Sarah Sigfried
I talked on the phone with David Sheridan (Scary Movie, Haunted House, Haunted House II, The Devil’s Rejects, and many more) not long ago. He was recently on the set of Black Archives, an upcoming werewolf film from Atlantic & Pacific Studios, portraying a doctor. We talked about his experiences working on these amazing films, his love of rollercoasters, and upcoming projects that anyone can be a part of, thanks to Indiegogo crowdfunding. I am tempted to raise money so I can be killed off in the film. (Really…acting in a death scene is one of the funding options—How cool is that?)
David was in North Carolina recently portraying a mad scientist.
David Sheridan is in the upcoming film Black Archives from Atlantic & Pacific Studios. He worked with Dean Jones and Sam Bernado. He met Dean Jones during A Haunted House. A&P brings the film industry to the rural North Carolina area. The studio also brings jobs and funds to an area that has seen economic changes. It also gives rural talent a chance to learn about the film industry and get exposure to aspects of the craft without moving to Los Angeles or New York. Stay tuned for a separate report on Black Archives and the amazing people behind it.
We chatted about his character and the plot of Black Archives. I’m not giving any spoilers, but based on the scenes I saw on set and things I’ve been told, this film is going to be huge. There are explosions, lots of action, a conspiracy, and werewolves! You are going to want to see it!
We briefly talked about Scary Movie.
David thinks his Ghostface character was the best Ghostface of all the films. His Ghostface had a higher body count and was more fun. While that character was deadly yet funny, he portrayed a serious role in The Devil’s Rejects. In that film, David portrayed a police officer who ended the Firefly family’s crime spree.
David talked about his experiences working with Rob Zombie, who is very down-to-earth and doesn’t micromanage: “It was [a] great…down-to-earth stage for someone very successful. He’s definitely more the camera director….Sets up a lot of his own shots so when he hires that, he really likes to shop [for the right actor and then trusts the actor to do his job]. Obviously, he’ll give notes if something bears off, not just left in, but the reality is. He’s already committed, [he knows the actors] already got this.”
Then, we discussed upcoming projects.
There are films being shot in North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky lately. “I’m shooting a movie called Macabre Mountain in Buchanan, West Virginia. It’s like a haunted house mystery. They discover people are missing…So, it’s a pretty unique movie. I think it’s kind of cool.” The set location is an actual haunted attraction and corn maze. This setting got us talking about how we really don’t know who is on the other side of the trapdoor in a haunted house. Who are the people behind those masks? And, we never go alone. Well, most of us don’t.
“Really scary concept if you think about it. There’s a lot of people in [haunted house attractions] houses and they think they’re perfectly safe…People that are jumping out behind them. Well, you know, it’s dark in there and you don’t know who is jumping out at you, and no one goes to those places alone.”
Well, I’m one of those strange people who does go to haunted houses alone. I’ve gone down the corridors alone or have gone lumped in with other groups of people who came together. Mind you, the vast majority of haunted houses are safe, and the actors are screened and background-checked. We talked briefly about haunted attraction acting and then the conversation turned to theme parks and roller-coasters.
David loves rollercoasters.
David talked about his favorite rollercoasters and the aspects of them that he enjoys. One thing he doesn’t like about them is the possibility of being stuck on a rollercoaster high in the air due to a malfunction. Everyone has something that is unnerving to them. Thoughts of being stuck high in the air on a hot summer day don’t deter him from his rides, however.
He talked about another upcoming project called New Fears Eve. This will be filmed in Kentucky and there is an Indiegogo page for information on it. There are several options for funding and fans can pick a tier based on their budget and interests. You can get a DVD, a T-shirt, their photo in the film, a scene with the actors, and you can even be killed in the scene. (Ok, not actually killed, but you can portray a character in a death scene.) There is only one of these slots available and I’m sure it will sell out fast!
“It’s called New Fears Eve and people find it on Indiegogo or Instagram…I love working on these Indiegogo ones. I’m slowly getting myself in, but that’s because I want to learn the right way to do it.” This film will be shot in Owensboro Kentucky. David was also recently in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a film starring Dolly Parton as his mother. This will not be a horror film and is a holiday film for the entire family. Be sure to re-watch the classics of David’s career (Scary Movie, The Devil’s Rejects, Haunted House), and watch for the new ones (Black Archives, Macabre Mountain, New Fear’s Eve).
