Ryan Stride interviews writer, director and self shooting producer Marty Stalker Marty Stalker is a driven and perceptive creative professional, making his mark in the world of film, television and documentary making. Originally from Liverpool, and now living in Belfast, Marty is a writer, director and a self shooting producer who has worked on thought provoking television shows and visceral documentaries. He is famous for being the director of an intense documentary about the late Roman Catholic Priest, exorcist and author Malachi Martin and he has a distinct ability to convey to audiences unique experiences and life's diverse dimensions. He continues his work in different aspects of filming through his production company Scattered Images. Marty Stalker is a name that may well be circulating around Hollywood very soon. RS: Marty, great to get this chance to do this interview with you and to discuss your fascinating career. So first of all, welcome to The Peace Dimension... MS: Thanks and it’s nice to be here. RS: So, we have had a few months of lockdown now- do you think this whole 2020 weirdness has changed you or will go on to influence your work as a story teller? MS: I always like to take a positive from everything in life and this lockdown has been more of a positive experience than a negative one. I’ve been writing scripts, editing, creating and producing podcasts in my spare time so have kept the creative brain alert and exercised. I’ve also been researching more about local, worldly and other worldly topics as well as keeping in shape and watching what I’m putting in my body. RS: As a documentary maker, you bring some interesting life experiences to the process; having served in The Royal Marines, travelled around the world and participated in military operations. Does the discipline and demanding training that the marines undergo help you with the rigours of filming? MS: Totally and the transition into the film industry has been extremely smooth with a lot of similarities with military life. I’m now facing similar challenges that I faced whilst in the Royal Marines. For example, you don’t get much sleep but you still have to work at 100% capacity every minute of the day, especially being a Director as you are making numerous decisions per day. Filmmaking is one big team effort and you can’t get to the finish line without each other. You are also constantly problem solving and thinking on the spot. I would like to see more military veterans in the TV or Film industry as their embedded discipline will take them far in the job. RS: As you have been in a world that is very physical and requires you to rely on your training and more practical side, I am curious then what inspired you to choose Hostage to the Devil as one of your major projects as this addresses a subject matter that in some ways is quite far away from the military world. Please note I did say 'in some ways'! Can you say what inspired you to take your directing skills in this direction? MS: The 'Hostage to the Devil' project actually came to me. Two local producers had seen my work and made the approach. As this was my first feature length film, I bit their hand off at the opportunity. I’m a storyteller by heart, so if that means fluctuating between factual and fictional content then so be it! At the end of the day, it’s all about writing a story, executing the story on screen and putting the pieces together in the edit to create a coherent and engaging piece of work. Marty Stalker on the set of Irish Gothic with Jimmy Cosmo. RS: You're obviously no stranger to the intense shades of life having served in Afghanistan, right? Did you find the story of Malachi Martin and his work as an exorcist to be something quite intense to research? I could see the subject matter giving a person sleepless nights! MS: I spent 6 years on the Malachi Martin project and it definitely took me down a lot of rabbit holes. He was a joy to research and we only scratched the surface with the documentary. The exorcism footage we looked through was disturbing but you had to remain as objective as possible. The main question posed in the documentary is 'Was this man (Malachi Martin) a truth teller or sociopath?' and it’s interesting that many audiences had varying reactions and feelings about the man. The only thing that gave me sleepless nights was the possibility of not creating a documentary that I promised to my funders and film commission. RS: I get the impression based on your work on this documentary that when you decide to cover a subject and bring it to the audiences you go into your research with a lot of zeal and readiness to gather and unravel the facts, almost like an investigative journalist. Do you find you are enjoy this process of investigating paranormal subjects or even topics with obscured historical roots? MS: Very early on in the research phase I realised that the internet was a tricky place to find my information. Fact checking on Malachi Martin was important and we only received official correspondence from the Jesuits five years into the process. I did find myself going around in circles and down too many rabbit holes, so I made the decision that I needed to stop being so investigative and just present the “Facts” as best as I could and speak to as many people as possible who had met the man in person. The Paranormal and "Unknown” world will always be popular with audiences but it was still important not to get too carried away with the sensationalism of the topic at hand- it was a documentary after all. Finding that balance of subject matter and entertainment was crucial and I will always be criticised for going to heavy on either one- you can’t win in this industry! RS: Yes, I can see it is a difficult balance to obtain, especially when your audience expect different things. Now, have your life experiences and research influenced your spiritual beliefs Marty and if so do you mind sharing them with us? MS: To be honest, I’ve gone on more of a spiritual journey with my latest documentary ‘Peace of Mind’ about plant based medicines than i did with ‘Hostage to the Devil’. Where I am now with my beliefs is that I believe there is a creator but I’m not feeling the draw to any Christian denomination at the moment, although I am baptised as a Protestant. I’m only at the beginning of this journey, so ask me again in 10 years! RS: I'm putting a note in my calendar...'Ask Marty Stalker in June 2030 what his spiritual beliefs are'. Some would say that Malachi Martin also had a controversial, conspiratorial side and I noticed on various podcasts, including Chris Thrall's Bought The T-Shirt Podcast, there are certain topics being discussed that a lot of viewers are genuinely interested in. These topics are about the hidden realities in the world and the sinister esoteric goings on that have spilt into popular culture and Hollywood. I also think the impact of this lockdown have made people question the way the world works. I get the impression you have your boots firmly planted on the ground and are not easily swayed by sensationalism. Could you ever see yourself doing a documentary on this type of subject matter? MS: The lockdown has caused more of the global population to research more into topics you’ve mentioned, which is a great thing. However, too many people are not fact checking a lot of the “research” that they are reading or are sent by others so this can be quite frustrating. People need to double check everything they read or watch because a misguided “Conspiracy Theorist’ can be a dangerous mind. I think there have been a lot of content that has already been created in Hollywood on the subject matter without the mass population knowing. As Keanu Reeves once said- “The truth is, The Matrix was a documentary”. How about a movie where the plot twist in the film is that the "Red Pill-ocks” are actually the real enemy of the people! RS: That is an interesting plot twist and sometimes who represents the red and blue pill could be misleading on all kinds of levels. Hey, maybe we can get this theme shared with Keanu as I understand they are making a fourth Matrix film! Maybe the bottom line here is be careful of certain pills...You are also interested in the subject of natural healing methods which is great. Could you share about the documentary you're working on to do with plant based healing and health? MS: I was looking at telling a different story about treating veterans who had trauma-based mental health problems as the market was saturated with PTSD content. So, I stumbled across an old actor friend of mine who had spent the last 9 years of his life taking plant based medicines to treat his depression. Although I’m only at the early stages of this project, it’s shaping up to be a powerful story and I’m hoping to educate the audience in this subject matter and to teach them that pharmaceuticals are not the only way to recovery. There is a clear demand for alternative treatments and I’ll be taking the audience from the urban streets of Belfast to the rainforests of Peru. The main question being posed is- are these unorthodox methods safe and how far are people willing to go to find their own cure and route to recovery? RS: I think this is a great gift of being a film maker or someone who can capture these unique life experiences and bring them to the screen; you get the chance to share with people something that helps humanity- something positive and inspiring... Would you say though, that at the other side of things- there are those who seem to want to show something that is grotesque or malevolent or that induces fear in society? MS: Shock and Awe sells and that's a fact. I’m constantly being asked by TV commissioners, especially one UK channel in particular, about where the shock value is in my content. It’s a sad reality as they are selling entertainment to the masses, regardless of subject matter. Mainstream news is also guilty of the fear mongering as well and seems to be on steroids over in the USA. But more people are becoming wise to this now which is great to see. I haven’t watched or read the news for a year now and I feel so much better for it. RS: Marty I understand that you next goal is to start making feature films and I know that you have already got some really fresh ideas in development. I can see you making a real impact in Hollywood especially with your experiences. So what films have you seen recently that inspired you? MS: I’ve been doing this nearly thirteen years now and I’m right at the start of my career. My ultimate passion is live action and the challenges with working with actors. My go-to films are 'The Exorcist', 'Dead Man’s Shoes', 'The Grey' and 'The Descent'. RS: I can see a survival theme running through all of those... man or woman against that which threatens humanity. Is there a particular genre of films you would like to explore as a film maker? MS: I’ve directed numerous genres in short film format but I would like to challenge myself with Drama and Horror stories moving forward. I have 3 films at the online Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes on Monday that I'm attached to as Director: 'Lima 616' with Veridian Films, Dublin and written by Colin Weldon. 'A Shadowing of Angels' with Starlight Film, London and written by Bernie Plunkett MBE Msc Mlitt and myself. 'The Ash' with Causeway Pictures, Belfast and written by Spence Wright RS: I can see you are keeping very busy and look forward to seeing them when they come out. Looks like you might have to come back here before 2030 and tell us more about these films. We've some great UK film making talent like Neil Marshall who did Dog Soldiers, Gareth Edwards who did an amazing job directing Star Wars Rogue One and Christopher Nolan who is world famous for his Batman trilogy. I'm looking forward to seeing you join their ranks soon! Is there a director whose approach inspires you? MS: My go-to Directors are Shane Meadows (This is England, Dead Man’s Shoes), Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) and Danny Boyle (Sunshine, Trainspotting). It’s important to have inspiring peers but to also find your own, unique voice in storytelling, which is what my plan is at the moment. RS: Just coming back to your work as a self shooting producer, I am intrigued by one of the documentaries you worked on called Nunu: the rhino whisperer. Nunu seemed like an interesting man, based on the footage I have seen. Could you tell us a bit more about this project and Nunu? MS: I was already in South Africa developing a Documentary Series called ‘Loziba’ about empowering a local Zulu community into creating their own wildlife reserve. We got wind of Nunu’s story, so we took out a day from our schedule to spend some time with this incredible former poacher turned Ranger and conservationist. Footage for The Rhino Whisperer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxrJ213t31Y RS: So Marty, I set up this platform as a place where deep thinkers and creative artists get to share their message with those looking for answers and inspiration. It is also to reveal more about The Peace Dimension which is something deep beyond time and space. I always ask my interviewees to share their ideas and it's lead to some really great insights. If I may ask you then, what does The Peace Dimension symbolise to you? MS: I think everybody has a unique journey when attempting to find their own peace, so a 'one mould fixes all' approach is wrong. Unfortunately, some people never find their true inner peace and too many become frustrated when certain methods don’t work. But it’s all part of the journey and trust me, sometimes you have to go into the depths of darkness in order for you to come out the other end. I began my unique journey by meeting like minded people who educated me, I cut things out of my life such as alcohol and social media and I began to really look after myself and what I am putting into my body. I haven’t looked back since but everyday brings fresh challenges. I’ve also found a new purpose in life and I am blessed to be working in the film and television industry. Life isn’t meant to be easy but it’s meant to be lived. RS: Marty thanks again for sharing. Good luck with your career as a film maker and with your own journey to truth and with truth.... Marty's production company website is: www.scatteredimages.co.uk and IMDb page is: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4980768 The Peace Dimension by Ryan Stride is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk Copyright © Ryan Stride 2020 All rights reserved Comments are closed.
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AuthorBorn in London, England, Ryan wishes to share with people how the mystical can be found in the moment, allowing great things to happen. Ryan is also a writer and social commentator who is currently working on a script and several new book titles. ArchivesCategories |