Dan Sellers
He is the man behind Uncle Otto’s Truck Dollar Baby Film.
SKSM: May you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?
Dan Sellers: I’m Dan Sellers, and I run Wreak Havoc Productions with my producing partner, Sammie Cassell. Our latest project is the Dollar Baby, Uncle Otto’s Truck. I adapted the short story into a screenplay and I serve as the film’s director and one of the producers.
SKSM: How would you decide that shoot movies was your mission?
Dan Sellers: I’ve been a lifelong film buff and student of the medium. However, filmmaking is not my sole profession. I began work on my first film about six years ago as a hobby. Filmmaking has since become a great passion of mine.
SKSM: Could you tell our readers the status of Uncle Otto’s Truck or some updates?
Dan Sellers: We are just about to go into production on Uncle Otto’s Truck. We hosted a successful fundraising campaign on Indiegogo in which we were 102% funded. After a lengthy pre-production phase, we’re very excited to begin shooting.
SKSM: Who would be involved into this project?
Dan Sellers: Besides, my producing partner Sammie Cassell and I, we’ve joined forces with collaborators Jeffrey Cochran, Chad Hunt and Matt Patterson as well as Mark Kingma and Thomas Hanna as Co-Producers. In the lead role of the film, I’ve casted Jennie Stencel as the Narrator and Mike Burke as Otto.
SKSM: How come you picked Uncle Otto’s Truck to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?
Dan Sellers: I felt a kinship with this story about obsession and paranoia. Being one of the few Dollar Babies that takes place in Castle Rock, I was excited by the idea of getting to play in this world. It’s also just a really fun little story that presents a challenge for my production company.
SKSM: I guess it’s very soon to asking this question but… where the premiere will be? Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?
Dan Sellers: My company owns and operates the annual Wreak Havoc Horror Film Festival. We plan to hold the world premiere at this year’s festival in Greensboro, NC on September 20th.
SKSM: Did you know that this story has already been filmed as Dollar Baby? Have you seen any of these adaptations? If so, what do you think about it?
Dan Sellers: I assumed Uncle Otto had been adapted in the past, but I haven’t seen any other versions.
SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?
Dan Sellers: I have been a fan of Mr. King’s work since middle school! I would have to say that “The Dead Zone” and “It” are some of my favorite King novels. I also listened to King narrate “On Writing” several times while developing and writing the script.
SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1?
Dan Sellers: I had been aware of the Dollar Babies for some time. However, I first became involved as a producer on a planned, but never completed, adaptation of Beachworld. After that project dissolved, I began researching the dollar baby story that spoke best to me.
SKSM: What are you working nowadays?
Dan Sellers: Presently, most of my focus lies on preparing for our upcoming days of principal photography. I’m also heavily involved in producing a drama of which I’m very proud entitled, Sea Salt Wind that’s currently in post-production. A large portion of my free time is also dedicated to planning this year’s film festival.
SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Dan Sellers: My day job or professional career usually surprises other artists and filmmakers, however it’s not something I speak about publicly.
SKSM: What advice would you give to those people who want to be filmmakers?
Dan Sellers: Find a story that you’d like to tell and are passionate about and simply go for it. The best way to learn how to become a filmmaker is by simply making a film.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to our readers?
Dan Sellers: In addition to the movie and the annual film festival, I’d like to invite your readers to check out all of our ongoing projects at our website: www.wreakhavocproductions.com. We currently have two horror shorts in the film festival circuit entitled Midnight Shift and Countdown to Midnight. Finally, I produce and co-host (with Cassell) the Wreak Havoc Film Buffs Podcast and I’m also the producer and host of the Carolina Haints Podcast, a show about folk lore and spooky tales in the Carolinas.
Feel free to learn more about me at my IMDb page: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5951114/?ref_=nv_sr_1
and I’m on Film Freeway at www.filmfreeway.com/dansellers
SKSM: Would you like to add something else to this interview?
Dan Sellers: I’d just like to extend my gratitude to Mr. King and his staff for allowing us the opportunity to adapt this wonderful story. We hope he’ll enjoy our film!
