Local filmmakers to showcase film at Quinte Horror Expo
BELLEVILLE – A pair of local filmmakers are eager to show their short film Mercy at the upcoming Quinte Horror Expo.
Jodi and Victor Cooper have full-time jobs and still manage to make time for their filmmaking passion.
“Well I give a lot of credit to the company I work for, Vantage Point Media House, and I do put in a lot of overtime hours here so part of the reason I’m able to do that is because I have some time off booked. So when we made Mercy, which was our first short horror, I had all of December off,” Victor said.
Victor Cooper is very passionate about his work.
“It’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to make time for your passion or whether or not you want to spend it all on work and I’m lucky enough that my work is also my passion,” he said.
The short film took the couple about two years to produce.
“The shooting budget was probably about $800. Volunteers cost a lot in food, but we are super lucky Vantage Point supports our independent passion projects and so they are fully credited at the end of the the film,” Jodi Cooper said, a general education development officer at Loyalist College.
She said she’s always been interested in horror films.
“I’ve been interested in horror since I was a kid. Freddy Krueger was probably one of my biggest influences growing up. It usually meant a sleepover with friends and a couple good horror movies,” she said.
Her husband became a fan of the genre later on.
“Actually growing up I hated horror films, I was terrified of pretty much any kind of horror. I think it was a really cheesy horror film that wasn’t really scary, it was more campy and fun and that is what got me into it. It was a slippery slope from there and I got into every different kind of horror,” he said.
When deciding on people to cast the couple looked to local actors. “All of the cast for Mercy was acquaintances and friends and people we met at coffee shops,” he said.
The lead character in the film is Noble, who was played by Kirsten Wight-Howsan.
“I didn’t even have her on the radar and my wife said you know what you should really think about Kirst. She is a cool character for it , she is young , she is the right demographic and she has a cool vibe,” said Victor.
Gord Wilson, the co-ordinator of the Quinte Horror Expo, was the one who contacted Victor Cooper about possibly showing their short film at the event.
“Of course we want it played anywhere we possibly can get it played and a horror expo is the perfect venue for it. Anytime you can get it out to people who love blood and guts that’s ideal. We jumped on it right away and we are looking forward to it,” Victor said.
The film will be showcased at the upcoming Quinte Horror Expo on Oct.16.
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