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Five questions with Tulsa native filmmaker Todd Lincoln

After the release of his feature debut, “The Apparition,” Tulsa-native writer and director Todd Lincoln returned to town to shoot his next project, the experimental horror short “Gorgeous Vortex.” 

“Vortex” is the final segment of the video release of “V/H/S: Viral,” the third entry in the popular horror anthology franchise. Avant-garde in conception and shot with a mostly local crew, the film has a dream-like quality unique to Lincoln’s imagination. I caught up with Lincoln to talk about how the film came to be, his hopes for the Tulsa film scene and his dream of Claud’s Hamburgers staying open till 2 a.m.

How did “V/H/S: Viral” come to be? 

I was in L.A. walking in the Topanga Canyon mall eating cookies when I ran into one of the “V/H/S” producers. He and I started talking, and he asked me if I’d be interested in directing a segment for the new “V/H/S” film for Magnolia Pictures. I went home and quickly fleshed out three different concepts that I sent to him and the other producers. Happily, they chose “Gorgeous Vortex.”

I got a David Lynch meets Clive Barker vibe from “Gorgeous Vortex”. “The Apparition” owed a debt to Carpenter and found-footage ghost stories, but what were your influences for this? 

I love those filmmakers, but I didn’t consciously have them in mind while I was making this. I had been interested for a while in smashing together visual elements of fashion photography and horror films, and this story was the perfect opportunity. “Gorgeous Vortex” is an experimental, high-fashion horror film. It’s like an evil puzzle or strange transmissions from an interdimensional fever dream—purposely disruptive and divisive. I felt it was time to burn the forest for regrowth and maybe push the horror genre forward a little bit. My composer, Joseph Bishara (“The Conjuring,” “Insidious” 1 & 2”) really elevated and enhanced “Gorgeous Vortex” with his haunting original score. He just released the soundtrack album on vinyl and digital download. 

Between the return of Overground Film Festival [which Lincoln resurrected with partner Jeremy Lamberton], and shooting “Vortex” here, you clearly have affection for Tulsa. Is that part of an effort to bring L.A. here, or is Weber’s root beer just that awesome?

It was important to me to bring this film to my hometown and use a mostly Tulsa crew. I made my longtime friend and Tulsa Overground Festival collaborator Jeremy Lamberton a co-producer on “Gorgeous Vortex.” He did amazing work on this as a second-unit director of photography, art director and location manager. Tulsa has such cool, unique, untapped locations for filming. There’s so much scope and built-in production value. And yes, easy access to a cold frosty mug of Weber’s root beer doesn’t hurt. Neither does a hamburger from Claud’s. But those historic establishments are open so damn few hours in the day. My dream is to keep them open till at least 2 a.m. every night and really bring the “Restless Ribbon” of Peoria back full-force.

Did you get any help from the Oklahoma Film and Music Office?

A little. They and the Tulsa Film and Music Office were helpful with permitting locations for us. But to be honest, myself and other filmmakers have been frustrated and disappointed for a long time by many aspects of how things work or don’t work at the OFMO. There are massive missed opportunities. Taxpayers and filmmakers deserve better. I look forward to sitting down with them and the Tulsa mayor’s office to have an honest, constructive conversation about how they can dramatically advance things and move Tulsa forward in a quicker, cooler, more efficient way.

Given the nature of the machine, life, and everything else; what film do you want to make next?   

Right now I’m hiding out in research/development mode. I’m writing a new feature script that I can’t talk about yet, but it’s kind of a psychosexual sci-fi thriller. I’m also exploring new forms of storytelling and world-building in other mediums, such as real-time mobile augmented reality. In the meantime, you should keep checking up on gorgeusvortex.com for additional side-story micro-films that tie in with “Gorgeous Vortex.” a

“V/H/S: Viral” is available now on Blu-Ray, DVD, and for download on iTunes.

Want more stories like this? Check out Joe's "Fifty Shades of Grey" review and Molly Bullock's feature on Oklahoma filmmaker Sterlin Harjo.