This month has seen the release of Mason Mecartea’s new project – slasher horror film Terrifier 3, playing the role of Cole, alongside David Howard Thornton as Art The Clown and Elliott Fullam as Jonathan. Terrifier 3 had its premiere earlier this month, and Mason was directed by Damien Leone, and he attended his first horror convention recently in Manchester. Other work for Mason has seen him play Lee in an episode of Blue Ridge, work on his first feature film Popular Theory as Tim, play Chase last year in Secrets on Greek Row, and be a guest on Series 4 of Stranger Things in 2022 as Dan Shelter. Mason runs his company The Day Productions, with which he has released a number of short films including Smashing Pumpkins, which he wrote, directed and produced with his best friend Hunter Romanillos, and it is showing at film festivals and won Best Horror Short at the 2023 IndieX Film Festival. Continuing in both acting and filmmaking, Mason has numerous unannounced projects upcoming including short films, a feature and guest roles in TV shows. Chatting to Mason, we found out from him about playing Cole in slasher horror film Terrifier 3, his feature film debut in Popular Theory and his short film Smashing Pumpkins.
In the newly-released slasher horror film Terrifier 3, you play the role of Cole, how did you feel joining the Terrifier franchise for its third installment and how much did you know about the previous two films before booking the role?
It really was an incredible experience working on Terrifier 3. I was pretty familiar with the previous films, but I hadn’t watched them all the way through prior to filming. I remember finding a clip from Terrifier 2 on Twitter of the iconic bedroom scene and just being shocked out of my mind. It was so scary but also incredibly impressive to see the film’s use of practical effects. You could tell Damien (Leone) was a gifted filmmaker. Joining the franchise and walking onto set, you really see that these films also have the greatest production team ever. It’s a big family. As a horror movie lover myself, I was just honoured to be involved in the franchise and it has been a blessing to watch it’s fan base continue to grow and, as of recently, break some cool records.
How would you describe Cole and what was he like to play?
I’d describe Cole as a tough love big brother. He is totally in the vein of typical “college bro”, but as you get to know him a little more throughout the film, you discover more his heart for Elliott Fullam’s character, Jonathan. Cole was a ton of fun to play because he contrasts a lot of the energy of the rest of the characters. I loved getting to be a firecracker in the mix of tension-filled sequences or heavy dialogue scenes. The cast is so much fun to work with, so every scene was just us playing around.
How was it being directed by Damien Leone and filming alongside the rest of the cast?
Damien is a legend! He is one of the most collected, smart, passionate, and collaborative directors I’ve ever worked with. He is so crazily talented. He can direct, write, and create insane makeup SFX… truly amazes me. He kept things so fun on shoot days and I loved chatting classic horror movies with him in between scenes. I feel the same way about the cast. We just clicked and I respect them all so much. Everyone is so multi-talented and masters at their craft. David (Howard Thornton), Lauren (LaVera), and Elliott were so inviting and I learned so much from them on set. Everyone is so perfectly cast, it was just a joy to be in such a tight ensemble of amazing actors.
What was it like on set of Terrifier 3 and how did you find the experience working on a slasher horror film?
The set was way more fun than frightening, ironically. The crew is so lovely and there was always a ton of laughter, stories, and conversation happening in between scenes. But when the cameras were rolling, David’s incredible character work as Art The Clown made it quite easy to get my heart rate up. David truly brought a levity to the darkness that his character thrives in which makes everything very fun and unhinged. He snaps into that character so fast it’s so awesome to watch him do his thing. When filming the shower scene, there was so much blocking we had to perfectly learn and nail. After some time getting all the movements together, Alexa (Blair), David and I had to make this horrifying scenario real. Lots of screaming took place, but it truly was an epic time.
How was it attending the New York film premiere earlier this month and what has it been like seeing the fan response to the release of the film so far?
Completely overwhelming in the most positive way. I’ve always cherished New York and seeing the film with the cast and crew there for the first time made for an unforgettable night. It was amazing. The fans of this franchise are so loyal and incredible. I’ve had so many pinch me moments since the premiere because of all of the great and positive reactions online. I’m just so happy to be a part of a film that has audience members this excited! Recently, I went to my first horror convention in Manchester, England – For the Love of Horror, and it was a mind-blowing experience getting to chat with fans of the franchise and hear their thoughts. I’m so proud of the film.
In April, you played Lee in an episode of Blue Ridge, what was this like to be part of?
I love my Blue Ridge family! Lee was such a fun character to play because he and his friends are classic western cinema lovers who decide to make their fantasies a reality by role-playing as outlaws when passing through the town of Blue Ridge. Lee and his duo of “outlaws” eventually find themselves in over their heads as things get more and more dangerous than they anticipated which leads to a pretty awesome showdown. It was a blast guest-starring as an antagonist with a very specific spin on the western “outlaw” trope. It was also my first time riding a horse, which was very intimidating. I remember taking several weeks worth of lessons just to look natural and comfortable for shoot day. Of course, I got the horse that didn’t like me at all. Let’s just say at one point it felt more like bull riding then horseback riding.
Can you tell us about the family film Popular Theory and your character Tim?
Popular Theory is one of my favourite productions I’ve ever worked on. It was also my first feature film ever. I met some of my best friends for life on that film. The movie is a really artistic family high school comedy about a kid genius that makes an incredible scientific invention for her science fair project: popularity chewing gum. Tim is a dorky jock type. He thinks he’s very cool but is absolutely clueless to how ridiculous he looks.
What was Tim like to play and what did you enjoy most about filming for Popular Theory?
It was a blast to run around and play the aloof character. I didn’t have to take myself seriously at all and all the improv produced a lot of laughs on set. It really was the best time. As for what I enjoyed most about the production, it was most likely all the nights I got to spend out on the town with my castmates. We got to know each other very well and it was so sad when we all had to part once the film wrapped. The crew was so excellent and talented, the movie has such a bold look and confident artistic approach to its lighting, colouring, production design, and cinematography. That was another part of the experience that I deeply enjoyed. I learned a ton on that set.
How was it playing Chase in the 2023 film Secrets on Greek Row?
Chase is similar to Cole from Terrifier 3, but a little bit of the opposite. His motives are selfish and he does everything he can to keep everything in his favour. Secrets on Greek Row was my first supporting lead in a feature film, so it felt like a daunting task to me, at first. After a lot of prep before shooting, I had found this sweet spot where Chase could be playful and silly while also walking that line of sociopath. One of my favourite aspects of playing that character was finding all the moments where he lets his guard down and shows his true self, for better or worse. He’s a tough shell to crack, but by the climax of the film his secrets are revealed.
In 2022, you had a guest role in Series 4 of Stranger Things as Dan Shelter, what was it like filming for a hugely-popular Netflix show?
Stranger Things was a dream come true. That show came to me at a time when I was questioning a lot about the industry and whether I should keep auditioning or not. I was feeling like I wasn’t getting many confirmations that this was going to be a career that was going to work for me. When I got the offer for the role, I was ecstatic. I’ve been a fan of the show since Season 1 so it was a huge deal for me. Filming was also completely magical. The styling and wardrobe is all true 80s and really intricately managed. Working and hanging out with the principal cast was also a huge highlight. They were all so kind and welcoming, it boosted my confidence when it came around to filming my scene. Shawn Levy was directing that day and I definitely took home a lot of things that he said. His direction was so good. He is very intelligent and knows how to pull the very best out of you as an actor.
As a filmmaker with The Day Productions, you have been a writer, director and starred in numerous short films including Ax to Grind, Escort and Smashing Pumpkins, can you tell us about some of them?
I started The Day Productions because in between acting work, I was so enamoured with filmmaking and knew that was the only thing I wanted to keep myself busy with when I wasn’t acting. I was producing a lot of music videos that were helping me afford better gear, lighting, and equipment. Eventually, my video production work led to me producing more and more high quality short narrative projects with my closest filmmaker friends. We still keep at it to this day and The Day collaborates with a lot of different artists around the southeast leading to different productions including Smashing Pumpkins, Ax to Grind, and more! Each have their own spin in style and tone, which is so exciting and fun as an artist. I can’t wait for these projects to eventually lead to features!
How is it taking your short films to film festivals and how was it having Smashing Pumpkins win Best Horror Short at the 2023 IndieX Film Festival?
Watching Smashing Pumpkins do really well at these festivals across the country was really confirming for a lot reasons and just exciting all around. Smashing Pumpkins was a short film written, directed, and produced by my best friend, Hunter Romanillos, and I. We were dying to be a part of something in the Halloween aesthetic and atmosphere, so we got to work. We put our writer brains together and eventually came up with a short film that captures the vibe and tone of a feature-length version of the story that we have in mind. We are so proud of it and it was our first time ever receiving any acceptance to film festivals. The film did great and initiated Hunter and I in producing a lot more projects since.
Do you have a favourite aspect of filmmaking and how is it seeing your own projects come together into a completed film?
I think one of my favourite aspects of filmmaking is all the staging, blocking, and lighting during the rehearsal portion of the shoot day. Everything is all coming together, and you get that time to search, play, and investigate the script one last time to find what kind of gold you can uncover that you may have missed prior to pre-production prep. The camera is being staged, and it’s the first time you really start to see the vision from the script being displayed right in front of you. Other then that, I love editing. It’s so much fun to put the puzzle pieces together and watch the full story come together. It’s a very satisfying journey.
Where does your love of acting, writing and directing come from and how did you get into all three?
It’s all thanks to my dad. He always had a camera around the house when I was growing up and it was him that would motivate me to make little movies in our free time. I loved watching him shoot and edit. I was blown away as a child that this was something that we could do. From there he would show me Steven Spielberg movies and I just completely caught the bug. As I entered middle school and high school, I was training myself to be a stronger actor but also a better director and producer.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love spending my free time playing tennis or doing anything outdoors. I recently got the Regal Unlimited membership, so I have just been seeing as many movies as I can that come through theatres. I feel like one of the most crucial ways to learn more about filmmaking is to watch as many movies as you can.
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?
My favourite movies always cycle in and out, but I always go back to Scream (1996), The Matrix, Fight Club, Jurassic Park, Jaws, The Thing, and, of course, La La Land. I love everything 80s and 90s so my favourites usually tend to be from around then. As for TV shows, I grew up absolutely in love with The X-Files and Twin Peaks, which to this day I think Seasons 1-3 of Twin Peaks is one of the most satisfying and transformative film experiences I’ve ever witnessed.
Have you got any projects coming up that you can tell us about and what are you hoping the next year brings for you?
There’s a lot to look forward to! I have several short films in the works along with a feature incoming and a couple of guest star episodes on some TV shows. You can keep posted with me on my Instagram to see what’s going on and coming up. Thank you!
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