Rising Stars: Meet Richard Tanner of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Tanner.

Hi Richard, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always liked writing. Even as a young child I would watch things Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps and I would go to School the next day and tell my classmates my version of the story. I liked making things up. One day my mother told me to write it down and anytime I would try to tell her a story she would tell me to write it down and that’s what I did. I became a writer.

Fast forward through the years and I went to college for writing and ended up being a barista… fitting. But I still wanted to make things up so me and my little sister made a short horror film. That was a rush! People actually watched it! I could post on the Internet without having to hunt down publishers. That was the ticket!

I had more buddies get involved and basically it was a bunch of drunken nights of making jokes and no one saying no. The next day was little hung over but filled with refining and sharpening. Somewhere along the way we had several features under our belt and had fans and a place in the horror scene.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth…. noooo. To paraphrase Clerks, This job would be great if it weren’t for all the fucking people.

Money has always been the hard part of making a movie. My company isn’t named A Buck Short Productions for nothing. It makes you creative, but frustrates the hell out of you at the same time. Your actors want to get paid and you got to buy gallons of fake blood. The give me give me give me is non-stop.

Camera equipment, lighting, merch. The list really is endless. Mostly you aim to break even and if you make a little extra, it’s already going into the next one.

When you make indie films you don’t get to just be a director or writer … you are the filmmaker. You cook lunch, you hold mics, you make costumes. You do whatever you can on your own and then plead, bargain and trade with who ever else you can to help… and most of the time you still hemorrhage out money.

This sounds so negative but I swear I love it. I could film weddings or commercials or church sermons if I wanted cash but all I truly want is to make silly little things with my friends… and maybe share a story or two.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m mostly known as an indie filmmaker but I’m a fairly decent writer as well. I’m certainly intertwined with horror in every aspects.

My film credits include Screw Year’s Eve, a holiday slasher that pays homage to the 80s cheese we all know and love. Mother Noose Presents Once Upon a Nightmare. an anthology of Twisted Fairy tales that only A Buck Short could do and Room for Rent, a found footage haunted house movie that has garnered over 100k views on YouTube (can you tell I’m proud of that.

I’ve also written a book called Suburban Legends which is about fictionalized version of my home town and the terrors that lurk beneath the southern charms.

I’ve also done a lot of work with Dagon Films and Wages of Cine Studio. I love working with other locals.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I honestly believe that my success comes from my ability to finish a project. Flaws and all. I find too many people worry about perfection and will work on something for their entire lives and never actually get it out to be viewed. I think art is supposed to be shared and talked about and I’m okay with my mistakes because I’m always going to make more and sometimes I do learn from those mistakes. Sometimes…

Contact Info:

• Website: www. abuckshortproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abuckshortprod?igsh=N3R3YWR5MWFzN205
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EvpHxJPwv/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@abuckshortproductions4166?si=CPUCq4tNJHUpys8R
• Other: abuckshortproductions@gmail.com