Michigan-bred animator Richard Gasparian talks about his 30-year-odyssey making HOUSESITTER: THE NIGHT THEY SAVED SIEGFRIED’S BRAIN, a new-old horror-comedy that was completely filmed in 1987 but only now just seeing the light of day.
Richard, where do you hail from?
I am originally from Southfield, Michigan
Lived there all your life?
I lived in Michigan through college (Western Michigan University), then I moved to NYC to pursue acting.
Were your parents in the industry?
I have no other family members in show business except for my actress wife, Holly Kaplan.
Were they encouraging of your choice to go into filmmaking?
Absolutely, I was blessed with parents that really wanted me to follow my dreams.
Can you tell us your work in the animated world? How did you break in?
I never formally studied animation and really kind of fell into it. I knew someone who thought that it would be a good fit for me. I could apply my acting skills, as well as filmmaking skills and find success.
And you’ve done a lot of work on The Simpsons. I imagine you’ve seen a lot of changes over there over the years?
Yes, I have seen a lot of changes over the years, from character designs to story arcs. The crew is the most consistent thing about the show. Most of the crew have been there for many years, and few are from the very beginning.
Have the gang over at The Simpsons seen the movie?
Only one or two trusted confidants have seen it. The movie has been under a lid since we decided to finish it.
Do you have to be a horror fan to work on a film like Housesitter?
No! To work on a film like Housesitter you only have to have a desire to work hard, have fun and not be afraid of fake blood.
You’re in the film too! Did you have any acting aspirations around the time this was filmed?
Yes, I did pursue acting back in the day. I’ve done a few small roles on tv shows and had a featured part in Wes Craven’s Shocker.
If you had filmed Housesitter in the last few years how do you think it might have been different?
If we were to shoot our movie today, we would be able to take advantage of digital effects. CGI was only a dream when we filmed. Every fx in our film is practical.
What do you people get from the film?
Hopefully, people will be entertained and will want to see it again and again. There are a lot of funny lines that someone might not get until the second or third viewing.