So you've been to the website; you've seen the pictures, heard the clips, and yeah, you're hooked. This movie interests you like none you've seen in a while, but now you're left wondering, "Where did this come from? How did it all begin?" To find the answers to these questions, I went straight to the source and asked Jon Keeyes, Writer/Director of American Nightmare, to give me the scoop.

David: So Jon, what drew you to film and filmmaking?

Jon: I think, really, that it started in childhood. I grew up in a family of film buffs who lived in the Hollywood area. Growing up in Hollywood is definitely a world unto itself. You really get the opportunity to see that Hollywood is not all glitz and glamour, but that it has its seamier side as well. But anyone who grew up in the area will tell you that Hollywood has a magic all its own. It's hard to grow up there and not be affected by it. The other part of it is that film allows you to create a three dimensional work that utilizes all the creative forms, and unifies them into a cohesive whole.

D: So besides your family, who else inspired your love of film?

J: All the great suspense and horror directors like Hitchcock, Coppola, DePalma, and Carpenter inspired me with their unique storytelling ability, as well as their capacity for drawing an audience into their films. If I had to pick just one of them, though, I would have to say Hitchcock is the most influential on my own style. After all, he basically set the standard for this genre of film. Besides, although the others have a way of pulling you into their movies, Hitchcock had a way of pulling the audience into not only his movies, but into every single scene as well.

D: So if you had to pick a favorite Hitchcock film, what would it be?

J: I think it would have to be a tie between Psycho, Rear Window, and 39 Steps.

D: So do you plan to emulate Hitchcock when directing American Nightmare?

J: I don't really plan on emulating Hitchcock so much as incorporating some of his techniques regarding suspense. After all, as the old saying goes, "Don't borrow from great directors, just steal."

D: So how did you go about choosing your creative team?

J: I based my choices on two aspects. The first was the person's professionalism. Did they have the perseverance and wherewithal to see the movie through to the end. The second aspect was that of contrast. The movie going audience represents a vast spectrum, so the greater diversity you can achieve in your creative team, the wider an audience you can attract. Granted this element of contrast led to some moments of tension among the strong personalities chosen, but we agreed at the beginning that if an idea could not be justified, then it would be tossed. The end result will speak for itself.

D: So all in all, would you work with this same creative team?

J: Oh definitely. I hope to work with my script team (Rick Carey, David Dean, and Shelly Ziemer) on all my future projects.

D: So if you had an ultimate dream or fantasy regarding American Nightmare, what would it be?

J: I think it would be that twenty years down the road, people will still be talking about the film, and that audiences will find that it still evokes fear and other emotions within them.

(Jon inhales deeply from his cigarette, and stares intently into the night. Fade to black.)