Outside Culture with Frolic Pictures: An Interview with Jared Masters and Adam Tamberg
By: David Briggs
(Posted June 16,2014)
You'll never think of Hollywood the same. Not after delving into Frolic Picture's catalogue—a body of work that revels in the outside stance, and claims a memorable stake on the fringe of
Hollywood's mass offerings.
Many use Hollywood as shorthand for the billion dollar babies birthed from major studios and growing strong on countless screens around the world. The blockbuster, the remake, the reboot, the perpetual clichés that reassure all and prolong the fantasy that everything turns out okay. The PG horror flick.
But this idea of Hollywood is itself cliché. Outside the studios' walls, filmmakers are redefining Hollywood film, changing people's expectations, and shattering preconceptions with every new viewing.
Hollywood's mass offerings.
Many use Hollywood as shorthand for the billion dollar babies birthed from major studios and growing strong on countless screens around the world. The blockbuster, the remake, the reboot, the perpetual clichés that reassure all and prolong the fantasy that everything turns out okay. The PG horror flick.
But this idea of Hollywood is itself cliché. Outside the studios' walls, filmmakers are redefining Hollywood film, changing people's expectations, and shattering preconceptions with every new viewing.
Jared Masters is one such filmmaker. At the helm of Frolic Pictures, Jared and his team produce films that often draw their subject matter from the darker—and more entertaining—recesses of Americana. From white trash carny girls and deadly punkettes, to go-go girls and exploitation filmmakers, Frolic Pictures draw from it all.
And yes, they make them in Hollywood.
Speaking of his film philosophy and inspirations, Masters simplified things for IFO when we spoke on the phone: "I kind of just do what I do."
"I'm really inspired most by the forefathers of exploitation cinema like Jess Franco," he adds. "I've been watching a lot of them. I like erotic tales that are tasteful and have horror elements."
And yes, they make them in Hollywood.
Speaking of his film philosophy and inspirations, Masters simplified things for IFO when we spoke on the phone: "I kind of just do what I do."
"I'm really inspired most by the forefathers of exploitation cinema like Jess Franco," he adds. "I've been watching a lot of them. I like erotic tales that are tasteful and have horror elements."
Since 2010, when Masters moved from New York to LA, Frolic Pictures has been the vehicle that continues to blend elements of exploitation, carnival, burlesque, and B-movie horror into new form.
"I started Climb it Tarzan," soon after arriving West, Masters explained. The film "is kind of like a 1960s tribute to sexploitation, and that film had an all-female cast, and that just started everything."
Climb it Tarzan opened the creative gates at Frolic Pictures. "We've done six features now," explained Adam Tamberg, a producer with the company. "Three exploitation style 60's films and three horror films, and we just finished Deadly Punkettes."
Their Indy race pace of production is not only commendable for an independent crew, but also practical. "A lot of filmmakers seem to spend years making a film, and they spend years trying to get it out there," Masters explains. "But if it's not the hot ticket, it's not the hot ticket...a lot of times the first film is not going to be the lucky one."
And constantly working on new projects allows himself and his team to "perfect
the craft" of filmmaking. "You never know what's going to be popular," Masters
reminds us, so why not produce films on a perpetual basis? And watch the budget,
because "If you spend a million on a movie and it flops, you're out a million."
"I started Climb it Tarzan," soon after arriving West, Masters explained. The film "is kind of like a 1960s tribute to sexploitation, and that film had an all-female cast, and that just started everything."
Climb it Tarzan opened the creative gates at Frolic Pictures. "We've done six features now," explained Adam Tamberg, a producer with the company. "Three exploitation style 60's films and three horror films, and we just finished Deadly Punkettes."
Their Indy race pace of production is not only commendable for an independent crew, but also practical. "A lot of filmmakers seem to spend years making a film, and they spend years trying to get it out there," Masters explains. "But if it's not the hot ticket, it's not the hot ticket...a lot of times the first film is not going to be the lucky one."
And constantly working on new projects allows himself and his team to "perfect
the craft" of filmmaking. "You never know what's going to be popular," Masters
reminds us, so why not produce films on a perpetual basis? And watch the budget,
because "If you spend a million on a movie and it flops, you're out a million."
Jared Masters, Linda Blair, and Adam Tamberg at Shockfest
"I just kind of jump in head first, and just shoot it and get it done. I like to get the films to the marketplace."
To facilitate speed and productivity, Masters says that he'll often find locations available to him, and then write a story to fit the setting. "I work backwards," he says of this opportunistic approach. "We stay away from digital effects," as well, in order to streamline production time by shooting that which actually exists before the camera.
This philosophy stems in part from Master's appreciation for vintage film, a passion he and Tamberg have in common. Tamberg is an avid collector of hard to find "exploitation and horror" 18 and 35 mm prints. "There's a couple films I have pieces of that are technically lost films."
"We were joking about how people's eyes have been corrupted by watching HD," Masters said, speaking of today's fascination with capturing ultra-realistic cinematic images.
The "alive" look of film, as Tamberg points out, smoothes out some of those overly defined, hyper-real images. "I'd rather see film as an illusion, and dreamlike, rather than seeing reality. Seeing reality on film doesn't make much sense to me."
Thankfully, Masters, Tamberg, and those at Frolic Pictures are
maintaining that illusion for us all.
To facilitate speed and productivity, Masters says that he'll often find locations available to him, and then write a story to fit the setting. "I work backwards," he says of this opportunistic approach. "We stay away from digital effects," as well, in order to streamline production time by shooting that which actually exists before the camera.
This philosophy stems in part from Master's appreciation for vintage film, a passion he and Tamberg have in common. Tamberg is an avid collector of hard to find "exploitation and horror" 18 and 35 mm prints. "There's a couple films I have pieces of that are technically lost films."
"We were joking about how people's eyes have been corrupted by watching HD," Masters said, speaking of today's fascination with capturing ultra-realistic cinematic images.
The "alive" look of film, as Tamberg points out, smoothes out some of those overly defined, hyper-real images. "I'd rather see film as an illusion, and dreamlike, rather than seeing reality. Seeing reality on film doesn't make much sense to me."
Thankfully, Masters, Tamberg, and those at Frolic Pictures are
maintaining that illusion for us all.
