BRUTAL - A HARD HITTING INDIE FILM, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

 Warning. The following interview I did with Donald Flaherty contains words, pictures, and extreme acts of violence. So if you're of a nervous disposition, please click away now. Or else you may be shocked, stunned, and slightly set back by an amazing independent movie that is brutal in more ways than one. You have been duly warned. You chickens, ha! 





1) What are your own origins, Donald Flaherty? Plus what path did you take in life prior to getting to where you are today?   I’m a writer/director originally from a small farm town in the central part of California. I moved to Los Angeles right after college to study art and music. I’ve always been interested in film and movie making. But unlike most careers there is no real direct path to becoming a filmmaker. I think everyone’s journey as a filmmaker is unique. Mine was through music where I began doing music videos and putting together live shows. Those early experiments in putting together a music video allowed me to make mistakes, learn and to start finding my voice as a filmmaker. It was a great hands on learning experience.

2) What inspired the creation of Brutal?   Brutal evolved out of my love of action fight films and movie stunts. I really love the genre. Also I have a lot of friends in the stunt community in Hollywood. The film highlights some amazing stunt work created by Colin Follenweider and Chris Torres. We are also the first film, I think in history, to give the stunts performers single cards in the credit list. We did this simply because I think stunt performers don’t get enough credit for the work they do to make movie magic happen.

3) In your own words how would you describe this story?   The quick pitch version is Fight Club meets The Twilight Zone. A deeper description of the film - Brutal is an examination of man’s propensity toward extreme violence and the consequences of that violence.

4) If this film omitted a collective odor, what would it smell like and why?   It would smell like a steak dinner, a nice cabernet and hot sweaty men. When you see the film, you’ll understand why. LOL

5) What song would you say best represents your wares and why?   'Defying Gravity' from the musical Wicked. It’s a great song because it’s hopeful, triumphant, and also because it has a “stick it to the naysayers” message. Making art, music and film is tough. You have to defy gravity a lot to make it happen.

6) If you could get a known celebrity – either living or dead – to promote this flick, who would you chose, and why would you want this particular person?   Bruce Lee. Because he’s Bruce Lee.

7) What were the main obstacles you had to contend with along the way?   The biggest obstacle for smaller films like Brutal, are always budget constraints. It affects every part of the process, from pre-production, to production, to post production, to releasing the film. It’s especially true once the film is done. Because we don’t have the marketing budget of the big Hollywood mega-blockbusters, it’s extremely difficult get the word out about the our film. That’s why doing an interview with Comic Book & Movie Reviews and other groups like yours are so greatly appreciated by everyone on the Brutal team.

8) If Brutal had a motto, what do you think it would be?   You just got to get out of bed and try.

So there you have it, my friends. My mate Donald Flaherty and his brutal movie of the same name. When you've got the time I'm damn sure you'd kick on over to his in-your-face-book and youtube pages. Trust me. One click and you'd be hooked. Left hooked.