Behind the Screams: Filmmaker Blair Smith Dishes on His Latest Horror, Thriller "The Hand That Feeds"

Q. What message do you hope people take away from the hand that feeds?

That your past does not define you, that you have a choice to take a new path despite your upbringing

Q. How did you approach casting for the hand that feeds?

Whenever I read a script I try to think of actors I know for each role and then audition them, if there's a role I am not sure of I put out a open casting call and narrow it down till I find someone who I believe embodies the character and will be easy to work with.

Q. What do you look for in a script when deciding to direct a film?

I always look for a script I can relate to so AI can bring as much truth to the process in this scenario I found at different times in my life both Jameson and Russell were characters in which I personally have felt there trauma in real life.

Q. Can you describe a challenge well making your film and how you overcame it?

I think the biggest challenge for me was trying to do a proper pre production, As a indie film there really isn't a budget to work full time on it, so I had to work and produce and try to do as much prep as possible, I would have liked allot more time to prep and shooting days but sometimes u just have to do your best to make it work.

Q. What was your favorite scene to film and why?

The biker bar scene was allot of fun the jib shot I had imagined turned out how I wanted and everyone was in good spirits and having allot of fun that night, honestly anytime Brian Nelson who plays "Tony Bishop" was in a scene I had allot of fun with it he was a character I really enjoyed shooting.

Q. What do you think sets the hand that feeds apart from other films in the same genre.

I think its original and beautifully lit and shot in a way you don't see often from lower budget horror. Tracy our gaffer and Zak our DP are top notch and really fun and easy guys to work with which helps.

Q. What advice would you give to a aspiring filmmaker trying to make it in the industry?

Learn from your mistakes, I never went to film school and have learned everything by trial and error. Its okay to fail but its never okay to not learn from that failure, if you fail and give up this certainly isn't the industry for you, when u get knocked down fight harder, that's my philosophy in all of life.

Q. What is next for you any new projects in development?

I just finished a ton of commercial work last year and a short film going on the festival circuit called skip, I needed someone time to get better learn more and fix some personal issues in my life, Now I hope to re emerge and try to get the next feature going and improve vastly with all the recent knowledge I have acquired taking a step back over the past year or so.

BLAIR SMITH IMDB PAGE

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9677312/

THE HAND THAT FEEDS TRAILER