How to Run an Indie Horror Film Festival with Erik Steele (Founder of Horror Film Roulette)

<p>Filmmaker &amp; Festival Runner Erik Steele joins Midnight Horror Picture Show host Neil for a deep dive into indie horror filmmaking, festival building, and 20+ years in the film industry. Erik is the founder of Horror Film Roulette, a Metro Detroit horror short film competition now celebrating its 13th year, and co-founder of Th3 Studio, a boutique production space in downtown Utica, Michigan.</p><p>In this episode, Erik shares how he got his start making stop-motion films at age 13, worked his way up through Michigan&#39;s film incentive era on productions like &quot;A Very Harold &amp; Kumar Christmas&quot;, and spent years in reality TV before founding one of Metro Detroit&#39;s most beloved indie horror events. We talk file backup horror stories every filmmaker needs to hear, what it&#39;s really like directing a horror short in four weeks flat, and how Horror Film Roulette is partnering with the historic Senate Theater for its 2026 competition.</p><p><br></p><p>Whether you&#39;re an aspiring horror filmmaker, a festival organizer, or just a fan of behind-the-scenes filmmaking stories, this conversation is packed with practical advice, industry war stories, and a genuine look at what it takes to build a film community from a drunken bar conversation into a 13-year institution.</p><p><br></p><p>Chapters:</p><p>00:00 Intro — Welcoming Erik Steele</p><p>01:09 Erik&#39;s origin story: filmmaking since age 13</p><p>02:04 First working together — the reality TV bar shoot</p><p>04:27 Breaking into Michigan&#39;s film industry during the incentive era</p><p>06:03 Why you should ALWAYS back up your footage (twice)</p><p>08:19 File transfer horror stories &amp; protecting yourself on set</p><p>09:18 Working on A Very Harold &amp; Kumar 3D Christmas</p><p>12:06 Hostel: Part III and shadowing director Scott Spiegel</p><p>14:35 The Blockbuster story that got Neil on Hostel</p><p>17:05 The bar-night origin of Horror Film Roulette</p><p>19:11 Horror Film Roulette&#39;s move to the historic Senate Theater</p><p>23:08 Growing an indie film festival from 30 people to a real event</p><p>24:27 Charging admission, giving prizes, and funding filmmakers</p><p>26:21 Community over competition — collaboration in the scene</p><p>28:47 Filming a UFC documentary on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi</p><p>30:24 Inside Th3 Studio — 13 years of a boutique production space</p><p>33:30 Horror Film Roulette 2026: rules, categories &amp; kickoff details</p><p>35:30 Submitting through FilmFreeway and reaching other festivals</p><p>39:06 International wins and advice for choosing film festivals</p><p>40:07 One week to write, one to shoot, one to edit, one to procrastinate</p><p>43:02 What&#39;s next for Horror Film Roulette: 2027 and beyond</p><p>44:04 Erik&#39;s other projects: a new feature and a vertical web series</p><p>45:32 Aladdin 3477 — the sci-fi trilogy update</p><p>47:47 Wrap-up and where to find Erik Steele</p><p>49:06 Announcing Sideshow and the Midnight Horror Book Club</p><p><br></p><p>Links &amp; Resources:</p><p><br></p><p>www.horrorfilmroulette.com</p><p> @horrorfilmroulette on Insta, YT, and TikTok</p><p>Find Erik Steele on Instagram: @Th3Studio / @SteelePhotos</p><p><br></p><p>Midnight Horror Picture Show on Instagram: @MidnightHorrorPictureShow</p><p>Email us: MidnightHorrorPictureShow@gmail.com</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe for new interviews with indie horror creators every month, plus our new Sideshow series and Midnight Horror Book Club coming this fall.</p>