Hellraiser: Prophecy is a new fan film created by Jonathan S. Kui that combines the mythology of two classic horror franchises. Despite no formal training in film production, Jonathan has managed to create a moody short that evokes the depravity of the Hellraiser series and the angelic politics of the Prophecy films using students from his biology graduate program as cast and crew. I interviewed Jonathan about the making of his first film, his future projects, and how his directorial aspirations fit with his career as a scientist.

RP:

JSK: I never really thought about directing until a friend of mine challenged me to make a horror film after she heard me complain once too many {times} about some contemporary horror films I'd seen. Once she put the idea in my head, and I realized that the technology and software had progressed to the point filmmaking could be affordable for novices, I said, "Why not? Why not try?"

RP: Why make a 22-minute fan film as opposed to a full-length, original feature?

JSK: Honestly, it was simply a question of writing. Once I shaped the idea into a script, and I was satisfied that it would tell the story that I wanted it to, I decided it was done. The story I wanted to tell just happened to be that length. Hellraiser: Prophecy could conceivably be expanded to feature length, and I'm considering doing so, but time will tell.

RP: Can you describe the basic plot of "Hellraiser Prophecy?"

JSK: In the Prophecy films, we learn of a Second Angelic War, with rebel angels led by the Archangel Gabriel, and the Will of God. We also learn that Lucifer isn't eager to see Gabriel succeed where he failed but is largely watching from the sidelines. The war in heaven is not his to fight this time. In the Hellraiser series, we learn of a God named Leviathan who presides over a domain called the Labyrinth, a version of Hell dictated by order, flesh, pain and pleasure, indivisible. Its soldiers, once human, now reshaped through piercings, lacerations and black leather, are know as the Cenobites. In "Hellraiser: Prophecy," Lucifer attempts to enlist the aid of the Cenobites in the War, to defeat Gabriel and maintain the status quo. To do so, he will require the help of a young theology student.

RP: What drew you to these two horror series? Was it difficult taking two properties with such rich and complex mythology, and merging them into one?

JSK: As an atheist scientist, I've always found the concept of faith a compelling one. I wish I HAD true faith, I imagine it would be very comforting. In its absence, I've developed a deep interest in faith, but a deep resentment of organized religion. I found the Prophecy films, and Stigmata (1999) as well, to be excellent films which explored concepts of Judeo-Christian faith outside of the confines and barriers of religious practice. The Hellraiser films always appealed to me because of the lure of power. The Cenobites are entities who experience pain as pleasure, and vice versa. They are a physical manifestation of some of the darkest, yet most beautiful areas of the human psyche. These themes struck a chord with me when I was rather young, probably TOO young to be watching Hellraiser (1987) in the first place. Combining the storylines was difficult, because their base assumptions are very, very separate. In the Prophecy films, there is Judeo-Christian lore. In the Hellraiser films, Hell is a stone Labyrinth, neither fire nor brimstone, and there IS no Lucifer or angels. To combine them in "Hellraiser: Prophecy," I declared that they function in different domains of a greater Hell, allowing each film series providence over its own material, intersecting them but not diluting them.

RP: Was it difficult finding funding for a fan film?

JSK: No. My VISA card was more than willing to front me. It took me a long, long time to pay them back, however. It's the Kevin Smith approach to filmmaking.

RP: Describe your production schedule from writing the script, to casting, filming, post-production, and special effects.

JSK: My friend threw down the challenge (really it was more like a suggestion) in the first week of February, 2005. A week later, in the company of a stack of Hellraiser and Prophecy DVDs, an empty bottle of red wine, and a laptop, I had a draft script in hand. Preproduction began shortly thereafter, continuing through to June, when we began production. The final version of the script, which did differ significantly from the original draft in some areas, wasn't complete until about a week before shooting started. We filmed for five nonconsecutive days (June 27th, July 15th and 16th, 22nd and 23rd) at several locations. Postproduction started in August, and by March, we had completed some ADR, rotoscoping and insert reshoots. A working version of the film premiered in Stony Brook, NY, on March 24th, 2006, but the truth is that I continued to sporadically make minor edits to the film all the way up until this past month. No work of art is ever finished, eh?
RP: What was the experience like directing your first shoot?

JSK: It was both more rewarding than I could have ever imagined, but also more difficult. On one hand, there are few feelings as intense as seeing something that you imagined come to life in front of you, and on the other hand, it was very difficult to direct the actors in those scenes which I hadn't been able to visualize in my head prior to shooting. I didn't have a storyboard artist, so for those scenes (e.g. Natasha and Lucifer confront each other in the kitchen) we pretty much ad libbed the angles. Also, not having a Director of Photography made lighting damn near impossible for an untrained first-time director.

RP: How has the critical and fan response been to "Hellraiser Prophecy?"

JSK: That's a very interesting question. Critical response has been largely supportive, positive, and, in many cases, forgiving, given the circumstances in which we filmed. Fan response, as with all things on the Internet, is very bimodal. Those who are extremely supportive have very positive things to say, as well as occasional good-natured, constructive suggestions. I do love hearing some people say that this has inspired them to try to make a film of their own; that always makes me feel good. Then there are those who feel entitled to a studio production up to their standards, who use very general words like "lame" and "pathetic" usually without qualification. But my favorites are still the ones who go, "Christianity with Hellraiser? How dare you! This movie sucks!" When it's so clear that they hated the very idea in the first place, I can't help but dismiss them. My whole take on NON-constructive criticism is this: They should make something better than our work, because at least then they'll have something to support their comments, and I'll be thrilled to see something better as well! Everybody wins!

RP: If our readers wanted to see the film, is it playing conventions or available online?

JSK: Its convention/film fest run is pretty much over. We still do occasional screenings here and there, but it is available online through YouTube in two parts.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hZE_cZ1QiY
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuL9tMhvEwg

More importantly, the DVD is complete, and will be available for free distribution in May. Readers can go to http://www.hellraiserprophecy.com/news/ for the latest information.

RP: I understand at the same time you shot the fan film, you also shot a documentary on how it was made.

JSK: That's correct. That film, Demons to Others (2007) is also complete, clocking in at 32 minutes ("Hellraiser: Prophecy" is only 22 minutes.) In addition to the cast and crew of "Hellraiser: Prophecy," it also contains some interviews with Clive Barker, Ashley Laurence, Kari Wuhrer, Simon Bamford, Peter Atkins, Gary J. Tunnicliffe and Doug Bradley. It will be screening in March, and will probably have a more limited run than "Hellraiser: Prophecy" did.

RP: As an independent filmmaker, what are the differences between making fan films and documentaries?

JSK: The documentary was far easier to shoot. With a fan film, you have a script, and therefore, you have shots that are essential, that you cannot complete the film without. The music has to fit with the footage just so, as does the sound editing. With the documentary, the process was far, far more fluid. We had all this footage from behind the scenes of "Hellraiser: Prophecy," as well as all of the unused takes. We also had interviews that I shot. In the absence of a script, it was simply a questions of combining interview segments in such a way that a linear story could be told. Unused takes and additional footage are used as transitions, and as examples, "Hellraiser: Prophecy" took me almost 10 months to edit to a point where I was satisfied. Demons to Others was edited in less than a third of the time.

RP: In the real world, you're a graduate student working on your doctoral degree. How do you feel your two careers as an artist and a scientist affect each other?

JSK: Heh, well, I WAS a graduate student working on my doctoral degree at the time. In late September 2006, I came to the realization that a Neurobiology PhD was really not where I wanted my life to lead. I took a look at the priorities in my life, and decided that living my life, starting a family and doing the things I love was more important to me than the suffering I was enduring at my lab, without an end in sight. In the end, I opted to receive a Master's Degree and have since begun work doing leukemia and lymphoma diagnostic testing at a hospital in Manhattan, and here, now, almost six months later, I couldn't be happier with my decision. In truth, I've always been involved in the Arts. I've played the violin almost continuously since I was five, and I've been doing website design since I was 17. I think the filmmaking, however, has been the most salient and rewarding experience I've had, and I do think that it brought a balance to my life in grad school that really made me reexamine what it was I wanted out of my life, what my priorities really are, and what paths would be best for me to take given those goals.
RP: What cinematic projects do you have planned for the future?

JSK: My next project is an as-yet-untitled follow-up to "Hellraiser: Prophecy" which will actually serve as a prequel to "Hellraiser: Deader" (2005). The idea for the story came to me during post-production on "Hellraiser: Prophecy," and the draft script, which I'm excited to pursue, was finished two months ago. The film may end up being feature length, I'm not certain yet. What I can say is that the script was heavily influenced by Christopher Nolan's Memento. Expect a lot of shifting between time periods; this will not be a standard three-act film. And yes, Pinhead is in this one, but let's just say that he won't be doing anything that we haven't seen before. I anticipate production to start in summer, 2008.

Since our interview, Jonathan has appeared in a couple of small roles on Law & Order and has started development for a film based on the short story "Songs of Metal and Flesh" by Peter Atkins. Jonathan's energy and creative vision look to carry him far in both fan films and original productions.