Gruesome Encounters: Interview with Adam Sotelo, writer and director of upcoming horror film PERSEVERATION

per·sev·er·a·tion
n.
1. Psychology
a. Uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.
b. The tendency to continue or repeat an act or activity after the cessation of the original stimulus.
2. The act or an instance of persevering; perseverance.

Well guys, I have to admit I am pretty damn excited about this release. Adam contacted me on Youtube by leaving a comment on a review of mine. After speaking to him briefly I began doing research on his upcoming film, and it happened to be something that really interested me. How about I show you a short trailer, and you can see why for yourself...

Here at Gruesome Encounters we love the...well...gruesome, and I think that is what we will be getting from Adam Sotelo's film. I had the opportunity to do an interview with him to get a bit more insight into Perseveration, and what we can all expect as horror fans:

Okay Adam, I have come up with some questions
that I am personally curious about, so let's start
there.

Q. Can you tell me a bit about yourself, and what drove
to make this film "Perseveration"?

A. My name is Adam Sotelo, I am 23 yrs old, I am a
horror fanatic & a gore hound for sure... I saw on the
news that a family kept there child locked in a basement
for years just because he had a different view on
religion, So i thought, wouldn't it be cool to play off of
that.

Q. After watching the trailers for the film, and
doing a little research on my own, I felt swayed in
the direction that this film will be aimed at the
extreme horror community. Am I right for thinking
this?

A. Yes, I feel its sorta going mainstream a little bit
though which is fine, but when the people who go pay
money to see the remakes & Those bullshit ghost flicks
they are probably going to bash the hell out of it just
because there's no ghosts slamming doors, Or the main
character isnt someone who has been created yet. But
yeah i feel the Extreme horror community will back me
110%

Q. Can you share with me a bit of the subject matter
that is contained in the film? Do you expect it to be
offensive to some?

A. I Cannot discuss the content in the film... But What i
can tell you is that it will blow "A Serbian film's "Content
out of the water. There are things in my film that are
borderline illegal to have on film in the USA...

Q. Will you only be writing, and directing the film, or will
you be playing a part as well?

A. I Have no desire to act.. I may make a cameo in one
scene but like I said, I reallllly dont like doing that haha.
Im much more happier behind the camera.

Q. How did you find the actors, and actresses for you
film?

A. Surprisingly.. Craigslist haha. Every actor in the film i
got off an add from craigslist..wich is amazing to me
because you would figure craigslist is kinda weird or
shady but they are all amazing actors.

Q. Who is responsible for the FX in the film, and can you
tell us a little about them, and anyone else you think has
played a big part in making this film come to life?

A. Justin "Mr. Creepo" Taylor Does the SPFX & My
Buisness partner for "Hellsgate Pictures" We also have
worked with Dean Luis & Ricky Lorenzo of 95Films. We
are currently Working without them as of right now, But
they are great dudes & id love for them to hop on again
soon.

Q. Has the making of the film been what you expected,
or would you consider it to be more of a challenge than
you had imagined, or vice versa?

A. Answer to questions 7&8- CHALLENGE! I have never
gone through so much trouble on something before such
as making this film, Either some people would drop out of
the film, Or flooding, & even theft of our camera...
Maybe thats a sign we shouldnt release it haha

Q. I have been reading online that you faced many
hurdles on the way to making this film. Can you talk a bit
about those tribulations, and how they affected your
outlook in the early stages, and how you feel about them
now?

A. SEE ANSWER ABOVE

Q. I also read a little rumor that you are working on
another project called "The Snuff Diaries" comprised of
(5) 15 minute short films, shot on an 8MM camera. Is
there any truth to this?

A. True, I am working on a few short projects "The Snuff
Diaries", "Masochist" & "The Hitchhiker Diaries" (In which
Justin Taylor is Directing)

Q. What can we expect from this project? Pseudo Snuff
with a story, or maybe 5 films with 5 various ways to be
tortured and killed?

A. I Feel every indy horror director should at least make
1 snuff film in there career haha. & its Actually going to
be based off of a local band in NJ. The Band is called
"Waking The Cadaver" The album is; "Perverse
Recollections Of A Necromangler" Listen to that album
and you got the Snuff Diaries.

Q. Back to Perseveration, what can we expect as far as
a release goes? Film Festivals? DVD? Limited batch?

A. Yes, i will be sending it to film festivals all over the
USA, Ill be sending a copy to the BBFC so they can get
off of my back & just ban this fucker already haha, DVD
for sure, Theres talk about a Blu-Ray Release. I am a
HUGE Fan Of special edition Dvds. i ave been working on
the dvd art for the special edition. Its going to have a
very unholy look.

Q. I have read that you are a big horror/gore fan
yourself. What are some of your favorite films?

A. I Am I Am, Some of my favorite films? Oyyyy.
Ummmm A Serbian FIlm, Deranged, Texas chainsaw
massacre, I Love the guinea pig series, August
underground trilogy (Shout out to Fred, \Shelby, and
Jeremiah Over at toetag for spreading the sickness!) I
really enjoyed the human centipede 2, Wasn't really into
the first one.. but thats just cause i felt the first needed
gore to get its point across.. Evil dead, Halloween (The
original) I Spit on your grave, irreversible, Antichrist, I
actually love Lars von treir films, Meloncolia is one of my
favs. Ummmmm Toxic avenger, Men behind the sun,
Faces of death, Martyrs, Hatchet, Hatchet2, Hostel,
Scrapbook, the angels of melancholy.. I can go on and on
lol. I feel if this day and age people are going more
towards the indy horror cause its so easy to make a
quick buck with these ghost activity flicks its retarded...
Stay away from the cheap scares & actually do
something that doesn't need 86 sequals to tell the damn
backround story... Stop milking a shit story... Move onto
the next.

Q. For my last question (for now at least, and lucky
number 13) can you tell me some of your favorite film
makers, and who has inspired you to make this film and
why?

A. Sure, I really like lars von trier, & tarantino. lars; I
love his depressing undertones of his films. The movies
are shot very well & under all of that is just depressing
shit. gaaah i love it haha. Tarantino; His way of telling a
story really influenced me into film making.

Well there ya have it people, from the mastermind of

Perseveration himself. This is going to be be a film to
keep your eyes open for, and for some, possibly shut
while watching it.