“PIG KILLER” (2023) GIVES A NEW INSIGHT TO A CANADIAN KILLER
Courtesy of IMDB
True crime has been on the rise as a high interest in most people these days. It has become a staple within pop culture in a way that many horror movies, podcasts, documentaries and more are dedicated to it. Something about the macabre of real-life crimes adds an extra sense of fear into us knowing that it really happened. It gives all of us horror/true crime fans the extra thrill of fear that we may not get from the average horror film we may see in theaters.
It is insane to think that true crime fandom goes all the way back to the 1960s. Granted, the internet wasn’t anywhere near to existing at that time so there wasn’t much notice of the fandom. Yet, there were plenty of news stories where people will line up bright and early like it is a Black Friday sale just to get a chance to sit in the courtroom. Now, thanks to modern technology we all just stream the court proceedings, police interrogations and even hear in depth narratives via podcasts that will give us details that normally no one would have had the chance to know of 50-60 years ago. Not to mention we have cold cases that are being reinvestigated due to the advancements in modern technology.
This fascination is almost like the old days of early settlements telling ghost stories or folklore around a campfire, scaring and thrilling all those who surrounded the fire. There are even people who consider themselves “armchair detectives” who dive into these cases way too much in order to provide “help” towards avenging the victims of these horrible crimes. Thankfully horror movies are the perfect genre to host these unique real-life stories.
Recently, I got the chance to check out the independent film “Pig Killer”. This movie stars Jake Busey, Lew Temple, Bai Ling, Kate Patel, Ginger Lynn, and Cyril O’Reilly. The synopsis for this movie is:
“Inspired by the terrifying story of Robert “Willy” Pickton, the pig farmer cum prolific lady killer whose horrific crimes shocked the world. “Pig Killer” graphically depicts the rape, torture, slaughter and dismemberment of forty-nine young women on a pig farm. With his herculean hog, Balthazar by his side, Willy and his menagerie of colorful cohorts terrorize Vancouver’s seedy downtown until his arrest which uncovered a horrific series of brutal Canadian murders.”
I got the opportunity to sit down with the writer/director of this independent film Chad Ferrin, as well as the producer and star of the movie Kate Patel, who plays Wendy Eastman. I very much enjoyed the chat we had deep diving into the process they had with making this film and how the idea of making a movie about Robert “Willy” Pickton came about.
Courtesy of IMDB
MD: As an avid horror movie fan and true crime fan I have got to ask, what got you interested in writing/directing a movie about Robert “Willy” Pickton?
CF: That was all Kate. It was her brainchild. Jeff Ollen, who is a friend of mine and Kate’s introduced us and she pitched doing a film on Robert “Willy” Pickton. I found it to be totally interesting. I read up on him, watched a couple of documentaries, and started writing the script for it. Then I sent her the script and she dug it and now here we are.
MD: So, Kate what about the Robert “Willy” Pickton story inspired you to approach Chad with this?
KP: I was living in Vancouver during the time he got put on trial. I mean it was a pretty chilling event for everyone. Canada isn’t really known for that kind of thing. Probably the darker side of me took an interest. The story really drew me in. I wanted to try and write a script for it, but I felt this was going to take me 15-20 years to write. I talked to Jeff about the idea, and he suggested Chad meet with us and go from there. I don’t know if I would have written the same script but ya.
MD: What changes would you have added to the script?
KP: I would have done a totally different vein of storytelling. I liked how Chad wrote it and how it turned out. He kind of made it great and I was surprised in a good way with how everything looked in the finished product. If anything, I would have probably gone darker with the story in the script.
Courtesy of IMDB
MD: Kate you ended up having a dual role in this movie. Not only being the executive producer but also starring in it. How did you get into the proper headspace to manage them both separately but equally?
KP: I didn’t know what I was getting into. I was new to both acting and producing. Thanks to the guidance of Jeff, Chad, and everyone involved in the film helped me learn a lot about the process to do both. Jeff ended up taking a lot of the producer end of things for me, like the heavy lifting portion, so I can focus on the role more.
MD: Kind of the same question to you Chad. You also had dual roles as the writer/director. How did you work both roles?
CF: Well having done so many of these much lower budgets and shooting shorter films helped with this. This was a longer shoot than most. We shot a 130-page script in 12 days. Normally I shoot a 90-page script in 10 days, so it kind of worked out fine. For me, it is always about getting as much as you can off of the page in the 10-12 hours of filming each day. I am pretty acclimated in that fast way and getting what I want in that way. Seeing as I edit all my films, I am able to know exactly what is needed for the shots, takes, and all the different stuff we need.
Courtesy of IMDB
I am just used to that shooting style. I enjoy the fast-paced shooting style and getting it out there. Not like the “Stanley Kubrick” style of doing 80 different takes and then moving on. It’s a great style that I admire, but now it is ingrained in me to move fast and get as much as I can done. Then get it into the editing room, cut it together and sell the damn thing. I try to enjoy the process, but I enjoy the process on set more because of the energy of the cast, crew, and everyone attached who is having a lot of fun. I also enjoy the spontaneity on set as well and it helps shape the movie much better than it does on paper. It was really one of the best experiences of my career.
MD: This was filmed in Canada, right?
CF: No, it was actually filmed here in LA. For me, it was a big part of the tone that changed for me. Especially the music we added to it. It came involved in the scriptwriting process. I planned on doing kind of a “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” that was darker and into this guy’s life. The more that I watched things about Willy Pickton, I started thinking about music to add to the film. I started putting a friend of mine Gerard McMahon’s music into it and it just kind of formed the direction it went.
When Kate says it would be darker in her hands if she wrote it, I could totally understand. I reach a point where I want to do “Boogie Nights” meets “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” with a touch of “Motel Hell” and all these things that might be a little more of the things I love. Also, I wanted it to have a bit more of a re-watching sense ability to it. I want it to be something where it’s like the movies I love where I can watch them once or twice a week and make a middle ground with this film.
I think Jake’s, Kate’s, and everyone involved chemistry together makes it more of a homey feel, even though it’s about a maniac who slaughters women and feeds them to his pigs. There is still a lighter tone that goes through it instead of going through 2 hours of a guy going crazy and chopping chicks up.
MD: Kate, what was it like for your acting process when you had not only your side story in the film, but when it starts to blend in with Willy Pickton’s story?
KP: When I came to Chad, I obviously was aware of the Willy Pickton story. Then, I sort of had this idea of another character who has her own story, and they fall in love under unlikely circumstances. This was based on a news story in Vancouver years ago about a woman who was living alone, and a man broke into her house to rob her. She was addicted to drugs at the time, and they ended up changing each other’s life. It was based on this idea of my character Wendy, which isn’t my story but there are elements of it that are based on my life, one is falling for the wrong person who wasn’t good for me. That idea of meeting and it is changing both people in whatever way was an element I wanted to add to it.
Courtesy of IMDB
MD: With this being your first film role, what was your experience acting on scenes with your cast members?
KP: I was so blessed to be put in front of these very talented actors and actresses for my first time on film. So, they really helped me be able to do what I did. I have them to thank and it was pretty amazing to be working with everyone for the first time. It was pretty awesome.
CF: That is another thing that’s important throughout the film and why Kate’s role was so pivotal. Making sure she had chemistry with all the cast. Most of the actors in this film were ones that I had worked with before, so I had comfort with them in the process. I set it up so that Kate would rehearse and meet with them a month before we started filming. That kind of really helps build comfort with her and them.
Then when we get everyone to set, I see them and think “Oh wow. They are like old friends.”. It was so much easier than doing a cold read or meeting where they are just jumping into it. Some films will rehearse months beforehand and get that same kind of energy. I really like that hands-off approach. I like the actors supporting each other and feeling that we could all be in this together.
MD: What were some of the most fun times you both had on set?
KP: The best part was just being on set with everyone. As Chad said, the on-set atmosphere was fun. Especially with independent filmmaking, you have a lot of long hours and so, but the energy felt really good. People were there doing what they love. Everyone got along and it was just so much fun. It was exciting to shoot the scenes with everyone, take breaks, and work with the animals on set. The pigs on set were rescued pigs from a nearby farm and they were fun to be around. Chad is an incredibly fun director to work with. He makes everything so easygoing. He is so open to new thoughts and ideas from people or suggestions. It makes it a lot of fun and a truly great working experience.
MD: With there being a lot of gore and practical effects in the film, was there a point where you were grossed out because of the realistic look to them?
KP: That was one of the major hurdles for me. I am not a horror movie buff nor am I a huge horror movie fan. I like Alfred Hitchcock and thrillers. The gore for me has always been something I have never been into. Joe the special effects guy is such an incredible guy. Seeing what happened behind the scenes and how much he loved his work, as well as how much goes into it was really cool. I was nervous reading the script because there is all this gore in it but Chad is so brilliant at what he does. It is in some ways what makes a horror movie with these elements in it. Seeing what was in the making of it was so cool and the passion behind the creation of it.
CF: Gore is sometimes a tricky thing where it can be overused, and you become numb to it. “Terrifier” might be a perfect example of that where it is great gore. It is great gore but there is so much of it that you may get bored of seeing it on screen. I like that there is blood everywhere but to me, the implication of it can sometimes be more effective. A great example of that is “American History X” where the goriest scene is the one with the curb stomping and they don’t even show anything.
Same thing with “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Everyone thinks that the movie is very bloody and has a lot of gore but there is really no blood in it. To me, that is more important. The fact that the cuts are so fast that you think you are seeing something happen I feel is more of an impact than just 90 mins of blood everywhere and bones snapping or eyes gouging. Too much of a good thing can end up desensitizing the viewer and may cause them to get bored with the movie after a while. I tried to be as realistic as possible by keeping it as quick and visceral as I could. Joe is fantastic. He is one of those guys who if something is wrong or something fails comes up with something on the spot that will work better. We have worked on 3 films together and he is just top-notch. His gore work is fantastic.
Courtesy of IMDB
MD: Jake Busey’s portrayal of Robert “Willy” Pickton was so good. What sparked your decision originally to reach out to him to be in the movie?
CF: Jeff is actually friends with Gary Busey’s wife, so we had thrown some names out there. We tossed a few in the mix and Jake’s was one of them. So, when Jeff heard we may want Jake he mentioned his connection to him and could probably get the script to him. So, Jeff sent the script to her, and she got it to Jake. A week later Jeff got a phone call saying Jake was interested in the script and wants to set up a meeting. After that, we were off and rolling. We lucked out because not only did he really like the script, but he really is also a team player. He understood the budget was small and had the energy for it. He gave a 110% like everyone else and it was a real pleasure to work with him.
MD: What was your experience with Jake when you had scenes together Kate?
KP: I didn’t know him or met him before we had our first scene together. Chad had so brilliantly orchestrated that. In the movie, we hadn’t met either so both experiences were us meeting each other for the first time and Chad wanted to have that effect show up genuinely on screen, which it did. It was very cool to act with him.
He is a very talented actor who has been in a lot of films and TV. He had a couple of words of wisdom for me. I was a bit nervous working with him and when he offered those words of wisdom to me it really helped me. He is like Chad said. He is a very hard worker and doesn’t complain about anything. He brought a very good energy to the set and filming. He was so much fun to work with and it was very exciting to work with him.
CF: Some actors I have worked with are like that where they are so helpful on set. It is one of those things where if he was a ball-busting kind of actor that are in the industry, then was like that in the first meeting and wanted to do everything his way, I would say forget it because it would have been a nightmare. It should be something that should come into a director's or producer's mind. Wondering how the lead actors will be throughout the process.
You have to think about what the obstacles are going to be. The thing is with Jake the first time meeting him was great. He had such a real “non-Hollywood” persona for someone who has been in Hollywood for so long. I knew he would be Willy Pickton and he surprised me every day on set. When a TV fell on his leg in a scene where he is in a trailer, I thought he may run off the set screaming and never come back. Thankfully he just put some ice on it and said let's do another one. He was a total pro.
Courtesy of IMDB
MD: With your writing do you feel that it can be hard to conclude it VS to start it?
CF: With “Pig Killer” it was relatively easy. Kate came to me with this story, and it was based on a real person. I started doing research and when the money started coming in for our budget, that makes it even easier to do because you’re more motivated because you know it is actually going to get made. Every time I write a spec script or something like that it may happen, you have an idea and go with it.
When someone believes in you enough to provide funding for a project you are kind of more motivated to do the best you can. It inspires me in a way. For this, it was an easy task once it clicked. Once they like the script it was easier to know that this was really going to happen, and it was even more positive energy behind it. Instead of a spec script where I have the opening and try to figure out the ending, it is much better for me to have a beginning and an end set up where I can fill in the middle.
KP: He wrote it in 2 weeks. It was unbelievable.
CF: When a script has money, 2 weeks is my deadline to get the writing done. Time is money so if the money is there, I got to put in the effort. I work as hard and as fast as I can. Whether it's 5 pages a day or 10 pages a day, whatever it takes to get that done. If the money is there and the excitement from the rest of the crew is there it is easy to come up with ideas.
MD: I like to ask everyone I interview this, especially since it is the Halloween season. What are some horror movies you like to rewatch, or feel are your go-to ones to enjoy?
CF: For me, it is “Night of the Living Dead”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Motel Hell”, “Black Sunday”, and all that kind of stuff. The best one I like to watch is a movie called “The House with the Laughing Windows”. If you haven’t seen it go check it out. It’s great.
KF: I'm not a big horror fan but I love re watching “The Adventures of Ichabod Crane”, the animated movie. I love those old, animated Halloween movies.
MD: Where should people keep an eye out for “Pig Killer” if they want to see it?
CF: You can friend me on Facebook to see all the updates for festivals and distribution updates. We plan on doing Cine-Excess UK, Razor Reel in Flanders Belgium, Splat Film Festival in Poland, and The Peephole Film Festival in Mexico.
MD: What’s next up for you and the future projects you’re working on?
CF: Actually, we're getting the band back together to do my first sequel, “Scalper: Night Caller II” in early December. My social media contact for updates facebook.com/chad.ferrin/ and @SKATD on Twitter. The first film “Night Caller” and most of the films I have done like “The Deep Ones” and “Parasites” are all on the Tubi app.
I absolutely loved this movie. I am a big horror fan and a big true crime fan. I loved how Robert “Willy” Pickton was portrayed on screen by Jake Busey, the writing/directing that Chad Ferrin did and the outstanding job Kate Patel did with this being her first acting role. The story is fast paced, the music on this movie is amazing and some of the dark humor really hits well. Not only that, but this must be by far one of the most accurate true crime movies I have ever seen. This is a movie that very much has the potential to go places way beyond the independent film market. Not only that but it has quite the killer post credit scenes that my fellow true crime fans will really enjoy. Watch this as soon as you can. It is even just as good re watching it as the first time I saw it.
“Pig Killer” starring Jake Busey and Kate Patel is currently circulating the independent film circuit. Be sure to follow Chad Ferrin’s social media to stay up to date on where to see this movie and when it will come out near you.
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