Do You Know the Bunny Man? Interview with Gabriel Howard

By: Myriam Akbar

As a lifelong slasher fan, I was immediately drawn to the poster of 2025’s psychological horror-thriller film Sugarcane. A man in a flannel and nightmarish bunny mask was reminiscent of 70s horror, putting it on my Tubi must-watch list. The plot follows the race against a Norman Bates-like murderer and trafficking survivor tracing a missing teenage girl, whose fate becomes increasingly formidable by the hour. Sugarcane was produced by the Southeast independent company, Postmortem Films and distributed by Los Angeles-based studio, Buffalo 8. Postmortem Films is known for their grim and gritty storytelling, which certainly speaks to the nature of this project. This is their feature film debut; however, they have eight additional short films.

I had the opportunity to chat with Gabriel Howard, the  “Head of Development” for Postmortem Films. He helps with the progress of all new projects, overseeing them to completion – from conceptualization, to a final shooting of the script. Howard is the writer of Sugarcane; although, this isn’t his first project or venture with the company. He is also attached to their previous short film, Internal Affairs. The key theme explored in their films is the various ways evil is expressed. “There is no one archetype of horror; in fact, it’s quite the opposite,” he says.

Although Howard lives in Florida, he was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He’s 24 years old and describes himself as “persistent, loyal, and soulful.” His earliest memory of discovering his passion for film and horror was when his father introduced to him the film, Alien. Howard found himself hungry for more similar stories due to the thrilling and horrifying nature of the plot. He has two favorite sub-genres, one being psychological. He lists The Silence of the Lambs and the NBC TV series Hannibal as his go-tos. His other favorite is creature features, naming The Thing as a monumental cinematic experience. As for Howard's passion for writing, it developed when he was a child. When his teachers assigned writing prompts that were only 1-2 pages long, he would ask for additional pieces of paper to extend it to 8-10 pages. “From there, I would find any and every excuse to break away and write,” he says. 

Sugarcane was directed by Pat Baker and primarily filmed in North Carolina, as well as Georgia. The inspiration for the film was webcam and live-stream culture, as well as how far we as humans will go against our own humanity to seek approval or survive in the world. “For me, the film explores how people can transform into horrific monstrosities when detached from their own humanity. The villain – the Bunny Man is an example of this: he is a reprehensible antagonist that has understandable human flaws and motivations for the horror he inflicts on others,” Howard explains.

In terms of writing, he says the biggest challenge was balancing sensitive subject matter and attempting to remain informative about this real-life danger. This, along with the goal of accomplishing something that’s entertaining was an obstacle. In regard to producing the film, last-minute changes with location or story sequences became a trial. “The best parts of the film-making process were how any problems that came up could help the film evolve into something better than what we originally envisioned. We had a wonderful cast and crew that contributed to the immense satisfaction of getting the project completed,” Howard shares. 

Since its release, he says that there has been insightful and gratifying support from the audience overall. “I am tremendously honored by the encouragement of the Indie film community, it only fuels us to make better projects moving forward,” Howard says. He’s excited to get right back into it and to give the audience another story from Postmortem. Currently their next feature film, Honeypot is in development with an estimated release in 2027. “My goals moving forward are to never stop creating and learning how I can be better at my craft,” he says.

Interview with Matt Schmidt of Acres Films

By: Myriam Akbar

    Meet 50 year old Matt Schmidt, a New York native who now resides in South Jersey. He’s a husband and father of two teenage daughters, script writer, and film director. I had the opportunity to watch his first cinematic styled project, Mr. Sandman which is available on Tubi. This horror film explores the ominous experiences of the nighttime, commonly perceived as sleep paralysis or night terrors. These episodes typically include a racing heartbeat, confusion, fear, panic, and crying spells. The plot follows a young girl attempting to survive until sunrise amidst nightmarish terrors brought on by Mr. Sandman. As someone who has grappled with the forbidding symptoms of night terrors since a child, I had a blast watching the film and felt compelled to reach out to Schmidt for an interview.

    Schmidt is one half of Acres Films, an Indie film company based in South Jersey. It’s named after the apartment complex where he grew up in and includes his producing partner, Brandon Burkley. When asked about his passion for film, he says, “I’ve been in love with it for as long as I can remember. The escapism of the movie theater experience as a child will never leave me.” Some of his favorite films are Jaws, The Dark Night, Dumb and Dumber, and The Empire Strikes Back. Schmidt’s love for horror began as a child, when he watched one of his favorites — Halloween. “I was about 5 or six and my parents were out. My cousin thought it would be funny to let me watch it,” he shares. “I had an immediate fascination with fear because despite being afraid, I couldn’t look away,” he says. Schmidt lists The Exorcist, The Shining, and Fright Night as other horror favorites. 

    Although film-making is something he has always wanted to do, he shares that the past decade of technological advancements has truly made it possible. His two previous films were found footage style, which he believes is a great way to start. “My heart is in cinematography, as I feel that’s where the emotions of a film are evoked,” Schmidt says. As for making horror films, he says, “As I got older I enjoyed the creativity it took to scare people, it’s a similar challenge to making people laugh.”

    The inspiration for Mr. Sandman came from several places, one of them being tied to early screen writing lessons. “One of the first things I learned when I started writing scripts was to make the story you’re trying to tell primal. What is more primal than the fear of the dark, especially for children? No matter what your race, gender or culture you were raised in – everyone was a child at some point and more than likely experienced that fear,” Schmidt says. 

    He explains that in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was missing film-making and felt compelled to work on a project. “I knew that whatever I did would have to be in a contained location, so I went with my house as the filming location,” he says. Although primal fear was a main goal, he didn’t want it to be the only aspect of the film. “I wanted to create an actual threat, but didn’t want it to be some random monster and one day it just hit me – Mr. Sandman, it was,” Schmidt says. “I knew most people could understand or relate to this concept on some level.The only thing I had to do was execute the film properly and hoped that people would enjoy it,” he adds. 

    The most fun and rewarding aspect of making Mr. Sandman was seeing a shot come out exactly the way Schmidt pictured it in his mind. “That’s such a creative high for me,” he says. The challenges were time and scheduling changes, as well as using one’s own home and daughter as the lead actress. “My daughter’s a full-time student, so week nights were limited and it was difficult asking the rest of the family to be quiet during filming,” he says. 

    “I’m very happy with the response to the film. I’m not sure that there’s a greater creative high than effectively accomplishing what you set out to do. I am seeing similar reactions in reviews, essentially people who feel that the film made them remember childhood fears,” Schmidt shares. His daughter, Hailey Kate Schmidt actually won an award for best child actor at the Atlantic City Cinefest 2024 – so you can most definitely say there has been many successes from the film. While Acres Films has no current future films in production, they are currently working on a cinema-based podcast with another friend. 

Interview with Writer & Actor Dom Penna

By: Myriam Akbar

Being a life-long horror fan, there’s moments where I feel like I’ve seen it all in terms of plot concepts. Every now and then, I am reminded how expansive horror is and am impressed by the creativity of writers who push for innovation in the genre. This has happened a few times in 2025, solidifying why it’s my favorite film category and filling me with inspiration as a writer. 

I got the chance to ask Dom Penna some questions about his upbringing, devotion to the craft, and inspiration for his new horror short Underbelly. The plot follows famed hit-man Carlo DiLorenzo, who finds that his latest target isn’t what he expects when a routine hit turns into a nightmare. This Neo-noir Mob/Supernatural Horror crossover is currently available to watch on YouTube.

Penna is a 29 year old independent writer, actor, and filmmaker from New York. However, he is relocating to Georgia to be closer to a growing film market where he can further immerse himself in the industry. He would describe himself as confident, passionate, and versatile. “I’m the kind of person who doesn’t wait for permission – I make things happen,” says Penna. 

Also known as HorrorMovieMafia on his social media platforms, Penna makes Tiktok content to directly connect with horror fans and build an audience for his work. His favorite part of that aside from instant contact, is seeing people react to the ideas he pitches. “TikTok has become this creative testing ground for me and it’s insanely motivating,” he shares. 

Like many filmmakers, their journey begins with the enjoyment of watching movies and derives from childhood memories. “I remember watching Scream way too young and being totally hooked by the suspense and atmosphere,” Penna says. He wasn’t just fascinated by the final product, but how films were made. He’d rent DVDs so that he could study the special features and director’s commentary. “I knew early on that I didn’t want to just watch movies, I wanted to make them,” says Penna. 

Although he considers horror his go-to genre and it’s the one that inspires him the most creatively, he is also drawn to crime thrillers, psychological dramas, and science fiction. He says, “I love stories that explore human darkness, trauma, revenge, and obsession.” He is motivated to build a career that stays within an emotionally intense space, regardless of the genre label. Penna wants to examine the darkness within us all in his writing, tackling themes of grief, vengeance, mental illness, guilt, and survival. “I’m interested in how trauma shapes us and what people are capable of when pushed to the edge,” he states. 

Underbelly was written, produced, and funded by Penna. He also played one of the lead roles, a character named Carlo. “It’s one of the most ambitious things I’ve done so far and it’s only the beginning,” he says. The story is inspired by his curiosity about what happens when organized crime is met with the supernatural. Penna describes the overall film-making experience as the closest thing to alchemy he’s ever experienced. “There’s something magical about watching your ideas become a reality on set,” he says. The parts he enjoyed most were hearing the lines he wrote delivered with emotion, seeing practical effects work in action, and knowing something raw and visceral was captured. On the other hand, Penna explains that the challenges were juggling his many roles in the project and working with a tight budget.  “Any obstacles made the result that much more rewarding. We pulled it off with passion, sweat, teamwork,” he shares. They most certainly pulled it off, solidified by winning Best Horror Short in the Valkyrie International Film Festival. “I’d like to thank my mother and grandmother for believing in me and my dreams. I want to be a staple in horror films and I’ll always keep pushing until that gets accomplished,” says Penna. 

Looking forward, Penna plans to continue to build his brand as a filmmaker that explores bold and original stories. Some of his goals are to work with streamers and studios, write and direct feature films, as well as create a slate of projects that are both emotionally resonant and terrifying. 

Creator Highlight: Interview with Ethan Keter

By: Myriam Akbar

Meet Ethan Keter from Texas, a 20 year old YouTube creator who has been making content since he was only 10 years old. His passion for making videos began through means of recording moments during hangouts with friends. His channel: Ethan’s Digital Diary includes opinions on television shows, acting skits, interviews with other creators, short films, and more. While his favorite part of making content is expressing his creativity, a challenge for him is overthinking the ways in which people may judge him. The internet can be a cruel place, so he relies on his friends and self-love to combat those anxieties. 

Keter recalls watching television and reading magazine interviews throughout his childhood, inspiring him to get involved with journalism. He says, “Looking at behind the scenes photos for shows and movies grabbed my interest to get the scoop.” His favorite part of conducting interviews is the opportunity to have in depth conversations and learn more about people thriving in the field. However the most rewarding part to him is, “talking to people who have gone through hard times, but still have a positive outlook on life.”

Keter lists The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz as monumental films that fueled his love for cinema. “I love the music of course, as well as the colorful cinematography and messages about self-discovery, acceptance, and friendship,” he shares. His favorite genres are drama, horror, and comedy. Aside from journalism and being a film lover, Keter has a passion for acting and singing. This can be seen on his YouTube channel in videos where he acts out scenes from television shows like Pretty Little Liars and films like Scream. “What I love about acting is being able to make people feel emotions; make them laugh and cry,” he says. 

Looking forward, Keter would like to make YouTube content as a career, interview celebrities for press, and direct films. “I would love to put together more short films, as well as a legit full length film with a cast. Some of my friends are interested in participating, which would be really cool. The hope is to get my film in a festival,” he shares. His biggest inspirations are Quinta Brunson and Issa Rae because they both started their careers by doing YouTube and ended up getting their own shows. What keeps Keter motivated is the overflowing support from friends and consistent positive self-talk. “I tell myself that at the end of the day, what matters is that I have fun and express my creativity. It doesn’t matter how many people watch my videos.”

Interview with Anthony Caban of Deadshot Films

By: Myriam Akbar

What is the significance of having support from friends during a breakup? Is this something society should hold with more importance? Actor and Director Anthony Caban, explores these questions in his upcoming Indie film Broman, dropping in 2026. The premise follows Walter/Broman (played by Caban), a comic book salesman by day and crime fighter by night. When his girlfriend dumps him to date a high alpha gangster, Doctor Destroyer, his anger prompts a need for revenge. One day he meets his neighbor named Hank, who expresses interest in becoming a superhero. Teaming up, they set out to defeat Doctor Destroyer. While Caban initially wrote the script for Broman, Danny Shidoshi (plays Hank/Wonderyouth) came on board to help co-write it. Matthew Thoman Komorowski directed the film, shot on Blackmagic and it was edited by Vandy Hoffman. The full cast and crew can be found on IMDB.com.  

Caban is a 26 year old New York native, who moved to Florida during his youth. Despite not being thrilled about the transition, he says, “If I didn’t move to Tampa, I wouldn’t have made the friends and connections I did. I also wouldn’t have as much motivation to make films as I do.” Growing up, he characterizes himself as a “quiet kid.” He attributes his passion for film-making and overall success to his family and friends. He spent a lot of time at his neighborhood theater as a child, sharing that his grandmother would take him on Fridays. Consistently watching films is what led him to the conclusion that he wanted to be involved in cinema, specifically being an actor. He lists: Shrek 2, Batman Begins, and Spider-Man as core cinematic memories that inspired him to make films. However, he lists The Dark Knight, Zodiac, and Shaun of the Dead as films that motivated him to take on roles. 

In terms of his acting career, Caban says, “I love playing characters that are diverse. I encourage people who want to act to take as many theater classes as possible. It can be expensive, so I also suggest watching as many films as possible and studying them.” Considering himself more of an actor than director, he shares that his favorite part of film-making is the collaborative efforts necessary to create one. 

Caban’s favorite genres are drama, action, thriller, and horror. Often considered a sub-genre of action, superhero films hold a special place in his heart. Being a major inspiration for Broman, he says, “I wanted to make a fun superhero movie, one that’s different.” He describes the nucleus of film as being friendship, something that has been critical for his well-being and personal development. “It’s Training Day, meets Batman. It’s about having a friend by your side when you get dumped by a girl who thinks there’s someone better than you,” he explains. On the other hand, he wants viewers to think on their own terms and interpret the film in their own way. Caban says the biggest challenge of making Broman was the budget and that a highlight was working with a XF artist. 

His previous projects are Hunting Season and Dead or Alive, both available to watch on Youtube.com. “Broman varies from my past films because I got the chance to work with new actors and we have much more equipment,” Caban says. “Overall, I just want people to have fun watching Broman. I think they will,” he adds. His upcoming film, A Broken Flaw of Marriage is in association with Six Fist Combo Productions and coming soon. However, you can watch the trailer on Youtube.com. 

The Most Anticipated Horror Films According to Content Creators

By: Myriam Akbar

In terms of horror, I feel this year has started off strong. I believe the genre is expansive and is most effective when incorporating other genres, because it allows for the exploration of deeper thematic concerns. Many films have been divisive among the horror community; for example, Presence, Wolf Man, and The Woman in the Yard. Although I very much enjoyed each of them, I see the amount of discourse as a good thing. We need people to keep talking about horror. To further the discussion, I decided to ask members of the content creating community: what horror films are you looking forward to and why? 

Creator Terrorble Reviews says, “I feel like in 2023-2024, we have entered a new golden age of horror with constant good releases.” He adds, “I’m excited to see if the trend continues. We already had a great start with Companion, Heart Eyes, and The Monkey.” 

The Overlook Podcast thinks 2025 is shaping up to be a “fantastic” year for horror. “I’m counting down the days for several releases. At the top of my list is Bring Her Back. The initial trailer has me thoroughly creeped out and eager to see more,” he says. “Talk to Me is one of my favorite modern horror films.” Chino Marin feels similarly, also expressing praise for 2022’s Talk to Me.  “It’s one of my favorite horror films in years. I've been a massive fan of directors Michael and Danny Philippou since their YouTube days. When they announced Talk to Me, I was very excited. So their sophomore release, Bring Her Back has a lot of anticipation coming from me,” he said. Sky T. adds his thoughts, “Talk to Me created something unique and exciting with demonic possession, being a metaphor for addiction. I’m excited to see what they’re going to do with familial values and foster parents,” he says. “I think the beautiful thing about horror is that it’s one genre that takes the most liberties with themes to ultimately create something fresh and exciting,” T. said. 

Ashley Castillo (also known as ashwednesday.23) is a massive lover of 28 Days Later, so her most anticipated horror film of the year is 28 Years Later. “I can’t wait to see what Danny Boyle brings us. With so many apocalyptic virus movies out there, I’m hoping there’s some refreshing aspects in this third installment,” she said. This goes for Alextheehorrorqueen as well. “The appeal of this franchise is the storytelling in my opinion,” she shares. “This was one of the first times horror cinema was introduced to the idea of fast zombies.” Hazelloveshorror says 28 Days Later was actually the first film of the zombie sub-genre that she enjoyed. “I feel as though the zombie trope is played out in the same way in almost every apocalypse movie, but this franchise really stood out to me,” she said. 

On the other hand, Kristie who is one half of In Love with Horror says, “Right now, horror hasn’t been “wow-ing” me the way I was hoping it would. However, I’m looking forward to seeing what the remainder of the year has in store for us. I’m most excited for Sinners, from Ryan Coogler. I’m already a fan of his work, so I’m excited to see what he does with this horror.”

Sinners is undoubtedly one of the top films the cinema community is looking for. The Reel For Real Podcast says, “This is my most anticipated horror film because it’s utilizing a rough time period for black people and making an adventure horror out of it, one where blues is the driving force. It’s telling our story through both music and visuals.” He adds, “Ryan Coogler is one of the most checked for directors in Hollywood. His success with directing Black Panther and Creed has the entire system of Hollywood and audiences ready to watch it. No one’s ever had it like that.” Sky T. is also looking forward to seeing this time piece. “It looks like Sinners will be an interesting take on vampires, utilizing a Southern backdrop in the 1930s and tying race relations into it. I’m sure Coogler will excel,” he said. Matt Lasley (also known as Reel Dumb), says “A big name director and a big name actor making a horror movie at this point in their career is impressive,” he says. Adding, “And it centers on the Black community, chef’s kiss! I’m also looking forward to Dream Eater, which I believe will reinvigorate the found footage sub-genre and if any style needs reintegration, it’s that one,” he said. 

Slasher lover, Armando Loera (also known as Slashinfinalboy) has been covering the new I Know What You Did Last Summer film since its announcement. “It was one of the first horror movies I ever watched as a kid,” he shares. “It gives us what I consider to be the best slasher chase scene ever. The Fisherman is also such an underrated villain,” he says. Thrilled to see the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddy Prince Junior, he says that he’s “Interested to see how their lives have changed after so many years and excited to see how their past doings has affected their lives.”

In terms of other slasher films coming out this year, Stephen Street (also known as ste.talkshorror) said Clown in a Cornfield because, “Who doesn’t want to be a friend of Frendo?” Brian Stevens is also excited for this film. He says, “I think Eli Craig is super talented and the early reviews have been glowing!” He adds, “I’m also looking forward to Marshmallow. The poster gives off major The Burning vibes.” 

“As a M3GAN stan, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of M3GAN 2.0.,” says Josh Levesque, a popular member of the horror community. He adds, “But I'm also a big time body horror aficionado and everything I've heard about Together tells me it's going to knock me out. Can't wait for that one!” TaryeaTalksTV is also excited to see M3gan’s return. “The trailer looks so fun! I really like how they’re upping the campiness. I think this film will greatly liven things up a bit more. I never could have expected that the sequel would be a sort of spy thriller,” she said. 

Jordan Peele, known as one of the greatest horror directors of the past decade has a new film coming out that has many eager to watch. Horror content creator, ScarePair shares his thoughts and personal reasons for excitement. “I’m looking forward to Him. I grew up playing sports, so to see horror and sports mesh — my two favorite things, it should be an absolute treat,” he said.

Content creator Santino Elias, a Final Destination super-fan, is excited for the new installment to scare a whole new generation out of everyday tasks. “It’s just such an interesting and nostalgic franchise. It flips the horror trope of involving a human killer and takes the genre to a whole new level,” he says. “Being a 2001 baby, it’s just the epitome of the 2000’s. I wish I could tell my 10 year old self before watching the 5th one, that it’ll be awhile for the next one to come out so sit tight and enjoy it!” Creator Hardlyyinsanee admits this franchise did the trick for her. “I’m excited because these films actually traumatized me. I still think of them every time I’m behind a semi truck or right before riding a roller coaster,” she said. A fan of the storytelling, Rojohn Johnson says, “I like the way there’s always at least one character who truly wants to save the other characters. The concept of not being able to escape death is so intense. This franchise has some of the most iconic scenes in the horror genre,” he said. 

Taking a look at Indie Horror, some creators shared their most anticipated films. GrubbyCole, who is a go-to for these kinds of recommendations, lists Die My Love and Visitation as two that he’s looking forward to. “I’m excited to see Queens of the Dead, directed by Tina Romero. I want to see what her fresh take is on something her father (George Romero) crafted so well,” he says. “Alpha is another one. I feel Julia Ducournau goes outside of the horror norms, as she did in her previous two films. I think she’s going to keep those elements to tell a different kind of story,” he said. Chris Short (also known as Short Scares) says, “There are several films that are earning a lot of critical praise on the festival circuit that have me really amped up. It really feels like a banner year for horror films. I recently watched It Feeds and absolutely loved it,” he said. Pretty Killer Podcast believes Dust Bunny, starring David Dastmalchin, will be an exceptional watch. She says, “I’m looking forward to The McKinney Family Home Videos Volume 2, which is a sequel to a newer found footage release. The first one truly scared me, so of course I’m excited for the next one,” she said. 

As shown, it appears there’s a wide range of horror films anticipated by content creators. From theatrical releases, to those in the festival circuit – I have a strong sense that 2025 will be one for the books! 

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