Hollyweird #038 - JoeVember: Joe Begos w/ Director Joe Begos

The Horror Show: A Horror Movie Podcast

IHATEHORROR

Tv & Film

4.5 • 811 Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2025

⏱️ 101 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, indie filmmaker Joe Begos shares insights into his career, detailing his journey from a young horror fan to a prominent independent director. He recounts his early love for horror films, guided by the impactful box art at his local video store, and his decision to forgo film school in favor of hands-on experience. Begos discusses pivotal moments in his life and career, including a life-changing accident that influenced his creative process and the evolution of his unique filmmaking style. He delves into the making of his films such as 'Almost Human,' 'Bliss,' 'VFW,' and 'Christmas Bloody Christmas,' highlighting the challenges and triumphs of independent filmmaking. The conversation also covers his collaborations, filming techniques, and his experiences with larger budgets, all while maintaining creative control. The episode provides an in-depth look at Begos' passion for genre films, his innovative approach to storytelling, and his dedication to his craft.

00:00 A Bloody Start

00:34 Welcome to Vember

01:50 Introducing Joe Begus

02:49 Joe Begus' Early Career

05:33 Almost Human and Beyond

09:15 The Mind's Eye and Bliss

15:22 VFW and Christmas Bloody Christmas

19:24 Joe Begus' Unique Style

27:32 Setting the Scene: Jimmy and STIGs Vibe

27:50 Behind the Scenes: Filming Jimmy and STIGs

28:37 The Roadshow and Collaborations

29:59 Creating During the Pandemic

31:15 Challenges of Filming on a Budget

32:47 The Evolution of Jimmy and STIGs

37:09 Childhood Influences and Video Store Memories

48:20 Early Career and Filmmaking Journey

50:34 Working with Stewart Gordon

52:20 Making Almost Human

54:39 Navigating the Studio System

58:05 Alien Fascination and Pop Culture

01:02:45 Shooting on Film: Challenges and Rewards

01:04:02 Discussion on Jimmy and STIGs

01:04:35 Connecting with Horror Section Studios

01:05:31 The Unexpected Breakthrough with Eli Roth

01:08:04 The Cliff Incident in Europe

01:13:47 The Evolution from Mind's Eye to Bliss

01:15:50 Directing VFW and Overcoming Challenges

01:27:20 Christmas, Bloody Christmas and Big Budgets

01:37:06 Promotions and Final Thoughts

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Transcript

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0:00.0	A cinematic fever dream based on the visionary game.
0:05.5	You did it, didn't you, Jimmy?
0:06.8	You woke him up.
0:10.3	No one said it would be easy.
0:12.8	Return to Silent Hill.
0:15.0	Exclusively in theaters, January 23rd.
0:20.5	Hey, everybody, Sean here.
0:22.2	We've got a great episode.
0:23.8	Probably insanely too long.
0:25.9	If you want to skip to interview portion, I think it's about an hour in.
0:31.2	But more important news, Friday, November 21st, 8 p.m.
0:35.8	at Cinema, Salem, and Salem, Massachusetts, we are doing a screening
0:39.3	of Black Friday with the director, Casey Tebow, and we'll be doing some Q&A after. It's going to be a
0:45.4	great event. So, join us. We'll be there. Lexi'll be there. Probably be there. I'm going to try. I'm
0:52.7	going to try. Anyway, again, Friday, November 21st, 8 p.m. You can hit over to Cinemasalem.com to buy those tickets. Uh, that's it. Enjoy this episode. And nose just starts fucking gushing blood. And I don't get nosebleeds. It just, like, it was like a faucet, just all over my shirt and I'm like catching it in my hand and there's nobody out there with me.
1:14.3	So I'm like, I just kind of like walking this woman's house and be like, where's the bathroom?
1:17.6	So walk inside with my handful of blood, blood all over my face.
1:21.4	And the woman is just like, what did you do?
1:28.5	Hi, Sean.
1:28.9	We're here.
1:29.8	We're here.
1:35.0	I was reading your text messages, which were apparently from like 10 minutes ago.
	...

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