Paula Lindberg, The Real Girl Behind Ruby Realgirl

Before there was a feature green lit for AMERICAN MARY, there was a group of indie brats that got together in a veterinary clinic for twenty hours to create something that would prove that the film could be done and how they would do it.

The very first cast member, Paula Lindberg, would be transformed in a gruelling sixteen hour session with effects before we got the professionals at Masters FX to create our perfect Ruby Realgirl. From the moment she was cast to every following moment, Paula become the unique, sprite-like, doll and brought Ruby Realgirl to life. Her performance and dedication was a part of what got things happening.

Moving on to your newest project, American Mary, how was it working with the Twisted Twins (Jen and Sylvia Soska)?  

Paula: Amazing. The twins continue to inspire me with their drive and creativity. They’re not waiting around for someone to give them a career; they’re making it happen for themselves. And they’re not just regurgitating the same old stories, they’re creating highly original work, and it’s exciting to be a part of that.  

As an actor they are also wonderful to work for because they give you the perimeters of the character, but then imbue you with so much trust and freedom to create something truly unique within their vision. In what other film am I going to get a play an underground surgery obsessed Barbie wanna be??

I can never say enough good things about this sensationally gifted actress and what a stand out performance and life she brings to the world of AMERICAN MARY. It was an honour to experience our first Comic Con together and I cannot wait for the film's release, so everyone can get to see her fantastic work on the big screen.

As that approaches, here is a very wicked interview with Paula and Indulgently Horrific as she speaks about the film, her role, Comic Con, and what other rad she has coming up. Please enjoy!

-Sylv

Cinematographer Brian Pearson Talks About His Experience on Shooting The Feature Film American Mary in 15 Days

AMERICAN MARY is a haunting film that is darkly beautiful.

You cannot gaze upon the trailer without taking notice of the breath taking cinematography. Stylistically, the film is as far from the Grindhouse style of DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK as imaginable and the director of photography for the film was absolutely vital in achieving the beautiful look and dark feel to the film. It was our intention from the very start to give the cinematography of the film an Asian and European film inspired style, looking to films such as AUDITION, I SAW THE DEVIL, and LET THE RIGHT ONE IN to inspire. With even the harshest and most unforgiving of content, we wanted the beauty and style to shine through. It was no small under taking to find a DP that could achieve this look with our time span and modest budget.

He had to be fast on his feet. He needed to have a clear vision for the film. He needed a deep understanding of Mary Mason and her world. He needed to be the best of the best. He needed to be Brian Pearson.

"It was fascinating working with twin directors Sylvia and Jen Soska on this film because they both had such a similar version of the project and of “Mary” in their minds.  If one director took off to look at wardrobe or make-up, or to go into make-up for her role, the other one could immediately answer any questions for myself and the crew.  Our collaboration was very smooth and worked hard to define an arch in the camera and lighting that would support the story of Mary’s journey."

Brian Pearson is one of the most gifted, brilliant, insightful, and professional men that we have ever had the esteemed pleasure of working with. He's worked on DRIVE ANGRY, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, I, ROBOT, KISSED, DEVOUR, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 2, FINAL DESTINATION 5, the DARK ANGEL series, two Masters of Horror films, and numerous others.

"I wanted to make the visuals in Mary’s world as dark and mysterious as possible.  I pushed the contrast levels hard in certain scenes to make Mary’s world very dark and bleak at times. I experimented with underexposing the Red Epic-X cameras which gave the image a kind of wonderful (digital) grainy feel, something like one would have had underexposing a fast film stock in the past. I tended to expose more in the toe of the sensor which seemed to give her world a slightly hazy quality, like when you’re in a dark room and you’re straining to see something in the distance or when you’re in a dream.  The look the images had when underexposed felt right to me for this story and gave Mary’s world an uncertain, unstable quality where not everything was clearly defined or clearly illuminated."
 
We cannot wait to show you the film.

Please enjoy the FULL INTERVIEW from MENTORLESS with the amazing Brian Pearson RIGHT HERE.

Fatally Yours,
Jen

There's Something About The Mary Trailer

"There’s this part in Vegas Vacation, yeah, just roll with it for a second, where Clark tells Eddie exactly how much he’s lost in Vegas. The subsequent chortles, shock, laughter, you name it, is how I left watching Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska’s latest creation. Not to be outdone by the gonzo that was Dead Hooker in a Trunk, this one looks to put an even finer polish on a genre pic that better deliver based on the promises it’s making with its trailer." 

The last process of making a film includes being an editing room, being in a sound mix, being locked away from the world, in the dark, focusing the the final aspects of the creation of the film. Then you're back in the world and shortly, your film will follow you. First as a trailer, then festival screenings; you finally get to see how people react to the film.

The above is an excerpt of the reaction of Slashfilm's Christopher Stipp on the new trailer of AMERICAN MARY. He digs what he's seeing and you should check out his whole review here because the digging is mutual.

"It’s, honestly, nothing but fun and I think some of that is to due to the fact that it knows exactly what it is and embraces it."

Fucking rights. Glad you thought so, sir.

-Sylv

Dead Hooker In A Mother-Giffing Trunk!

Get your DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK engines revving and it's GIF TIME, BITCHES!!

A pic is worth a thousand words. A gif is worth a million. Thank you, Aleksi, for these wicked awesome gifs. This lady is a tumblr queen - follow her awesome here.

-Sylv

London's Calling American Mary to Fright Fest

MONDAY AUGUST 27TH AT Fright Fest THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL SCREENING OF American Mary and we all want to see you there!

"And in some news just in overnight - The Soska Sisters (American Mary) and Katharine Isabelle have also confirmed their attendance."

FULL GUEST LINEUP: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/2011corepages/frightfestnewspage.html

There's something incredibly special about being in a intimate theatre, watching a film together. Jen and I are so excited to have you, ladies and gentlemen, see the new film and I want to meet you all.

Thank you to everyone who will be attending - and cannot wait to have you see AMERICAN MARY in London!

-Jen & Sylv

Balloon Animals at Mushroom Studios

There will be a killer soundtrack on upcoming AMERICAN MARY. While working with the artists we got a chance to check out legendary Mushroom Studios in Vancouver (one word: Zepplin) and make balloon animals. This is photographic evidence.

-Sylv

Cheek, Sass, & Fuck: You Can't Censor Haunted After Dark (thank fuck)

A few months ago, Paul Steveson of the soon to be launched, Haunted After Dark zine, came to us with an interesting proposal. Talk for three pages and be completely uncensored, talk about what you want, pull no punches, be brutally honest, and we will print it all.

Now, you might be thinking - 'Hey, Sylv, being uncensored happens all the time.' Sadly, friend I'm making up for this imagined back and forth, it doesn't and any time we get an opportunity to be a part of the battle against censorship on art, we are fucking there with bells on.

Haunted: After Dark is grabbing the paranormal bull by the horns, boarding the Horror Express and taking it in a new fun and fresh direction. We're confident that there's nothing else like it out there. We're edgier, extremer(!), darker, naughtier and cheekier! It's an horrific hamper of horrors, a plethora of paranormal putridness full of blood, gore and showcasing some of the best photographers, models and make-up artists out there.  

Haunted: After Dark magazine is an online digital magazine. Our aim is to bring back alternativeism from heading into mainstream monotomy. People say alternative is the new normal. Why??? Alternative should remain alternative but should be accepted for what it is, that's the difference. Our love of the paranormal and horror saw us produce Haunted Digital Magazine, a fun and fresh take on all things scary and spooky. Whilst we were designing this we were getting a lot of interest from horror themed photographers, models and make-up artists keen to showcase their work. We didn't think that a feature on a 14 yr old ghosthunter would sit right next to a photo pictorial feature on lesbian vampires so Haunted: After Dark was born and created (fanfare please!).

Haunted: After Dark is now available at www.hauntedafterdark.com with glorious uncensored ramblings of twin adventures at the Cannes Film Festival with Jen and me. They have been kind enough to let us run our mouths every month - new articles coming constantly. Check out issue one - material as intended by the artists, lots of cheek and no apologies.

A huge fucking thanks to the team at Haunted After Dark and to the sensational Paul Stevenson and remarkable Andy Soar for giving us this brilliant opportunity and for keeping alternative culture's balls intact. It's a very fun and rad read - I hope you enjoy checking out the zine, ladies and gentlemen!

-Sylv

FearNet interviews the Twisted Twins at Comic Con

Twin writer-directors Jen and Sylvia Soska discuss with FEARnet their latest indie horror opus, American Mary, starring Ginger Snaps’ Katharine Isabelle.

"This metaphor for the Soskas own journey through the independent film industry follows medical student Mary Mason as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the twilight world of body modification and underground surgeries where obsessed flesh artists will pay anything and go through any pain to get their unusual procedures done. But Mary soon finds that her new ‘profession’ leaves more marks on her own psyche than on her freakish clientele."

A MASSIVE thank you to FearNet for taking the time to chat with us and a special thanks to FearNet's Sara Castillo. Check the whole piece here!

Fatally Yours,
Jen and Sylv

Flickr At Your Twins, Comic Con Style

We flickr. A lot. You want Twisted Twins pics, AMERICAN MARY pics, MONDAYS SUCK memes, anything twin-related and then some - we got a flickr account for that. So you can download, send em to your friends, or just stare off at something interesting (I, myself, scroll through pics in creep mode more than is healthy in any way).

But wait - we got some real good shit for you! It's our Comic Con onslaught pics. 2012 marks our very first Comic Con experience where we had a panel for upcoming AMERICAN MARY, first revealed the new trailer, hung out with the good DEAD HOOKER-loving folks, cosplayed like a pair of uber nerds, Deadpool stalked, got kissed by the Punisher, and fangirled on people we absolutely adore.

For many, many, many years - I have gone to Comic Con via stalking images, videos, and blogs of people who *actually* went. This year, we got super lucky and were actually there. Live the purest of nerd joy through these images. Flickr YA!

-Sylv

PS Why can't everyday be Comic Con? Also, I think I'm in love with Deadpool. In an unhealthy way.

First Comics is the First To Break the Twisted Twins into Graphic Novel Awesome

First Comics is an American comic-book publisher, known for titles like American Flagg!, Grimjack, Nexus, Badger, Dreadstar, and Jon Sable. Along with competitors like Pacific Comics and Eclipse Comics, First took early advantage of the growing direct market, attracting a number of writers and artists from DC and Marvel to produce creator-owned titles, which, as they were not subject to the Comics Code, were free to feature more mature content.  

First Comics was co-founded by Ken F. Levin and Mike Gold. It launched in 1983 with a line-up of creators including Frank Brunner, Mike Grell, Howard Chaykin, Joe Staton, Steven Grant, Timothy Truman, and Jim Starlin.

First Comics has been badass since 1983. Their content is never water-down, remains true to the artists visions, and they fight hard to make sure it stays that way. Jen and I have existed since 1983, learned to read, then discovered comic books which was all we ever wanted to read (aside from Stephen King novels). I never dreamt of having an opportunity to write for a comic company, but if you told me that was even a possibility, my fangirl heart would have skipped several beats.

Which it did, this year at Comic Con, when we were approached with the opportunity to team up with the fantastic team at First Comics and create our content in graphic novel form. You see First Comics was an ass-kicker from 1983 to 1991 before closing the doors. Now, they are back and better than ever - creating new, unique, intelligent content, as well as rereleases of some fucking epic titles.

Jen and I are thrilled to be working with our good friend, Ken F. Levin, who is one of the most kindest and collect gentlemen in the business who has been amazingly supportive of independent artists - making sure their content gets out there and it gets out there uncensored, the way it was intended to be seen.

You're going to be hearing a lot about this union in the next few months, but if you haven't heard about First Comics before - go check them out - you don't often find situations where there are creator-owned comics with content like this. It's extremely fucking cool.

-Sylv