Over the last seventeen years, Texas-based independent filmmaker Mel House has directed and/or produced multiple features and created the television series PLACEHOLDERS. He has made several contributions to the horror genre and worked with icons like Adrienne King, Reggie Bannister, and Katie Featherston. But along with the successes come frustrations – like the fact that he still hasn't been able to make the old school ghost story he's been trying to get off the ground for five years now. But instead of giving in, House has taken inspiration from the struggles of working in the indie scene and put them into a semi-autobiographical screenplay called 30 TO 45.
Described as a "black-ish comedy", 30 TO 45 tells the story of Eric,
a multiracial genre filmmaker with several projects in the works, three day jobs, and a TON of baggage to deal with.
While the project itself is not strictly horror, it is about a man who works in horror, and House has included genre elements throughout, for example "a zombie nemesis/evil conscience; a cane-twirling, saxophone-playing "spirit guide"; and a talking doll named Walter. Plus a bunch of crazy dream sequences."
In addition to casting local actors Omar Adam, Chelsea Ryan McCurdy, Jill Brumer, Steve Scott, and Tye Blue, the awesome Richard Riehle, and Fishbone's Angelo Moore as the spirit guide, House has also landed some notable genre names for his cast: Debbie Rochon, Lisa Wilcox, and Tony Todd as the voice of Walter the Doll.
Arrow in the Head has now exclusively learned that another familiar face from the horror world has signed on to be in the film: PET SEMATARY/NEW NIGHTMARE's Miko Hughes will be playing Eric's college roommate Martin. Martin appears to Eric now as a figment of his imagination during times of stress, stuck in the time period when Eric last saw him, the '90s.
House had this to say about 30 TO 45's genre stars –
"This is obviously a personal project for me, and to have all these actors that informed my horror upbringing – Lisa, Debbie, Tony, and now Miko – helping me bring it to life… I can't express how surreal and rewarding that is. I also cannot overstate how much it means to me that the material resonated with them in a way that made them all want to be a part of the project. Now I feel obligated to write some sort of genre crossover callout scene. Maybe something for the post-credits."
This really sounds like a great project to me. The fact that it's about the struggles of being an independent genre filmmaker is already enough to get me interested in seeing it, but the oddball elements and the icons in the cast make it all the more enticing.
House is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for 30 TO 45. If you'd like to hear more about the movie from the man making it, check out the campaign page.