Interview: Stephen C. Sepher/Nazo Bravo

By The_Night_Rider on April 3, 2018@manlymovie

Today marks the release of the thriller Dead on Arrival on Blu-Ray, DVD and VOD. Alongside that, we have a dual interview with both actor/director Stephen C. Sepher and Nazo Bravo.

Both men start in the film, where a pharmaceutical sales rep visits a small town in Louisiana on business. He finds himself in a dark world of corruption and murder with 24 hours to live, running from the police, the mob and a sheriff that wants him dead.

Q: Firstly, could you tell us about yourselves and your new movie Dead on Arrival?

Stephen C. Sepher:

I am the writer, producer of the film Heist with Robert De Niro. I also acted in the role of Dante in the film.

Nazo Bravo:

I served as co-producer on Dead on Arrival, played the role of Detective Naroyan, and also have an original song in the movie called The Money. The film is about a man who visits a small town in Louisiana on a business trip and gets sucked into a dark world of corruption filled with various shady characters, from mobsters to corrupt police to strippers. He gets poisoned with 24 hours to live and fights for survival, trying to figure out who technically murdered him.

Q: What inspired you to make this movie?

Stephen C. Sepher:

The original DOA 1950 was a great concept. We wanted to put a spin on it and tell a new story.

Nazo Bravo:

Stephen came up with the concept while he was location scouting in Louisiana for another project, and it seemed like a great story so I came on board as a co-producer from the inception point and we went from there.

Q: What was it like starring in the movie as well as directing and producing?

Stephen C. Sepher:

It was all about preparation as an actor, director, producer. Each element has its own process. Its all about story telling at the end of the day.

Nazo Bravo:

Producing this project was a great experience. Being able to take something from concept to screen and having it turn out better than you initially imagined is both exciting and satisfying from a creative perspective. When I started in the film business I started out as an actor, so to also be able to play a detective alongside D.B. Sweeney was very cool. And out entire cast as an ensemble came together very nicely so I was grateful to be part of that.

Q: How did you go about casting the movie and what was it like working together?

Stephen C. Sepher:

We cast the actors based on working together in the past for the most part. We knew what we were getting for most of the the roles. Enjoyed everyone as each brought something different.

Nazo Bravo:

We only auditioned a few of the smaller roles. Everyone else was cast based on who we knew and felt would be right for the roles. Some of the roles were even written for specific actors like Lillo Brancato and everyone did a great job. We had fun on set.

Q: What were your favorite scenes to shoot?

Stephen C. Sepher:

The two gagsters. The two hoodlums.

Nazo Bravo:

The party scene was a bit of a beast but it was like one big party while we were shooting it, so that stood out. Most of the locations we used were the actual places like the hospital, police station, church, etc. The abandoned warehouse had so much character to begin with, and the spooky and filthy vibe translated well onto the screen.

Q: Do you have any funny or shocking behind-the-scenes stories to share?

Stephen C. Sepher:

We goofed where we could. It was part of the shoot. On the dvd we have some funny behind the scenes moments.

Nazo Bravo:

Yes definitely check out the DVD behind the scenes. It’s always great to be able to work with people you know before the shoot because there’s a stronger camaraderie during the process.

Q: What are you working on next?

Stephen C. Sepher:

The Operator, an action thriller.

Nazo Bravo: Yes The Operator is next on our plate and we just got back from a European scout in Bulgaria and Budapest, Hungary. I will also be releasing a music video for the song I did for Dead on Arrival called The Money so make sure you check that out.

Q: Lastly, can you tell our readers what they can expect from Dead on Arrival?

Stephen C. Sepher:

Expect an unexpected journey that takes you into the bayous with characters that surprise you.

Nazo Bravo:

Great, colorful characters. A story that will keep you guessing. And beautiful cinematography giving the viewer a unique perspective of the bayou during the winter time.