An Interview With Horror Filmmaker Jed Brian

With fall, or more importantly Halloween, approaching, you may already be on the lookout for some horror flicks to enjoy this season- or tonight, because when is it not a good time to watch a scary movie? For fans of found footage thrillers, “Unlisted Owner” may be of interest. Directed and co-written by Jed Brian and co-written by Tyler Landers, “Unlisted Owner” follows a group of friends who decide to investigate the vacant residence of a family who had been recently murdered. The horror film stars Gavin Groves, Haidee Corona, Andrea Potts, Chris Ash, Levi Atkins, Griffin Groves, Chloe Benedict, Tanner Hoke, Brian and Landers.

The feature-length, Lawford County Productions film was released on DVD in 2017, and as an outpour of support flooded in, the film released a Blu-ray copy last year. According to Brian, it was this same positive public response that landed the film the number nine spot on the Amazon Top 10 for Hot New Horror Releases. “... I was completely blown away by seeing us on that list with so many other great films and T.V. shows,” Brain shared on his initial reaction.

Amongst the many titles such as director, writer and producer listed under his IMDb profile, Brian denotes that, while difficult to choose, he enjoys directing and acting, with an emphasis on writing as it is the job in the movie making process that allows the most room for creative freedom. “There’s no better feeling than when someone says they are a fan of my work,” Brian noted. “I truly feel blessed to be able to create art that people enjoy to see.”

Currently, Brian is always writing new material, but also writes short film scripts for ACM Films in Los Angeles, Calif. and the debut of his co-written horror short called “Lost In The Woods”, co-written with director Alex Mañga, aired on YouTube on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

It is Brian’s hope to have a 2020 release date on “13 Slays Till X-Mas”, a horror anthology produced by Blood Moon Pictures. Of the feature’s 13 short stories, one is written and directed by Brian and will showcase a killer Christmas clown named Kringles.

As for the writing process, Brian begins with an idea for a scene in his head, one he’d wish to see in a movie. From there, he figures the events leading up to and following that sequence. Brian considers the aesthetic to his south eastern Illinois hometown to be his inspiration; it is a location to which he referred to as “the perfect area for a horror film”, complete with cornfields, old barns and old houses.

The nearby old-fashioned architecture is not the only source that Brian credits his own inspiration to; he is admittedly a fan of late talents such as Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Price is known heavily for his role in the 1959 classic horror “House On Haunted Hill”, which is one of the first scary movies Brian can recall viewing as a child. Of course, we can’t continue forward without noting the merit in Lugosi’s portrayal of Count Dracula; it is a safe bet to say that Brian has quite the cultured background when it comes to this genre.

Making a modern film is no easy feat, as many who have tried their hand at the profession understand and agree on. “Unlisted Owner” has garnered mixed reviews over several platforms, yet the buzz surrounding its creepy found footage aspects has kept it relevant in the genre some three years after its initial release. Brian believes that those watching a Jed Brian production can expect to find a scare, a good laugh and overall be entertained. For aspiring filmmakers, Brian gives the advice,

“Make your film. You won’t get anywhere in the industry if you just talk about making a movie and never do. Just pen to paper and go do it.”

“Unlisted Owner” is available for purchase on Amazon. To get a director’s signed copy, along with a free signed Terror Card, order “Unlisted Owner” on Makeflix.