We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dylan A. Young a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dylan A., appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Hello, I’m Dylan A. Young and I’m an indie filmmaker from Louisville, KY. I frequently travel to Tennessee to shoot my films and work productions as a sound recordist. My creative projects are typically horror/thrillers because I like the way that you can convey messages through more intense situations.

So far, I have released a few short films: ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ (2021), ‘Veronica: Skeletons in the Closet’ (2022), ‘Something in the Woods’ (2022), ‘Good Mourning’ (2022) and ‘The Kid’s Revenge’ (2022). I also have an unreleased feature film in post production.

As far as how I got into film—ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had ideas for films and created storylines in my head. Once I was in high school, I started to act in a friend’s films, but it wasn’t until working my first crew gig as the sound recordist on ‘Death Ranch’ (2020) that I realized I needed to become a filmmaker. By the end of production, one of the producers, Aaron Mirtes, and the Director, Charlie Steeds, instilled faith in me that I had potential to make my own films. Later that year, I worked with Aaron Mirtes again on his film ‘The Alpha Test’. I then decided it was time for me to embark on my own filmmaking journey. A few months after that, Aaron shot my first short film ‘Veronica: Skeletons in the Closet’.

My goal with creating my films is to make them entertaining and engaging while also encouraging the viewers to think about the world in new ways. In the horror and thriller genres, I find that a message can sometimes be better conveyed; if a scene in a film scares you, it may be more likely to play out again in your head. That brings greater potential for you to think deeper about what the film is really saying.

We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on would be my first short film ‘Veronica: Skeletons in the Closet’ (2022). The film centers around a woman dealing with the aftermath of a sexual assault. I was inspired by many of the grindhouse films of the 70’s and 80’s. ‘Maniac’ (1980), ‘Last House on the Left’ (1972) and ‘Combat Shock’ (1984) were some of my biggest influences on the project.

Many of the older films that tackle similar subject matter can tend to be very misogynistic and eroticize sexual assault. My goal was to create a film about the topic that some women might actually be able to enjoy and hopefully find cathartic to watch. I’m pleased with the way the film turned out and was happy to find a very warm reception to its release.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

By far the most rewarding experience for me as a filmmaker is being in the audience for a screening of one of my own films. Getting to witness how other people react to my work is truly the payoff. Hearing a crowd gasp at a thrilling moment, feeling a theater full of people get quiet because they are invested or getting an applause makes it all feel worthwhile. There are so many countless hours of unpaid labor for a creative trying to break into the film industry and moments like these truly do make up for the time, money and effort that it takes.

A particular instance of my work feeling rewarding was having a woman thank me for making my short film ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ (2021) after a screening due to its message and sensitive subject matter.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think a very common misconception with the film industry is that everyone involved is a Hollywood big shot. People think we don’t have to work hard and are well paid. So often people express jealousy for what I do. When it comes down to it, anyone can quit their day job, struggle to find work, struggle to find funding for films and struggle with the constant worry of wondering if they will be successful in the industry. It’s not as glamorous as it seems. My industry friends are constantly overworked and underpaid. And even though some people may envy my line of work, I just laugh thinking about the last 14 hour day I worked unpaid for an IMDB credit and a few slices of pizza. But you know, they say the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s a tough business and you truly have to love what you do in order to become involved in and stay in the film industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.videonastys.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanayoung/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dylananthonyyoung/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3a7JDVa6ST5mfdQ4PVu4iA
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user94246141

Image Credits
All images are credited to Emily Parker