EXCLUSIVE: Dubuque Director Talks His Upcoming Horror Film

Back in October, I wrote about Are You Dead Yet?, an upcoming horror film from Dyersville, IA native Jayme Schmitt. Schmitt, who is still local, is crowdfunding the film via Indiegogo. Him and actress Katilin "Kati" Tori stopped in the studio today to discuss further developments and what's in store for her character, Skye, in Are You Dead Yet?.

As of now, the film is about halfway complete. Schmitt and his loyal producers are seeking $5,000 to finish it, screen it at horror conventions, and release it formally on DVD and streaming.

Are You Dead Yet? is not some multimillion dollar horror movie. This is a movie made by a group of friends working on a volunteer basis. As a result, the timetable for completion is rather loose. It's dependent on funding, of course, but it's also dependent on people's schedules, as everyone involved has jobs and other commitments. This is as grassroots of an indie film as you can get.

Both Schmitt and Tori dropped by to reveal that they have a new production schedule in place for 2023. In addition, James Rolfe, who you might know as "The Angry Video Game Nerd," of Cinemassacre, has agreed to do voicework for the film as well! These are massive developments not merely for a project this small, but in just a short amount of time!

Schmitt said anyone who feels compelled (not obligated) to donate can do so very easily via Indiegogo:

So, if anybody is willing to donate to help out the cause, we have an Indiegogo campaign [....] I think [as of today] it has about 17 days left on it, but for anybody who feels compelled, [they can donate there].

Then there's Kati Tori, making her acting debut with Are You Dead Yet?, playing the character of Skye. Tori talked about the layers to her role that make her more than just your average archetype in a horror movie:

As [Skye] is described, she's more of a local in the area. But she actually was friends with this group, and I think due to one of her friends being lost in the woods, she moved out there [....] I think this character is more driven by guilt and wanting to find [her] friend and redeem herself in her mind.

More updates on Are You Dead Yet? are sure to come in the following months. Consider taking a peek at Are You Dead Yet?'s Indiegogo page, as well as their Facebook and IMDb pages as well! You can also listen to my interview with Jayme Schmitt and Kati Tori below to get the full scoop on the project!