Today I had the pleasure of talking with Mike Hickey, filmmaker and writer/host of Crypt TV’s Fright Hype, a great program that supplies news and updates about horror films and more. Mike took the time to answer a few of my questions and I would like to share them with you now.
KM “How did you get into horror?”
MH “As a kid I was into Halloween, more than normal. I stayed spooky. I was always into horror. My mom wasn’t though. She was fine with movies like the old Disney Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Hocus Pocus and stuff like that, but when I was around 10 I remember having a sleepover at my godmother’s (who was into horror movies) so I could watch Wolf with Jack Nicholson, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”
KM “What was the horror movie that got you hooked?”
MH “I watched Scream when I was 13. That really stuck with me.”
KM “How did your show Fright Hype come to be?”
MH “A couple of years ago I was working at a production company and watching a lot of horror movies. There was a show, Film State, I thought “I can do that”. Then Crypt TV came along looking for a short I did (He Sees You) and things just fell into place. I sent them a sample, a pitch, of what I thought the show could be. I shot it in front of a lime-green bed sheet. Now I have a proper green-screen.”
KM “Tell us about your short films.”
MH “The first couple sucked. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, then a friend named Mark Brown, who has a werewolf webseries asked me to do a short for it. It was called The Full Moon Files. I used a handycam and literally recorded it on the road behind my house. I edited it into a story – it was awful. Then, I had a short titled Our House, it’s a haunted house film. It’s about a family that moves into a new house. They take a haunted house tour that leads right back to their door. The Calming won Best Film and Scariest Film at the 48 Hour Horror Challenge. Slugger, it was part of a 48 hour film challenge for Nickle Independent Film Fest, which I am now president of. In 2014, In April or May I’ll begin production on my short That Halloween, which I hope to have finished in time for next Halloween. I have a short, He Sees You, that will be released on Crypt TV on December 26th.
KM “What is your favorite horror movie and why?”
MH “That’s a tough question. I have to say An American Werewolf in London. I’m a huge werewolf guy. Even without the werewolf, it’s a great story. Two young guys are traveling the world when an attack happens and one come to terms with what happened. It’s such a strong story. I love Landis. I like movies that play against the laughter and the screaming and An American Werewolf does that.”
Mike is a talented man and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. It was a pleasure to talk with someone who loves horror as much I do.
Be sure to check out Fright Hype, new every Friday on Crypt TV.
