Film Director Chandra Gerson

Chandra Gerson started out in show biz doing extra work in front of the camera, which led to her taking acting classes at the famed Lee Strasberg acting school. However, Chandra soon found that her true passion in films, was working behind the camera. She subsequently founded her own production company, Kitnkat Productions, in 2009, and has since produced some award-willing shorts, as well as one feature length film, a 2015 psychological drama entitled Book of Choices, which will be shown at the Delhi Women's International Film Festival in India this October. She also produced a fun documentary on the 40th anniversary of Knott's Scary Farm, the horror attraction of the famous Knott's Berry Farm, where Chandra has been regular visitor for years.

Last month, Chandra attended the annual Marché du Film ("Film Market") in Cannes, where three of her short films were shown: Burning Distortion (2012), a story about a man's dark side coming to light, Salvation of One (2014), about a young man who gets out of the mob and wants to right his wrongs, and A Gracious War (2014), about a police detective who finds out he has much more in common with a suspect he's interrogating, than he thought. Hear more about her aforementioned works, as well as more about Chandra herself, in her recent interview with Idol Features. Above photo by Carrie Cavalier.

June 10, 2016 interview with Chandra Gerson

Destinie Orndoff

Co-founder of indie film production company, Deranged Minds Entertainment, Destinie Orndoff has been an avid horror fan since she was six and saw A Nightmare on Elm Street. Rather than the film giving her nightmares, as it would most kids that age, it gave her dreams of someday making and acting in her own horror films. She and her partner launched Deranged Minds just last year and they are currently in production with their first film, a slasher entitled Red Eye.

Set in the backwoods of Black Creek, West Virginia, Red Eye is the tale of four friends who set out to document a local legend for a horror film festival. In Desitnie's own words:

We have unique and relatable characters to genre fans and many, quotes and classic moments that horror fans will eat up." We, being fans of the genre ourself took it upon ourselves to do something for the genre that has made such an amazing impact on our life. We are genuine horror fans making horror to give back, its our dream and passion. We feel it is very important to include the fact that this film will NOT be a "found-footage" film. What it IS, is a pulsating slay-fest that unfolds this sadistic story, drop by drop, including many, many twists. Get ready for a place where your passion bleeds through.

Another thing that particularly makes this film look very promising is that two of the names that have already signed on to appear in it, are quite big names in indie horror: Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff. Listen to Destinie's exclusive interview with me, as we also delve a bit into what gave her her passion for horror and who her inspirations in the horror industry have been. If you're in the horror industry and have not yet heard of Destinie; remember you heard of her here first.

February 29, 2016 interview with Destinie Orndoff

Kristina Michelle Revisited

Since her first interview here, the events Cleveland-based actress and producer Kristina Michelle runs have grown considerably. 2016 marks the fifth showing of the Horror Hotel International Film Festival. What started as a one-day show has grown into a four-day event that now includes multiple screening rooms, panel discussions, and the ever-popular Scream Queen competition. The other event she produces, the Indie Gathering International Film Festival, now will include the United Latino International Film Festival, which will feature Spanish language indie films from around the world. Also debuting this year at both events will be a car show and outdoor drive-in-style film showings.

In the studio on the Reel TV Network, Kristina still hosts Horror Hotel as her alter ego, Lamia (featured here in May of 2014), with occasional guests from the horror industry. Indie Film School, a show that's shot at the aforementioned conventions and Indie Music Scene, hosted by Jessica Graie, who features music videos and interviews with indie bands, are two other shows Kristina produces. Listen to Kristina's recent interview and check out the Reel TV Network website for more details on the shows. Above photo by Scott T. Morrison of Discovery Photo Online.

February 22, 2016 interview with Kristina Michelle

Bianca Allaine Revisited

Actress and producer Bianca Allaine talks Zombinatrix and more in her third exclusive interview with Idol Features. Initially announced last summer, as covered here, and set to start filming in April, Zombinatrix was co-written by Bianca and she also stars as Mistress Tawny, a lady who's "into whips and brains." Also tentatively slated to appear in the film in her long-awaited screen comeback, is Frankenhooker herself, cult icon Patty Mullen.

Besides giving as many details on the highly anticipated Zombinatrix as she can at this point, Bianca also talks about several of other projects that include her earlier works such as 2008's Albino Farm, in which her beauty was hidden under the makeup and appliances of the "Pig Bitch," and her web horror film review show, Watch These Films with Bianca Allaine. She also gives the status on some of her other films listed at her IMDb page, a few that probably won't be seen anytime soon. See more of Bianca at her official website and, even though it's four and a half years old, check out her first interview here from August 2011, when she was known professionally as Bianca Barnett. Above photo by by Michael Kyne.

February 1, 2016 interview with Bianca Allaine

Dawna Lee Heising Interview - Part 2

In this second half of my interview with Dawna Lee Heising, we delve much further into her acting credits, both past and upcoming. After returning to acting a few years ago, Dawna has built up some notable credits on her resume that include roles in Natural Born Filmmakers, Ten Violent Women: Part Two, Garden Party Massacre, and Gregory Hatanaka's Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance. The last one on that list, Dawna is particularly proud of being a part of due to the people involved on both sides of the camera, of whom she speaks very highly.

The above screen capture on Dawna's very recently released acting reel, shows her as the evil Madame Ans in Jared Masters' upcoming Blood Tulip. Dawna describes it as dramatic film, not a horror, except that she plays a horrific character. Just click to play it and read on for Part 2 of Dawna's exclusive interview with Idol Features.

Dawna Lee Heising Interview - Part 1

My hour-long interview with Dawna Lee Heising didn't seem like an hour at all, since we had a lot to talk about and she was such a pleasure to talk with. Dawna has done nearly everything on a film set, on both sides of the camera. She's an actress, model, dancer, producer, and entertainment journalist who's also experienced on both sides of the interview mic. For More Horror magazine, as well as her own website, Eye On Entertainment, Dawna's interviewed literally hundreds of people in show biz. Those who are part of the Hollywood scene as well as those who are in town to make an appearance at an event or award show.  Dawna shows the same genuine interest and charm, whether she's talking with a relatively unknown talent just starting out, or an A-lister ....and she doesn't have an unkind word to say about anyone. I found her to be a very sweet and personable lady with a great sense of humor, who just happens to also be a glamours bombshell who pole dances and does bikini modeling.

Since I covered so much with Dawna, her interview here is being presented in two parts. Topics covered in this first part include her family (all of whom are very successful, whether in show biz or otherwise), her behind-the-scenes roles, her interview work with her show Eye On Entertainment, and her modeling. Of course, we also touch on her acting roles, but that will be delved into much more in Part 2. Above photo by David J. McNeil.

Goldie Fatale

Born and bred in the great state of Tennessee, actress, model, and producer Mandy Hawley, know professionally as Goldie Fatale, colorfully describes herself in a way that I can't equal, so I'll just quote her from her bio at her blog, which states she's a: "Klutz, barfly, adventurer, socially dangerous blond, wing-woman for the romantically bankrupt, methodically disorganized genius, AWOL, self proclaimed virtuoso, anti-hipster lover, southern empress, red neck diva, Jesus phone hater, bootylicious boloney [sic] pony whisper, and female Hoss." Even thought I believe her acronym "AWOL" is different than the military's and I'm not sure what that next-to-last one is exactly, I'm sure Goldie is all that and more. She's a blast to talk to and her being from Nashville is an added plus for me.

Goldie and her fellow actress and Nashville babe, Andie Noir (Andrea Collins) founded Fatale Noir Productions in early 2011 and have since brought us Holy Ground, which they filmed as a tribute to the Evil Dead and director Sam Raimi, and The Grindhouse Sleepover of Terror, in which the ladies play hostesses to a trio of splatter films in which the splatter is featured, not cut out.

Singer is also on Goldie's resume and she informed me with a slight southern twang, that a country single of hers entitled "Old Flame" received some airplay a few years back and with a little coaxing from fans, I'm sure it will be available from Goldie in the near future. Learn more in my recent interview with Goldie by just pressing play and I hope you guys at Larry's in Nashville (stiff drinks and karaoke seven nights a week!) appreciate the plug. Above photo courtesy of Goldie herself.

January 4, 2016 interview with Goldie Fatale

2015 Christmas Compilation

As has now become an annual tradition at Idol Features, here are some ladies who we've interviewed and featured throughout the last couple of years and were gracious enough to send us photos of themselves dressed in the spirit of the occasion. Above is horror hostess Lilith Death (played by the lovely Jessica Felice, who will be seen further on in this article) in a still from the Tales of Horror Christmas Eve Special. Catch it Thursday, December 24th at 8:00 PM Eastern on Tales of Horror TV, exclusively at Vimeo on Demand. Merry Christmas!

Andreea Boyer

Born in Romania near the Bran Castle (more popularly known as Dracula's Castle), Andreea Boyer has had the desire to write and act from an early age. She had three books of her poetry collections published when she was only 15 and she wrote, directed, and co-starred in her short Jamira, and full-length film Mondo Americana, a year later. Currently, Andreea has just finished writing a screenplay for a full length film. She tells me it's an action film and she just sent off her work to an agency in Los Angeles, where she plans to make a return trip in late October. She also has a featured role alongside Tristan Risk (American Mary's "Beatress") in Ulli Lommel's upcoming Boogeyman: Reincarnation.

I found Andreea very charming, with a good sense of humor, and expressive eyes (she tells me change color with her emotions) that convey fervor reminiscent of Hollywood's silent screen stars. One of her favorite topics to talk about is food, which she will at length, especially the dishes she's tried from the countries she's visited. She raved about the simple fish and vegetable meals she had during her stay with the natives of Brazil's Bahia region and also told of an unpleasant experience she had with some bad carpaccio while in Paris earlier this year. Also very health conscious when it comes to food, Andreea says she feels guilty about eating meat ("It makes me feel like a lion when I do," she says), but vegetarianism just isn't for her.

Andreea also tells me she loves to travel and it gives her inspiration for her writings. She was in Paris until the middle of this May and, as of this writing, is back home in Munich. Her travel plans include another trip to the US next year, with Atlanta and San Francisco on her list of cities to visit. The above photo of Andreea on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard last June, is courtesy of Andreea herself.

Bianca Allaine as "Zombinatrix"

October 2018 Author’s Addendum: To date, Zombinatrix is still in the production stages and has had casting changes. The 7-27-15 promo video featured in this piece, with Bianca announcing the ladies who were anticipated to join the cast of Zombinatrix, has long been removed from Biance’s Youtube channel. 

 

With all the zombie/living dead comedy-horrors being released by major studios and independent filmmakers, using "zombie" and "dead" word plays in their titles, these days, it isn't too often I'll hear one that really stops me in my tracks. One that recently did was Bee-Stung Productions' upcoming Zombinatrix with Bianca Allaine as the title character; "Mistress Tawny." It was the title that first grabbed me, but it was the tagline; "She's into whips and brains!" that just wouldn't let go.

Kimmie Yan

If it weren't for Arielle Brachfeld, a talented actress I interviewed last month, starring in a film that's currently in production entitled Day For Night, Kimmie Yan  might have slipped under my radar. Kimmie is one of the producers of Day For Night (which is not a remake of the 1973 film of the same title), and to say she's excited about the project is an understatement.

Even though Kimmie tells me Day For Night is the first feature film in which she's been one of the primary producers, she's far from a novice when it comes to producing and the behind-the-scenes workings of films and show biz. A graduate of Boston University, Kimmie has an impressive resume that includes music supervisor on 2014's Dawn Patrol, associate producer on 2012's The Devil's Carnival, and less recently, a stint as operations manager at West Hollywood's (in)famous Viper Room.

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Kimmy about her recent projects, as well as the many unglamorous behind-the-scenes jobs and tasks she's had, the possibility of someday producing her own cooking show (she's a self-confessed foodie) and her mild obsession with Star Trek: The Next Generation. The above photo from a very recent shoot with J. Michaels, is courtesy of Kimmie.

Mary-Madison Baldo

Filmmaker and actress Mary-Madison Baldo (who'll ask you to call her Madison, not Mary) has all the makings to realize her dream of hearing her name announced at the Oscars someday. Besides her talents, the not-quite-21-year old filmmaker has the drive, focus, and positive attitude needed to succeed in her field. Of course, her looks don't hurt either, and have landed her some modeling jobs, most notably for Northern California-based Soul Clothing & Co.

A native New-Yorker who now lives and goes to school in the San Francisco Bay Area by way of Los Angeles, Madison and her partner started their own production company last year, entitled Bardo-Bretow Pictures. She's currently in production with two of her own; The Glittering Girl and Snake Eyes, both of which she'll also be working on in front of the camera, as well as behind.

A recently completed solo project of Madison's, which the above photo is from, is her submission for Team Oscar 2015, an annual competition for young filmmakers, put on by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If hers is one of the six winning videos selected, you'll see her on stage as an Oscar Bearer on award night. What follows is my recent interview with the very charming lady, in which she reveals, besides her passion for filmmaking, she also dreams of being a roller derby queen and has some very good taste in music.

2014 Christmas Compilation

With Christmas around the corner, here are a selection of some of the lovely and talented ladies whose interviews and featured articles have graced the pages of this site, decked out in the spirit of the season. Starting it off is actress and talk show hostess Michelle Tomlinson who could have, but did not bake that pie herself. A big thanks to all the ladies here, especially to the ones who took the time and effort to take a photo exclusively for this feature. Happy Holidays!

Natalie DeGennaro

When Natalie DeGennaro made her first film, she was a student, but you can't say she was a student filmmaker, since that refers to a film school student. Natalie was an elementary school student, who, at the age of 12, had realized her life's ambition was to produce and direct films. Since then, she's continued to follow that path, focusing on films with heavier subject matter that are a far cry from the "chick flick" box that some may assume she'd be within, after learning she's a filmmaker.

Currently a sociology major at the State University of New York at Purchase, Natalie, now just shy of her 22nd birthday, tells me; "since I became a sociology major, I have made it a point to incorporate my sociological knowledge into my films." In fact, she plans on exemplifying that in her senior film project, entitled My Life and the Kinsey Scale, that she's currently busy researching and writing the screenplay for.

A native New Yorker and obvious Yankees fan, Natalie says she would never want to leave the Big Apple to live anywhere else. The accompanying photos here, all courtesy of Natalie herself, definitely seem to confirm that.

Jessica Cameron at Film4 FrightFest

Above is the always gracious Jessica Cameron giving an interview at this year's Film4 FrightFest in London, where the UK premiere of her film Truth or Dare was shown. The focus of the interview is on the film, which has earned overall positive reviews from fans and horror pundits alike, but Jessica delves into other topics, as well. After giving an award-winning scream, she talks about the challenges she faced going from in front of the camera to behind it, and comments about today's social media "celebs." At about the eight-minute mark, she gives her views on why there are so few female directors in the film industry, and not just in the horror genre.

Welcome to My Darkside - Women in Horror Documentary

Slated for release in November, Last Doorway Productions' documentary Welcome to My Darkside, features interviews and commentary from 35 talented ladies who've made names for themselves in the horror genre. Their characters have been on the giving, as well as the receiving ends of murder weapons of choice, and they have worked on both sides of the camera.

Tara Cardinal at Florida Supercon

The Red Reaper herself, Tara Cardinal will be appearing at Florida Supercon in Miami from July 3rd-6th. The gorgeous redheaded actress, stuntwoman, and producer will be on hand for the screening of her films Legend Of The Red Reaper and Scarlet Samurai: Incarnation. Afterwards, she'll be taking part in panel discussions with fellow indie filmmakers Kaare Andrews and Lloyd Kaufman. Also on her schedule will a sword fighting demo with her martial arts master.

Of course, Tara will be meeting fans and signing her Legend of the Red Reaper novel and DVDs, which will be available for sale. Reliable sources tell me Tara also may have something special in store for Red Reaper fans who show up at the event. Full details of Tara's schedule are at Florida Supercon's official website.

Above is the shot of Tara that graces the first page of her feature in this month's issue of BTS Book Reviews, that you can read online. (She's featured on pages 4, 13-19, and 164-167.) Also check out my April 2012 feature with Tara.

Horror Hotel with Lamia, "Queen of the Dark"

October 2018 Author's Addendum: The video of the Horror Hotel episode that was featured in this article has been removed from Youtube. Inquiries regarding this episode's availability should be sent to horrorhotelfest@gmail.com.

 

 

Above is the full and most recent episode of Horror Hotel, shown on the Reel TV Network and hosted by Lamia (pronounced "Lay-me-uh"), portrayed by Kristina Michelle, the hard-working lady behind the Reel TV Network. As she introduces the 1959 Vincent Price classic The House on Haunted Hill, one can tell "The Queen of the Dark" is a very knowledgeable horror film historian who gives the facts and stats on the movies she hosts, as well as what was going on, horror-wise, during its era. Exuding a more subtle sexuality and without the campiness of Elvira, who's known for delivering double entendre-laced monologs while spilling out of a sleek form-hugging dress, Lamia does some segments of the show with her "co-host" Lilith Alexandria (Kristina's real-life pet python, that we first see at 25:16). During the closing segment, rather than wishing viewers "unpleasant dreams," Lamia signs off with "stay bloody" and an evil, fang-baring hiss. 

Twisted Twins Coming to Texas Frightmare Weekend

Jen and Sylvia Soska, the eerily sexy sisters behind Twisted Twins Productions, shot this promo video last December, but the event they're plugging here is happening in Dallas this weekend (May 2nd through 4th), as this goes to press. Coincidentally, the day this goes to press is also the ladies' birthday.

Mo Whelan

Maureen "Mo" Whelan is an actress, model, animator, graphic artist, writer, and (as she puts it), "duct tape film producer." She tells me she primarily considers herself a creative producer, and one who isn't afraid to handle legal matters that come with the territory. One of her latest projects, a horror she co-wrote entitled No Service, she'll be producing and directing with Miss Misery Reyna Young, and will feature Felissa Rose of Sleepaway Camp fame. Among her animation credits is 1999's South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut, where she spent hours animating Terence and Phillip's heads.

Before the glitz and glamor of show biz called, Mo managed a large auto parts franchise store, so she's a lady who knows her way around under the hood of a car. Also a lady with a big heart, Mo actively supports many charitable causes and is often seen at their events and fundraisers around the Los Angeles area. I was recently fortunate enough to get Mo to take some time out to answer some of the questions I had for her, which included her artwork (she also paints), her views on the future of the visual effects industry, and her thoughts on Eric Cartman. Above photo of Mo at last year's A Nightmare to Remember International Film Festival, courtesy of Oscar Benjamin.