Corvallis filmmaker Joe Sherlock is currently celebrating his 30th year of making independent features, mostly in the horror genre but with some comedy and thrillers thrown in too. He shoots in and around Corvallis, and often uses local actors. Two of his films will be at The Darkside next week.
“A Knife in the Dark was an existing script I was hired to do a rewrite on and direct. It’s a mystery/thriller and has a ‘giallo’ feel,” Sherlock says, referring to the Italian genre best known for masked/gloved killers, knives and beautiful women. “We shot it mostly at a residence in Silverton, but other parts were filmed in Corvallis and Salem.” All of the actors were local to the Pacific Northwest, mainly Corvallis, Salem and the Portland area.
“The Haunting of Heather Black is a supernatural thriller that I wrote and directed at the end of 2024,” says Sherlock. “I’ve had the concept in mind for a bit and when I worked with Actress Kate Schmidt in A Knife in the Dark, I knew she could pull off the emotional range that Heather Black required.” Both films share several common cast members including Schmidt, Ian McCready, Elizabeth Ming and Sherlock’s son, Connor.
“Scenes were shot at homes in Corvallis plus the Dunawi Creek Wetlands trail and Starker Arts Park,” explains Sherlock. “Additional shooting was done in Newport at Nye Beach and the waterfront, as well as in Salem at the Carousel, Salem Center Mall and the F/Stop Fitzgerald’s pub.”
Sherlock received the Best Feature Film award last weekend at the Seattle Crypticon Film Festival for The Haunting of Heather Black.
Sherlock shot and edited both films. While the score for A Knife in the Dark was by friend and fellow indie filmmaker Steve Sessions (who also scored Sherlock’s Drifter and Blood Creek Woodsman features), the director created a few tracks and enlisted his son Connor to contribute guitar work.
For The Haunting of Heather Black, Sherlock created a brand new score from scratch. “While the film is set in modern day, it was inspired by early 1970s made-for-tv and independent horror features. The main titles typography and music reflect that,” Sherlock says. “I made a very synthesizer- and piano-heavy soundtrack and collaborated with my son on many of the compositions. It was a great experience.”
For more about Sherlock and his locally-made features, visit skullfaceastronaut.com
Coming movie previews
“A Knife in the Dark” and “The Haunting of Heather Black” hold their theatrical premieres on Monday, May 12 and Monday, May 19, respectively, both at 7 pm at the Darkside Cinema. Tickets are $8 and all proceeds go to support the theater. Tickets are available the week of the show online or in the lobby.
Trailer for A Knife in the Dark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNwEm9cD_gc
Trailer for The Haunting of Heather Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RbenI07nzc
Feature photo: Joe Sherlock poses with the main cast of A Knife in the Dark (l to r: Josh Dent, Ian McCready, Joe Sherlock, Stephanie Marie, Elizabeth Ming, Kate Schmidt, Connor Sherlock) – photo by Donna Rooney
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