Actress Raine Brown, a regular on the New York independent horror scene, recently finished shooting a new project on which she’s both star and producer. She teamed up on the movie, titled I <3 U, with equally busy Southwest fright filmmaker/actor Billy Garberina.

“This was an idea Billy and I came up with a few years ago, shortly after starring together in the yet-to-be-released PSYCHO HOLOCAUST,” Brown tells us. “Basically, it’s MR. AND MRS. SMITH meets SILENCE OF THE LAMBS on a shoestring budget—a dark comedy with wacky characters and cool effects scenes.”

In addition to her acting and producing duties, Brown handled the film’s costumes, with Garberina (whose credits include GIMME SKELTER and NECROVILLE) serving as director and editor. “We’re both actors who like to make their own opportunities,” says Brown, who also appears opposite Garberina in BRAINCELL (now scheduled to come out on DVD May 18), “and we wanted to be part of a movie that gave us a chance to star as the types of characters that thrill us, and that we don’t always get the opportunity to play. Billy and his CR Productions have already completed a few films, and I felt that with his experience, it would be the perfect way to get my feet wet in fully producing a project from start to end.

“I love being an actor,” she continues, “but sometimes when that’s all you do, it can be difficult to feel fulfilled as an artist. You’re always waiting for someone else to cast you, and you play characters that have been written by others and have to do them within the confines of their vision. Don’t get me wrong—I have gotten so many opportunities to play really interesting roles and worked with talented people who allowed me to create and use my own artistic talents, but with I <3 U, I’ve had the chance to fully produce my own project with my company, RaineY DaZe Creations. I had previously contributed to other projects with RaineY DaZe, producing and/or costuming BEAST, BRAINCELL, GAME OVER and SCULPTURE, but this is my first venture into starting with an idea and seeing it through to a movie, and having a large hand in the overall vision. This time, I had more creative input.”

The bulk of I <3 U was lensed on Garberina’s home turf of Albuquerque, NM, with additional shots subsequently picked up in New Jersey. “Shooting was such a crazy experience,” Brown says. “We had so much to cover in very little time. So far, the footage is looking great, and right now it’s in the process of being edited. We hope to have a screener version by the end of the year. It was a new experience for me to be part of the preproduction and see the film take shape from beginning to end—that’s a very different flavor than coming in the middle of the work and leaving before the end. I’m looking forward to postproduction and helping to shape the final movie.” For further info on this and Brown’s other movies, check out her official website and MySpace page.

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