Jeffrey C. Schiro
He is the man behind The Boogeyman Dollar Baby Film.
SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: I grew up in Maine, and am now a film editor in Los Angeles.
SKSM: When did you make The Boogeyman? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: I made The Boogeyman as a student while attending New York University in 1980. The shooting was broken up over a period of time, but probably took 7 days or so all together. It took about 2 years to complete and cost about $10,000.
SKSM: How come you picked The Boogeyman to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: When I read The Boogeyman back in 1978 or so, there was just something about it that touched me. I suppose every kid thinks there’s something lurking in his closet, and I was no different. I’ve always liked dramas with a psychological edge, so I found the story appealing.
SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: I didn’t know. Partly, because I believe The Boogeyman was one of the first short films made from his stories. When I decided I wanted to try and make it into a film, I wrote Doubleday Books who owned the rights and eventually heard back. For years, I thought I was the only one who had this dollar deal!
SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: How about a twist of fate. I was in dire need of a psychiatrist’s couch for the shoot, and I couldn’t find one that seemed right. The filming was days away and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I was walking down a NY street when I turned and saw the perfect couch sitting on the curb. Someone was throwing it out. That’s the couch in the film.
SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie anymore? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a video/dvd release again would be possible?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: It had a small run and I suppose can be found on ebay. And, of course, now there is the internet. I suppose a DVD would be possible in the future at some point.
SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: Not during the filming but once it was done. I grew up a short distance from where he lives, so at the time, personally delivered a Betamax copy of the film to his doorstep. He did see it, and liked it enough to give his permission that it could be released on video. We talked a number of times, and I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience.
SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick – at least – one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: No current plans, but you never know. I would probably re-do Running Man. I always liked the story and thought the 1987 version was a little too comic book. I always saw it as a fairly dark story.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Jeffrey C. Schiro: –
