Interview with artist Neil Fraser Graphics
Tell us a little bit about yourself! What is your role in the horror community?
Well I am a horror poster and key artist from the UK and a horror obsessive, I have spent the last 3 years trying to carve out a small corner of the market within the very difficult to break into world of horror artwork. I primarily work on lower to mid budget films and a huge supporter of new, upcoming horror writers, directors and producers, I particularly do whatever I can do to support female, LGBTQ+ and POC film makers as much as I can, it’s very important to me and as I go and have been lucky enough to get to know some incredible folks in this hugely welcoming community.
What was the first thing you encountered that made you fall in love with horror?
My first ever memory of being captivated was during a late night sneaky tv watch at my grandmothers house back when I was maybe 7 or 8 I snuck downstairs to watch tv and encountered Halloween 3 and THAT Mask scene, I was fascinated by it and that image just stuck with me so I regularly started sneaking down to watch movies and saw Alligator and Jaws amongst many others over the next few visits to the house.
What does the horror community mean to you?
It means everything, it is the most accepting and welcoming community I know of, I mean recent drama aside the support I see given to each other, to raise voices and promote female and POC film makers. Horror when I was growing up was very much a maligned genre, we were the cause of everything wrong with society and as such the outcasts just seemed to veer towards it and its just a great place where no matter your background or struggle you are loved. I personally suffer from terrible mental health and the love and support I have received from people I have never met, never spoken to is so overwhelming and humbling, the kindness is so infectious and the community is so good at self policing.
What movies have inspired your artwork and creativity the most?
Oh I’m a child of the eighties and the old box art from vhs tapes in Blockbuster was just so inspiring to a young kid who knew he wanted to do work in film but no idea how to go about it.
In particular the box art for films such as House, a nightmare on Elm Street, alligator and killer klowns from outter space just really hooked me.
I would walk up and down the isles and the comedy and drama covers just sucked, they were so dull but the horror section was like a candy store to me, usually the box art had very little to do with the actual film but just hooked me in, I try and take some of those aspects in my work but my objective is always capturing the tone and feel of a film and its something I pride myself on but at the same time I am always trying to impress that 10 year old in me.
As a graphic artist, you have had the opportunity to work on some pretty incredible projects. What have been some of your most memorable projects that you have worked on?
Honestly, the fact i get to work on anything at all is mindblowing, I never thought in a million years I would get paid to do this when I first started, but getting to work on Werewolves Within for a limited edition VHS tape was a huge highlight, I adore Josh Ruben so that was special for me, Obviously i wouldn’t be here without HOST and I’m forever in the team’s debt for that and the kindness they showed me and still do means the world to me.
I love some of the pitch decks I got to work on, stuff that will never get released but to be involved in A potential Tremors reboot pitch and a pitch for The Last Drive in movie plus one project that just got greenlit that I can’t talk about are the most satisfying even though nobody may never get to see the artwork, I also love seeing a production I work on get an audience, the first thing most people see is the poster so if I can create something that triggers interest then that means the world to me.
What do you have coming in 2022 that you can talk to us about?
A few things on the go right now, currently working on the sequel to “Bigfoot the Movie” from Curt Wooton (Philidelphia Dad) and Jared Show, I LOVED the first film so being asked to do the sequel was amazing. I have a few comic cons I am appearing at over here in the UK, Horror con in Southampton in November will be a highlight. Other than that I am working on a new web / TV show being pitched out in the states from Jon Lee Brody (Malignant) that has a fantastic cast but I believe I can't talk about that yet.
I am still pushing to get my first officially licensed artwork out and my aim this year is to work on one big franchise at least and working with the team over at Monstrous Femme Films on some of their projects will be amazing, I’ll also be working on the AMP 30x30 gallery that takes place every year celebrating 30 years in the past, this year it’s 1992 and I chose to work on one of “Ghostwatch” a BBC film that was so terrifying it was banned for a decade over here. My work won’t really get going until May as the film poster season seems to go May through September so I am hoping i get as busy as I was last year.
