In this episode of Discover the Terror, we sit down with Camilla, a DC-raised horror writer, producer, and musician behind the trap-metal project Heckraiser. Camilla talks about growing up as an outsider, discovering horror at a young age, and how fear, suffering, and moral grayness shape both her screenwriting and music.

We explore her journey from the DC area to Los Angeles film school, her love of disturbing imagery and liminal spaces, and how horror icons like Saw and Friday the 13th influenced her storytelling. Camilla also breaks down her upcoming horror feature The Vial, a cult-island survival story inspired by Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island and Midsommar.

This episode dives deep into horror ethics, “torture porn” discourse, trap metal aesthetics, and why art that makes us uncomfortable can be deeply cathartic.

• Horror storytelling & moral ambiguity
• Growing up alternative in the DC area
• Liminal spaces, empty malls, and analog dread
• Horror influences: Saw, Midsommar, Hereditary
• Trap metal, Ghostemane, and horror-inspired music
• Writing horror films and getting scripts made
• Why creators must keep making—even when it’s bad

01:12 – Meeting Camilla & “Who Are You?” as a Loaded Question

03:05 – Growing Up in DC vs LA Creative Culture

06:40 – Feeling Like an Outsider & DC’s “Proper” Image

10:15 – Early Music Roots & No-TV Childhood

13:02 – Childhood Horror Fascination & the “Bloody Babies”

17:30 – Private School, Class Divide & Embracing Darkness

22:10 – Outsider Characters & Horror Storytelling

26:05 – Amanda Young (Saw) & Moral Gray Horror Characters

32:40 – Suffering, Empathy & Why Horror Hits Hard

36:55 – Are There Limits to Horror?

41:20 – Terrifier, Extremity & Viewer Responsibility

46:10 – Horror’s Influence on Music & Trap Metal

50:25 – Heckraiser Project & Musical Influences

55:40 – Genre Blending, Art as Expression & Filmmaking

1:01:20 – Writing Horror Films & Script Development

1:05:45 – “The Vial” Explained (Cult Island Horror)

1:12:30 – Liminal Spaces & Analog Photography

1:18:10 – Empty Malls, Backrooms & Pandemic Liminality

1:23:45 – Using Liminality in Music & Screenwriting

1:27:50 – Advice for Creators: Just Keep Making

1:30:10 – Final Thoughts & Outro

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Welcome back to Discover the Terror, hosted by Max Moenschmidt and Herbert, your ghoulish guide for the evening.

In this episode, we sit down with CJ Duke — writer, visual artist, VHS box-art creator, and emerging filmmaker — for a deep dive into the strange alchemy of nostalgia, fear, and physical media.

CJ traces his love of horror back to two formative childhood moments: accidentally witnessing a traumatizing scene from The Gate, and wandering through a foreboding rural Louisiana video store that felt more like a bomb shelter than a place of entertainment. There, a mysterious VHS box — The Jar — ignited a lifelong fascination with horror imagery, unanswered questions, and the power of suggestion.

From there, the conversation unfolds into a rich exploration of:

• The lost magic of video stores and VHS box art

• Horror as intrigue rather than pure fear

• Why some films belong on VHS and lose something in HD or 4K

• The resurgence of physical media in a streaming-dominated world

• “Moon logic,” puzzles, and the forgotten art of point-and-click horror games

• FMV classics like Night Trap, The 7th Guest, and Shivers

• The cultural legacy of the video nasties era

• Being “the weird kid,” finding community through horror, and turning fear into creation

CJ also discusses his work as a writer and artist, including his Video Nasties scripts, his love of thrift-store media ephemera, and how creating faux VHS box art unexpectedly became the centerpiece of his artistic career — leading to gallery shows, museum features, and deep roots in the horror community.

The episode closes with an exciting look ahead to CJ’s upcoming debut feature, Witchcraft, a project blending horror, magic, and retro point-and-click video game aesthetics — and a heartfelt reminder to aspiring artists: stay open, follow what speaks to you, and let curiosity lead the way.

A must-listen for fans of horror history, physical media, outsider art, and anyone who’s ever judged a movie by its box.

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Discover the Terror host Maximilian Schmidt (and Herbert, your ghoulish co-host) welcomes indie horror power duo Michael J. Epstein and Sofia Casiola of Launchover Productions — filmmakers known for bold, DIY genre work and offbeat horror storytelling.

In this episode, Michael and Sofia share how they went from Boston’s music scene to building a cult indie filmography through micro-budget features, music videos, and festival runs. We dive into the making of Blood of the Tribbids, the challenge of modernizing exploitation horror, why horror is inherently political, and what it takes to survive independent film distribution without losing your rights.

They also break down the origin story of the mockumentary/slasher double feature The Once and Future Smash and End Zone 2, built from real horror convention culture — plus their new found-footage projects including Final Transmissions and an experimental feature shot using the eerie lo-fi Fisher-Price PXL 2000 camera.

If you’re into indie horror, DIY filmmaking, found footage, horror comedy, festival strategy, and the real behind-the-scenes of getting films made and released, this episode is for you.

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