By Russell Florence Jr.
Collin Brazie, a Brooklyn-based cinematographer/director of photography who grew up in Vandalia, is excited to have his latest film “Blackout” screen at The Neon in downtown Dayton on Friday, April 5.
Written and directed by indie horror veteran Larry Fessenden, “Blackout” is a thriller set in the small town of Talbot Falls. The plot concerns Charley (Alex Hurt), a fine arts painter convinced he’s a werewolf. According to the synopsis, Charley “can’t remember the things he’s done but the papers report random acts of violence taking place at night in this small upstate hamlet. Now the whole town must rally to find out what is tearing it apart: mistrust, fear or a monster that comes out at night.”
“Instead of the traditional jump-scare or super dark and moody slasher film, this film is more about the characters and the small town in which it takes place,” said Brazie, 38. “Its (focus) is Charley who is facing moral dilemmas and other issues.”
“Blackout” was shot in October 2022 in New York’s picturesque Hudson Valley and premiered last July at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It continued to make its way through the festival circuit last year and was most recently screened in New York City with an upcoming engagement scheduled in Los Angeles. The film is also slated to arrive on digital platforms next week.
Brazie, a Chaminade Julienne High School graduate, received his MFA in film production and cinematography from the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University in Orange, California. He specializes in narrative, documentary and branded content. His previous projects include “Retake,” “Last Call,” “Empire” and “Foxhole,” which were all screened at The Neon.
As a fan of horror and having worked on previous short films and features in the genre, Brazie said he was eager to join “Blackout,” which was made for less than $1 million. But he also acknowledged the challenges of working within the rigors of independent filmmaking, particularly shooting quickly across multiple locations.
“We had a lot of locations and a lot of speaking parts,” he explained. “There were probably 30 speaking roles and it also felt like we had 30 locations. Obviously when you have a smaller budget and a smaller timeframe and small amount of shooting days, it makes the (project) a tall task. On some days we would have two or three location moves, which turns the day into a big time crunch. Having so many locations was very unique to this project, but we also wanted to tell the story as beautifully as possible through the photography and the performances by the actors.
In spite of aforementioned hurdles, Brazie’s love of independent film runs deep. His next indie horror film will open the Chattanooga Film Festival in June, and he has a profound respect for the inherent authenticity associated with independent films.
“There is an authenticity to independent film that I find more appealing than studio films,” Brazie said. “Studio films can also be authentic, but the creative freedom in independent film allows for authenticity to really bleed through. Independent film creators are able to tell the story they want to tell the way they want to tell it.”
He’s also pleased to be able to participate in a Q&A following Friday’s screening, specifically having grown up being inspired by so many films at The Neon.
“The Neon helped shaped the way I view films and storytelling,” Brazie said. “It’s always a real dream come true to be able to come back and show films and do Q&As at The Neon. I’m a big advocate of the theatre experience, going to see movies at the theatre. Streaming isn’t going away anytime soon, but I feel there’s a push to get back to theatres, to have a communal experience, and I hope that continues at The Neon.”
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