PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Slasher.com is one of the most creative contributions to the slasher genre that has come out in the recent years. When I got the opportunity to interview Ben Kaplan, one of the film’s stars, I jumped at it. In this interview, he was incredibly kind, hilarious, and candid with his responses. I couldn’t have asked for better when it comes to interviewing an actor. Slasher.com will hopefully be available sometime this year for your viewing pleasure. As soon as it is, make sure to check it out, until then read our spoiler-free review here.
*Interview with Ben Kaplan*
Pophorror.com: Thank you so much for taking this interview, Ben.
Ben Kaplan: Of course! Thank you!
Pophorror.com: No problem. It was a wonderful movie and I really enjoyed reviewing it.
Ben Kaplan: I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Pophorror.com: Absolutely. Alright, so let’s go ahead and get right into the interview.
Ben Kaplan: Let’s do it.
Pophorror.com: So, it says on the film’s IMDb Page that you guys began filming the movie back in June of 2014?
Ben Kaplan: Yes. We filmed the majority of it in the month that followed and did a couple pick up shots here or there since then. The last thing we filmed was towards the end of 2015. So yeah, it’s been a process.
Pophorror.com: It sounds like it. So speaking of that, what was different between this experience and your other performances in the entertainment industry?
Ben Kaplan: The other ones? Well, this is my first time, as an actor, being a lead in a feature. This is also my first time producing a feature and I’ve done one more since then that is in post-production right now. This film was a whole lot of firsts for me. Incredibly exciting going through the process and I learned a lot along the way. I have produced a lot of shorts and web content for Chip (Gubera) but this was my first time doing a feature with him, which was really cool.
Pophorror.com: This interview is a first for me, too, so it’s a first for everybody. What was your favorite part about playing the role of Jack?
Ben Kaplan: Well, without spoiling too much, I really loved the end. Where things are at the end, with all the twists and the turns, that was the most fun. Surprisingly, due to R.A. (Mihailoff) and Jewel’s (Shepherd) schedules, that was some of the first stuff that we filmed. We had to start with R.A. and Jewel. Day one was actually that big fight scene with R.A. We were just getting to know each other and at that point, we had only talked on the phone. We met a couple days before and once in LA. Day one was like, “Ok! Let’s see what it’s like working with each other! And oh, by the way, we are gonna beat the crap out of each other!” But he’s so fantastic! If it wasn’t for him or the other crew, I don’t think we would have been able to pull off filming one of the final fight scenes on day one.
Pophorror.com: Speaking of which, some of the scenes in the film are pretty brutal. Was there any scene, in particular, that was especially difficult to film?
Ben Kaplan: Hmm… Well, the basement stuff was definitely difficult and emotional for everyone because it was hard to get the crew in there, the actors in there, the lights, and everything else. I think we spent two whole days in the basement. There was a lot of emotions in those scenes. So everyone was running high and was fatigued after that. So yeah, probably the basement scene.
Pophorror.com: Absolutely! I can only imagine.
Ben Kaplan: Oh, yeah! Definitely the basement scene. Definitely the basement! The underwear that was in my mouth! They thought I was fine. I was just trying to be a team player and not complain about it. There was a point where Jewel and Chip were having a conversation about the scene and I still had the underwear in my mouth. I had to take it out and I was just like, “Guys? I’m choking on this thing. If we’re gonna talk about it, can we, like, take five and then I’ll put it back in?” Yeah. It definitely was the most difficult… A lot of that gagging was not acting, it was very real.
Pophorror.com: Yeah, it looked pretty real! You said that this was your first role playing the leading man. Was there anything you did to make sure you were prepared for it?
Ben Kaplan: You know, not to spoil too much for those who haven’t seen it, but I did do some research on similar people from history – real-life people – that I could pull from. Then Chip, Morgan (Carter) and I met up a fair amount a week or two before the film and talked about character. There were a lot of conversations with Chip that led to where the character ends up by the end of the film. It was definitely those two weeks of meeting that helped me get ready for the role.
*After having our call drop, we got into a really fun conversation about what he was afraid of*
Ben Kaplan: I actually was just driving through some of where we shot the film, which is in the middle of nowhere. We went outside of town to film it, parts of it. The cabin is actually two separate cabins. The interior is actually a cabin in someone’s backyard, in downtown Columbia, Missouri. The actual cabin, the real exterior that you saw me walking in and out of, that was a hunting cabin. That thing is terrifying! They warned me that there would be a big rat snake in there and I wasn’t so worried about that. However, I’m not a big fan of spiders. I was in there and there was this giant spider, like probably half the size of my hand. It was scrunched up with a sack of eggs that looked like a golf ball underneath it. I was spending the day going in and out of this cabin and at one point I exited the cabin and went back in, and it was just gone. I was just like, “Oh no! I hope it doesn’t surprise me!”
Pophorror.com: I’m terrified of spiders and I don’t know if I would have been able to do it.
Ben Kaplan: Yeah. I’m not arachnophobic, but I’m probably not far from it.
Pophorror.com: Absolutely! They’re creepy… They move weird….
Ben Kaplan: Too many legs! They have too many legs!
Pophorror.com: Absolutely no creature in this world should have that many legs.
Ben Kaplan: Exactly!
*After a thoroughly entertaining conversation about that, we got back on track*
Pophorror.com: Ok, so a portion of this film deals with the dangers of online dating. Any experiences of your own that you would consider crazy?
Ben Kaplan: Actually, no. I have no online dating crazy stories. I hear a lot of friends’ crazy online dating stories. I guess I’m pretty boring (laughs).
Pophorror.com: No, it’s probably a good thing that you have no crazy stories! Also, one of the things that I noticed while watching the film was that sexuality had a lot to do with the lead-up and the terror of the plot. Many actors describe these scenes as extremely choreographed and frustrating to film. What was your experience with these scenes?
Ben Kaplan:Well we talked about it a lot, going into it. The set was very professional about it. The love scene that was shot was with just a skeleton crew. Me, Morgan, the director, and the cinematographer. The sound guy, Brendan (Davis), was in there and he wasn’t asked to do this, but he did his job with his back turned the whole time. (What a gentleman). Although, the day that we did the skinny dipping scene, it was so hot out that we just wanted to knock the scene out. It was so humid because we were right near the lake the whole day. Morgan, Chip, and I were like, “Let’s just get it done!” The whole crew was there and nobody cared. It was fun and it was an experience. I think it was like 105 degrees that day. It wasn’t that hot but the humidity made it feel that way. I can’t say I was complaining that I had to be naked on set. Not that I’m ever complaining to be naked on set (laughs).
Pophorror.com: So, what in your opinion sets Slasher.com apart from the horror movies being made today?
Ben Kaplan:You know, initially this started as a long, weird conversation that started with a joke between me and Chip. We were gonna make a different movie. We were disappointed that we weren’t gonna get to make something together in the next year because we weren’t gonna get the budget in time. In December of 2013, Chip, I, and the writer, Chelsea (Andes), did a short together that actually was in the same online festival that the short film that became the movie Lights Out (2016) was in. It was called Bagged. So in a conversation with Chip, I was like, “What if we made Bagged into a feature?” We laughed about it and made jokes about the twists and turns and all of a sudden it became a real idea. That was a big goal of ours. We didn’t want to completely deviate from what horror fans can come to expect from a film that’s made for horror fans. We wanted to make them think they are getting something that they have seen before and then turn it on its head. I know at least early on – and I feel like we accomplished this – is rather than having the damsel in distress running around, we were like, “What if it’s the guy running around terrified and half naked instead?” I hope we get to do a sequel.
Pophorror.com: Actually, that’s one of the questions that I had. You guys did leave room for a sequel, as most horror films do. Any plans for that actually happening?
Ben Kaplan: You know, we would really like to do one. If there’s an ability to make it happen we would definitely do it. We were actually joking about it over the weekend, saying that the sequel to Slasher.com is gonna be Slasher.gov. It’s gonna be a political thriller (laughs). You know, this film was initially a joke that became a real thing, so who knows? Slasher.gov in 2019, I’m announcing it now!
Pophorror.com: You mentioned it earlier that you were working on a project and I actually knew that because I did some research. I apologize in advance, I’m gonna butcher this name, the Sluagh? (only slightly butchered it, if at all) Is there any chance you can tell us when we could look forward to seeing it? It sounds pretty cool.
Ben Kaplan: We’re hoping to have it in festivals for next year. I’m actually rushing back to LA right now because we’re meeting up tonight to discuss moving forward. It’s currently in Post (post-production). I’ve seen a fair amount of the footage and it actually looks great! It’s a very different film from what I did with Chip. It’s a found footage film centered around the legend from Celtic folklore called the Sluagh. We’re hoping to get it out early next year for festivals. It’s moving along and it’s exciting to be doing it, to be making another horror film. I’m already working on another one with Chip. We’re hoping to be moving to production on something within the next year. We have a couple of ideas were kicking around. I’m writing a script with a couple of guys in LA. The one were actively working on is a horror comedy. Comedy is my background so I’m writing it with a couple of comedians but we’re pulling from horror a lot. Re-Animator (1985) is a big one were looking at. Not to say, what if Re-Animator was a comedy, but just the science behind it and what it means to play god, but from a comedic standpoint.
Pophorror.com: That actually sounds pretty interesting. You should definitely do that!
Ben Kaplan: Yeah, were working on it and pushing forward. I hope we get to make it sooner than later. We don’t have a completed script yet but where it’s at, it’s pretty funny.
Pophorror.com: I have one more question for you. What horror legend would you like to work with, since you were just in a horror movie and you’re working on a couple more?
Ben Kaplan: Oh! As far as horror legends go, I would love to work with Bruce Campbell! I read his autobiography as a teenager. He’s got Ash Vs. the Evil Dead now, which I loved the first season of that. I would LOVE to work on that show. So, as far as living legends go, I would definitely say Bruce Campbell!
Pophorror.com: Well, thank you so much for taking this interview, we really appreciate it.
Ben Kaplan: Of course, and again I really appreciate you guys helping us out like you have. The press has been helping open doors for us and we probably have a lot of screenings going out and it’s all thanks to the recent press, so thank you!
Pophorror.com: No problem! Keep us in mind for the Sluagh!
Ben Kaplan: Definitely! Absolutely! As soon as its ready to be viewed, you will be the first to know!
Thank you so much, Ben Kaplan, for doing the interview. We, at Pophorror.com, look forward to everything you do in the future. You are incredibly talented and should be very successful if you put as much effort into anything upcoming, as you did with Slasher.com.
