SCREAM COMES HOME: Exclusive Interview w/ Nate Ragon and Anthony Masi
Mike Sprague
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For those of you out there that might not know this about me, my favorite horror movie of all-time is Wes Craven’s 1996 meta-slasher Scream. And one of my life goals, since I was a wee one and watched Scream WAY too young, has been to watch the film in Stu Macher aka Matthew Lillard’s character’s house – or Casey (Drew Barrymore) Becker’s. Either one.
And today we have epically awesome news as it looks like two fellow Scream fans are attempting to make this a possibility! Yes, Nate Ragon and Anthony Masi have just kicked off a Kickstarter campaign to bring us all the opportunity to watch Scream inside the notorious house from the film’s final act!
And not just that, the guys are offering tons of killer perks and rewards along with tickets to the screening. So today we just HAD to make time and sit down with Ragon and Masi and find out all the details on their one-time ever Scream event screening, Scream Comes Home!
Dread Central: Can you tell us a bit about your Kickstarter campaign Scream Comes Home?
Nate Ragon: We are trying to raise $50,000 to throw the Scream event of a lifetime! We will be renting out the entire property for the event, which includes Stu’s house from the final third of the movie as well as two other smaller houses and two barns. Fans will have the opportunity to tour the house, as well as take a bus tour of all the other 8 filming locations from Scream. We also will be having a huge display of original screen used props and wardrobe from all 4 films. There will also be a screening of Scream on the property. And a few lucky fans will be able to spend the night in the house!
DC: How did this campaign/event come to be?
NR: Back in 2014, I went on the 2nd annual Camp Tour of the original filming location of Friday the 13th in New Jersey. I’ve always loved traveling to see filming locations, and anything from Scream was always a bucket list item for me. It was brought to my attention last year that Stu’s house from the film was now available to be rented out for extravagant weddings and events. Then earlier this year someone shared with me a photo from a wedding that was held there, and the bride and groom took photos in front of the house with Ghostface chasing them down. I realized that I had to reach out to the owners to see if they would approve a Scream event on the property. I contacted Anthony, whom I worked with on the documentary Still Screaming because we have remained close friends ever since and I knew he had experience in planning an event like this. He’s kind of been my mentor with every wild idea I come up with since 2011. Haha
Anthony Masi: When Nate contacted me, I immediately said that I would help. I have wanted to do another event like this for a very long time and nothing ever felt right to me. My first and only event is one that is replicated every five years now, and that’s the Halloween convention that takes place in South Pasadena. My event was in 2003 (it’s referred to as the H25 convention), and at every 5-year milestone it gets re-created, and that’s a wonderful thing for me to see all these years later!
DC: Why did you decide to use Kickstarter for this event?
NR: Kickstarter was the easiest way to do this because of the way the rental fees for the property works, and it was also a great way to gauge interest in the event.
AM: Peace of mind, really! Kickstarter ensures that the necessary funds are banked before you embark on the very arduous task of putting something like this together. For the H25 convention, we just started selling tickets and we didn’t know if we would sell 5 or 500, yet I had to sign contracts with two hotels and the convention center. That was a very anxious time for me, and fortunately, it all worked out. Today, we have things like Kickstarter that can ease the pressure a little bit. We are on Day 3 and we’re already at 32% of our goal. So far so good! By the way, I still get emails from people who attended H25, and most of them say, “It was the first, and the best”. That was 15 years ago!
DC: What are some of the perks our readers can get if they contribute to the campaign?
NR: 4. Currently, readers can get exclusive merchandise like t-shirts and cups and event posters. They can also get all day passes to the grounds, screening, bus tour, props display, and a few lucky fans will be able to spend the night in the house.
AM: We are also offering some new perks (pledges) as well over the coming month. Stay tuned for some cool stuff!
DC: How did you secure all of these classic locations?
NR: The majority of the locations are public places in downtown Santa Rosa (Woodsboro). Some homes are private and we are working hard to gain as much access as possible for the fans who take the bus tour.
DC: Have you guys ever produced an event like this before?
NR: I’m a virgin at this. Whoops! Did I say virgin???
AM: Halloween Returns To Haddonfield: The 25th Anniversary Convention is the only other one I’ve ever produced, although I’ve been asked to produce others. I won’t do anything that doesn’t feel inspired to me.
DC: Can you let us in on any of the surprises that may be in-store for our reader who contribute and attend the event?
AM: Nope, because that’s what surprises are for!!!
DC: Why produce an event based on Wes Craven’s Scream?
NR: Scream is my favorite slasher film of all time, and one of my favorite films of all time. The entire franchise and characters are very near and dear to me. I think this film is absolutely deserving of a huge event that honors it and what it did to revive the dying horror genre.
AM: I was thinking about how Wes might have felt about this event if he were still alive. When we interviewed him for Still Screaming, I gained an instant admiration for his recognition of the fans, and how important they are to the franchise. This event will figuratively put the fans smack in the middle of their favorite movie, and I think Wes would have really liked that idea.
DC: Which Scream sequel is your favorite?
NR: Scream 2 is mine, I find it to be an absolute perfect sequel. Somehow Wes and Kevin were able to create a sequel in less than a year that was arguably better than the original.
AM: Scream 2 for sure!
DC: Will this event be held next year?
NR: I would like to say never say never….. however, the reason we are putting so much urgency on this is because we were informed by the owners themselves that the house will be pulled from the market later next year so they can move into the house permanently. So its highly unlikely. We would love to do another one… but hey there is always Scream 2, 3 and 4 right?
DC: When and where will the event be held?
NR: October 27-28 in Santa Rosa.
DC: What do our readers need to know about this event?
AS: There are two must-have websites you must visit if you want to attend! To secure a spot at the event, you must make a pledge at our Kickstarter campaign here. To stay updated as the event nears, please bookmark the official website here.
DC: Finally, I always end with this question: What’s your favorite scary movie? However, considering the subject matter, I’m going to add the caveat “other than Scream.”
NR: I would definitely have to say Friday the 13th. It was the first horror film I ever watched. I was 8 years old. And it’s probably the only other horror franchise that I’m just as fanatical about. There’s just something about a slasher film that takes place at a camp that I love.
AM: My favorite horror movie is without a doubt the original Halloween. I saw it when I was 11 and it changed my life. I thought I was abnormally obsessed with it until years later I discovered legions of fans who felt the same. There is nothing better than feeling connected to people who share the same passions you have, and that’s why this event is so important. We promise to create the best event possible that is remembered for a lifetime.
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And there you have it. That should be all you need to know about Scream Comes Home. Remember to check out the event’s Kickstarter page to contribute and attend, and stay updated as the event nears by bookmarking the official website.
Will you be contributing to this event? Make sure to hit us up and let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
Thanks for stopping by and chatting with us, Nate and Anthony! Best of luck on the event from all of us here at Dread Central!
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