My name is Alex Blackmon and I am an executive producer for Whitetail. Whitetail is the story of three family members that go on a hunting trip to make one last attempt to strengthen their relationship after a recent tragedy and define their roles in this new family system. A wrench is thrown in the works when the complexities of a heist gone wrong is injected into this family’s time of mourning. The film stars Tom Zembrod, Billy Blair, Paul T. Taylor, Jason Douglas, Dash Melrose, Jason Covielo, and Ted Ferguson.
indieactivity: What is your experience working on the story, the screenplay, the production, the premiere, and the marketing?
Alex Blackmon (AB): I wanted to see what Derek had to offer, as this was my first time working with him, so I just trusted the process and allowed him to get his vision on camera. As for production, I in no way took on the immense responsibilities that grips take on but I carried a few c stands and apple boxes here and there.
How did you put the crew and cast together? Did you start writing with a known cast?
Alex Blackmon (AB): Derek Presley had Tom Zembrod, Ted Ferguson, and Paul T. Taylor in mind when he was writing. I think Derek met Billy Blair at a comic convention years ago. Everyone just seemed like they wanted to be involved in any way they could.
What and how long did it take to complete the script?
Alex Blackmon (AB): The script that was specifically Whitetail took about 5 months to complete. I would say it was a solo effort as I did not want to influence this storyline at all.
When did you form your production company, Muscular Puppy, and what was the original motivation for its formation? What is your relationship like with your fellow founders and producers (Derek Presley, Jason Starne, and Garret Schwindt)?
Alex Blackmon (AB): I had been wanting my career to involve film for as long as I can remember. Watching how production worked between our cast, crew, Jason, Derek, and Garrett was the most fun and productive moment I have ever had in my life and I wanted more. We formed Muscular Puppy a year later because I know that we found a formula that works: make awesome movies with people who only want to make awesome movies.
Is there anything unique about a Texas production? Any helpful insight about filmmaking and producing in the area?
Alex Blackmon (AB): This probably isn’t unique for Texas but it’s unique for me. I love working with local talent. It’s a lot of fun being able to support your friends. The cast and crew all got along immediately and it was apparent that everyone had one goal in mind; treat this film as if it were your own.
What was the first project out of the gate?
Alex Blackmon (AB): Whitetail
During the production of Whitetail, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot? And why?
Alex Blackmon (AB): I think it was mid or late December and we were shooting a scene inside the camper. It’s the scene that makes up a large chunk of the trailer. It was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit or -1 Celsius for our international friends. The wind was very strong so everyone was shivering and it was a long scene to shoot. I think Derek was super sick with the flu which kept him from speaking at all. There was a lot of pantomiming and people trying to take shelter behind whatever they could to hide from the bitter gusts of wind. It was a long and cold night but I think we wrapped shortly after 12 am. It’s still one of my favorite shots in the film.
Was there anything that worked really well during the production of Whitetail that might not have worked so well in another production?
AB: I believe that when you shoot where you live there is a part of you that wants to do a good job representing your home state. I feel that this helped push a lot of our cast and crew to go that extra mile to make something special.
You must have donned several hats on this film, the measure of your input required intellect, effort, tenacity, skill (…you know better). What did it take you to put out all these qualities to get the film done?
AB: I love being on set and watching how things work. The movies I grew up on were the 80s to 2000s action, sci-fi, and horror flicks. I love seeing practical effects in movies and learning about the behind-the-scenes sort of stuff. Getting to have a hands-on experience in any aspect of the filmmaking process was super satisfying even if it was just handing an actor a bottle of water or joking with the crew to keep spirits up after a full day of shooting.
What about independent filmmaking and the business do you enjoy most and what do you struggle with?
AB: I enjoy that I get to work with the people that I enjoy working with. The bigger a project gets and the further away it gets from your core team, the scarier it becomes. We got lucky and wrapped Whitetail right before the pandemic but our second and third films were shot during it, and that was a big undertaking. It’s scary too. No one was exposed to either production but every time someone needed to be tested, I would hold my breath. I’m not sure you would define that as a struggle but it was a fear regardless. I am not only in charge of making sure a film is shot, but I’m also responsible for people’s health. I guess the struggle was figuring out how to navigate all of these new rules and keeping people healthy which is the most important thing to me.
Where do you think your strengths lie as a producer?
AB: I’ll do most jobs. I’ll take a jab at boom operation if I get the chance. I guess, in short, a willingness to try out different aspects of the project.
Let’s talk finance. How did you finance the film?
AB: So the budget was roughly 100k. I put in about 90 percent and we had another investor put in the rest.
Did you manage to stay within budget and how? If not, how much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
AB: For the most part. We had one producer (Austin Williams) that was very numbers-oriented and was really good at keeping the books nice and tidy. There were some expenses after production but nothing that excessive.
How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make a dent without it nowadays?
AB: I think marketing is very important. You could make the next Citizen Kane but if you don’t do any marketing there would be no point. Let’s just say I wouldn’t invest in a project that didn’t have any marketing plan in place.
Tell us about marketing activities or efforts on this project – and how it worked or didn’t work?
AB: We are using a Los Angeles-based marketing agency called Shinehouse Group. We had a very small window to market before a theatrical release and without them, I believe we would still be sitting here with a movie in hand and very little idea of where to go next. Instead, our online footprint has grown exponentially and they are helping to get butts in seats at the theaters.
What do you hope audiences will get from your film?
AB: Anything. There are a lot of different elements to this film. Drama, comedy, action, horror. If any audience member comes out saying something like, ” That was really funny when… or it was hard to watch that part when…. or it was sad when….” I feel like that’s a success.
What else have you got in the works?
AB: We have two films wrapped, “Redstone” which we got to work on very soon after “Whitetail” wrapped, and “Boon” which we just filmed up in Washington State.
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