| Filmmaker Ken Winkler |
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 Sunday, March 1, 2009Patriot Park Story by Jace Edwards Photographs courtesy of Risen Pictures  Ken Winkler is a writer/director of a feature film that was partly shot in the desert. It was a cloudy day at Patriot Park in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs, California, where I met to discuss his latest foray into horror with the feature film, “Kiss The Abyss.”Jace: In your words, explain the premise of “Kiss The Abyss.”  Ken: “Kiss The Abyss” is a resurrection tale in the tradition of movies like “The Crow,” “Pet Semetary” or even going back to “Frankenstein.” I think what distinguishes it from other movies dealing with immortality and reanimation is that it brings us the perspective of the person undergoing the resurrection. The process of transformation into a new being is slow and painful for the character of Lesley, played by Nicole Moore (“Sorority Row,” “Maneater”), and she did a bang-up job in this role. Another element I think audiences will enjoy is how this innocent girl, who's brutally murdered by an intruder, is brought back to life. The people around her — -her husband, played by Scott Wilson, and her father — -keep her resurrection a secret, and that secret is dark. It involves a mysterious desert dweller and a creature both strange and beautiful. This element was also the most fun my producing partner, Eric Rucker, and I to write. Jace: You shoot several scenes in and around the desert, other than a beautiful backdrop, was there a reason?Ken: Absolutely, I used it a lot when directed my shorts in film school years ago, and I've always been drawn to it. It’s such a harsh environment; it’s austere and beautiful. Without sounding like a new-agey kind of person, there is a spiritual element to the desert, or perhaps a primal element — something that strips away confusion and allows for good, solitary reflection. By contrast, the city is a confusion of concrete and too many people. Our desert dweller, played by Doug Bennett, who boasts an incredible TV and film resume, is a hoarder by nature who happens to have among his collection of stuff a miraculous being. He’s the least likely person on Earth you would imagine having the ability to bring someone back to life. And although he's doing it for profit, you would never know it by his less than lavish surroundings. He's a collector; that’s just what he does. The desert was a good fit for a character who likes to be left alone. Jace: Let’s talk about being an Independent Filmmaker with Hollywood as your neighbor. Ken: Although we are close to Hollywood, it doesn’t mean anything unless you have substantial contacts on the inside, which I and most other independent filmmakers don't have. Being an outsider builds character, though. It forces us to find new ways of attracting attention, and also allows us to take more creative risks because we're not dealing with millions of dollars and studio expectations. We're often dealing with our own personal savings and a handful of investors who want to share the journey with us. This year several thousand independent features were submitted to the Sundance Film Festival. And those films poured in from all over the world. These people are obsessed with “making it" in the industry, or just eager to share something with the world they feel is important. They’ve taken on this incredible commitment. Even the films that do get accepted into these high profile festivals have no guarantee of a distribution deal, so it’s really an insane, absolutely insane thing to pursue. There are no guarantees. Jace: How important are film festivals? Ken: Festivals are huge, especially for the independent filmmaker. The great thing about festivals is that they are all different. You get to see and meet people who are enthusiastic about film in a purer sense. Chances are they haven't acquired distribution, and their films are put up on screen to be judged by their own merits. Many of these films were made by people who simply have creative demons to exorcise, and that's great. I love festivals like the Palm Springs Film Festival, which is intimate and held in a unique setting, and it's a festival we plan on submitting to because of the desert connection. Jace: So, what’s your next step? Ken: We just signed a deal with Silverline Entertainment, a small distributor/sales agent who sees commercial potential in the movie. Right out of the gate, they made a deal with Thailand, a small market, but it's definitely a sign that “Kiss the Abyss” could make it to the U.S. A theatrical release was never our plan, but DVD and cable are certainly in our sites. In the meantime we have to fast track the building of our Web sites and put our marketing plan to work. The "build-it-and-they-will-come" approach doesn't work with movies. You must somehow cut through the noise of multiple media streams and let people know that you exist. And any success this movie has, to me, is the best way to honor the efforts of our friends and collaborators who either worked for very little or for free to make it a reality. Thanks to Risen Pictures and Ken Winkler for the interview opportunity, trailer and behind the scenes photos, thanks to the Palm Springs Film Festival for supporting independent films and those who make them, and thanks to the moviegoers that search out independent films and support the entrepreneurial creative cause that filmmaking is! For more information about “Kiss the Abyss,” click here.
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