We were lucky to catch up with Dakota Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dakota, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I really do believe every single person who is gifted with the chance to walk on the soil of this spinning globe is put here for a reason. We all have our own individual legacies to leave behind.
This really is one of my favorite stories to tell!
My mom is a big movie buff. Specifically, a big horror genre fan. My first memory in life, ever, is going with her to see “Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday” in 1993 when I was two years old. I know! For some that would be an odd first memory. Others might be horrified that this little kid was taken to an R-rated film, but for me, it opened up a door of wonder that has shaped me into the artist I am today. I’m forever grateful that she didn’t shelter me from what really is just silly entertainment. I probably wouldn’t be here talking to you if she had.
If I close my eyes I can clearly see my baby blue car seat being lugged into the theater and seeing the scary moving images of a hockey mask-wearing slasher (well…at least the 10% he’s featured in the film…if you know, you know) up on the screen. Beyond the blood and the screaming, there is something magical and wonderous about the theatrical movie-going experience. There is something so inspiring about being able to share the stories conjured up in one’s imagination with an audience full of people munching on freshly popped popcorn.
I wear that memory as a badge of honor. In that moment, right then and there, the path of my life was written. My love for horror and film was born on that day. I’ve carried that with me since then. It has become my identity. And hopefully, there is a legacy to be left behind built upon all of that.
I started making up stories and acting them out with the toys in my toy box, moving on to making little home videos by myself, to short films with friends, to completing my first feature film, “Bedridden”, in 2021. That moment in 1993, and what it sparked inside of me, never went away. It has constantly propelled me forward. It can be very difficult to want to pursue a career in the arts. People have a tendency to think it’s unrealistic, and maybe it is, but isn’t that the beauty of it? What if we really do only have one go at life? Shouldn’t we make the absolute most of it, and be as happy as we can be? That love for the craft, love for film, is what kept all those dark thoughts of not making it, or people commenting on how I should get a “normal job”, at bay.
Can you define what “normal” is? I can’t.
Wouldn’t it be so cool if someday a little kid saw one of my films and was inspired to pick up whatever technology is available then and make a movie of their own? The cycle would begin again. And that is the beauty of film. It never dies. Art is forever.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Throughout my late teens and twenties, I did a series of short films. Right now, they are available exclusively through the Kings of Horror YouTube channel. One of them, “Opening Night”, stars Tuesday Knight (Kristen Parker, “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master), which was an absolute dream come true. I grew up watching that movie and it meant the world to me when Tuesday [Knight] agreed to be in the film. They say don’t meet your heroes, but I strongly disagree with that. We sent those short films out to all the festivals, won some awards, and got some great feedback, but I always knew I wanted to make that leap to feature films.
As my 30th birthday was approaching, I felt like it was now or never. I made a pact with myself that I was going to make my first feature film before I turned 30. The race was on from that moment.
In February of 2021, we launched an Indiegogo page for my first feature film “Bedridden.” It is a horror/drama. Through the campaign, we were able to raise over $5,000. That was a really wonderful experience. I couldn’t believe the outpouring of support. It was beautiful to see people simply believing in my cast/crew, myself, and our craft. Fundraising campaigns can be a daunting experience. It truly is like having a second full-time job, but I would strongly urge any filmmaker/artist out there to give it a go.
We began shooting the movie in April to July 2021. Just as a note, I turned 30 in May of that year. So, I stayed true to my own pact and at least was in the middle of shooting the film when I turned the big 3-0. Dun. Dun. Dun.
The film premiered at The El Paso Film Festival in October of 2021, where it won the Audience Award.
I feel so fortunate to have had a cast and crew who believed in me and fought to see production through to the end. There were certainly times when it wasn’t easy. We had to juggle everyone’s schedules. We all had full-time jobs on top of trying to make a feature film. The star of the film, Elizabeth Elise Gonzalez, who through making the film has become one of my dearest friends, would be up for work at two in the morning, work her shift, come right from her job to the set, put on her bloody wardrobe, and still give an amazing performance. She never skipped a beat.
Everyone really rallied together as a family and made it work. In the end, it was worth it. I think it’s a project that we are all so proud of.
The film was distributed on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD through SRS Cinema. As my feature film debut, I don’t think I could have asked for a better outcome.
Since then, I have produced, assistant directed, and edited three short films: “Quiet Hours”, a queer horror film, “That Tingling Sensation”, a queer drama, and “Shipping Them”, a queer comedy/drama, which have all found their own success at film festivals across the world.
One of the best parts of stepping out of the director’s chair and putting on my producing hat is being able to help another filmmaker cross that finish line.
Through making these queer-centric and focused films I was really able to find myself and better understand my own sexuality. Up until that point, these weren’t the kind of stories I had a hand in telling, but what a privilege to be a part of productions that shine a representative light on a marginalized group of folks.
I often wonder, if more positive…accepting…serious queer content had been made when I was growing up, would I have been more comfortable expressing that I was gay? That is why it’s important!
I’m always brainstorming or writing. So, certainly, there will be more projects coming down the pipeline. *wink*
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
At times, this can be a really difficult industry to navigate. Sometimes there is a blurred line between personal friendships and business. Sometimes your best intentions are taken advantage of. Sometimes you don’t see the reward of your hard work. Sometimes your reputation takes a hit. It all comes down to how you navigate those challenges.
Last year, I went through the most difficult obstacle I’ve ever had to face in my life, in general, and also professionally.
I’ve never spoken about this before publically, Jennifer. Bear with me!
Ryan Rox, a close friend of mine, and someone I had collaborated on several projects with, came out publically with false mental and emotional abuse accusations against me. It was a blindside, to say the least. It was a moment that I couldn’t believe I was living through and was aimed at me. It was an out-of-body experience that to this day creates a pit in my stomach. It truly felt like I was floating outside of my own body and watching this happen to someone on a television show. It just didn’t seem real. It was a retelling of our entire friendship with each step of the way being perverse and completely skewed to fit a fictional narrative.
This was someone that I cared a great deal about and worked really hard for. It was sad that the culmination of this great thing we had built via our friendship and the films we had worked on went out in a blaze.
It’s safe to say my world was shattered. I had no choice but to sit back and watch the onslaught of everyone on social media chiming in. People who didn’t even know me, or had met once in passing, speaking as if they did know me…and my heart. I watched people I cared about, respected, enjoyed working with, and never had a cross word with saying the worst possible things about me. The thing that struck me was how it was all taken as factual information without question. There is never just one side to a story. And just because someone says it, doesn’t make it the truth. I wish that people who did know me, really know me, had worked with me, seen me give my all, always, had just taken a moment to reflect on there being an alternative version of the story.
I assume it is the closest thing to being quote-unquote “canceled.”
Am I a perfect person? No. That is the one glitch in the Matrix when it comes to being a human. We are flawed beings. Everyone can look back on any and all relationships and wish there were things or moments we could change. Who hasn’t been up at three in the morning thinking about a four-year-old argument wishing you had said something different? In the moment you try to say and do the right things, but you’ll never really know if you did or didn’t. I made mistakes. We had arguments. Everyone does, especially artists who care deeply about what they are creating. But I never approached any situation with malicious intent. I never abused anyone, which is just a horrific word. Certainly, there were some naive, or dumb (for lack of a better word) decisions made, but never anything with the intent to hurt someone. It’s so difficult to know your association with created pain.
I could have issued a rebuttal. I could have told my side of the story, and even provided receipts (as the kids say). Ultimately, I just decided that would be bringing other people into the mix and would be me doing the same thing to someone else that had been done to me. Somehow that didn’t seem right. There was enough pain.
Coming off this rollercoaster of success, which I had been dreaming of since I was a little boy, for this to all happen was such a gut punch. It felt like everything I had been working so hard for was destroyed in a moment. Whether that is actually the reality of the situation or not, sometimes it’s hard for us to see past any preconceived notions we create ourselves. We can build our own walls and breaking through them can be a difficult obstacle.
I’ve seen firsthand the darkest of darks when it comes to life. I’ve had to walk myself back from the ledge many times. This last year has not been easy. Somedays it has taken everything in me to even get out of bed. There is a certain burden that comes with going through an experience like this. It’s a Scarlet Letter of sorts. An embarrassment, if you will. If I walk into a room, what do people think? Do people know? Have they heard? I’ve had to really work through that and try to find light at the end of the tunnel. I’m thankful to those who are still in my life. You know who you are, and I love you dearly. The best gift they have given me is laughter. Somehow just sitting around laughing is so healing.
The other thing that is a constant in my life and has been therapeutic is art. Film and writing are things that bring me a lot of joy. They give me a purpose. A friend said to me recently, “Nobody can take writing away from you.” That is so very true! There is complete freedom in that. My characters pass no judgment on me. I’m able to work through any and all emotions I want to within the perimeter of my laptop screen and my imagination.
I hope that someday I look back and feel I’ve grown because of this. That I’m stronger because of it. Wiser, even. That I’ve learned from it. One of the greatest lessons I’ve already tuned into is keeping my own emotions in check and not letting someone push my buttons to the point of being reactionary. We have to take a moment to step away and reassess how we want to handle a negative situation or person. And maybe telling this now will help someone else out there. That light at the end of the tunnel I talked about earlier does exist. It does get better. And it’s true that life doesn’t always work out the way you hope, and that can be okay. I do believe that everything happens for a reason. It may not make a lot of sense in the now, but it will someday. You just have to stay strong.
A year later I find myself not feeling a lot of anger. If anything, it’s sadness. Sadness for what happened and what could have been. There is that ever-elusive do-over button that sometimes we wish we could hit. And yet…we can’t…
It’s the end of one chapter and just the beginning of the next.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
The world needs creative people just as much as it needs doctors. All of us, from all walks of life, with different aspirations, are what collectively makes this world spin. Those doctors, whose work is so undeniably important, like to kick back at home and watch a movie to help them relax. Everyone does their part in society. That is what we are a part of. That is what we contribute to.
Something that I think needs to change is the outlook on what the “American Dream” is. It may just not be the 9 to 5 job with the white picket fence and the 2.5 kids. The world has changed. People have changed. Ideals have changed. We have to get up to speed with that.
People who show creative interest should be nurtured and allowed the freedom to go in that direction to express themselves in that way.
Kids, especially, need to know it’s okay to be creative. It’s okay to not want to go to college. It’s okay to not want to get married. It’s okay to be queer. It is okay to be just who you are.
There is enough pressure at school, on social media, on television, and on the internet; that having any extra pressure at home that suppresses a kid’s creativity, thoughts, feelings, sexuality, or voice is only going to be detrimental in the long run.
Let your kiddo go to a dance class, or art class, or a Pride festival.
And on the flip side, there are going to be those kids who do want to be doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Kids who do want to go to college. Kids who are good at math. Kids who do want to get married when they get older. Nurture and encourage that too.
It is what makes the world go around. We are all different. We all have different wants and needs. We all have different voices that need to be heard.
Growing up, I never felt I went without. My family worked so hard to ensure I had everything I could ever want or need. I do, however, wish that I had felt strong enough in who I was, to fully be myself. In the long run, I think that would have shaped my life and my relationships in a more positive way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @theonlydakota
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onlydakota/
- Twitter: @dakotathomas
- Youtube: @DakotaThomas