- We took a few moments to chat with Brian Lynch director of the View Askew production “Big Helium Dog”, about what’s in store for his next project, “Everybody’s Dead”,which, as you may have seen, he wrote and will direct for Artisan sometime in the future. We learned more than you’d think. Take off your thinking caps and read on, if you dare:
Brian Lynch: EVERYBODY’S DEAD came a year before BIG HELIUM DOG, though the original draft of ED is quite different from the one Artisan bought. The characters were all the same, though. All based on my college friends, girlfriends, etc. Everyone single character in ED has a doppelganger in the real world (even myself). That’s what made writing (and rewriting…and rewriting…) it so simple. I knew how my friends would react to the strange goings-ons. And admittedly there are some VERY STRANGE goings-on’s in EVERYBODY’S DEAD, but I swear the entire story is true.
NA: Do BHD and ED reference one another in some way? I seem to recall thumbing through the BHD script on set and seeing somesort of “Everybody’s Dead!” bit in there.
BL: EVERYBODY’S DEAD definitely references BHD a couple of times…character names, maybe a cameo from a character. The fraternity’s letters are BETA ETA DELTA, or BHD. Who knows if it’ll make it to the screen, though. Rewrites are going on as we speak.
NA:You sold your muppets script which will become the next flick with those guys after Muppets In Space. Does that end your involvement with that flick completely now? Are there going to be any rewrites on the script as far as you know? What’s the deal?
BL: No sir, I aint done with the Muppets. They asked me to be a part of the Muppets’ future, and I’ll do whatever they ask. Once a director is attached, I think another rewrite is in order. And hopefully THE NEXT MUPPET MOVIE won’t only the only Muppet project I’m involved with.
NA: With your latest project, Everybody’s Dead, you’re now a big shot Hollywood director for Artisan, huh?
BL: Oh yeah. Oh so very big time. As a matter of fact, if you could e-mail these questions to my agent and he’ll answer them for you. I’m a busy, powerful, well-endowed man.
NA:This seemed to come out of nowhere for us. Was this a deal that you were working on for a long time? How’d it all cometogether with Artisan?
BL: Basically, Greg Silverman worked at Warner Brothers and I worked on a project with him there (can’t really go into what it was, though…I can say it aint THE MATRIX 2…OR IS IT?)…when he went to Artisan he asked if I had any scripts and I sent him this one. He liked it, gave it to Artisan’s big wigs, they liked it, we had a long phone meeting, I rebuffed their sexual advances, the rest is history.
NA: We know the flick’s about a fraternity party that gets infiltrated by zombies. Or something like that. But we ALSO know there’s gotta be more to it. What else can you reveal at this time?
BL: It’s a comedy/horror (more comedy than horror) about a group of friends who try not to let the fact that every single person on the face of the earth except for them is now a cannibal zombie. And by the end of the movie, someone’s gonna piss themselves. In the movie and the theater showing it. Not because it’s funny, but because it’ll attract people who are too drunk/stupid to be in control of their bodily functions.
NA: We know you promised to deliver some gut-wrenching nakedness (or close to it) in the form of Brian Quinn in your previousefforts. What about this one? We gonna get some nudity in there? Going for the Hard R, we suppose?
BL: Nudity. Sure. Not a hard R per se, but there’s some T and A. From women and myself. HOT!
NA: You wrote ED quite a few years ago. Now that’s you’re actually going to make it, have you planned on revising thescript?
BL: I planned on revising it and Artisan plans on me revising it. But everything they want I agree with. We’re both on the same page, which is nice.
NA: Is there a tentative start date for production?
BL: Not yet.
NA: Where do you plan on lensing the flick?
BL: Not sure yet.
NA: Any actors or actresses that you’re dreaming of casting for this one?
BL: Oh yeah, but let’s see who we actually get. Hopefully some nice surprises.
NA: Are you and Artisan shooting for a theatrical or a direct-to-video type of thing with ED?
BL: Theatrical, but the sequels will be direct to video.
JOKE! It’s a joke. OR IS IT?
NA: Planning on giving View Askew fans any opportunities to become extras in ED, like you did with Big Helium Dog?
BL: Depending on where we film it, I guess.
NA: Speaking of which, have these other deals you’re making gotten BHD any closer to seeing some sort of distribution?
BL: It’s definitely made people interested in seeing BHD.
NA: Last question. Ten words or less: Why should everyone be excited to see Everybody’s Dead when it eventually hits screens?
BL: It’ll be a crowd pleaser. Look at that, less than ten words. That’s why I get paid the mediocre bucks.
Look for more information on this project as we hear it! Thanks to Brian for taking the time to answer our silly questions.
