Over 100 years ago the story The Monkey's Paw was published. If you've read the story, you know there is no good reason to making wish with the enchanted, or cursed, item. However, there is always those who think they can get the better of fate and will attempt to get something for nothing.
We've Got a Monkey's Paw was screened at the 2019 FilmQuest film festival (website). It was nominated for Best Comedy and won Best Editing for short films.
Synopsis: Things get hairy when Zack convinces Jakki to spend the day making wishes on a Monkey's Paw.
This tightly told story gives a great comedic twist to the horror of the premise of the story. I recommend it for those who like a good laugh from a wonderfully made dark comedy. The film has been on the film festival circuit. It has been gaining a lot of laurels and I recommend you see it.
Zack Ogle (writer, actor, editor) and Aaron Pagniano (writer, director, VFX). Were kind enough to give some insight to their film and themselves.
What was the inspiration for We Got a Monkey's Paw?
Zack- Aaron and I wrote We Got a Monkey's Paw because we both love the horror genre, and we wanted to make some goofy, spooky hijinks. As well as being a co-writer on the film, I'm also one of the main actors as well as the editor of the film. It really was an incredibly collaborative process from beginning to end.
Aaron - Ever since I met Zack, I loved his charisma, sense of humor, and the fact that he can't die. I always thought it would be fun to put all of that into a short. That way we could prove that we're funny as a duo. We both wore multiple hats from pre through post-production and I think you can see our fingerprints on every aspect of the film, though we couldn't have done any of it without the excellent team of cast and crew that helped us along the way.
What project(s) do you have coming up you're excited about?
Zack- I'm the co-host of a queer, sex-positive comedy podcast We're Not Together with Zack and Haley where we gay-splain queer culture to a Straight of the Week. I'm also writing my next horror comedy about body dysmorphia, so that'll be a cheery fun one you can hopefully look forward to next year.
Aaron - I've got a finished feature that's looking for distribution and I'm itching to direct another. Currently I'm submitting another short film to fests and I would love to work with Zack again on anything and everything. We've got a sci-fi/comedy feature we're trying to get made and my producing partner Travis Campbell and I have a ton of other scripts in development with a diverse array of subject matter.
What was your early inspiration for pursuing a career in film?
Zack- I've always loved telling stories and making people laugh ever since I was a little kid. I used to try to get my brother and sister to act out scenes from my favorite movies with me. (It rarely worked out.) Luckily, I'm able to collaborate now with talented people that actually want to participate.
Aaron- I would say it is thanks in large part to my father, who was a huge cinephile. Late one night, when I was young, he showed me The Thing (you know, the cosmic, shape-shifting arctic alien that eats people) and I was truly in awe of its terror. Later, he showed me John Carpenter's The Thing (the movie) and I realized that I wanted to be a filmmaker.
What would be your dream project?
Zack- I'm currently working with a production company on a stage play I've been writing for the past year. Getting that up on its feet would be an absolute dream come true.
Aaron- Woof. I've always been a huge fan of comics and video games so I could name about a hundred of those that I would love to adapt. Honestly, though, all of my dream projects would involve high-energy, fun dialogue, and crazy camera moves.
What are some of your favorite pastimes when not working on a movie?
Zack- I'm an avid baker, I love games (both board and video), and every month I usually sacrifice a calf to the moon-god-who-has-no-name-lest-we-wake-him.
Aaron- I like spending time outdoors, playing games (board and video), and hanging out with friends. There is truly nothing better than friendship.
What is one of your favorite movies and why?
Zack- If I had to pick just one, I'll say Cabin in the Woods since it has so much of what I love about genre films jammed into one hilarious, gory package. It's the perfect blend of comedy and horror, and such a wonderful menagerie of all your favorite villains and tropes.
Aaron- Oh man. All filmmakers hate this question. It's so difficult to choose just one cut of Blade Runner. But OKAY, I'll go with Blade Runner: The Final Cut. I love anything that explores what it means to be alive through the lens of our darkest thoughts and then questions its own conclusions. Also, they fixed that shot of the bird at the end so it's the best cut.
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You can find out more about We've Got a Monkey's Paw from the following.
IMDb (link)
Facebook (link)
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