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| Writer/Director Kansas Bowling (Picture from IMDb) |
Phil Castor: Let me start off by saying congratulations with all the success your film B.C. BUTCHER has received. When you first made the picture, did you ever thought it would become this popular and garner all these rave reviews?
Kansas Bowling: Thank you so much! I had no idea what would happen with this movie. It started off just something a friend and I wrote in high school and then I started making it with no plans for distribution or anything... I was just going to see what would happen. But I didn't think it would be as big as it has become. And if you would have told me back then that Lloyd Kaufman would attach himself as an executive producer I would have fainted!
PC: Back in March your film had it's big Hollywood premiere at the famous Egyptian Theater. Describe seeing the movie on the big screen being played to a sold out crowd?
KB: It was so much fun. Well... watching it with that big crowd was kind of scary. Just because you want to make sure everyone is laughing at the funny parts and not falling asleep or anything. But I had the best time that night. I couldn't believe how many people came - it really blew me away.
PC: I understand that there was a Red Carpet Gala before the screening of the film. Tell me what was that experience like?
KB: So, so fun! This really wonderful organization Women Underground who promotes women in horror helped put the event on. And they made sure everything was professional and made it a legitimate thing. So many interesting people were there for the red carpet... Kathleen Hughes, who was the star of It Came From Outer Space; so many cool bands like Them Guns, The Fontaines, Kill My Coquette, and the Death Valley Girls; Priscilla Presley; and then after the film Count Smokula played accordion and Ron Jeremey played harmonica. We had girls dressed as cavewomen too. It was just so fun!
PC: So take us back to the beginning. What was your upbringing like? Where were you born and raised?
KB: I moved around a lot when I was a kid. I lived in the city at first and then Topanga Canyon. Topanga Canyon is in the Santa Monica mountains and it pretends to be this hippie community, but in reality it's so not. It's a strange world that I got out of, because I moved back into the city when I was 14. My childhood and especially my teen years (well, early teen years? I'm still a teen) focused solely on watching movies. I just watched so so so so many movies. And I knew that when I got out of school, things wouldn't be so dull. And I was right!
PC: What was school like for you? Did you excel in certain subjects that appealed to you?
KB: I hated school. The public schools in this country are such a joke. I had terrible teachers that were cruel and lazy and didn't give a damn about anything besides their paycheck. It was so miserable. I figured out some way to graduate early by taking extra classes on the side and somehow did my junior and senior year at the same time and graduated when I was 16.
PC: I read that you were a big fan of low budget, exploitation films and its directors like Doris Wishman, Russ Meyers, Roger Corman and John Waters. How were you introduced to these films and what do you like about them?
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| Molly Elizabeth Ring & Kansas Bowling. |
PC: It was during your high school years that the idea for B.C. BUTCHER came about. What was your inspiration for the film?
KB: We came up with the idea in a matter of seconds. I just brought up how we should make a movie and we could have cavewomen in it. And Kenzie said, "How about a cavewomen slasher film?" And then we began writing it!
PC: Now you and your friend Kenzie Givens co-wrote the script together correct? How did you two meet?
KB: Yes! We met in high school when she opened up her locker and she had a photo of Jack Nance on the inside and I came up behind her to tell her I loved Jack Nance, but I accidentally frightened her and she screamed. And then we made plans a couple days later to see Andrzej Zulawski's "Possession" at Cinefamily.
PC: What filmmaking experience did you have up until the making of the film?
KB: None. Well, sort of. I made little movies with my sister and stuff growing up, but nothing ever professional.
PC: Explain to us the pre-production process of making B.C. BUTCHER? What were some of the difficulties you had to overcome?
KB: Well, raising the money was the hardest part. I bussed and waited tables at a Vietnamese restaurant for 8 months to raise enough money to make B.C. BUTCHER.
PC: What was the shooting schedule for the film like? What was it like working with all these talented actresses, actors and crew members?
KB: We shot over a period of nine days and the days usually lasted from 8 am - 8 pm. It was so great to work with everyone. I'm so happy I found such great people to work with. It could have been a total nightmare, but I got really lucky.
PC: One of the biggest distinctions is that you shot the movie on 16mm film? Why did you decide to shoot on film rather than using digital cameras?
KB: I am very particular with a lot of things... especially how things look. I wanted the film to have saturated colors like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And I just wanted the project to have integrity as well. And I feel that's much harder to accomplish when you're shooting digital, or "faux-film".
PC: After the film was wrapped, how long did it take to edit the film?
KB: A lot longer than it took to film. I had a really great editor, Robby DeFrain, and he was working on a project for Comedy Central at the time, so editing was kind of like a weekend project. He's really talented and helped a lot with comedic timing and we worked together putting in the funny sound effects and everything that made the film cartoonish.
PC: Tell us how did you meet Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Entertainment? Were you a fan of Troma movies prior to having them distributing your film?
KB: I was a Troma fan since I was 12. When I was in high school I even sent Troma a script to read. When I finished shooting the movie, I sent Lloyd Kaufman an email, not even expecting a response, and I got a response the next day saying he was interested in the film and wanted to have a meeting with me! So I had a meeting with Lloyd and the rest is history!
PC: What's it been like meeting all your fans at conventions and at screenings? Did you ever imagine having such a huge fan base for you and your movie?
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| Parker Love & Kansas Bowling. |
PC: What's next for you now? Do you have any new projects that you're currently working on?
KB: Yes! I'm doing a lot of music videos coming up for some really amazing bands. And I also have a script which will hopefully soon be in production. It's in the hands of some producers right now and I'm just waiting to see what will happen! It's all so exciting.
PC: What advice would you give to all aspiring and upcoming female talents who want to break into the film industry, especially those who wish to bring diversity and a feminine voice to the overpopulated male dominated Hollywood?
KB: Here is my advice: I know there are societal disadvantages, but whatever it is you want to do, just do it! It's so much more effective to create change by just going out and making a film as a woman than it is to sit and complain about how things are unfair.
To learn more about Kansas Bowling, visit her IMDb page and be sure to check out her Instagram accounts. To learn more about Troma and their release of B.C. BUTCHER, visit their website at www.troma.com.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!