IT’S ALIVE: MONSTER MOVIE MASHES LOCAL TALENT, SCENE
“The Last Frankenstein” to premiere at Proctors, run in Johnst
his weekend, David Weaver’s creature comes to life.
After a six-year process, hisfeature flick “The Last Frankenstein” will be unveiled to the public. First, there’s a Saturday night premiere screening at Proctors. It will be immediately followed by a two-week run at the Johnstown Movieplex.
Having the chance to see his first full-length film play on a big screen at a storied local venue is an eagerly anticipated experience for the lifelong Amsterdam resident.
“I love that it’s at Proctors,” he said. “I’ve been going to events there since I was a kid.
“Getting to see it on a big screen, with high-end sound equipment, is unnerving in a good way,” Weaver continued. “Obviously the pandemic had thrown a question mark into whether or not it would be possible. But the experience of seeing it in this environment, after all the time editing and watching it on a computer, makes me reconnect with it more.”
Weaver’s been fascinated by film since childhood and made it his academic and professional pursuit. After wrapping up his studies at Fulton-montgomery Community College, SUNY Purchase and New York Film Academy, Weaver worked on his own short films and as a production hand on larger features.
Then much like Henry (or Victor, if you’re a
Even on a low budget, you can’t let the production look low budget. Jared Balog did all the makeup special effects. There’s two monsters in the movie and he had to design and construct the latex and effects for. He killed it, no pun intended.”
— David Weaver
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the last ous family. Mired in sed with completing the ed to bring to fruitioseem to happen when arnage ensues. ture monster from cont creative. He decided to
use his Amsterdam community as the film’s backdrop and sought production help from the 518 film community. Producer Jay Leonard was brought on board to assist with managing locations, transportation and accommodations for the actors. For financing, Weaver and Leonard went to Kickstarter, where they raised $13,500.
Weaver utilized 40 actors and 25 locations in Amsterdam and outlying areas in the production of “The Last Frankenstein.” It was “huge in scope on a very restricted budget.” Luckily, Weaver’snatural aesthetic of ‘70s and ‘80s grindhouse cinema lent itself well to his budgetary constraints.
“I’d rather shoot in Amsterdam and on our budget, it made sense,” Weaver said. “Working on a smaller, local level, you can open a lot of doors for locations because people know you and the regulatory process is similar, you just call the police chief and let him know you’re filming on
the street.
“(As a filmmaker), the period I’m most at home in is that late 1950s to early ‘80s look,” he added. “I’m not even trying to force that look; its just the language I speak. It’s how I think, I love the colors, the style of camera work.”
Filming on “The Last Frankenstein” was completed in 2016 and due to the aforementioned budget, post-production was a two-year process. Weaver noted that since he’s “very particular to a fault,” each phase, from self-editing to sound and color mixing, was done piece-bypiece.
For two of the most crucial aspects of the film, Weaver sought out local talent. Jared Balog, an artist who’s lent his talents to high-profile projects for Marvel’s Netflix productions and the HBO adaptation of “The Plot Against America,” was responsible for the makeup and visual effects. The score was composed by Steve Noir, a Canajoharie resident. Their contributions were crucial in turning “The Last Frankenstein” into a cohesive, throwback horror flick.
“Even on a low budget, you can’t let the production look low budget,” Weaver said. “Jared Balog did all the makeup special effects. There’s two monsters in the movie and he had to design and construct the latex and effects for. He