Everyone is different, what personally connects you with horror?

Horror honestly saved me in middle school. In 7th grade I was running with the wrong crowd, getting into trouble, and carrying around a lot of anger I didn’t know how to process. Then one Saturday night I stumbled onto Night of the Living Dead (the original 1968 movie) on TV, and it completely floored me. Something clicked. I picked up a Super 8 camera and started trying to recreate the images and energy I saw in horror films.

For me, horror is an outlet — a space to explore fear, chaos, and the things society pushes into the shadows. It’s still the genre where I feel the most free to dig into taboo ideas and the ironies of human truths.

Why is this movie, AIR SHIFT, important for you to make?

I’ve always been fascinated by radio personalities — these unseen voices who can feel so powerful and intimate. When FM radio faded in favor of digital formats, I found myself really missing that world. AIR SHIFT became my way of reconnecting to it.

I loved the idea of a deejay whose sanctuary suddenly becomes a trap when a serial killer hears her on the air and hunts her down. And once I layered in the zombie subplot, the film took on a wild, unexpected energy that felt too fun not to explore.

For me, AIR SHIFT is a love letter to the FM radio era — with zombies crashing the party.

From Script to Screen, How close is the original vision of AIR SHIFT?

I’d say about 90% of the original AIR SHIFT script made it to the final cut. The character relationships are very close to what was on the page. We had to pivot from a rural radio station to a more urban one due to location limitations, but the overnight atmosphere remains the same. We also added the newscaster character while shooting—just to ground the audience and confirm that everything unfolding is real, not a product of Lisa’s imagination.

What was the greatest obstacle that you needed to overcome making AIR SHIFT?

The biggest challenge on AIR SHIFT was juggling multiple responsibilities. Without much on-set producing support, I found myself handling many of those duties while also directing. Like many indie filmmakers, time and budget were constant hurdles—but we pushed through and made it work.

Can you tell your proudest moments while making AIR SHIFT?

One of my proudest aspects of AIR SHIFT is the cast. Three of our five leads were coming in from out of town, and we had very little time to rehearse—yet everyone showed up fully aligned with the story and the tone. We shared a clear vision of how each character would help turn this into the worst night of Lisa’s life.

My single proudest moment came during the scene where Lisa is attacked by a zombie in the air studio. It unfolded almost exactly as I imagined it when writing the script. The performances, editing, makeup, and music all locked together in a way that felt incredibly satisfying. I was also blown away by Margarita Gamarnik’s live singing. Every performance was done in a single long take, and she delivered each one flawlessly.

What are three ingredients that make a good horror movie?

1. A central character whose fate genuinely matters to us.

2. A threat that feels bigger, stranger, or more powerful than anything human.

3. Well-placed shocks—whether through gore, tension, or surprise—that keep the audience off-balance.

What lessons have you learned as an indie filmmaker?

I’ve learned that indie filmmaking is all about maximizing what you have. Start with the strongest script you can, surround yourself with skilled collaborators, and cast actors who elevate the material. After that, you hope the film resonates with audiences in the way you envisioned.

Is watching movies in theaters still important?

Absolutely. I recently revisited Close Encounters of the Third Kind in a nearby theater, and the audience ranged from teenagers to people in their sixties. Hearing younger viewers gasp and whisper “Oh… wow” as they connected with the film reminded me how powerful the shared theatrical experience really is. I also remember seeing Alien with a packed crowd—the screams were unreal. That kind of communal adrenaline is contagious. Movie theaters amplify everything we love about cinema, and I hope they’re always part of the experience.

It’s hard for indie films to make money, what’s the answer?

The truth? Indie films survive by being smart, not big. Keep the concept tight enough that you can execute it at a high level, don’t spend money you’ll never get back, and really vet distributors—there are plenty of sharks in those waters. And when it’s time to market, lead with a hook. Horror fans want to know: Why must I see this right now?

What’s on your filmmaking horizon?

Next up, I’m developing a horror/thriller with sci-fi overtones, set in the future aboard a space station. The story centers on a young woman who finds out her DNA has been used to create a dangerous and destructive being. I hope it’s a tense, terrifying ride for audiences.

AIR SHIFT is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQ2LFRDG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_btm?ie=UTF8

Michael Joy

marketingmacabre.com

The post Candid Talk with Filmmaker, Chris Maes about his new horror film, Air Shift appeared first on Horror Asylum.

Indie Rights has secured Worldwide distribution rights to the edgy thriller/horror movie AIR SHIFT, written and directed by Chris Maes. The film tells the story of female disk-jockey Lisa Richmond, who works an overnight shift at a small-town FM radio station playing new and alternative music. Over the course of a single fateful night, she finds herself held captive by a deranged pattern killer while also battling a mysterious zombie uprising nearby. Indie Rights is planning to release the film initially across TVOD platforms for a limited run in late October/early November, followed by a wider release across other platforms.

The contained thriller/horror film stars Ashlee Lawhorn (Hello It’s Me, Best Wishes And Good Luck), Patrick Andrew Jones (In A New York Minute, This Is Macbeth), newcomer Margarita Gamarnik, Alex Diehl (Star Trek: Picard) and Donald Imm (The Night Watchmen, The American Miracle).

During a late-night shift at a struggling FM radio station, disillusioned deejay Lisa Richmond struggles to keep her voice steady on the airwaves. Her routine is shattered when she draws the attention of John Bowen — a listener in the shadows and the prime suspect in a string of brutal local murders. What begins as a chilling standoff between captive and captor soon spirals into chaos when a nearby excavation crew awakens a mysterious force buried deep underground, unleashing a violent contagion that transforms the workers into bloodthirsty attackers.

Claustrophobic, suspenseful, and fueled by a 1970s grindhouse sensibility, AIR SHIFT is a survival thriller that combines serial-killer tension with supernatural horror.

Trujillo Creek Pictures’ Chris Maes wrote, directed, and co produced the film, along with Kory Krinsky. Cinematography is by Joe Tyler, Production Sound by Nick Ducko, Editing by Salvatore Vecchio, Art Direction by Donald Imm and Gabriela Saubert. Music Score is by Marcus Manderson. AIR SHIFT was filmed in McLean, Virginia, Laurel, Maryland, and Baltimore, Maryland. Post-production services were provided by DC Color, and Sound Department. The film’s score is enriched with original music from rising indie artists Marc Laidlaw, Jimena Arroyo, Rose Lyon, Chantigs, and Amphibiology.

“We’re thrilled to partner once again with Indie Rights,” said Maes. “They were an integral partner and contributor to the success of our first movie, HEMISPHERE, and while we had offers from other companies, it ultimately made the most sense for us to work with them again. Linda Nelson, Michael Madison, and their team continue to be reliable champions of independent filmmakers around the globe.”

“AIR SHIFT delivers a white-knuckle thriller experience that taps into our deepest fears about the unseen threats lurking in the night,” said Michael Madison, co-founder of Indie Rights. “We are confident this terrifying premise will resonate with audiences both in the U.S. and around the world, and we look forward to bringing it to Cannes this spring.”

About Trujillo Creek Pictures

Founded in 2022 in northern Virginia, Trujillo Creek Pictures is an independent feature film company dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. With more than 30 years of combined experience across writing, pre-production, production, and post, our team brings passion and precision to every stage of the process.

We’re committed to creating a positive, collaborative environment where actors can thrive, and where bold, original ideas are encouraged to push the creative envelope. From rehearsal to final cut, our focus is always the same: to deliver films that captivate, entertain, and resonate with audiences.

Our projects bring together talented performers from New York to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Ohio, and beyond. Backed by a small but dedicated crew, we maximize resources while never compromising on vision — always striving to make the best film possible.

To learn more about Trujillo Creek Pictures visit: https://www.trujillocreek.com

Michael Joy

marketingmacabre.com

The post INDIE RIGHTS TO DISTRIBUTE INDIE THRILLER/HORROR MOVIE “AIR SHIFT” appeared first on Horror Asylum.