Forbidden Pictures is a Maryland based independent film company who's primary (but not exclusive) work is based on the scripts and stories written by company CEO, JimmyO Burril. With the cult success of FP's second feature film, Chainsaw Sally, the company and it's founders have become more established and respected in the horror world. With the support of such horror and independent royalty as Herschell Gordon Lewis, Gunnar Hanson, Debbie Rochon, and others, Forbidden Pictures continues to make modest budget films for an audience that is ready for something original, new, fun, and not just another Hollywood money sopping, CGI laden remake of their favorite films. Also, it is the continued effort of writer JimmyO to give the audience smart, well developed and most of all likeable characters for them associate with while watching the story. Forbidden pictures has many exciting new projects coming up, and will continue to follow the path that they love.

WHO IS?

JimmyO Burril - CEO / writer / director / producer / editor / art design / marketing / web master

April Monique Burril - actress / artist / dancer / singer / costume designer / props

Shawn Jones - cinematographer / producer / editor / asst. director

Forbidden Family - Katie Taylor, Lilli Burril , Kevin Perkins, David Calhoun, Rio Lacour & Joey,
Patrick Storck. Anders Eriksen, D-Day & Nurse Hatchet

HISTORY

Originally started as JAMO in 1994, the theater company was a vehicle for the works of it's founders, writer JimmyO Burril and composer James Taylor in Biloxi Mississippi. The team had started by writing two children's musicals, Jungle, a campy take off from The Jungle Book, and The Milky Way Mars, and Other Candy Bars. The two founders along with their quickly growing cast and crew had a nice little success on a local level with their musicals, but wanted to do something more for their age. With JimmyO's passion for horror and Halloween, he took it upon himself to write a musical haunted house that would lament some of his favorite classic horror films. Soon, in October of 1996 Silver Scream was brought to the stage live, in glorious black and white. The show became a local sensation, and continued to play even thought JimmyO had moved to Maryland, leaving James to head "JamO South."

Once in Maryland Jimmy continued with a whole new group of performers which now included his sister, Katie Hutchinson who would choreograph, and wife to be, dancer / singer- April Wetherell. For several years Silver Scream was performed along with Milky way Mars, and Attack of the Killer Space Vultures from Planet X. The shows went well, even though there was little to no money to put into them. Laboring under the motto "Always turn your liabilities into assets" the group started purposely making sets and costumes look cheap, as a campy way to play up the B-horror flicks they were portraying. More importantly, Jimmy and April decided to create someone who would forever change their lives.

The knew that Scream was geared to a younger audience, but it was almost impossible to get the correct age horror fan to give it listen due to the stigma of the term "musical." So, they added a little bit punk rock, a little Elvira, a little Tank Girl, and a little Freddy Kruger... all wrapped up in a cute Bettie Page-ish slasher chick and Viola'- they had their very own horror hostess aptly called, Chainsaw Sally. Jimmy came up with the name and put words in her mouth, but April was the embodiment of Sally. They made a web site, and started pushing Silver Scream. In no time, the Chainsaw Sally site had far surpassed the Silver Scream site in traffic... which was fine, but not really what was intended... at first.

Jimmy, frustrated at trying to get more recognition for Silver Scream, was talked into making a no budget film of the stage show, by Justin Alvarez, one of his leading stage actors. Jimmy really didn't know much about film making, but it sounded like fun, so, perhaps this way, a good video could be made to use as a demo of the show. Almost a year past with the JamO group shooting and recording when they could on weekends, after work, or just when and where they could. Finally, the movie was complete. A trailer was made and hosted by April as Chainsaw Sally and off they went to screen at conventions, festivals, where ever they could.

In 2003 Silver Scream played at a local film festival in Baltimore called Balticon. Chainsaw Sally hosted the festival, adding skits and interviews even contests in between movies. Very few people turned out, especially for Scream, but one who did was a local film maker named Mark Redfield. He liked Silver Scream and liked Chainsaw Sally. A brief and polite conversation was had between the two filmmakers, which would normally have been the end of the story. But, Jimmy, would not let that happen. With in a few weeks, Redfield and Jim had decided to make Chainsaw Sally, the movie. Jimmy would write and direct, Mark, produce and star. No problem. But, not one week after making the decision to green light the project, and extra problem appeared. One morning, while Jim was working on the Sally script, April came down the stairs and announced, "Write fast, I'm pregnant." Happy that they were to have a child, but also basking in the irony of the timing as they had be trying for three years, a call was made to Redfield to tell him the news. After thinking about it, the team chose to go forward as fast as they could to do the movie. When production started, only $10 thousand of the proposed $40 thousand was raised, but still, they pushed on, sure that they could find the rest of the funding as they went.

Chainsaw Sally was shot in 18 days, and by the end of the shoot, $38 thousand of the $40 was in place. Somehow, the film was made. To save money, Jim decided to cut the film, find the music, and finish all that could not be paid for while Redfield hunted distribution. Chainsaw Sally started playing horror cons, film festivals, and any other screening they could get it into and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. It was really hard to believe that such an accident was being so well received. With the breat press and reviews, surely Sally would be picked up in no time.

In 2006 after a long standing contract that would go no where but the back burner, Sally was put into Jimmy's hands to see if he could find distribution. He went out and bought a copy of Fangoria and Rue Morgue. After going though each magazine carefully, he cold called every distributor who was of an independent nature, and who had purchased a full page ad for one of their titles. Every one he called said "YES! Please send us your movie. We've been trying to get a screening copy for some time." So, his home promo packs and burned DVDs of Chainsaw Sally went out to 4 companies. All four replied, and made offers. But only one really came after it with passion. Shock O Rama released Sally to the world in February 2007. She broke records in sales for the company selling almost 10 thousand copies in it's first few weeks. She also sold out at Amazon twice in the first week. So the little film that had almost every imaginable obstacle to cross, had made it. Sally fans lined up to met April. Fans made shrines to her, bought her type of chainsaw for her to sign, bought pictures, posters and tee shirts. Some even got Sally tattoos. What a difference one year can make. A film that went from not having enough money to be made, but having to be made fast because of a pregnancy, but then being sat on for over a year, only to finally find distribution, has put April, and Jimmy, and Forbidden pictures on the Horror Scene map. "When people are committing a part of their flesh to a character you created... and for the rest of their lives, it's humbling That may well be the best pay April and I ever get.":

Forbidden Pictures has grown up a little since the making of Chainsaw Sally. A rather steady crew and cast have become a part of the forbidden family. A handful of diehard fans, who are welcome on set and in the films, are always there to support the three key members, Jim, April and cinematographer, Shawn Jones. Jims idea of not making the movies untouchable, and letting fans become friends, and be a part of things, has changed the way some look at the movie system. "Hollywood and it's exclusive fraternity mentality is a large part of what is wrong with the big money movie system. In reality, it's just movies. Not any ground breaking contribution to mankind... entertainment, and that's all. It's supposed to be fun. The fact that actors are paid more than teachers blows my mind." JimmyO loves be accessible to those who like his movies. He loves to get to know them, and not let them remain fans... but would much rather have them ad friends. Forbidden Pictures now continues to pull in unknown talent, people trying to find some small foothold into the movie world, and bringing just fellow horror fans in to meet or be a part of the process. "The only thing that makes us any different than most horror fans is we're masochistic enough to want to make movies."

....and make movies they will.

(Under construction. Links to be added.
The pictures featured are from Silver Scream - Live in 1998
Thanks for reading.)