There’s definitely a shared spirit between GFC’s horror series and Nightmares Film Festival. I hope people who love GFC’s horror will come to the fest and feel at home, and people who come out for the fest will come back the next week for Halloween weekend at the film center.

AH - With showing Pieces, Cat in the Brain, and Jaws in 35mm, as well as MS.45 and Roar, do you feel GFC is the true home for horror in Columbus?

JT - There’s no doubt in my mind. Those movies you listed, plus the new indies the film center shows every week, and bringing movies like the Plank Face world premiere and Frankenstein Created Bikers – it’s kind of amazing to look at any month at Gateway Film Center and list off the horror and genre films. Beyond Columbus or Ohio, I don’t believe there’s a theater anywhere in the country doing what GFC is doing. It’s the best horror program in the nation.

AH - With the mention of Plank Face and Frankenstein Created Bikers, did the turn outs for those surprise you at all?

JT - I expected a good turnout, knowing the Columbus horror community, but I admit, the crowds were even bigger than I thought. It's a great feeling seeing genuine, original horror films get that kind of support.

AH - GFC is also a sponsor of Days of the Dead’s Jabb Pictures 48 Hour Film Fest, how did that come about.

JT - The start of it was Jason Hoover programming some of our team’s films in his fest at Days. Just an aside about Jason: he’s one of the most influential, hard working, innovative people in indie film, and I don’t know if he gets the credit or celebration he deserves. Behind the scenes, he has connected some of the most important films and filmmakers to one another, audiences and other exhibition venues. He’s kind of a Wizard of OZ.

Anyway, I got to know Jason and saw what he was doing at Days, and brought it back to Chris. We were instantly fans. The values match the film center’s values; inclusion, high quality, pushing boundaries. We quickly moved to support the screenings.

AH - How have the submissions been, what can people expect to see at the festival?

JT - We’re really, really thrilled with submissions. We’re in the hundreds now, and the quality is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s just one terrific film after another. We’ve been talking about our mission as #BetterHorror, and the lineup will reflect it.

There are highly polished, major fest winners. There are VHS, DIY films made with vision and passion. There are films you haven’t heard of but should have. Films you probably missed that we’re bringing to Columbus. There are traditional scary stories, gory ones, chilling ones, and films that really push the edge.

There’s one short that gave me terrible nightmares, and still spooks me when I think about it.

AH - Will there be an area set up where fans can buy films and other items from the filmmakers?

JT - We haven't finalized exactly how we'll do it, like, whether we'll dedicate an area to tables, but filmmakers are absolutely welcome to bring and offer their films for sale. Connecting fans and filmmakers is a big part of the purpose of the fest.

AH - With the two types of tickets (general and VIP), what perks can those on the fence expect from the VIP pass?

JT - We want everyone to be able to participate, and the way they want to. There are actually three ticket types: individual screening tickets, which are $10 each for a feature or a block of shorts. Second are festival passes, which can be used to get a ticket for each screening while they last, but don’t guarantee a seat – you could get sold out. And there’s a VIP pass, which gets reserved balcony seating at every single show, and access to the VIP area.

AH - You recently released the short Born Again, how has the reception been to that?

JT - Man, it’s been really great. I’m so proud to have been on this team. It’s overwhelming to be surrounded by extraordinary talent in every single role, and that’s what this was, from the cast, which includes Ellie Church, to Mike McNeese’s shooting to Brant Jones’s editing and Jordan Fehr’s post sound to Shane’s FX and on and on, everyone across the board killed it.

The reviews and reception have been so fun. All really positive. Our screening at Jason Hignite’s Horror Hound Film Festival was probably our best screening ever, out of hundreds of fests. We can’t wait to screen it at our favorite indie fest in the world, Jim Christopher’s Austin Revolution Film Festival, September 22 to 25.

AH - Do you have any plans to do a compilation disc of all of your short films?

JT - We’ve had distribution offers on all our shorts, but I haven’t signed the agreements for just that reason – I think I’d rather be with my people at Days of the Dead and Horror Hound and other horror conventions and, if we’re lucky enough that people are interested, let them get the movies directly from us.

AH - With mentioning you want fans to be able to buy the films directly from you, does that mean you'll have a table at a convention soon?

JT - I think that's coming, yes. I'm still trying to gauge whether people are interested in a short film compilation. If we get the sense folks want to watch our shorts at home, I'll put a Blu-ray together and offer it at shows.

AH - Last but not least, what’s your top 5 movie of all time?

JT - I know I should have this down pat, but I don’t. Let’s see. Overall movies off the top of my head: True Romance, Bloodsport, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Happy Gilmore, and Goodfellas.