film, animation, games, comics and even toys! Steve co-founded Monster F...

Keith Thomas is an American writer and director who made his feature directorial debut with The Vigil from IFC Midnight. The Vigil tells the story of a young man in emotional emotional recovery after fleeing from his Hasidic community, who is called upon to perform an all night vigil over a the body of a recently deceased man in his widow's apartment. Everything is going fine until he realizes that the house is the host of a malevolent spirit.

The Vigil was a great film. I personally love supernatural horror, but it's rare to see g...

Kevin Lewis is an American director of multiple features, including The Method, Downward Angel, The Drop, and The Third Nail. Most recently, Kevin has wowed the horror crowd with Willy's Wonderland, a wonderfully bonkers 'survive the night horror thriller' that pits a group of demonic animatronic animals against an understatedly badass Nicolas Cage.

This movie was one of the most culty, return to the midnight movie traditions I've seen this year, and a whole bunch of fun. It delivered the laughs, the blood, and the Cage. I really enjoyed speaking to Kevin about his career history, the...

Kourosh Ahari is an Iranian American director who just made his directorial debut with the horror-thriller, The Night, from IFC Midnight. The Night focuses on a young couple and their baby girl as they check into a hotel room that they suddenly cannot leave until they work out their own inner demons. The Night is currently available on demand. I bought up with Kourosh to talk about his career, lessons learned from his first feature, and how he paid the bills as a filmmaker for years by starting his own production company.

Here are some key takeaways...

Rodney Ascher is an American documentary filmmaker, perhaps best known among us horror fans for ROOM 237 - a documentary that focuses on the exhaustively diverse amount of theories surrounding The Shining. Rodney’s other projects include The Nightmare, a terrifying deep dive into sleep paralysis, and Primal Screen, about childhood fears of characters that fall in the uncanny valley.

Rodney's latest movie, A Glitch in the Matrix, explores the widely reported phenomena of Simulation Theory, the terrifying idea that human life is a big simulation as portrayed in The Matrix. Guys, this movie was fantastic; all of Ro...

Kyle Rankin is an American writer and director, having directed such films as the Battle of Shaker Heights, Infestation, Night of the Living Deb, and The Witch Files. His latest film is the extremely controversial school shooter thriller, Run Hide Fight. In this conversation with Kyle, we explored the genesis of the movie as well as some of the film's misconceptions and intentions.

Prepare to have your mettle tested. This is a classic scenario on film sets that a lot of directors don't talk about. When working with experienced or famous actors, they will often test your...

Ricki Stern is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and award-winning documentarian of multiple features and series. She's directed such projects as the Trials of Darryl Hunt, The Devil Came on Horseback, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, Surviving Jeffrey Epstein, and The Preppie Murders. Ricki's latest project is Surviving Death, a 6-part docu-series that explores ideas of life after death and psychic phenomena including mediums, paranormal activity, and reincarnation. Surviving Death is now streaming on Netflix, and I highly recommend it. It is definitely not horror, per se, but delves into matters of the supernatural in a very...

Monsterforge is an extremely exciting new production company specializing on monster related media across films, animation, games, comics, and even toys!

Monsterforge was founded by 30-Days of Night creator Steve Niles and artist/animator Shannon Eric Denton. The company is brand new, having launched in November, so I wanted to catch up with the guys about the founding of the company and what Monsterforge has in store for us all. I will give a heavy nerd alert up front because both of these guys were a blast to talk to, and we all geeked out pretty heavy...

Welcome back to the Nick Taylor Horror Show! As we put the literal horror show of 2020 behind us, I felt it was important to kick off this year with an episode about someone we lost last year, who left a tremendous void in the horror community, and that, of course, is Stuart Gordon. 

To call Stuart a boundary pusher would be an understatement. Stuart taught entire generations of horror directors how not just to push boundaries but decimate them, and by doing so, show audiences the true power of horror. Stuart meant a lot of things to a...