Joe Russo and Mark Gantt, Creators of Soul Mates

The Nick Taylor Horror Show

Joe Russo and Mark Gantt are the team behind Soul Mates, a horror romance that explores the complexities of modern relationships through a matchmaking service that spirals into darkness. Joe was the producer with Mark directing. Joe Russo is a three-time BloodList writer, producer and director known for The Au Pair Nightmare, which he directed, Hard Kill, which he was a writer on, and as a producer on Nightmare Cinema, The World’s Greatest Beer Run and the upcoming horror thriller, The Inheritance.

Mark Gantt is an actor, director, producer, and writer recognized for acting work on The Bannen Way, Criminal Minds, American Horror Story: Hotel, and Dexter. Mark has also directed multiple features including A Deadly Price For Her Pretty Face and Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate.

In our conversation, Joe and Mark delve into the inspiration behind the film, the creative process, and the challenges faced during production. They also discuss the film's commentary on modern dating, the importance of not being an asshole in the industry, and the serendipitous real-life romance that developed on set.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Joe and Mark.

Write about real fears and anxieties. Joe and his writing partner Chris channeled their fears of online dating into the script for Soulmates. If you’re afraid of something or have a societal observation, chances are lots of other people feel the same way. Eli Roth always uses his own fear as the foundation for his movies, which makes them viscerally relatable and therefore effective horror. They also balanced the movie by incorporating the absurdity of reality dating shows to create a unique horror/humor experience.

Movie karma is very real. A key person on this movie was the talent agent that Joe and Mark worked with who was Joe’s old intern. This agent championed the movie within the agency and landed them a killer cast. The agent’s positive working relationship with Joe greatly helped this. Joe emphasized the importance of treating everyone well in the industry, as today's assistant could be tomorrow's studio executive. No matter who you’re interacting with, maintain professional and respectful relationships. Be nice, and be kind. Not just because they could gain more stature later on, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Your determination must be dogged. "Soulmates" took 14 years from conception to completion, going through multiple rewrites and producers. In the end, the movie got greenlit but the trouble didn’t stop there as the team faced major setbacks, such as an actor's emergency surgery, but through it all the production persisted through strong problem-solving, support from producers, and good old grit. Stories like this are typically the rule, not the exception, in filmmaking. Guillermo Del Toro said the natural state of a movie is for it to not get made, so you as a filmmaker must be a force both in terms of determination and resilience.

Follow Joe Russo at:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joerussogram
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/joerussotweets
• Website: https://joerussofilm.com/
• IMBd: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2349665/

Follow Mark Gantt at:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markgantt/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/markgantt
• Website: https://www.markgantt.com/
• IMBd: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0304629/