A Hectic Films Interview with Darin Juarez (2017)

Sometimes fate has a way of bringing two people together. That is exactly what I told the cops when I was recently arrested for allegedly “kidnapping” one of the actors from Hectic Films upcoming short Descensus. In reality, all I did was stalk him to a local warehouse outlet store and corner him behind the produce section so I could throw some fast paced questions at him and hold a banana towards his face.

He was a little startled and had that wide-eyed look of appreciation in his eyes when I first shoved him back against the tomato bin and fired off the first question, “Sometimes film sets can be a little intimidating for cast and crew on the first day. You have an uncanny ability to break right through that awkwardness and make everyone feel at home. Is this part of being an actor or just the natural way of Darin Juarez?”

Naturally, my charming good looks and smooth way with people set his mind at ease once he realized I just wanted to ask about his acting and he replied by screaming, “Help!”

Realizing that this was going to be a short interview I repeated the question as security swarmed down on me. Once I was handcuffed Darin answered, “I gotta say, thanks for those kind words. I had no idea that was happening. I know how stressful being on set is for everybody so, I guess I just try to keep that in mind and be nice. Plus, if there's one thing I hate it's that barrier between us all when we first meet! I make a pretty strong effort to be open and obliterate that mama jamma!”

I asked if that meant I could be freed and he shot a look towards the security guards and shook his head back and forth real quick.

Security was already talking into their shoulder microphones and asking for police to be called so I blurted out the most important question I had, “If a fan wanted to buy you a present, should they go with a snow globe or stuffed animal?”

Darin’s eyes darted to the snow globe that was embedded in the front of my pants and I gyrated my hips a little to make the snow swirl for him. “Stuffed animal!” he answered.

I tried to hide my disappointment as a tear came to my eye, and swallowed my hope as I said, “It’s clear you can act, but I heard you also like to write. Any writer credits in the works that we should keep an eye out for?”

As the sound of loud police radios came from the front of the store, Darin answered, “I've got a sci-fi about a fighter pilot being recruited for a top secret project to fuse his consciousness with a combat A.I., two series pilots about musicians coming up from nothing--one about a metal-head, the other about rappers. Then there's some sketches, a scene about a spy couple, and that YouTube series I was writing called The Death of William Draper.”

As the police arrived, they changed out my handcuffs I guess so security could keep theirs and asked me if I had any identification. I ignored them and asked Darin, “How would you describe acting if you could only use two words?” I think the cops said something but I only had ears for Darin and waited for him to reply. Finally, he shook his head and grinned, “Damn... I thought this was going to be an easy test. I am to consolidate the whole of what acting means to me, has been to me and where I hope it will continue to lead me, into two magnificent words? Okay. ‘Soul Threshing’.”

I may have gotten a little dreamy eyed at that and as the police dragged me away, I yelled out one last question, “Where can people go to find out more about Darin Juarez?”

Even the cops stopped dragging me at that point and turned to wait for an answer. Darin said, “If you really want more... I'm on:
Instagram @darinjuarez

Facebook @Darin S. Juarez

Snapchat @quincy_sauce

Twitter @laced_human

I'm only ever on Instagram and Facebook though...I can't lie about it. Also, there's my website!!”

https://spideruberjew.wixsite.com/darinjuarez

Chris Kovacs Interview (2016)

With the special screening of Hectic Films' "A Familiar Spirit" coming up on September 10th at Heroes & Horror Con III in Bakersfield, CA, Jesse Najera collaborated with Sara Carey to interview one of the stars, Chris Kovacs.

You've attended San Diego State and NY Film Academy; how do you think these schools influenced your life regarding film?

The New York Film Academy forced me to look at movies and performances completely differently. I now see tiny details in movies, and the choices actors make in their performances. Method acting allowed me to take my raw skills and concentrate them in a more meaningful way. Meisner was one of the main classical methods I learned and having an absolute belief under imaginary circumstances has been invaluable to my acting. San Diego State helped broaden my thinking and help grow as a person. I actually went back to college to get my bachelors degree in Political Science and minored in Journalism. Acting takes dedication and years of study and practice; that is probably the closest relation to being a student at San Diego State. I have always wanted to graduate college because I like challenging myself.

Tell us about your first acting role and how you got started. What drew you to acting as a career choice? How did you become involved with hectic films?

My first acting role that I auditioned for was a play in my hometown. I played Officer Brophy in "Arsenic and Old Lace". It wasn’t a large role, but I remember preparing for it as if I were the lead on Broadway. I’ve always loved to play “make believe” and acting always came naturally. I first became interested in acting, (believe it or not) when I saw "The Lion King". As soon as I found out that Jonathan Taylor Thomas played young Simba, I remember thinking, why the heck couldn’t I do that too? I became involved with Hectic Films through my friendship with Rachel Bird. We worked together in Burbank, CA and I got to know her husband Rickey Bird through Facebook. Very quickly we became friends. We had planned to work together much sooner although conflicts in scheduling never worked out. Recently Rickey asked me if I would be interested in auditioning for Jim in A Familiar Spirit, jumping at the chance, I of course said, “Yes!”

Is there a type of role that you feel drawn to, or wish you could play more?

I consider myself a nice, all-American type guy, so the thought of playing someone twisted with something wrong with them always intrigued me. I enjoy playing “the hero” but dramatic roles that challenge me as an actor are the most fun to play. For example, I would love to play someone like the Joker or Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho".

What movies do you feel were formative for you? Do you have a favorite movie genre or theme?

A few films that I felt were formative for me were: "Saving Private Ryan", "Braveheart", and "American Beauty". I think my jaw was on the floor after watching each of those films. Every single one left a lasting impression on me. I absolutely love all types of films, but if I had to choose one movie genre or theme it’d have to be true-life stories. I appreciate great writing as much as the next person and I think writers deserve every bit of credit as the actors, but sometimes the most amazing stories come from actual events.

Tell us about your character, Jim, in "A Familiar Spirit". What was it like to play him? Your character has a hard time believing in the paranormal. Do you feel the same way? How would you react if you were told, or thought, your house was haunted?

There is definitely more to Jim than meets the eye. He is full of confidence and truly believes he can take on the world, but his lack of success in the entertainment industry is what’s keeping him back. He loves his girlfriend and wants to provide for her in every way he can, but like most struggling actors, money isn’t falling from the sky. He also passionately denies any possibility of there being ghosts in the house despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. 

 It was great playing Jim, some of his offbeat humorous remarks are something I could see myself saying. Yes, Jim does have a hard time in believing in the paranormal, but I’m less skeptical than he is. I’m of the school of thought that you shouldn’t mess with stuff like that. Who knows if there is a “door you can’t close.” I’m not anxious to contact the paranormal. I’ve had some weird things happen and that’s about as close as I ever want to get. If someone told me my house was haunted, I would stay with family or friends and sell the house immediately. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’d also probably sue the realtor and previous owner for not disclosing the fact that the house was haunted!

 You only get to watch one actor for the rest of your life, you can't see any other movies if they don't play a role in them. Who would you choose and why?

Wow, that’s a tough one! I have so many people that I look up to, but if I could only watch one person for the rest of my life, I’d choose Robin Williams. His talent truly blows me away and he was one of the most diverse actors around. His stand-up comedy had me in stitches laughing, and his dramatic roles were truly heartbreaking. One of my favorite things to do was to act out his standup to friends and family. His passing was absolutely devastating. It was one of the few times I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach when I heard that he had passed away. 

And finally, what would your advice be to budding actors?

My advice to budding actors is to follow your heart. Don’t compromise your character or integrity for the sake of a role. Stay true to yourself and know your worth. Another tip is to be kind to everyone! Even if you are having a terrible day, you don’t want to be known as a difficult actor to work with. I would also say it’s important to act as much as you can. Audition for plays, read scripts and truly become an expert. Lastly, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever been given was, set a time limit on how long you are willing to pursue acting with no real success. If after 7 years, or however long you choose, you are not happy with where you are at, do something else and move on with your life. I believe one of the saddest things is wasting your entire life on something that may never happen. Some people are perfectly fine taking that chance. But that is something that you have figure out for yourself.

George The Giant Interview (2016)

 All of us at Hectic Films thought it would be fun to send Jesse Najera out on a task to wrangle and interview a giant, but the joke was on us cause he managed to track down the loving and generous George the Giant and capture this great interview!

How tall is George The Giant?

7 foot 3 inches

What did you experience that led to an interest in the sideshow arts?

There are several parts to this story. 

1 - when I was 12 years old I went to the Kern County Fair and saw the sword swallower & fire eater perform on the Bally Stage. I was amazed at what the human body could do, and at that time I knew that was "real magic", and not what magicians did.

2 - when I was 21 an incident happened in my life that made me have a fear of fire. I'm one of those people that if I'm scared of heights, I bungee jump. So I decided to eat fire.

You are a sideshow performer who performs a variety of sideshow stunts; one of which is fire breathing. While you once had a fear of fire, how are you able to, now, perform fire breathing stunts? Can you share what caused your fear of fire?

As I said when I was 21 an incident occurred. Someone broke into my brother's home, tied him up. lit him on fire, and left him to die. He survived, but it left him with a fear of fire. And in so doing, left me with a fear of fire.

What led to you being cast in films and an appearance on the tonight show with Jay Leno?

Being cast in film and television is the old story, it's who you know. I was doing Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios working with a great contortionist named Bonnie Morgan. She was doing the Grinch Stole Christmas during the Run. At the time she was 15 so her dad had to take her. Her father is a stunt performer and coordinator, he was in the original Pete's Dragon. Well, one of his friends called him up and said, "We need a henchman who can do something really, really strange". He gave them my name, I received the call, and three days later I was in Vegas shooting a TV show for UPN called "The Strip."

The Tonight Show, The Late Show, and some of the other TV shows I've done are the same thing. People know who I am, what I do, want something odd, and I get called.

Can you talk about the films and television shows you've been cast in and what actors you've played alongside?

Everyone knows about the movie Big Fish, where I got to perform with Danny DeVito and Ewan McGregor. The experience I had with Danny DeVito was something that I will have for the rest of my life.

I did a movie called "Firecracker" with Karen Black. She was a very odd and unusual actress that played great strange characters.

Another movie I did was called "Tough Luck" with Armand Assante, Norman Reedus ("Boondock Saints" and "The Walking Dead") and Dagmara Dominczyk from ("Count of Monte Cristo"). I Had very little interaction with the main actors except for on screen. Norman and Armand showed great respect of the stunts I did.

I have also done TV shows ranging from "America's Got Talent", "Life According to Jim", "CSI Vegas", "Nitro Circus", and "A 1000 Ways To Die".

You have a towering role in the new Hectic Films project; Machine Gun Baby with director Rickey Bird. What can you tell us about your character and your experience with the cast and crew of Hectic Films?

There is nothing I can say about Rickey Bird that is not already in the police report!

I've known Rickey for several years. We worked on a movie where he was doing the special effects of the blood blast from a shotgun where I was shot in the face. We ended up doing a scene that was supposed to take 40 minutes to shoot... it took 5 hours so we had a lot of time to chat.

Whenever he's shooting films I try to donate to the project or help him in any way I can by putting him in contact with people, this just so happened to be one time he wanted me in the actual film. The character he wanted me to do was... so disgusting... how could I say, "No"?

Can you share just a few of the stunts you perform, for the brave of heart? Where can fans go to follow and gets updates on George The Giant?

I use several of the classic Sideshow stunts. Sword swallowing, fire eating, glass walking, bed of nails, and old-time strongman stunts. I also do my own twist on weight lifting, using fish hooks and weights from my eye sockets. The thing that made Sharon Osbourne say I was the most disgusting person she knows, is a stunt called "crazy straw".

You can find me on Twitter: georgethegiant

Instagram: therealgeorgethegiant

YouTube: georgethegiant1

Facebook: George the Giant

Machine Gun Baby Announcement!

There is never a dull moment when you’re riding around with Hectic Films. Production is already underway on Machine Gun Baby, and what a whirlwind it has become, from blowing up televisions to pushing the boundaries of creativity. The action, excitement, and colorful characters that make their way into the film are almost too good to be true.

It is with a gleeful squeal of fan-boy excitement that I have the pleasure to officially announce that Brinke Stevens (“Tales from the Darkside”, “Teenage Exorcist”) has joined the cast!  

While I can’t yet give away too many details or peel back the veil to show you some behind the scenes pictures. I have been given the green light to introduce you to the concept art by Craig Frasier.

So World, I give you, the Machine Gun Baby!

As a parting gift, I snuck into the Hectic Films Productions vault of secrets and grabbed a picture of Rickey Bird checking out the in progress build of our favorite little diaper dragging anti-hero and thought I would share it with you all. 

Well, looks like their anti-piracy procedures are up to date. Maybe in the future, I can bring you the real deal!

Don’t forget to follow the blog for updates, behind the scenes treats, as well as release details in the future! 

A Behind The Scenes Look at "A Familiar Spirit"

There’s something new stirring the shadows at Hectic Films Productions, and you might want to bring a friend or two when you see it.

A Familiar Spirit is a short film that reaches deep into the pages of history and horror to bring you a modern day masterpiece of madness and mayhem. Hoping to make its way to Hollywood later this year and into Screamfest, AFS is a story where the darkness breathes, nightmares live, and demons dwell. 

It might not look like it, but these amazingly talented and beautiful people just love to create horror, and they do it so well. Whether you're a fan of Hectic Films, or a new recruit, there is a catalog of greatness already out there, but it doesn't seem to slow them down from continuing to make amazing films at a hectic pace.

Whether it’s directing actors and crew, or showing off his T-Rex impersonations, Rickey Bird is quickly becoming a master storyteller on the Indie Film scene. Making Rickey's ideas a reality is no easy task, but the camera crew stepped up to every challenge and never hesitated to find a way to get the shot that was asked of them.

Kelly Henderson creates the creepy while the actors and crew bring this little short film to fruition. Putting in extra long hours and effort to give it leathery wings of wickedness as well as more than a few armrest-gripping moments of suspense and surprise to keep you on (and off) the edge of your seat.

Don’t be fooled by the smiling faces in these behind the scenes pictures, when the film makes its debut, you’re going to want to trim your nails so you don’t break one in a panic of fear and flailing!