Tell the readers about the projects you are currently involved in and how they’ll benefit the occult community.
We have been behind the scenes in our three Vampire Courts of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Each one has been growing steadily over the last three years and with all the talented members we are starting to see some unique projects blossom. We now have a focus on the ritual aspect and the martial aspect as well. Our members are encouraged to strengthen their mental as well as physical prowess. To understand more of who they are as a person and to understand their vampire selves.
Personally, I have many creative endeavors coming up which are as varied as the number of masks I own! I have recently created a ‘choose your own twisted tale’ game called “The Scarlet Gallery”. It is available online (website: itch.io) and you play as a detective trying to solve a murder. Of course, this is me we are talking about so there are plenty of unpleasant deaths, truly weird situations, and monsters you encounter. The game plays like a story but includes visuals and audio tracks. There are over fifty endings so there is plenty of replayability in there for those who are keen to complete it! I’d like to give a big shout out to Professor Brink who did all the hard work developing the game!
My first novel is now under construction and ties in a lot of the short-stories that many of my fans have come to know. It will be in the horror genre which is no surprise and takes place in the fictitious town of Cross-Roads Louisiana. The protagonist is a cowboy by the name of Thomas Graves who has more than his fair share of the limelight in my stories so far.
Various stage shows and films have started to ask for my services recently in regards to the props and masks that I build. One of the more interesting ones was for an independent movie created by Ally Ryan called “The Art of Loathing” which involved 16 sheeple (humanoid sheep) masks and a Sheep Queen mask. Truly the stuff of nightmares!
Willem Whitfield has written a stage show called “Hello Gaz Rhumbo!” and I have been cast to play “Father” in the performance. I have worked with Willem many times behind the scenes as many things from creating miniature cities to being a narrator for performance and also the “monster of the week”. Now I’m on stage out from behind the mask in this piece and am looking forward to the amazing show it will become!
The prop building bleeds over (no pun intended) into the Vampire Courts with my fangsmithing which is in the works and will be available very soon to the public.
And finally, there is a charity open house night for our Vampire Court in Brisbane on February 29 where we will be asking for donations for the Australian bushfires. We have members who have been affected as well as those who are helping all across our country and we wish we could do more.
How did you become interested in vampires and vampirism? What research did you do on those subjects and how did it lead to your involvement with the Vampire Courts?
The best answer I can give to these questions is to refer to a DVD called – “Vampyres This Is Not Fiction... It's Real”, an old 2007 documentary that featured a lot of well-known members of the vampire community. This is what spurred me to leave Australia and find them across the world in 2009. When I realized I wasn't alone and there were others it helped answer a lot of my questions and it has been a journey of discovery ever since. Now in 2020, I have many vampires I call good friends across Australia who share the same idea of community as I do in our three courts of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. It’s actually really exciting and proud to see them grow and flourish from what was essentially nothing into thriving communities today.
What video company released “Vampyres This Is Not Fiction... It's Real” in 2007? Who is interviewed in this documentary, and is the information provided still relevant today?
The people interviewed are Father Sebastiaan, Maven Lore, and Belfazaar Ashantison and a host of others who were happy to share their views on the subject matter. I feel it is relevant due to the diversity of the groups and also as to what it was like back in the early 2000s and how things have changed with today's technology.
Where did your journey to find vampire communities in other parts of the world take you? What convinced you that vampires were kindred spirits to you?
I started first and foremost with Australia and went to Sydney and Melbourne. Eventually, I ended up in New Orleans which is sometimes referred to as the "Vampire Mecca" and from those interactions, I have made some very good friends within the vampire community stretching across the waters. I think, once you know - you know! Unless you are a vampire it’s hard to describe. In the simplest terms, it would be resonating with the same frequency as another.
What are the differences between a Vampire Court and a Vampire House? How widespread and well known are the Vampire Courts in the occult world?
Our terminology of what makes a Court different to a House is that a Court is local (eg: Brisbane) and the House encompasses all its Courts (ie: across Australia only). Its purpose is to create a place for vampires and their donors/black swans to congregate and share knowledge, ask questions and educate each other in a safe environment. As far as how well known it is in the occult community, it is known to those who are searching for us. Some of our work crosses over into other local groups so we are becoming more well-known with each passing day.
How long have you known Goddess Rosemary of Temple House Sahjaza? What projects have you and she worked on together since you became friends?
Goddess Rosemary and I have known each other for some time and I do believe I will be featured in one of Sahjaza's upcoming books. I am sure there will be more projects to come so stay tuned!
What book by Temple House Sahjaza will you be featured in? How soon is it being released and how prominently are you being showcased in it?
I can’t discuss the title at this stage; one of my hexes will be featured. Some people may understand what I did but I'd like to see other practitioners’ experiences with it once it is out in the world.
How did you come up with the idea for “The Scarlet Gallery”? From the way you describe it, how does it offer something different to gaming communities?
It is set within the mythos of my other short stories and was the thought of what would happen if one of my main protagonists went up against an antagonist of equal or better strength. It actually caused both of their worlds to become more fleshed out and it is going to have far more reaching consequences within my world-building. The Scarlet Gallery “event” you attend in the game is loosely based on the works of Gunther von Hagens who has his own event in real life called “Body Worlds”. In this event, he displays cadavers using a plastination technique. I added a supernatural element to this as well as a murder mystery. You are not just reading a story, you are controlling the story with each choice you make. The audio and visuals enhance the experience for the player as they get closer and closer to unlocking the true ending of the game. It is very different from the usual platformers or FPS games that rely heavily on graphics of the game or gameplay. This game offers a story and more immersion. The Scarlet Gallery is available right now to play on Windows (only) through the itch.io website.
How many projects did Professor Brink work on or have a hand in working on before he helped with developing the video game?
Professor Brink has been a developer on many personal projects and his works can be found on the itch.io website along with my game. He is a very talented individual and I was recommended to him through mutual friends for this special project.
How long have you been developing the characters and storyline of your novel? How many short stories did you write before starting your novel, and how will those stories be tied in?
I have written approximately thirty-three short stories so far for the “Tales of the Twisted” series. All of the events and places happen in the same universe so there is an underlying mythos connecting them all.
What can you fill the readers in on about your involvement in “The Art of Loathing” and “Hello Gaz Rhumbo!” along with other film and show projects you will be involved in?
A lot of advertising has mainly been through Facebook and email. We have also been doing a lot of word of mouth and any way we can think of to get the word out there.
How much advertising have you done for your open house charity night? Tell the readers where it will be held and how much of a response you’re expecting at this stage?
The fundraiser for the 2020 Bushfires will be held at Thr333fold at 3 Sixth Ave, Sandgate QLD 4017 this Saturday night the 29th of February from 5pm. See you all there!
-Dave Wolff
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