Jon Maynard discusses the segment he directed on Volumes of Blood

indieactivity: Give a background of your personal experience with the story, writing, production and marketing?
Jon: I love writing. Really, that’s where it all began. I wanted to try my hand at writing a screen play, so I bought a few books, joined a writers’ group and got to work. I banged out a few bad feature length screenplays, but wanted to see something get made. So, I pitched a short film idea to my writers group and they loved it.

They were all on board to help me make it and within a few months I was shooting my first short film. It was a fun project that got some attention, and that’s where I met P.J. He saw my short film and invited me to do a screening in Owensboro. I was really impressed by the first Volumes of Blood, which I really wanted to be a part of, but couldn’t because of work, so when P.J. asked me to come on and direct one of the shorts for VOB: Horror Stories I jumped at the chance.

Volumes of Blood if now available on Amazon Prime

Right now, I’m employed at a local television station as a creative producer. Along with writing, I’m also a skilled animator and motion graphic designer.

indieactivity: Did you start writing with a cast (You or any) in mind?
Jon: P.J. knew he wanted Moses Moseley to star in my short. It was great to work with such a talented actor. Really, the talent made my sequence ‘Blood Bath’ a success. They really jelled on set. ‘Blood Bath’ was a smooth production. Since I live in Louisville, Kentucky I couldn’t be part of the casting process, but I trusted that P.J. and crew knew what they were doing. They did not disappoint.

indieactivity: How long did you take to complete the script? (Do you have a writing process?)
Jon: P.J. had a full script already. I took a few weeks to tighten some things up, but it was pretty much ready to go.

indieactivity: When did you form your production company – and what was the original motivation for its formation?
Jon: My personal productions are a labor of love. Lots of volunteers and free food.

indieactivity: What was the first project out of the gate?
Jon: My first personal project was Nearly Dead, a short film about zombies attacking a nursing home.

indieactivity: During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
Jon: The most technical scene in ‘Blood Bath’ was the scene where Moses gets eaten by the tub. We only had one chance to get it right. It payed off…

Moses Moseley (TWD) on playing Steven in Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories

indieactivity: What works better in this latest production that mightn’t have worked in the last one you did?
Jon: I’d imagine P.J. tried to get directors he knew could produce good work. Do low to no budget films is a task that takes a lot of trust. Most people on set have little to no experience, and can be frustrating, but P.J. put together a real solid team.

indieactivity: You directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
Jon: Communication was key. That, and being overly prepared. I love having a solid shot list and story board, so I had to make sure I had that prepared before I came on set. P.J. had a solid team ready to go, so I didn’t have to worry too much.

indieactivity: Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
Jon: I wish I could dedicate more of my time to filmmaking. It’s difficult to work in the right amount of time to get the final product you want.

indieactivity: Where do you think your strengths line as a filmmaker?
Jon: I’m a storyteller at heart. I’m a visual thinker. I work well with others and know how to motivate people to a common goal.

indieactivity: Let’s talk finance, How did you finance the film?
Jon: Rene Artola, our Executive Producer, trusted me blindly and financed half of the film, the rest was credit cards and me driving fucking Uber.

indieactivity: How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
Jon: If you know how to use social media, you can get a lot of mileage for little money. There’s a screen in every pocket. If you’re putting good stuff out there, people will take notice.

indieactivity: What do you hope audiences get from your film?
Jon: I hope they have fun with it. That’s really what it’s all about.

indieactivity: What else have you got in the works?
Jon: My job is keeping me busy, but I’m always writing and working on my own smaller projects.

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