Welcome to another edition of SIX OF THE BEST, the semi regular part of BRWC where we fire six questions at lovely people. This time, we chat to Jordan Best, co-director of Mamiwata, the upcoming paranormal horror movie from Gabon Films.
What inspired you to make Mamiwata?
Danielle (my directing partner) and I were hands deep in a project we had already worked on together for about a year. While going through version after version of that script, I couldn’t shake a story she had told me about mermaid spirit sightings. People across Gabon had eerily similar stories about their encounters with a mermaid who had been good to some, and malevolent to others. And for whatever reason that really stuck with me. We thought about it for some time, and after lengthy research on the topic we realized this wasn’t unique to Gabon; people were seeing this mermaid — Mamiwata — all over Africa. It was soon after that we came to find out there is a huge worldwide built-in fan base and fascination for mermaids. So we thought, why not make a great movie that many can relate to globally? This is how Mamiwata was born — a creepy and thrilling tale based on true events.
So you plan to travel to Gabon for production. Do you expect a tough shoot?
Like any production, I’m sure we’ll have our share of challenges for several reasons. Most of us have never been to Africa, and we’ll be shooting in the heart of the jungle. So we’ll have to adapt to our environment while at the same time learn to work with one another to produce a great film. Having said that, we’ve put a tremendous amount of work into the script. The writer, Chris Farrentino, has done a superb job of getting the story just right. We’re now entering the pre-production phase during which we intend to do as thorough a job, to minimize surprises and headaches during production. The idea is to make the shoot as pain free as we possibly can.
Mamiwata has a very strong story, do you think that will help reach out audiences?
Absolutely. As soon as Danielle and I decided to make this paranormal horror movie, we set some ground rules. First we wanted a solid story. We’d seen horror movies that relied on blood and gore and those that banked on an infamous villain. We wanted something new, a project Hollywood hadn’t done before, and a movie we wouldn’t be scared to bring our families to. So we spent months interviewing countless people who claimed to have encountered the spirit, Mamiwata. They were doctors, politicians, lawyers, educators, villagers, people of all ages. We then researched Iboga, which has been identified as a potential cure to drug addiction. This is how we came up with the story we want to tell: four American students and their professor travel to the heart of the African wilderness in search of Iboga, a potential cure to drug addiction. There they unwittingly unleash the wrath of an evil Mermaid called Mamiwata. So far all the feedback we’ve received has been positive, we have a strong story. I’m confident that when the movie comes out the audiences too will love it.
So what are you working on at the moment?
Things are pretty exciting for the entire team. Production-wise we just started casting for all the lead roles and hiring for key production positions (cinematographer, composer, editor, etc.) We will soon begin storyboarding our sequences. We are also working on location scouting and logistics, especially since Gabon isn’t exactly next door. Everyone will need a passport and special shots to enter the country. Our marketing genius Tana, who’s the brain behind our gorilla marketing strategy, is focused on reaching fans worldwide. Mermaids are universal, and we believe our audience is located in all corners of the world. Tana and the team have their plates full reaching out to them in their respective languages from French to Spanish, Mandarin to Russian. Tana is really determined to build a fan base that reflects the world we live in and the many locations where mermaid sightings have been reported worldwide.
What are your top three favourite paranormal/thriller/horror films?
The Blair Witch Project, The Thing (‘82), and Diabolique (‘55) (don’t want anyone to get confused!)
Anything else you want to get off your chest?!
Our strategy is to engage the audience during the entire movie making process. Our marketing team is organizing a series of fun contests with free money, gift cards, and movie ticket giveaways. Anyone can enter to win now on our website at . Fans can also visit the film site www.mamiwatafilm.com for updates, info, and photos/videos from behind-the-scenes. They can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MamiwataFilm . Let’s bring this story to the world together.
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