When Fantasy Fades to Spectacular Black
Creating narratives that rise up on a silver screen is quite the gift. Not every day do we get the privilege of interviewing an award-winning creator hailing from the film side of fantasy! Korea Black -- our guest today -- writer/director, creates not just any fantasy. These unique films, as our guest explains, run "thematically counter-culture in tone to what society consumes today."
We are delighted to introduce this bold writer of dark fantasy, dystopian fiction, science fiction and supernatural film. Originally from Northern Virginia, now lighting up the world in Las Vegas, Nevada, he and his films expose the world for what it is. His common themes show survival by any means necessary.
As fans of his work here at WFC2020, we might have tried to get him here for an interview by any means necessary! We're happy that he made it simple for us though. Regardless, we're honored to introduce Korea Black and his films to you today!
WFC2020: Thank you for joining us in a more two-dimensional format than viewers are used to experiencing your work! There are so many different aspects of creation when it comes to what you do! If we threw the question of "first" your way, what aspect comes to mind?
Since I’m a filmmaker, I’ll speak on this issue in regards to filmmaking. I made a film called “Adversary” back in 2018. It’s a post-apocalyptic, supernatural, science fiction western. In 2019 I started submitting it to various film festivals around the world. The film ended up gaining several awards and nominations for the best fantasy, best science fiction and best drama categories. It was an amazing experience which caused me to create a sequel film called “Adversary: The Wicked and the Dead”.
WFC2020: How thrilling to experience such positive feedback on your first film that it spurred a sequel! What else do you have on the drawing board?
I have two film series that I’m currently working on and a stand alone film on the way. I mentioned “Adversary” but I also have my “Dead Souls” series, which has also garnered awards and nominations. The next film in that series is called “Dead Souls Black” which is about a mercenary soldier that has been kidnapped to another planet by supernatural means. The stand alone story is a supernatural, science fiction film called “Phantom”. That film has to do with a pair of time travelers from an alternate dimension hunting a fallen angel. That should be out sometime next spring as well.
WFC2020: The concepts sound like winning features already! We can sense our readers starting to morph into film viewers while they wait for WFC to start! What about you? Have you participated here in the convention before?
This would be my first time attending the World Fantasy Convention. But I’m a huge book reader so I’m looking forward to being a part of the event.
WFC2020: As a reader yourself, you must have an invested interest in story telling! Would you mind telling us a little bit more about the story inspiration behind one of your films?
The “Adversary” story takes place after a cataclysmic supernatural event ravages the earth. It essentially remodels the planet into a bygone age. First becoming sort of a barbaric era and then progressing into more nineteenth century American style western period. But in this remaking of the time period, the supernatural and science fiction co-exist as one. The inspiration for this story came from my love of the supernatural, science fiction, and American western genres. Rarely have I seen a film combine all three genres into a single storyline. And I felt it was the type of genre mixing that very few filmmakers have an actual interest in pursuing. So one day I sat down and started imaging, what if Clint Eastwood had to deal with fallen angels or supernatural bounty hunters. And from that came “Adversary”.
WFC2020: Brilliant! What a great cocktail of genres! With so many things on the drawing board for you, it might be easy to get lost in the projects. In a one shot, what would you say you're working on right now, so viewers can get excited?
Right now I’m working on “Dead Souls Black” and then I move on to “Phantom”.
WFC2020: We'll look forward to that then, and let you get back to filming! While we'd love to keep you here forever, we know you've got a lot to do with all your hats: producer, writer, editor, and the list goes on. What would you consider your closing credit message to our blog readers today?
I cannot tell you how happy I am to be a part of this event. If I had to choose between living in my current reality or living in a fictional fantasy setting, I would absolutely choose to be in a fantasy world 100 percent of the time. And to get the chance to talk with creative and like minded people is a honor and a pleasure.
WFC2020: It is a pleasure on our end as well, we can assure you, with 100 percent agreement about choosing that fictional fantasy setting! Where can we and our readers find you on the Internet while we're browsing for more of that fantasy to enjoy?
I can be found on my Korea Black Productions facebook page or my Korea Black IMDb page. There you will find my film trailers, screen shots and more information about my films.
Korea Black Productions https://www.facebook.com/KoreaBlackProductions/ Korea Black https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10255484/ Adversary https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9282628/ Adversary: The Wicked and the Dead https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11497488/ Dead Souls: Apocrypha Black https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10869758/