But the first time I was on a film set as a director, it felt like something snapped into place. I felt like that was what I was born to do.
Welcome to Hurwitz.TV’s Directors Interview Series, where we chat with some of the most influential filmmakers from all over the world.
In this series, you’ll have the opportunity to gain profound insights from the minds and creative journeys of these cinematic storytellers. Our goal is to explore the art of filmmaking, discover the inspirations and motivations that drive these directors, and delve into the captivating stories behind their remarkable works. From seasoned veterans to emerging talents, we talk about their artistic influences, memorable experiences, and the challenges they’ve faced along the way.
Today, I am joined by Tim O’Leary, director of the 2022 queer horror-comedy “The Third.” He is also the creator of the horror-comedy series Demonhuntr, available on HereTV and Amazon Prime.
Dennis: Thank you for joining us, Tim! To kick things off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
Tim: I was born a dirtbag from New Jersey, then I became a dirtbag living in New York, and now I’m happy to report I’m based in Los Angeles. Still a dirtbag, but at least now I’m a tan dirtbag.
Dennis: Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker? What drove you to pursue this career path?
Tim: I didn’t always know I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I was captivated by film since childhood. I made my first “movie” when I was 8 and my parents took my brother and me to Hawaii for vacation. I wrote a sci-fi horror script called “Aliens in Paradise” and cast my family members as the leads.
I was always a “creative” (cough gay cough) kid, and was interested in music, theater, drawing, writing, dance, etc from the womb. I spent most of my teens and 20s heavily pursuing theater, and even had a few plays produced in New York. But the first time I was on a film set as a director, it felt like something snapped into place. I felt like that was what I was born to do.
Dennis: What was the greatest piece of advice given by a mentor that shaped the artist that you are today?
Tim: I am truly, truly blessed in that I’ve had so many incredible mentors throughout my life and career. And as weird as this is, I have to shout out someone who did in fact mentor me very briefly, but whose name I never learned.
I had been living in New York for 8 years, and I was feeling pretty miserable. I’d long since fallen out of love with the city. I’d had a television pilot script of mine selected for a SAG reading, and there was a nice big crowd, which I hadn’t expected. The reading went well, and I got to talk with a bunch of industry folks afterwards, which was super exciting.
One producer asked me if I was more interested in writing for television/film or theater. I told him at that point, film and television were what interested me. He said that, in that case, I should move to LA.
It was like the fates had sent him there to give me permission to leave New York. It was exactly what I needed at the time. So thank you, random anonymous producer dude. Whoever you are.
Dennis: Which movies and filmmakers inspired you the most?
Tim: There are so many. I love Wes Craven so much because he knew the best horror had a bit of a cheeky sense of humor before anyone else seemed to. Jordan Peele is a phenomenal creative force who understands his craft like few others—he’s probably the filmmaker who excites me the most these days. Karyn Kusama will always hold a special place in my heart for the double whammy of Jennifer’s Body and The Invitation—two astounding horror movies that you would never guess were directed by the same person. Talk about range!
But to be honest (and I apologize if this is sappy,) the people that inspire me the most are the indie filmmakers I’ve come to know in the past few years. People whose names you probably don’t know… YET. It is SO HARD to make films. It’s impossible to describe. And they’re out here doing it. Nothing’s more inspiring to me than that.
Dennis: What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of making a movie?
Tim: The most challenging and the most rewarding parts are actually the same: finishing it.
I don’t want to keep harping on how tough it is to make a film, but hot damn, it really is. When anyone finishes anything, it’s nothing short of a miracle. So when it’s finished and I can sit in a theater and watch my film on the big screen—that’s far and away the best part.
Dennis: Let’s talk about your 2022 short film “The Third,” which is a fun one – I really enjoyed it! Can you walk me through your creative process in combining the horror and comedy genres with queer cinema?
Tim: I’m so glad you liked it! My brand as a filmmaker is Murder & Gay Stuff, which is obviously a cheeky attempt at conveying that I like to make queer horror comedies.
Jordan Peele said this way better and more articulately than I could, but he was talking about how comedy and horror have similar rhythms, in that the storytelling is all about slowly building tension and then releasing it, whether that release comes in the form of a laugh or a scream.
At our first screening of The Third at Eric Toms’ monthly event called the Night of Shorts Night (which all LA-based filmmakers should be submitting to!) there was possibly one of the best audience reactions I’ve ever seen. There’s a big weird twist in the last two minutes of the film, and as the crowd mostly watched in silence, one woman called out, “What the f*** is even happening right now?” followed by a huge round of laughter. Her reaction released the tension in real time. It was awesome.
Dennis: Lastly, name a filmmaker or an actor you would love to collaborate with and why?
Tim: There’s one actor I would absolutely love to collaborate with. His name is Robert Rice and he’s been seen in series like Miracle Workers with Daniel Radcliffe, Pink Collar Crimes on CBS, and Demonhuntr on HereTV, as well as commercials for companies like Geico and US Cellular, and films like Bloodsucka Jones.
I mean, I’m married to him, so I can probably just ask him over dinner, I guess. But yeah, I’d love to work with him.
