Filmmakers Mischa Perez and Richard Myles of Viper Productions got in touch with comments and some exclusive photos from their new fright film MENTAL SCARS, which was lensed in Indiana and recently premiered in Raleigh, NC. The movie stars Myles (who has previously played Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees in fan films) as David Taggart, the last survivor of a massacred Native American tribe who lurks in a junkyard built over his people’s burial ground, and murders unwary intruders.

“MENTAL SCARS was a monumental project for me, because I played so many important roles in addition to David Taggart,” says Myles, who also scripted the movie with John Dalton, composed the score and was one of the executive producers. “I had to get used to wearing the makeup and bandages all over my face. We shot the film last May, so the weather was fickle. I have never done anything to Mother Nature for her to be so mean to us! Sometimes it was nice and cool, other days were scorching hot. To wear all the black attire in conjunction with the facial makeup was unbearable at times; I kept on thinking to myself, ‘When is this going to be over?’ The first time I began to put aside my troubles about this discomfort was after I saw how incredible the dailies looked. I was in total disbelief and shock with the level of clarity, crispness and overall professional cinematic feel they exuded. That was definitely the pivotal realization for me that we were shooting a ‘real’" film. Subsequently, I learned how to cope with the makeup, and just become David Taggart, and boy, was that a lot of fun!”

“MENTAL SCARS was a huge undertaking,” seconds Perez, who directed, photographed and edited the movie in addition to also serving as an executive producer. “Both Richard and I found it quite amazing; most people don’t realize the amount of laborious hours it takes to make a film. It’s even more challenging when you have a small crew and limited budget. I’ve noticed that many moviemakers use the term ‘film’ quite loosely—and incorrectly, for that matter. Most young independents shoot on video, whether it be hi-def or digital—but it’s still not film! Shooting on 35mm is truly a whole different world. The amount of people and equipment you need, the level of skill and expertise required to fine-tune your vision, and the incredible patience you must adopt and endure working with 35mm is an unforgettable experience! I do believe that the digital format is great, but there’s still nothing like actually shooting on film.”

“I now have a much greater appreciation for all movies shot on 35mm,” adds Myles, “because I know the laborious energy it takes to make one. You have a certain look you want to achieve, and you need to work in concert with your cinematographer, special effects artist, editor and sound people. Mitchell Lipsiner was our DP, who brought 35-plus years experience to our film, and believe me—it shows. Then we had an incredible special effects supervisor, Michael Jones, who made the Native American scenes so authentic that I had to constantly remind myself they weren’t real. The wonderful Jennifer Smith took care of the cast’s makeup, and got everyone looking like Hollywood material. Our editor Phil Clark did an amazing job putting the pieces together, and our incredible sound designer Benjamin Martin put MENTAL SCARS into 5.1 Surround and edited a killer trailer [see it below], which sparked interest from professionals from all over the world.”

Myles himself wound up assuming the role of composer strictly for budgetary reasons; he admits that prior to taking on MENTAL SCARS’ music, “I had no experience playing an instrument. When you make an independent film, you have no choice but to force yourself to adopt new trades. One day, I got on my Mac computer and started playing with the keyboard. Before I knew it, I began making loops, and two months later I ended up composing over 100 tracks. The miraculous thing is that it matched perfectly to what Mischa and I had envisioned for the film. The whole experience was a major shocker for me, especially when professional critics who screened the film complimented the score. This whole experience has taught me an invaluable lesson, and that is: You never know what talent lies beneath the surface—all you have to do is believe in yourself.”

The cast of MENTAL SCARS also includes Teresa Alexandria, 48 HRS.’ Sonny Landham, Chris Elbert, David Lammert, Rebecca Ogoman and Chelsea McLean, and Perez praises their adaptability to the vagaries of low-budget production. “Despite the constant script changes, the cast never fell behind, and mastered their new lines as quickly as we could dish them out. They really pulled this project off on a level I was not expecting.”

“I really enjoyed working with Sonny Landham, who plays my father, Chief Bear, in the film,” Myles says, “because he was a gentle giant who became a paternal figure to me. He was the nicest, most humble and down-to-earth individual you could ever meet. It was really strange to sit next to him while we were both getting our makeup done, thinking that this guy had been in PREDATOR!”

MENTAL SCARS is currently shopping for distribution, and Perez reveals that a sequel is already in the works to continue David Taggart’s murderous misadventures. “I commend everyone who really put forth the effort to make an incredible film,” Perez says, “and some of them will hopefully be returning for part two.” You can see MENTAL SCARS’ official website (which will soon feature an interview with genre fave Michael Berryman on its Press page) here.

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