JP Bradham is a filmmaker, writer and producer based out of Los Angeles, CA. writing in the horror genre. JP has worked with notable screenplay writers as a part of the Sundance Collab program 4x over. As well as received mentorship with WGA members over the past decade.
indieactivity: How did you get into directing? How would you describe your style?
JP Bradham (JPB): I never really had the goal of “directing” necessarily. But, I’ve been really into theater, filmmaking and writing since I was a kid. I used to make funny plays and sketches with my brothers and make them act them out. When I turned 10, I asked my mom for a camcorder. So, we could record it, and we used to make things that we just thought were fun. Stuff that we could then watch with our friends.
I extended that to my friends and would take it over to their house on the weekend. We would spend the days just doing that. But, honestly I never thought to myself that I wanted to be a director. I just did it. I never went to film school and life took me off in many different directions. It wasn’t until much later in life that I landed a gig in the film industry working under a female director, Sophia Banks. That job opened the door to that interest I had in filmmaking and storytelling so I have her to really thank for rekindling that passion.
The Official Trailer for Consumed directed by JP Bradham
In terms of my personal style of directing, I don’t feel I could truly classify it. I like to think of stories as having a life of their own and developing it to communicate the message of that particular story. I do tend to aesthetically enjoy what I would say is a “light surrealism” when it comes to set design and lighting because I love the idea that you are making something people can watch and get a sense of something outside of reality. Maybe it’s because Dali is my favorite artist or that I love 70’s horror which is really “campy” and full of that sense of surrealism.
Do you hire a casting director, or do you cast yourself? If so, what criteria go into your casting?
JP Bradham (JPB): For Consumed with it being such a smaller passion project I just reached out to the cast on my own. I am sure for larger projects I would work with a casting director but at the end of the day I would prefer to spend time getting to know someone that I cast in my projects because I feel like film is such a collaborative thing. You need to work with people who get your message and that was everyone on this project.
What went into the casting process for Consumed?
JP Bradham (JPB): It was funny, like I said this was a film that was a passion project for me. It was the first film I directed too (officially). I’ve worked with great actors and have many friends in LA who are really talented so it became more of a curation of who would want to get involved and would they even agree to do this indie project? Surprisingly my cast were all really down to collaborate with me which really meant a lot to me — you put yourself out there when you decide to make something and it can be a little scary to navigate without support and having their support really gave me the confidence that we could pull this off.
Without giving anything away, tell us a little bit about the script, how did you come up with the idea?
JP Bradham (JPB): I’m a non linear thinker and I don’t come up with ideas all at once. I also tend to think about social issues or things that I notice are really non optimum and once I kind of get on a subject I go down a mental rabbit hole. I tend to think about it over longer periods of time and it snowballs. I’m not entirely sure that makes sense but it’s more of a description of how I came up with the idea of Consumed, which surrounds the idea of the effects of consumerism.
As a society we’ve created, at least in the Western world, this “instant gratification” for everything and we’ve continued to focus or rely on material objects for our happiness in life. But the more we order, the more we need to chase that feeling again. It’s a micro to what happens with heavier forms of addiction and I find it fascinating that corporations have created all of these methods for turning you into a consumer. This film explores those ideas and what happens when the consumer becomes the consumed.
Who is “Consumed” for? Who do you think would enjoy it the most?
JP Bradham (JPB): I wrote the film with the idea that it could hopefully appeal to people like me: people who love the surreal, horror, the darker comedic work that maybe isn’t entirely within one genre by itself. I say it’s a horror film because it is the closest genre to the film but I’ve had people watch it that normally hate horror that end up liking Consumed because of the message. I think I never made the film so people would like it, I made the film to get people talking.
How long did it take to shoot the entire film?
JP Bradham (JPB): We shot It over the course of two days, although, with this being an independent film I started creating and working on the project in any spare time I had to prepare for it which was over the course of several months. Without the pressure of having a “deadline” I could just focus on how I wanted it to be.
How long was the post-production process?
JP Bradham (JPB): Post took a little longer than we originally anticipated but it was only because we had to get VFX work done which I was grateful to find the right people for.
The film had a lot of talent working behind the scenes as DPs, sound designers, composers, etc. Why is diversity important both in front of and behind the camera?
JP Bradham (JPB): You need a lot of people to pull off one project. I also want to have people who bring their unique perspective and ability and the idea that everyone is the same or has the same experience or looks the same or grew up the same way doesn’t offer that.
As a female creator I have a different perspective on life but I am also not one to discriminate just because someone identifies differently. At the end of the day what really matters to me is: can you get the job done? Are you creative and do you bring something we haven’t seen to the table?
How long was the post-production process?
JP Bradham (JPB): We took a few months on it, again, mostly because we did need to get VFX work done and finding the right person to pull off what we had with the time and financial restraints you have on a short film really took a bit of research. I was really lucky to have had such a great team of post production collaborators including my editor K Spencer Jones who has been a real support to getting this done the right way.
What are your goals with “Consumed”?
JP Bradham (JPB): We are headed to film festivals with Consumed now and hope to get it out to as many that will have us. I’m currently working on a feature film script for it as well.
What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?
JP Bradham (JPB): I am first and foremost a writer and a producer so I’m currently working on several feature film scripts and I’ll be producing a few more projects this year but I would love to shoot another short film just because it was such a creative outlet for me and it brings me so much joy.
What would you recommend to a new director at the beginning of his/ her journey? Any special courses, workshops, helpful books they can read?
JP Bradham (JPB): Being at the beginning of my journey myself I can only say what I’ve done that I feel has really worked for me. I’ve worked up from assistant work in this field up through learning all aspects of film and set life. I got my hands on filmmaking materials and self study, I take as many filmmaking courses as I can and can’t recommend that enough.
It’s a great place to start if you are looking to write and direct your own work. And most importantly realize that you don’t know everything there is to know about filmmaking. Get mentors, reach out to filmmakers, shadow if you can. Take courses, watch Master Classes, decide you’re going to make something and just make it. Don’t care about if it’s “good” or not.
Who is your favorite director? Why?
JP Bradham (JPB): I love Dario Argento because his set design and lighting is incredible and I’m a horror girl but I also love George Romero because I am also a huge zombie fan. I really admire a lot of other directors, especially female filmmakers like Karyn Kusama and Jennifer Kent. I love seeing women in the horror space.
What advice would you give directors around the world?
JP Bradham (JPB): Write the story that you want to tell. Write what you know, the way you know it. Decide to make your film and make it. Throw out the inhibition and go for it.
Tell us what you think of the interview with JP Bradham. What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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