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Crank: How did you get your start as a filmmaker?

Gregory Schultz: I started making films when I was around 12 years old with my friends. I was always making weird props. That’s why I gravitated to working in the art department.

2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.Next project is another horror short similar to this. It’s medieval themed with some interesting set pieces.10.Stay scared!

What’s something you’ve learned as a filmmaker? 

Nobody will ever tell you when to make your movie. You just have to start for yourself.

Where did the idea for NIGHT CRAWL come from? 

The idea for NIGHT CRAWL came from a nightmare I had about an underground-dwelling creature with really bad breath.

Where did you find your collaborators for this film? 

The collaborators on this were mostly art department friends and fellow filmmakers I grew up with.

How long — from start to finish — did it take to make this film?

Start to finish was probably about 6 months, but we only shot for three days. Time is your only friend when you don’t have money.

Where does your project usually begin and how does it evolve?

My process starts with production design and most people consider this last. I’m more concerned with bringing the viewer into a fun environment than telling a character’s story.

What’s something special you can tell us about the making of this film? 

Something unique about this film is that we built everything. It was done in an empty stage so everything you see we had to make. Nothing was given to us. There were no locations.

What would you tell first-time filmmakers ready to start on their project?

Don’t go too big. Don’t try and cram a feature’s length of ideas into a tiny short. Try to make a short that has one strong, small idea. 

What are you working on next?

My next project is another horror short similar to NIGHT CRAWL. It’s medieval themed with some interesting set pieces.

Famous last words?

Stay scared! 

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About the Filmmaker 

Greg Schultz is a filmmaker from the Ozarks. He recently won the Best Horror Spotlight Film Awards (Georgia).