Interview with Tommy Brunswick: Co-Founder of Motor City Nightmares

Tommy Brunswick is one of the co-founders of the Motor City Nightmares horror convention and film festival. While covering the convention, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tony to understand the reason for founding the convention and film festival.

Note: Tommy is female. Before pointing out the fact that women do not usually have the name Tommy, remember that she is a huge horror fan and friends with many of the people that have been scaring you for years.

LVP: What was it that inspired you to found Motor City Nightmares?

TB: Well, we are all filmmakers, and we wanted to promote our own films (she laughs). We also wanted to bring some celebrities in. This gave us not only a chance to meet them, but also to woo them. We have been able to bring them on our sets and we have made a number of friends.

LVP: What is it that separates Motor City Nightmares form other horror conventions?

TB: One major difference is that we are huge horror fans. I go to a lot of horror conventions around the country because I am a fan myself. There is also a positive vibe here because everyone who is here wants to be here. People are not here because they have to be in order to be paid. They are here due to a labor of love.

LVP: The convention was not held in 2009. From this point forward, is MCN going to be an annual event?

TB: Yes. My son was in the hospital that year. We had the event scheduled, but we went with family first. We have it booked here (Novi Sheraton) for the next four years. If it continues to grow, as it has, we still want to have it at this venue. If that growth continues to happen, we will go to twice a year. Possibly next year, but we will see how it goes. The next one will be April 27, 2012 to April 29, 2012.

LVP: What is your favorite part of Motor City Nightmares?

TB: The fans! Oh my God, I just love seeing them. I love the fans because they are like kindred spirits. If you are a fan, you feel safe and secure here. You are in your bubble. People in the outside world might not understand you all the time, but the people here understand you.

LVP: What other changes are you planning for future events?

TB: Well, there will always be changes to be made. Things occasionally need to be tweaked and sometimes they need to be changed. I think that the contest structure needs some changing. Sometimes people take the contests too seriously. Maybe we can do something to nip that. At the end of each convention, we come up with a list of things that could be better.

My husband and I make movies. Making movies is ten times harder than this. We went into creating MCN as if it was already prepared and we were just walking into the job. I think that this makes running the show easier for us than for other people at other shows.

LVP: What would your dream list be of guests in the future that you have not been able to land at this point?

TB: I met Wes Craven at the Fangoria Convention in Burbank. I had made a few movies at that point and asked him if he had any advice for a young filmmaker. I was waiting for these great words of wisdom and he replied, "You've made a couple of movies so far? Well just don't quit." I was so mad. Now, though, whenever things get hard, I hear those words in my head. I hear, "Just don't quit." That has carried us through our conventions and our movies. I would love to have Wes Craven.

I would love to have John Carpenter as well. I want to have all of my idols here. I have met George Romero. Of course, Guillermo del Toro would be great. Maybe Peter Jackson would be another. I don't know if they do this sort of thing, but if I could get them here it would be awesome. Even Ron Perlman would be a great one. This list could go on and on. I have a husband and four boys. I would love to have more women around as well.

LVP: Finally, there are not very many women that run horror conventions. Why do you think that is?

TB: Remember that women are better at multitasking. I think that it reflects the market. There are not many women that make horror movies. I hope that I can help change that.