Infusing horror movies with dark, twisted and macabre-driven characters and stories has long been a vital way to make the genre not only realistic, but also influential and classic. The new thriller, ‘Wineville,’ is one such feature that thrives on being so grounded in real human behavior that it authentically brings complicated, recognizable characters to life.

Actress Brande Roderick made her feature film directorial debut on ‘Wineville,’ which she also starred in. The drama was written by Richard Schenkman, who also produced the project with Roderick, Robin DeMartino and Todd Slater. Besides Roderick, the movie also stars Carolyn Hennesy, Texas Battle, Casey Lott, Keaton Roderick Cadrez and Will Roberts. The thriller was shot at the historic Galleano Winery in California.

Set in the 70s, ‘Wineville’ follows Tess (Roderick), who is forced to return to the California winery that was her childhood home following the death of her brutal and abusive father. Now a single mom raising her 11-year-old son, Tess dreads setting foot again in the house filled with hateful and painful memories.

Once there Tess is immediately confronted by her bitter and unforgiving aunt, who runs the off-the-beaten-path winery with her adult son. However, while trying to sort out her inheritance and dealing with an attraction to the mercurial young ranch hand, a violent murder at the vineyard reveals the evil still just below the surface there. In order to escape once again and save both herself and her son, Tess will need to uncover the horrible truth of her own past and the roots of the murderous legacy that has been unleashed once again.

The horror slasher is now available on VOD and Digital platforms, as well as physical media, including DVD, courtesy of Dark Star Pictures. In honor of the film’s home release, Roderick generously took the time recently to talk about acting in, helming and producing the feature during an exclusive interview over Zoom.

Film Factual (FF): You made your feature film directorial debut on the new horror thriller, ‘Wineville.’ How did you approach directing the drama?

Brande Roderick (BR): Well, I actually created the script with the screenwriter, Richard Schenkman. So we just came up with an idea based on the fact that we knew that we had a strong female character. We also knew my son and I were going to be in it.

So we wanted to create a story where a mother would do anything to protect her son. There were certain elements that we wanted to make sure were in the movie. I can’t say what they are, though, because it gives away one of the plot twists.

But I wanted it to be a sick and demented film and really push boundaries. I wanted to do things that people haven’t done before. So it was just about really creating something outside the box that pushed the envelope.

FF: Speaking of working with the movie’s screenwriter, Richard Schenkman, what was your collaboration with him throughout the production?

BR: Well, we would just go back and forth. He’d send me something and I’d send my thoughts back to him.

The good thing about Richard and me was, as shocking as it may sound, that we probably agreed 95% of the time. When we didn’t agree, we were great at compromising. So it was a really good collaboration as we came up with this idea for this film.

FF: In addition to directing and producing ‘Wineville,’ you also star in the project, like you mentioned, as Tess. Why did you decide to also star in the thriller?

BR: I’m an actress and have always wanted to be an actress. So it was always my plan to star in the film.

I decided to make my own film because it was during the tail end of COVID. There weren’t a lot of jobs at that point because they weren’t allowing it at the time. So in order to work, I decided that I had to create my own movie. So that‘s where it all started – my love of acting and wanting to continue to do it.

FF: ‘Wineville’ also stars Carolyn Hennesy, Texas Battle, Casey Lott, Keaton Roderick Cadrez and Will Roberts. How did you approach casting the film?

BR: We went through the normal process. Robin DeMartino, our casting director, put out a casting breakdown on Actors Access. We received so many amazing submissions.

I will say, I thought there would be a lot of bad acting, as well as good acting. But to be quite honest, I thought they were all good.

The people who we ended up hiring came through immediately. We were like, “That is Aunt Margaret, or that is our Joe.” It was just a feeling that we got that a certain person embodied each character.

So that part was fun. I loved the casting process, but it was also hard because everybody really was good. Letting people down is tough because as an actress myself, I know how much time and effort goes into these auditions, which is a lot. So letting people down when they did such a great job is hard. But there is just a feeling you get when you find the right person.

FF: Once the actors signed on to star in the drama how did you work with them to build their characters’ arcs?

BR: The fact that we chose such seasoned actors really helped in us working together. I’m so thankful that we cast such professional actors because when you’re making independent films, you only get one or two takes per scene. So the actors came to set prepared and ready to go, and they were awesome. They always got their scenes done in one to two takes.

FF: Besides helming and starring in ‘Wineville,’ you also served as a producer, alongside Robin DeMartino, Richard Schenkman and Slater. How did you approach producing the film? How did you balance directing, acting in and producing the movie?

BR: Well, being the executive producer, it was all on my shoulders. I was wearing multiple hats, and as difficult as that was, I call it a labor of love because I love it.

I love filmmaking, even though it is a stressful thing to do, especially when you do everything. But again, I love it. I love this career that I’ve made for myself.

FF: How did you approach working with the thriller’s stunt coordinator, Art Camacho, and the rest of the cast to create the characters’ physicality?

BR: It was a lot of fun watching Art do his amazing choreography. He put together this big fight scene, and it’s something you’d see in a major blockbuster action film. To see our actors doing it without needing stunt doubles is pretty fantastic.

The good news is we had a seasoned action horror star, Texas Battle, who’s been in multiple action movies with Bruce Willis and all kinds of people. So he knows how to do his own stunts, which was fantastic.

Casey King, who played Joe, is young and buff and has the physicality. He was in the gym all the time during the shoot.

So we were very lucky that we had two guys who knew what they were doing.

FF: With the story being set at the winery, how did you decide where to shoot the film?

BR: Well, it really started with the winery, as the location was the first thing we had. The winery is owned by a friend of mine, Domenic Galleano. It’s called Galleano Winery, and it’s the oldest winery in Southern California. So that’s where the film started.

The winery was built in the early 1900s. So it really lent itself to that really creepy vibe to make it a period piece. It had all the old farm equipment, including the old shears hanging on the barn. So all that was already there, which was fantastic.

So when we were writing the script, we based the story off of the many times that we went and toured the winery. We also based the screenplay on the great, fantastic locations that we were able to shoot in.

FF: What was your collaborate with your cinematographer, Fabian Montes-Sanchez, like while you were shooting ‘Wineville?’

BR: Well, it was great because I had worked with Fabian on two other films, so I knew how he works. He’s a great cinematographer and he knows what he’s doing. So I put my trust in him on this movie, and he did a great job.

FF: Besides the visuals, how did you approach creating the score for the movie?

BR: Well, I’m very proud of the music because it’s a real score done by a real a real composer who actually did all his own instruments. He played the piano, his wife did the cello and they also did the strings together.

The score was not some computerized, synthesized music we purchased off the internet; it was created by a real composer. So I’m very proud of that.

The score lends itself to the vibe seen in many ’70s genre films, like ‘Halloween.’ We picked music from actual established musicians from the ’70s that would give viewers that feeling of being back in 1978. So I was very proud of the songs that we picked.

FF: Continuing with the feeling of being in the late 1970s, how did you continue that feeling with ‘Wineville’s makeup and costume design?

BR: Well, I had a fantastic costumer (Natasha Kachine), who put everything together for the ’70s. I think I am very lucky that the costumes’ ’70s vibe was really relevant to not only the film’s story, but also modern culure.

For example, I purchased the pants that I was wearing in the beginning scenes at a regular store. They were bell bottoms, and stores are still selling them, as they’re still kind of popular. So we were lucky in that sense.

So there were some things that we did get in normal stores. But a lot of the costumes are vintage and was rented.

FF: ‘Wineville’ is now available on VOD and Digital platforms, as well as DVD. How did you secure that distribution? What kind of reaction have you received from audiences who have already seen the thriller?

BR: Well, in terms of getting a distributor, we went to film festivals and pitched the movie to the distributors. As soon as I met the team from Dark Star Distribution, I had a great feeling about them.

They love and understand the film. Theywanted to release it as much as I did. So that was an easy fit.

We’ve been receiving great reaction from viewers. But the one thing that people are saying that they love, which was my main goal, is “I was not expecting the ending.”

That is one of the things I don’t want people to be able to figure out beforehand. I want them to think the story was going a different way, and then it gets twisted, so they’re surprised. But that was one of my main goals with the film. The fact that that is happening is just so exciting.