Lance Weiler is the director of two critically acclaimed independent horror movies, The Last Broadcast and his most recent film Head Trauma. On top of that he’s also the founder of the Workbook Project, designed to give aspiring filmmakers an understanding of funding, production, promotion, and distribution in a digital age.

I recently had the chance to ask Lance some questions about his career and in particular his latest cinematic venture Head Trauma.

What's the reaction been like to Head Trauma? Has it lived up to your hopes?

The reaction to the movie has been amazing. It has exceeded my expectations. Both critics and fans have embraced the movie. The fact that we made seven top 10 lists for 2006 and that I’ve been getting tons of emails from fans who are discovering the movie as well should give you some idea of how well the film has been received.

I spent over three years making it and a lot of that time is spent in a vacuum, so you’re never sure what the reaction will be. You always hope for the best, that people will respond and not only has there been response but the amount of doors that Head Trauma has opened are amazing.

One of the key factors in the film's creepy atmosphere is the sound design. Did you pay particular attention to that and do you feel that it's an area often underused by horror directors?

The sound design and the music really blend in Head Trauma. I really wanted the sound be a character within the movie and we spent a lot of time discussing and prepping for the score. Tim Nielsen, the sound designer, and Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey, the composers, did an excellent job of creating the fractured world of the movie’s protagonist, George Walker.

Brian and Amy started making audio sketches while we were still shooting. They traveled to various shooting locations and recorded actual sounds within the house. Later they would create music using those sounds. It was important to have a non-traditional score, one that would blend the nightmares and reality. Tim Nielsen started early as well. He did an amazing job of bringing the sound design to life. I want to make every movie with Tim, Brian and Amy.

While the film has similarities to Polanski's Repulsion (an isolated individual going insane) it also has things in common with recent Japanese horror films like Ringu. Was this a conscious (or even unconscious) influence? Are you a fan of the modern wave of Japanese horror?