Hacker's Source
Interview (2001)
Issue #7

CONVERSATION WITH
Y2K:SHUTDOWN DETECTED
BY EVE BLAACK
1:1 films/A Gonzales/Shumway/Siderman production
When Slava Siderman contacted me asking me if I would review the film Y2K: Shutdown Detected I of course agreed to. The title made me groan. I was expecting a cheap shot at somebody trying to cash in on the now past and defunct Y2k scare. As I loaded the tape into my VCR I did not expect much. I had a very pleasant surprise as I sat back and enjoyed a short film with good acting, script and make-up along with a killer zombie! I found y2k to be low budget ingenuity at its best.

Y2K was started in 1997 with an original group of 8 heading up this project. Two years later only 3 remained who made the film on a budget of $2,400. Their dream of a full length feature film had been turned into a 22 minute short. Production began Aug, 9th 1998. The film was completed Dec. 17th 1999. As an extra bonus there is a way cool behind the scenes documentary after the film.

Y2K is a horror about the coming dangers of the Y2K bug. Kirkland Industries (bio-tech lab researching in DNA and cloning) hires Neil (played by Jason Fenton) to prepare their computers for the coming millennium. When midnight hits all hell breaks loose. The computers go berserk and the real horrors begin.

Visual effects: Trent Shumway
Photography: Slava Siderman
Music: Jeff Menke and Jason Gile
Producers: John Gonzales, Trent Shumway, and Slava Siderman
Writer: John Gonzales
Cast: Jason Fenton as Neil, Ellen Horn as Megan, and Leonard Clifton as Richie

Awards and Nominations

WORLD FEST FLAG STAFF
Bronze Award winner in the Short/Subject “Work in Progress” category (1999)

WORLD FEST HOUSTON 2000
Silver Award winner in the “Short/Fantasy/Horror” category (2000)

ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Certificate of Merit (2000)

B-MOVIE THEATRE FILM FESTIVAL
Nominated for Best Short (2000)

REWIND VIDEO MAGAZINE
Best Trailer (2000)

BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL
Best Special Effects (feature/2000)

RMA FESTIVAL
Nominated for 5 categories
Won Best Visuals & Best Visual Effects

INTERVIEW and QUESTIONS by Eve Blaack

You had to Y2K from a full feature to a short. What was the one thing you really hated to cut?

John:
Making it a short.

Trent:
I would have wanted the character development and plot lines more clearly drawn

Would you consider doing a remake as a full feature if you had funding?

Slava:
Only as Y3K!

John:
I agree with Slava.

Since making the short, have you come up with new ideas for it?

John:
Not totally, but it had so many revisions that I know more ideas would come up, since we last worked on it.

Slava:
John is correct we went through many versions of the story

John:
We once had hell on earth for a plotline. Demons vs. Angels

Trent:
Like we said before, we’d hash out more of the character development.

Each of you one by one, what is the most important thing you learned from this?

Slava:
As any low budget filmmaker we suffered through money problems, time, and commitment. All in all, I think this was a great experience in having a three headed monster do the film

John:
It takes a lot of commitment & time to create something and if you don’t have the right people involved, then your chances of completing it become smaller. So this was a very inexpensive film school for me. It’s not easy making a no/low budget movie.

Trent:
I learned the ins and outs of filmmaking starting with pre-production all the way to the final edit. I had never worked in production before, because my background was strictly post-production.

Are the three of you still friends now after its all said and done?

Slava:
Very good friends

What did you want to say with the film? Did you have a message you were trying to get out?

Trent:
There was no specific message, it was really us trying to find something to make a horror movie about, we knew we wanted monsters/action and a lot of effects.

Slava:
We used all the resources we had to their limits.

John:
Trent’s right, I just like monsters and science gone awry. It’s pure entertainment.

Were you afraid the subject matter of Y2K was saturated?

Trent:
I don’t think it’s over saturated I think the most extreme example would be our film. No one talked about the end of the millennium in zombie/slime creature/demonic babies

John:
I knew there was going to be a lot of films out there. This is why I approached Slava and Trent in ‘97, so we could get the jump on the whole end of the world theme. Little did I know it would take us 2 weeks before the end of 1999 to complete it.

Did you ever want to just give up?

Trent:
I did, and Slava and John wouldn’t let me.

Slava:
That’s pretty much true, I have never given up on anything but that was as close as it gets.

John:
We tied Trent up and tortured him to stay working with us.

Go back when the others walked away and let us feel what you went through?

John:
I was frustrated with one after the other leaving. I really wanted to make this movie.

Trent: At the time, it seemed like these people were leaving for all the wrong reasons, I think theu knew how long it was going to take and were no longer interested, and I can’t fault them for that. At the time it was frustrating because I knew the work load and the financial responsibilities were going to be solely on us three.

John: I knew from the beginning in talking to Slava and the rest of the original guys that it would be hard to do and that not everyone might stick with it.

Did you expect five to walk?

John:
I didn’t expect them to. These were/are all talented individuals. I knew that it would be something special if we were making something like this together.

Slava:
I expected some to walk, but not 5 people.

Do any of the five who left regret it now?

Trent:
I didn’t expect anybody to walk and I don’t think they regret it because I don’t think they have anything to regret. They just didn’t want to do it anymore.

Slava:
Trent is right, filmmaking is a full time commitment and a lifestyle so anyone involved needs to be in it 100 percent.

Have you received any negative reviews?

Slava:
The only negative review seemed to involve the film’s aspects we had little control over i.e. budget and audio character development.

Trent:
None of the reviews are negative in my mind. They point out the obvious short comings. I was just pleased to get reviewed and I think Joe Bob Briggs review is the most accurate. I am huge cynic so I expect people to rip on our movie because I know I would

John:
There are so many awards & accolades, that the negative comments I just take as criticism to build on and improve over the next project.

Slava: Honestly, I love low budget because it keeps you on your toes and lets your mind run wild with solutions and problem solving.

Are you three going to do another project together?

Slava:
Hopefully in the future we can collaborate on something because it was a fun thrill ride making Y2K together

John:
That’s something we’d have to discuss. I can only see us making something original and imaginative.

What are each of you working on now?

John:
I finished another feature-length comedy screenplay and I am currently doing some research while at the same time jotting ideas that pop in my head everyday.

Slava:
Trent and I are involved with an associate from Y2K (Tommy Watt) on an action/horror SOV feature.

Trent:
The current project we’re working on has far too much work to be completed before I can start on another project or consider it.

I talk to a lot of low budget film makers and it seems a key element most have in common is they started to write and play with camcorders at an early age. It seems like your born to do this.

Trent:
That’s true. I played around with all my friends making stupid movies when I was a kid and this is something I’ve always wanted to do.

John:
I related to Robert Rodriguez immediately after reading his book. I used to make videos with my friends and edit VCR to VCR and then have a good time watching them when they were completed.

Slava:
I didn’t touch a camcorder until I was 19. Once I did I never let go. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I love the creativity, story telling, and the family environment that low-budget filmmaking becomes.

Slava you have also been an artist since you were young, so you were being creative. You turned it to film making later on?

Slava: You’re right. Once I got the taste for moving images that was it.

I have also been on low budget movie sets and I have seen how it can become a family. There is a bond that forms. Like a common love for what your doing and sharing.

Slava:
On our sets, it was just us 3 and the cast and this atmosphere created an overwhelming bond between us.

John:
This is true. You become brothers & sisters and sometimes parents. It really does bring people together who are passionate enough, willing to make the sacrifices for each other to create something of your own.

Trent:
It is amazing to me working on this how much the cast wanted to be involved and how much of their time they’re willing to give up and I am grateful for that. When you start and say you’re going to make a movie people expect it to be short process and a fun ride all the way through.

Let’s talk about something that stands out to you from the set.

Trent:
There was a moment that happened between me and the make-up artist. We had applied almost all the make-up of the zombie, at his workshop in Van Nuys. The workshop was extremely hot and we had to keep the large doors open for ventilation. Because of that, someone wandered in the shop, asking to use the phone due to car problems. He didn’t see us yet, and we could just hear him, so we thought it would be really funny if I turned the corner in full zombie make-up telling him he could use the phone. We figured he would jump out of his skin. He never batted an eye and thanked us and proceeded to use the phone

Slava:
One of my favorite moments was watching Leonard Clifton pistol whip the zombie/Trent, over and over again. All of a sudden, our zombie began to speak and pleaded with Leonard to stop beating him for real.

John:
It was also fun watching Leonard spinning the gun in the bathroom and watching it fly out of his hand into the sink.

Slava:
I also loved when our actors had slime put on top of them. Their reactions were very genuine because they didn’t expect the mess involved.

Are you surprised at the attention you have received?

Trent:
Yes, all of the attention, reviews, and awards took me by surprise and I thank everyone for their support. You make filmmaking worth it.

John:
Absolutely. first of all, it wouldn’t be possible without having the PR man, Slava hustling on the internet. I am extremely grateful for the response both positive and sometimes not-so-positive.

Slava:
My daily routine consists of web surfing for festivals, websites, magazines, and dedicated horror people as yourself Eve.

Trent:
Slava finds anything we can enter the film in. If there are 3 guys in Houston in their garage that will accept it, Slava will send it

Slava:
Yes I will and I have. I am thrilled with any feedback

It has paid off well as far as I can tell. Have you made your money back on it?

John:
What money?

What advice from what you have learned do you give new film makers?

Slava:
Pre-production, pre-production, pre-production

John:
Stay focused, stay calm, and stay away from quitting.

Trent:
Work within your means, within resources, and appreciate and respect any time any one offers you. If you’re not having fun, stop doing it.

The New Chapter
In early July of 1999, Slava Siderman and Trent Shumway were approached by two aspiring filmmakers about shooting their vision. Tommy Watt and Todd Crawford had a Action/Horror idea with many twists and turns. Originally this project would incorporate the talents of Trent and Slava as co-directors and encompass same responsibilities they had on Y2K: Shut Down Detected. Couple of months into pre production, Todd decided he only wanted be involved in acting and script development of the story. The three remaining filmmakers decided to Write, Produce, Direct, and edit the feature together. During production Tommy was involved in the acting and production managing aspect, Slava was behind the camera, and Trent was the Visual Effects artist.

The New Chapter puts together again three filmmakers who met on the highly acclaimed and Award winning short Y2K: SHUT DOWN DETECTED. Tommy Watt was the Associate Producer on the film while Trent Shumway and Slava Siderman co-directed it with John Gonzales. During the editing process of A 2 Year Journey: The Making of Y2K, they began pre-production and script development. The New Chapter would be their Feature Directorial debut. In an unorthodox 3-way Directing ... CERBERUS FILMS was formed.
Before beginning work on The New Chapter, the three shot a 2 1/2 minute short on DV, for testing purposes, entitled 2 1/2 Minutes of Unprovoked Violence. As the name states this was clearly the goal of the filmmakers. They tested out various camera and special effects techniques

Article pages:
Mention on the cover, pages 11-14, 46