Heath Benefield is an independent filmmaker who has worked in comedy, documentary, and horror. From the seriously informative Emmy Award winning documentary “No One Is Safe From Son of Sam” to the comedic horror anthology film “Mr. Creamjeans’ Hidey Hole” the subject matter of his work varies greatly.

What was it like growing up in Indiana when you did? What are some of your most fond memories of that time?

I grew up in Gas City, IN – a small town as John Mellencamp (mostly) described it. Since I can remember, I always resented it because I wanted to be where the movies are made. Now, looking back, I see I had it pretty good. As it pertains to filmmaking, I was able to own “future director” as my identity there. I ran the school TV announcements and even created a variety show on Fridays, which teachers hated because it kept getting bigger and eating into class time. But the support was there and it gave me the confidence and encouragement to pursue filmmaking in college.

What was it about film that first captured your attention?

I think I was fascinated by the feeling of living in other peoples’ experiences. When you watch a movie, especially in an immersive theater, you get to simulate lives you wouldn’t otherwise live. You get to be people you otherwise couldn’t be. I could BE Batman, you know? I could hang out with Ace Ventura or Billy Madison for a couple hours at a time. Then, eventually, my fascination with film basically became my identity. I worked at the local video store, I made short films with friends, I wrote movie reviews for the school newspaper. Film is a way of life, believe it or not. And if you want to find success in filmmaking, I believe you have to fully commit yourself to it.

I understand you also used to work at the local Blockbuster there with an actor who you had to chance to direct in the film “Mr. Creamjeans’ Hidey Hole.”  What was it like to direct someone you have known so long? How would you say you have changed most since those early days?

When I read the part of Laurence I immediately pictured Brandon Howard. He was a couple years ahead of me and attended a neighboring school, but we worked at the same video store and grew up attending the same church. His mother was my elementary school librarian. Lovely family. As we were developing the film, Brandon had been sharing his journey of becoming an actor in Germany. I believe many of those gigs were background acting jobs, so it wasn’t clear that he could step into a leading role, but I just knew he could do it. He’s a natural entertainer and a bright, beaming personality. The team thought I was crazy to fly him all the way from Germany for the part. We had no tape on him. We had an extremely tight budget. And if it didn’t work out, we wouldn’t have the ability to reshoot. It was a huge gamble. I’m proud to say it all panned out and Brandon gave us one of the very best performances in the whole film. He went all in – it was an absolute joy watching him spring to life on camera. He never shied away from anything we asked him to do. His energy is endlessly renewable. It was just the best time, and very satisfying to start the journey of the film with someone I knew when I was a kid.

For those not familiar with it, can you tell us how the film came about and what to expect from it?

I’ve been told we’ve made a very naughty movie. Sure, that was a very conscious decision, but after living with it for three years now, it has become my new normal. Before we started showing it to audiences, the team and I worried it would come off too tame. We definitely haven’t received that criticism yet. It all mostly springs from the mind of my filmmaking partner Josh Griffey, who plays the titular Mr. Creamjeans. This is just his diseased brain. He’s perverted, inappropriate and absolutely hilarious. Also, a brilliant writer. When you get material as unique and shocking as this, how could anyone turn it down? We developed it for a long time and were primarily guided by what made us laugh the hardest. Griffey always says, when you make a movie you better have fun because the audience can tell if you didn’t – it shows up on the screen.

Are you surprised at how this particular film has been received by audiences so far?

I’m actually surprised it’s been received as well as it has! Audiences are having a great time with it because I think it’s been a long time since a shock-humor movie has come along. Was Borat the last one? Our movie can be described as crass, juvenile and gross, but it also has a lot of brains – credit to the writers. Of course, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. The Downton Abby crowd might clutch their pearls. But I’ve been very surprised by how well the movie plays for all types of people.

Do you have any interesting stories from the set on this one?

So many. I wouldn’t even know where to start. However, I’m very proud that we never dealt with any major drama in the 2 years it took to shoot the movie. Everyone got along so well and really committed to bringing this thing to life. But yeah, there are tons of adventures and anecdotes that happened along the way. We are organizing a roadshow tour of the movie and we’ll start that in early ’27. If you come to a screening I’m sure you’ll be able to hear plenty of our war stories. Or buy the Blu-ray for all the behind-the-scenes and filmmaker commentary.

Do you have a dream project you’d most like to see into existence?

A couple, yeah. Griffey and his writing partner Jon have this brilliant script called “Muscle Mommy” that we are desperate to make if we ever get the resources. It’s VERY funny and a biting satire on the manosphere phenomenon. Additionally, I’ve always wanted to do a contained thriller in the mold of Fincher’s “Panic Room.” I’m obsessed with “Panic Room.” I watch it once a month at least. It’s one of the most brilliantly constructed films in my mind and I’d love to make a movie like that where characters are chasing each other around a house. I’m currently developing a couple films that could fit that bill.

What projects are you looking forward to working on next?

I’m working with some new collaborators on projects that will likely go into production next summer. One I’m directing, the other I’m producing. These things are hard to pin down, so we’ll see what ultimately shakes out. We are also developing a Mr. Creamjeans sequel. I would be very happy to be making Creamjeans movies for the next decade.

Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?

I just want to tell other aspiring filmmakers that it’s not about you and you can’t do this alone. Find a team and start talking about movies every day. Start a podcast if you have to justify it. Learn what you like and brainstorm about how you can feasibly make a movie. Work on it every day and don’t give up. Keep the team intact at all costs and you’ll all get there together.