Nick Phillips Talks Short Film Jezebel; Exclusive Stills and Poster Reveal
With the short film Jezebel, long-time producer Nick Phillips’ second foray into directing has been named an official selection of 2016’s venerated Telluride Horror Show Film Festival. We caught up with the filmmaker to discuss the project.
Read on for a look at some exclusive stills and new poster.
Phillips, whose career as a film producer stretches back twenty years (fifteen of those first as a studio executive with Dimension Films and Screen Gems and the past five as an independent producer with Revolver Picture Company, the company he co-founded with producer Kelly Wagner), said of his inspiration for the ten-minute Jezebel, “Branching out into directing seemed like a logical extension of my prior experience. I really wanted to expand my skill set as a filmmaker.”
Produced and directed by Phillips from a script by Claire Dellamar (who also produces and stars), the film revolves around the titular and seemingly lonely prostitute in the early 1900’s, who draws men to her flat with sinister plans in mind. Actors Tyler Johnson, Brian Flaccus, and Dylan Rourke join Dellamar in the cast with Carlos Aragon also producing.
With Phillips’ directorial debut, the short film Primrose Lane (in which two teenage sisters in 1970’s suburbia take an 8mm camera into the long abandoned house at the end of their block; you can see that below) having premiered at Telluride in 2014, the filmmaker is proud of the fest’s selection of his latest.
“It’s really one of my favorite festivals, and we are honored that Jezebel played there,” said Phillips.
Added Dellamar, “Pulling off a period piece on a tight budget and schedule is no easy feat, and the cast and crew did an amazing job of bringing it to life, so it’s wonderful to see that recognized.”
As for what attracted him to the material initially, “It was the deeply intense loneliness of this character,” offered Phillips of Dellamar’s script,“someone who, no matter how hard she tries, is destined to destroy everything she loves, and in a violent and profound way.”
Added Dellamar, “I loved the idea of this monster disguised as a delicate, vulnerable woman. And these unsuspecting men, thinking they are going to have their way with her, when they’re really walking right into her trap.”
Next playing NYC Fright Fest during Halloween weekend, Jezebel was lensed by director of photography Timothy A. Burton, who also shot Beneath and Pet, two features produced by Phillips (the former of which received a bevy of awards from the lauded Screamfest Film Festival and the latter being released December 2nd from Samuel Goldwyn/Orion Films).
With Phillips and Dellamar having developed Jezebel into a six-part limited series (with a pilot script and series bible), Phillips said of his intended plans for the property, “We’ve had several people tell us that they wanted to see more of this world, so we had a lot of fun expanding it and continuing Jezebel’s story. We’re preparing to take it out as we speak.”
Phillips promises Dread Central the Jezebel exclusive once the film hits the interwebs. In the meantime, have a look at Primrose Lane and one more still from Jezebel plus the poster below.
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