In the fourth Sharknado movie, a mockumentary that will be released on DVD on October 6 by The Asylum, and was directed by Jeremy Wagener, Jared Cohn plays the ambitious filmmaker behind the original Sharknado movie – the one we never saw. Before Ian, before Tara, before the Twitter sensation… there was this!
Question (Q): First of all, give us a quick rundown of Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness?
Jared Cohn (JC): Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness is an origin story of how Sharknado came about. I play the original creator/director of the movie. It shows my struggles as a filmmaker doing whatever it takes to get the masterpiece that is Sharknado to the big screen.
Q: The Sharknado films were shot in different locations. What about this one –where was it shot?
JC: This one was shot in several different locations, filmed partially in Los Angeles and in Northern California. We shot one cool sequence out in the desert in Yuma, AZ.
Q: You served as an actor on the film. As a director, how did it feel letting someone else have the reigns on the film?
JC: I love being able to just act. I enjoy the craft of acting, so for me, it’s fun to not have to worry about any of the behind the scenes stuff, and just be able to focus on my character.
SY: Over the past few years, your career has moved more towards directing. You obviously are still open to acting-only roles, though?
JC: Absolutely, and for me, it’s about the movie. If it’s a cool story and a cool character that I can relate to, then that interests me. Of course, it’s also important to work with good people, and The Asylum is a great company to work with.
Q: The Asylum are known for making B-movies – but they’re very popular. Why do you think that is?
JC: People love good, fun entertainment. The Asylum was founded by really smart people who understand audiences. The people that work there love movies. I’ve worked on about 15 Asylum movies, and they always know how to put on a good show.
Q: No spoilers, but can you tell us a little about your character’s journey in Heart of Sharkness?
JC: My character and I go to very dark and great lengths to achieve the goal in the story.
Q: How limiting was the budget? Was it noticeable?
JC: The budget was right for what it was. Keep in mind this was filmed documentary style, so we didn’t use big movie lights and take long to set up scenes. The process was very run and gun.
Q: Are the sharks all computer generated?
JC: The majority of them were, but there may be one real shark. You will have to watch the movie to find out…
Watch the trailer for ‘Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness’ below.
