I first met a whole bunch of the Signal crew up at Sundance 2007, and I was blown away by how low-key, gracious, and friendly they were. That includes the director trifecta of David Bruckner, Dan Bush, and Jacob Gentry, producer Alexander Motlagh, and actors AJ Bowen, Justin Welborn, and Scott Poythress. A few months later I saw the same crazy crew at Austin's SXSW film festival, which is when the Signaleers adopted me as some sort of media mascot. (Full disclosure: My Signal review was quite positive AND it was written well before I met any of these knuckleheads.) For more check out our exclusive clips, The Signal - What Have You Done? and The Signal - Laura. or The Signal trailer.

By Scott Weinberg
So now, over a year after I first saw the flick, Magnolia has settled on a solid release date (Feb. 22) for the freaky-fine sci-fi / horror flick, and I thought it would be fun to chat a bit with lead actors AJ (the baddie), Justin (the hero), and Scott (the humor) and see how the ride has been so far. Here's what the guys had to say about their movie, their festival adventures, and their flick's now-irritating (but very small) similarity to a novel by Stephen King.

The Signal was shot in Atlanta for a ridiculously paltry sum of money with a bunch of actors who don't have very much film experience. So ... how the hell did you guys finish the thing?

Scott: All of us have been working together for years actually, making short films, producing theater, Gentry and I actually made our first feature together called Requiem, don't ask to see it, back in '96. The city of Atlanta is filled with people and friends with the resources we needed to shoot efficiently and cheaply, ex. locations, wardrobe, equipment, lights, even talent. There's a huge support network there that is willing to help out when/where needed.

AJ: By eating lots and lots of peanut butter sandwiches. Also, what's "deferral" mean?

Justin: I think It's more interesting to think about how we started it. Every effort is so much harder in its inception. The planning, writing, rehearsing, drinking and arguing for hours too long when you HAVE to work tomorrow. Thats where the real tightropes get walked. When it was done, it was in the hands of the directors, designers, editors, sound guys (all of whom we know real well), and was sort of treated like, "Lets bust this thing out quick so we can see what hell we hath wrought and get what we can from it so we can make another film." Who knew it would go where it has? We had some ideas that it was special among all of our other projects, but nothing prepared us for everything that has happened.

The flick is unique in that it has a different director for each of the three acts (or "transmissions"). What sort of challenges does this create for an actor?

Scott: I can imagine that for someone unacquainted with any of the three directors it could be quite daunting. I've known and worked with all three in both film and theater so we had a common language already in place. Dave, Jacob and I have also been roommates for years in the past, so with that relationship in place, a lot can be said with fewer words.

AJ: I've been trying to wrap my head around this one for a year, because I think it created very few challenges -- since we all knew each other, we were able to communicate much more effectively than most collaborators would. But if I had to pick my friends apart and look for rust, I'd say that there were a couple of times (one, actually, for me) where I disagreed with the tone of a scene we were rehearsing. Specifically, I didn't think Lewis (my character) would have responded a certain way. I did it how I was asked, of course, but in the case of this movie, the actors are responsible for all three "incarnations" of their character, whereas the directors were only focused on one-third. So while trying to build an arc in three acts (me), they had the challenge of trying to do the same thing in 30 minutes. In this specific case, if I had to do it again, I'd do it my way, because I am selfish. And always right.

Justin: The main challenges for me came from trying to keep the story straight in my head. Films being shot out of sequence as they are can be difficult to dig into if you get lost in where you're supposed to be in the film. But actually it was almost easier to work with three directors, A) because we know and trust them, B) there was always someone who could give you attention and feedback immediately, and C) each director would ask you to think of things in a different way, and while that could be daunting for some, it was just pure roller coaster sweet for me. I love a challenge.

Give us a plot synopsis in less than 27 words.

Scott: The city of Terminus' residents have gone shit-nuts on New Years Eve. Only one man, Clark, can reunite estranged lovers and save them from destruction.

AJ: I could, but I'm sure the publishers of Cell did it much more efficiently than I would.

Justin: A mysteriously powerful transmission grips the city Terminus. Chaos and murder rule the streets, yet two men seek the lost woman of their dreams at any cost.

If I said The Signal has one hero, one villain, and one everyman, which one would you say you played?

Scott: Oh, Clark is definitely the every man, much like myself. Obviously not much of a stretch for me. He's just trying to get by, he's a pacifist. Also, a total horror movie buff- dragon- con- badge- wearing- gear- head-trekkie- conspiracy- theorist. I'm not a trekkie though. I'm of the belief that you must choose between Star Wars and Star Trek, and never the 'tween shall meet. I don't know why I've always believed that, but now it's in my blood.

AJ: The lame actor answer would be that I hope we ALL played ALL three at some point in the telling of the story. The kids that get on IMDb, however, will say that I played the villain. I tend to believe there are no villains, but if I need to be the guy to wear that one, I'm happy to. I'd rather be a doer than a thinker, and Lewis gets shit done. Lots of it.

Justin: The hero.

From an actor's perspective, what's unique about telling a scary tale?

Scott: I can tell you what's FUN about it. Getting together with your best friends at 5:00 AM for week after week and throwing fake blood on each other! Playing with such amazing special effects that Toby Sells created for the movie and imaging holding an actual severed head! That's just good ol' American fun.

AJ: You know, I didn't know it was a "scary" movie until I met our publicist at Magnolia and she told me she didn't like me. (Really.) I don't think there is a different approach. The story is still about human relationships. The scary elements are an effect, and we are responsible for defining the cause, so it's really the same approach as anything else. I WILL say that the commitment level has to be high, because if you see the actors winking, the story quickly becomes a comedy. An unintentional comedy. And I think we've all seen plenty of those.

Justin: Well, honestly, they're more fun. You get to play inside of VERY extraordinary circumstances. Feeling scared is such an intense endorphin rush, like sex. And just like sex, once you've been there, you just want more. What is interesting is how you try and make YOUR scary story not about playing scared. Its about dealing with the horror and fear, swallowing it, and going on. If you're gonna live you better start making some really important decisions and MOVE! Fear helps solidify action, which is all an actor should be interested in.

What's the Atlanta acting / filmmaking scene like?

Scott: It is amazing! Tax incentives have brought more production there over the last few years, the talent is top notch!! Seriously, very devoted and strong actors and filmmakers work their asses off and have been for years in theater and film and it's time they're taken seriously. Seriously.

AJ: I never was a part of it, so I couldn't say with any degree of accuracy. I can tell you that the actors I worked with in this film are, pound for pound, the best actors I have ever worked with. And they all have ridiculously developed drinking problems.

Justin: Hmmmm. Acting in Atlanta can be wonderful and miserable. There is so much talent, and you can be involved with some amazing projects. The trouble is getting people to see the work. So you can fail or succeed and just about the same number of people will know about it. There is a kind of glass ceiling that creative people hit here, because you start deciding if you want to be an artist or a commercial performer. Atlanta seems much more comfortable with entertainers than real actors or artists. It doesn't want to fund them or give them a place to work. Despite that, the ATL has some amazing artists that strive all the time for the Real Work; regardless of the obstacles, they stay determined to make the movie, do the play, have the conversation they need to have.

It doesn't open theatrically for a few weeks, but has The Signal given a boost to your career?

Scott: Oh sure, I actually live in LA now, and you can just feel the tone of a conversation change when I mention the words "Sundance" and "theatrical release." so although I'm not having scripts delivered to my door every morning, I think people are more interested in me.

AJ: Well, YOU'RE talking to us, and you never called BEFORE....

Justin: Sure.

The Signal gang has traveled to a lot of film festivals with the flick. Can you name a few highlights from your adventures?

Scott: The biggest highlight for me was at Sundance and getting kicked out of my own photo shoot by Kevin Bacon. we were all at a brunch given by SAG Indie, so the room is filled with all these huge celebrities from the shows 24, The Office, movies and what not. And here's me, Cheri, and AJ felling like we're totally crashing this thing. But we were invited so...and we got a gift bag. In an adjacent room is a photographer for Getty images and our publicist's reps are there shuffling people in and out and in we go finally. I watch Cheri do her thing, posing and hitting the marks, and I notice Kevin Bacon in the next room talking to people and I just think that's so cool. Kevin Bacon! I'm a huge fan of his work so...I mean, Quicksilver, Footloose, Flatliners! Anyway, I'm next and I hit the first two marks, in walks some lady and whispers quietly and quickly to the photographer and in walks the man himself. He walks around the umbrella and just looks at me. And I know what's happening, sure. I can wait. I just say "Kevin Bacon", thinking that the way I said it made sense to him, like he could read my mind. I might as well have just kicked a kitten in front of him. I lowered my head and stepped to the side, letting Kevin do his thing. Then the rest of my shoot was a bust, you can actually look those images up online. Ridiculous. Now I'm 0 degrees from the man, and he thinks I'm a douche.

AJ: South By Southwest. I found a 1968 Airstream trailer to rent on Craigslist, so I opted to stay in it, down by the river, instead of looking for a hotel room. The fridge was stocked with Lone Starand the freezer had a bottle of whiskey in it. And in general, that festival is most suited to my personality. I know everyone says it, but Austin is one of the best places on Earth. I got to meet a lot of cool people this year, but I found friends at SXSW. And if you ever make a movie, do whatever you can to get it screened at the Alamo Drafthouse. It's geek mecca. Or perhaps Valhalla.

Justin: The Gen Art festival in New York was cool. They rented out a whole club for our after-party. There were people in tin foil hats screaming, "Do you have the crazy?!!!" I had a conversation with an awesome one-legged stuntman, and seemed to never be attended by any less than three chicks at a time. That was pretty alright. SXSW was cool. I got stoned with some big wig film executives while we all sat in vibrating massage chairs, and tried to figure out what one another were saying.

The film veers from horrific violence to dark comedy to strangely effective romance with very little effort. How tough is it to cover this range of emotion -- and make it work?

Scott: Honestly, I just show up and do the work. Hopefully it sells, and the directors are happy. All I can hope for is that they use the best take, and the rest is in the editing. If I weren't an actor, I'd be an editor. For sure.

AJ: It was very easy. What's tough is having to maintain one note through a whole story, which is usually what you're asked to do. Gotta give it up to Dan, Dave, and Jacob on this one. They wrote it, so all we had to do was try to not fuck it up.

Justin: Honestly, just reference life. Remember that all of that violence, love and humor exists every day, everywhere. Just push that reality into the relevant circumstances of the scene, and strive to never lie. The hard part is to do it take after take after take. It's so draining and physically exhausting, and sometimes you just feel the reality of the sweat in your eyes, and go from there. Emotions are terribly unreliable, and I work from a much more physical place than some because it serves the repetition that the medium demands. Saying "I love you" is just as physical as getting slammed into a van. They both should hurt a little, and be worried if they don't.

Most films that are "delayed" are flicks with serious problems, but that's certainly not the case with The Signal. Can you explain some of the reasons for the 13-month gap between its Sundance premiere and its theatrical release? (the music rights, Magnolia's new genre arm, looking for a great release date, etc.)

AJ: Everything you just said. Who wants to open an indie sci-fi / horror film sandwiched between Rob Zombie's Halloween and Saw 4? You'd have to have 16,000 screens and a 200 million dollar advertising campaign to compete with that.

Justin: I think there were so many elements that contributed to the ongoing delays, but that is something that the owners of the movie, Magnolia, could answer better than me. My "job" was done two years ago!

On the surface, the plot of The Signal shares some similarities to Stephen King's novel Cell. Can you please, once and for all, explain to the uninformed how and why The Signal is NOT a copy-cat of King's story?

Scott: We wrapped production right as the book came out, if I'm not mistaken. AJ has a better recollection of that time-line.

AJ: What are you talking about? I've not heard of this Cell. Furthermore, who is this Stephen King? Is there a point to answering this question? No matter how many times we say it, someone who hasn't seen the movie is going to jump on that bandwagon. It's a technical impossibility for us to have ripped off Cell. By the time the book came out, we had one day of principal photography left. I read somewhere that someone suggested we must have received an advance copy... Hell, if we HAD ripped off the master, he'd be suing the shit out of us. That being said, it IS incredibly flattering to have our title even show up in the same sentence as "Stephen King." Why doesn't anyone ask about The Crazies? Or Videodrome? Those are much stronger arguments than Cell.

Justin: We finished shooting it and began editing and submitting it before Cell ever came out. We had never even heard of it. We just think its kinda cool that people think our concept is cool enough to be one of Stephen King's.

What's the coolest thing you've read (or heard people saying) about the movie?

Scott: When Aintitcool claimed our movie as a cult classic. That's pretty dope. I'm a massive fan of the genre so to be a part of it would be just stupid cool.

AJ: That we must have ripped off Stephen King's Cell.

Justin: The coolest thing has been to just watch how many people see it and love it. They are always so surprised at how different it is than they thought it would be. The best thing I remember reading was the Ain't It Cool News review that came out RIGHT after the premiere at Sundance, and when we read Quint and Rav, everybody just stood around and went, "Holy Shit! They really dug it!" That was like twenty minutes before we found out the film had sold!

Companies like Lionsgate and Magnolia are really great at picking up the "smaller" horror flicks and then selling them (well) to a hungry audience. What's your experience with Magnolia been like?

Scott: They are cool as hell, young, fun, great to be around. The reps I've hung out with anyway. With the track record they've had, I'm thrilled to be a member of that family.

AJ: There's never anything negative about getting distribution for your indie horror film, especially by people who sincerely LIKE the movie and want to see it in theaters. Plus they're really good at drinking.

Justin: Anxious. Aroused. Aggravated. And appreciative.

Do you guys have any little tidbits on what we might expect from the Signal DVD?

Scott: Fun With Clark, Scratch and Sniff-O-Rama Drive-In-Teractive Killer Chase Sequence, probably on Blu Ray.

AJ: Hopefully Lewis and Clark's love scene will make its way back in. We worked very hard to make it sexy and dynamic, and they used 14 gallons of paint and spackle to airbrush me and Scotty. So to waste it would be tragic.

Justin: Webisodes by the three directors (i hope) about other Terminus denizens. Probably one of those tedious commentaries that only us geeks can stand to put up with. A pretty sweet making-of documentary.

Five teenage girls are on their way out of a cinema playing The Signal. In your ultimate dream, what are these young ladies saying about the movie?

Scott: I'm a married man, bro. I don't have ultimate dreams with teenage girls anymore.

AJ: "Glad we opted for this instead of Witless Protection!"

Justin: Wow, that was great! If I was Mya, I'd have cheated on my husband too. Ben was a hottie.