The Hero’s Journey of Dante Tomaselli

What is the best thing that I love about my work? Being in control of my output…whether it be a movie or an album. Desecration, Horror, Satan’s Playground, Torture Chamber, Scream in the Dark, The Doll, Nightmare, Witches, Out-of-Body Experience…For each release, I feel like something is clawing at my insides, begging to be unleashed. I’m giving birth.

What is my idea of happiness? Alignment with my imagination…When I’m able to channel pictures…visions and sounds from the pit of my psyche.

What is my greatest fear? Quicksand…Falling into a deep, bottomless hole…

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? The instinct to run away. The fear of myself.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire? Alfred Sole, John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder, Vince Clarke, Marc Almond, Dave Ball, Jean-Michel Jarre, Christopher Garetano, Michael Gingold, Gary Numan, Chris Alexander, Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton, David Robinson, Laurie Anderson, Gerald Casale, Roger Corman, Clive Barker, Guillermo del Toro…

What is my greatest extravagance? Lucid Dreaming. I stare at my hands sometimes before I go to sleep and tell myself that I intend to find my hands in my dreams. It doesn’t always work but once I do, once that happens, I pop through…I’m conscious in the unconscious. I can navigate the dream and visit places from the past…or future…like the set of my next film, DAMNATION.

On what occasion would I lie? Explaining my childhood. Words diminish it.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Sometimes I feel my work is not tough enough…it needs to be more extreme, uncompromising. My films are never a celebration of violence, though. They’re more about the sensitivity to violence. I believe when pain invades it should really hurt! I’ve always strived for my films to be beautiful and tactile. Beauty and horror…Different sides of the same coin.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Flashback to December 1997, Paterson, New Jersey. I was 28-years-old and directing a scene on the set of my first movie, Desecration. I vividly remember a tear of happiness falling from my eye as actress Christie Sanford moved through a color-saturated landscape of giant building blocks and mist-shrouded toys.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

I would be full of fire…less afraid.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

My new hallucinogenic album, Out-of-Body Experience. It took a full year to compose, sculpt and mix. I think it could be music playing at a seance…or birthday party. Probably the best way to ingest Out-of-Body Experience is outside in the dark resting on a balcony looking up at the sky…I hope it produces images in the listener’s mind.

Where would I most like to live? Lambert’s Castle in New Jersey.

What is my most treasured possession? A Devil fish. I found it when I was 8-years-old in 1978 at Beach Haven, Long Beach Island…I placed it in my bucket and soon it dried up…and I’ve had it ever since. The unusual sea creature looks like a mutation of a sting ray. I still gaze at Gus, I call him Gus…and can access so many memories. When I look at him, I sense the ocean and hear the calming waves.

What is my most marked characteristic? Probably my imagination…my unconscious mind. It tends to dominate and then I’m swirling in a whirlpool of visuals and electronic sound effects. I think I have an ambient, hallucinatory sensibility. A sort of dream logic.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? I find the most inspiration when I’m composing, sound mixing and picture editing at Broadway Sound, a state-of-the-art post production facility in New York City.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? I like to walk through Union Square Park every Sunday and sample different things. There are painters displaying their artwork everywhere. Then I’ll walk over to the Barnes & Noble on 17th Street and hunt for magazines, books, music, and movies.

What books influenced my life and how? “Filmmaking on the Fringe’ by Maitland McDonagh. The book features wild and inspirational interviews with many of my favorite genre filmmakers. I remember being in my mid twenties and it definitely lit a fire under me. I also have to credit “The Power of Now” by Eckhardt Tolle. I often live too much in my head…focusing on the past and future…worrying…creating imaginary phantoms and this book helped me to be more lucid, more conscious…and exist in the moment.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Mood-drenched electronic music…like Laurie Anderson’s album, The Ugly One With the Jewels…Or Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration and Music for the Masses. Also, John Carpenter soundtracks like Halloween, The Fog, Prince of Darkness and my all-time favorite, Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. I also crave The Cars, the 1978 debut album and its follow-up Candy-O…

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in Carpenter’s Halloween…Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse in Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby…Jessica Harper as Suzy Bannion in Argento’s Suspiria…I love sweet, smart, doe-eyed heroines.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? My cousin, Alfred Sole. When I was only 6-years-old he directed the well-known horror film, “Alice, Sweet Alice” and made my family very proud of him. The film was released in theaters and Alfred moved to California and I was in awe of him. Alice, Sweet Alice was a staple of my childhood and Alfred’s film inspired me to believe in myself and write, direct, produce and score my own weird fantasy horror movies.  For another hero, I’d have to say my 8-year-old Springer Spaniel, Trippy, who’s staring into my eyes right now.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? Meshes of the Afternoon. One of the earliest “trance films” by the grandmother of Surrealism, Maya Deren. It’s a story propelled by visual metaphor and sound design. A real nightmare caught on film.

What role plays art in my life and work? I’m nothing if not an artist. I have no other skills. I do strive to live my life as a pacifist.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me? I’m a quiet person and don’t like to project outward but when I’m directing these films and soundscapes I’m aligned with what I truly am – a Creator.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? Alfred Sole. Thank you, Alfred.

What project, in 2020, am I looking forward to work on? DAMNATION. A supernatural shocker concerning a haunting at a family-owned wax museum in Salem, Massachusetts. It will be my fifth feature film. I don’t ever yell or scream on set…I’m usually very calm and whisper direction into the ear. I like to communicate with my cast, crew and artists almost telepathically.

Where can you see me or my work in 2020? You can watch my films (Desecration, Horror, Satan’s Playground, Torture Chamber) and listen to my supernatural music on the main stores like Amazon, iTunes, Apple, Microsoft, YouTube, Spotify…

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? As long as I’m living on this earthly plane, I will never stop conjuring and releasing unusual films and music.

How can you contact me?

http://enterthetorturechamber.com/

 

Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of The Hero’s Journey 

Are you a creative leader or creative professional looking to develop your business skills and storytelling?

Amidst today’s uncertainty, it is more important than ever to reconnect with yourself and others, develop your creative business, and build your story. Dive deep into your unique business style and areas for growth with the coaching of Peter de Kuster.

IS THE HERO’S JOURNEY COACHING FOR YOU?

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  You are a creative leader or creative professional  who is interested in developing yourself, your business, and your story.

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  You are aware that there are no quick fixes. Learning is a journey that works when you are fully committed to it. Coaching can bring awareness and help you navigate, but in the end it’s you who is in charge of your growth.

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  You want to learn more about how to resource yourself, learn about blind spots, and get feedback.

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  You are curious and want to engage in online learning.

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  You are motivated to work in-between sessions on yourself (e.g. working on homework assignments that will help you develop new storytelling, skills, and behaviors).

WHAT’S YOUR COACHING QUESTION?

The Hero’s Journey Coaching is all about your development. To make the most out of your sessions, we ask you to prepare topics to work on with Peter. These topics can serve as a starting point for further in-depth exploration with Peter.

These coaching topics typically resonate with the creative leaders Peter works with:

How can i tell the most powerful story possible about myself and my creative business?

How can I handle self promotion and marketing of my creative business better?

How do can I stay authentic and with focus when having difficult conversations with potential clients?

What are my creative values and how do I align these with my business values?

How can I manage my time and energy better?

How can I radiate confidence to my clients while feeling anxious inside?

How can I steer myself towards creative excellence without becoming rigid?

About Peter de Kuster

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project,  a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.

Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing,  MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.

PRICING

The Hero’s Journey Coaching online sessions last 50 minutes and the fee is Euro 189 excluding VAT per session. The Hero’s Journey Coaching is suitable for people at any stage in their career.

FAQ

Who can sign up for The Hero’s Journey online coaching?

Creative leaders and creative professionals who wish to improve their business story and develop their business skills and mindset.

Should I choose 1:1 coaching?

Our The Hero’s Journey experiences in world cities allow you to learn not only from the coach but also from your peers. For the small group coaching (1 – 4 people), we have selected important, relevant topics that we find regularly come up for creative professional: purpose, storytelling, creative confidence, self promotion, time & money and resilience.

If you would prefer to work alone or on a different topic, individual coaching is a better fit for you.

What language do we speak in the coaching sessions?

English.

Can I buy coaching for my organization?

Yes, you can! We support many organizations around the world with their coaching needs. Please contact us for more information.

Can I bring my own topics?

Yes, for individual coaching you get to choose your own topic.

Are coaching sessions confidential?

Yes. Peter will not share anything that is discussed in the coaching sessions.

Where will the coaching sessions take place?

Sessions will take place online (as per the times we live in) via an online tool like Zoom or Skype. Peter will let you know.

How do I sign up?

Send Peter a mail to theherojourneyquestionnaires@gmail.com to start booking your coaching sessions.

How do I pay?

After you send the mail, you will receive an email with a link to pay.

How do I book and reschedule sessions?

Once we’ve received your payment, Peter will contact you and book your coaching sessions. He will also support you with rescheduling sessions if needed.

What is your cancellation policy?

Individual coaching sessions can be postponed up to one week before the session.