Felicity Gustafson" />
Psycho Drive-In logo
Search
  • PDI Press
    Featured
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      Felicity Gustafson
      January 17, 2022
      Fiction, PDI Press, PDI Press Writers
    Recent
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      John E. Meredith
      January 17, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

      John E. Meredith
      January 16, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

      John E. Meredith
      January 15, 2022
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    Featured
    • Heart of Stone (2023)

      Felicity Gustafson
      August 18, 2023
      Movies, Reviews
    Recent
    • Heart of Stone (2023)

      Nate Zoebl
      August 18, 2023
    • Obstacle Corpse (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      July 20, 2023
    • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2023
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
    Featured
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      Felicity Gustafson
      July 13, 2018
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      The Final Girl
      July 13, 2018
    • David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

      Dan Lee
      March 7, 2017
    • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

      Andre Lamar
      September 29, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

      Jason Sacks
      July 28, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

      Dave Hearn, Paul Brian McCoy
      July 27, 2016
    • Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

      Gary Richardson, Laura Akers
      April 16, 2016
  • News
    Featured
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Felicity Gustafson
      February 1, 2023
      News, Shot for Shot
    Recent
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Paul Brian McCoy
      February 1, 2023
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      psychodr
      July 30, 2019
    • X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrives on Digital 9/3 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD 9/17

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2019
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Breaking
  • Heart of Stone (2023)
  • Obstacle Corpse (2022)
  • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
  • The Flash (2023) / Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
  • Evil Dead Rise (2023)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Home
Interviews

Jason M. Burns: Eighteen and Up

Felicity Gustafson
October 27, 2011
Interviews, TV

After cutting his teeth on writing comics such as The Expendable One and A Dummy’s Guide to Danger, Jason M. Burns now writes and directs the upcoming NSFW comedy web series Adults Only. Comics Bulletin’s Felicity Gustafson recently caught up with Burns to get the skinny on that series, as well as the writer’s take on making the transition from comics to TV and film.



JasonBurnsPhotoFelicity Gustafson: Considering you’ve worked on everything from Child’s Play to Fraggle Rock, with some of your own creations like A Dummy’s Guide To Danger and Curse of the Were-Woman, it’s probably safe to say you’ve got quite a history of writing under your belt so far. When did you first start writing? Was it something you’ve always wanted to do? 

Jason M. Burns: Since I was old enough to read, I knew that I wanted to write. It was my only goal. From a kid, to a teenager, to an adult, there was no Plan B. In the beginning, I wanted to write for film/TV, and that eventually led to a career in comics, which, in turn, transitioned back into film/TV. It’s funny how life works sometimes, but if you want something bad enough and work as hard as possible to achieve it, dreams can come true, which is how I perceive my career. I wrote my first film script in junior high — a horrible horror concept from the mind of a preteen — and just wrapped production on a web-series with actors/entertainers I’ve admired for years. Life’s a journey. You just have to be willing to travel.

Gustafson: So it looks like you originally started with comics and then strayed a little into writing screenplays. Do you prefer one over the other? Are they wildly different from a writer’s perspective? 

Burns: Both are very dialogue driven, which, for me, is my favorite part of writing. I like writing a conversation between two people. I’ve always been fascinated with how people talk. Outside of that though, the main difference I find is that comics offer more creative freedom. You’re not limited by a budget or any preconceived notions of what a producer or studio is looking for. You just write and tell a story and hope that it can be translated into sequentials. With a screenplay, I over think everything, which may not be the case for every writer, but for me, it’s always “can that be achieved on camera?”

ExpendableOne
Gustafson: I heard your comic The Expendable One is being made into a movie with Intrepid Pictures dated for a tentative release date of 2012. Congratulations! Were you expecting something like that happen? Did you pitch it to Intrepid or did they approach you? 

Burns: It’s actually been with Intrepid since it was first released back in 2006. They’ve had various scripts in various stages and have been very passionate about it, which is great. It would be incredible to see something get shot and reach theaters, but a lot goes into a movie being made, so I try not to count my chickens before they hatch. That being said, I’m always prepared to count said chickens!

Gustafson: You’ve gone through a multitude of different roles — writer, director, producer — is it more difficult having more than one job on a project? Or do you find it easier because you know exactly what you’re going for during a shot? Am I safe in assuming that some of the original intent is lost in translation between a multitude of people? 

Burns: It is more difficult, but I actually prefer it. I have a bit of a compulsive personality, so it’s hard for me to ask someone to do something when I can just do it myself. I have been working on that, but it’s not easy for me to pass the buck, even when it’s probably best for the project. A therapist would have a field day with me.

AdultsOnly_EpisodeStill1
Gustafson: You’re currently working on a project, specifically a web series called Adults Only. Can I talk you into summarizing that a bit for the people who haven’t heard of it yet? I read somewhere that it was described as Clerks…in a porn shop. 

Burns: [laughs] We like to call it an adult video/novelty store. [laughs] Basically, it’s about a former Olympic gymnast who was once like the Michael Phelps of that world. He was America’s sweetheart, and now nearly 30 years later, he’s just a footnote. Down on his luck and in need of money, he accepts a job managing his brother-in-law’s store and it ultimately is a story about second chances and reinvention of self. And of course, the strange people who work and visit the store as well.

Gustafson: Why did you choose a web series as your next project? Any particular reason? 

Burns: Accessibility, for one. With the web, we could produce the content and release it to the masses without having to worry about distribution and outside assistance, be it a studio or network. It also allowed me to tell the story that I wanted to tell. Whether people love or hate it, I know that it’s my vision. And on top of it all, the web is now a viable place for shows to live, breathe, and succeed. Five years ago, I don’t think it would have worked, but now it’s possible to create a series and hold an audience.

Gustafson: Adults Only boasts a pretty wide array of famous actors. Was it difficult finding the perfect people for the roles? 

Burns: Casting is very stressful, but in the end, it comes together like a puzzle. I still pinch myself when I think about the cast. I am so amazed by the people who came onboard, and the work they did in Adults Only. It floors me. Everyone was amazingly gracious with their time and talents, and on top of it all, everyone was hilarious, which is great for a comedy! [laughs] Danny Nucci, Vincent Pastore, Brian Austin Green, Sebastian Bach, Brianna Brown, Ronnie Marmo, Adrienne LaValley, and Todd Poudrier… pinch pinch pinch. That’s me pinching myself…three times…in a row…without regard for bruising myself!

AdultsOnly_EpisodeStill3
Gustafson: What’s the angle you’re shooting for with Adults Only? What are you hoping to accomplish? 

Burns: I want to build an audience for the show. I want people to laugh. And I want to take away the stigma that some people carry for “web-based” productions. In the end, I feel like we’ve made a television show. The fact that it’s available on the internet doesn’t take away from what anybody accomplished, whether it’s the actors or the crew. We made a TV show and we want to establish an audience. If we can do that, then we can tell more stories from this world.

Gustafson: Do you guys have a lot of fun on set? Will there be any kind of bloopers included? 

Burns: We had a blast. Honestly, it was like a party. Don’t get me wrong, there were stressful times (like when our air conditioner died on a 95 degree day), but all in all, it was an adrenaline rush and I miss it. You live in a production bubble, and in a lot of ways, live with the people you’re working with, so it becomes a family. After we wrapped, I woke up in the morning, stared at the ceiling, and thought to myself, “What the hell am I going to with myself today?”

AdultsOnly_EpisodeStill7

Gustafson: How long is Adults Only supposed to last? How many episodes? 

Burns: Each episode will be between seven and ten minutes in length, and it’s a total of 8 episodes.

Gustafson: I’m seeing a lot of shifts from television shows to web shows lately. Web series seem to be becoming more popular as time goes on. People seem to be more inclined to watch something if it can be found on the internet. Do you think it’s just a sign of the times? Are web series the way of the future in your opinion? 

Burns: I believe it’s the way of the future. Web-based content will become a viewer’s choice landscape. No longer are you limited by a nightly schedule. If you want to watch Community on a Sunday, you can watch Community on a Sunday. If you want to wake up and catch the latest episode of True Blood, you can. Whether it’s original content or reissued content by the networks, the web is the way of the future whether people like it or not. It may never take over the TV’s job entirely, but they’ll share the space, which, in turn, opens up opportunities for shows like Adults Only.

(Visited 96 times, 1 visits today)

Related

Adults OnlyFelicity GustafsonJason M. Burns

Halloween Top Five Ghost Stories
Supernatural 7.04 “Defending Your Life” & 7.05 “Shut Up Dr. Phil”

About The Author

monsterid
Felicity Gustafson
Knight of Entertainment / Game Master

Born in Ohio, Felicity Gustafson is a Knight of the Entertainment Order. She spends most of her time playing video games, watching TV, reading and pursuing the destruction of ham fat everywhere. Legend says that she showed signs of being an obsessed fan of the fantasy and horror genres in the early stages of life with influences such as Tales of the Crypt, The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins. Currently, she valiantly quests onward in the hopes of portraying an image of a normal person who knows what she’s talking about while dodging responsibility with her nonexistent reflexes.

Related Posts

  • 5.0

    Game of Thrones 1.10: “Fire and Blood”

    Danny Djeljosevic, Felicity Gustafson, Nick Hanover, Paul Brian McCoy
    June 24, 2011
  • 4.0

    Stargate Universe Season 2 DVD Set Review

    Felicity Gustafson
    July 24, 2011

Daily Top Ten

  • Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014)Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014) by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Uzumaki (2000)Uzumaki (2000) by Matthew Fantaci
  • An Ode to LuciferAn Ode to Lucifer by The Final Girl
  • Arrietty (2011) ReviewArrietty (2011) Review by Kelvin Green
  • Jason Trost Needs Your Help to Create A World Without SuperheroesJason Trost Needs Your Help to Create A World… by Adam Barraclough
  • Prometheus (2012)Prometheus (2012) by Shawn Hill
  • All Binge… No Purge: The X-Files S7 Part TwoAll Binge… No Purge: The X-Files S7 Part Two by Rick Shingler
  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) by Nate Zoebl
  • Lost in Translation 415: Remaking Gilligan's IslandLost in Translation 415: Remaking Gilligan’s Island by Scott Delahunt
400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

Weekly Top Ten

  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014)Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014) by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • Lost in Translation 435: Remaking Blue Thunder (1983)Lost in Translation 435: Remaking Blue Thunder (1983) by Scott Delahunt
  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
  • Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) by Alex Wolfe
  • Dungeons & D-Listers: Barbarian Queen (1985)Dungeons & D-Listers: Barbarian Queen (1985) by Alex Wolfe
  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Night of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary EditionNight of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary Edition by Dan Lee
  • The Xeno File: The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)The Xeno File: The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) by Serdar Yegulalp
400x400 UA Affiliate Banner

Latest Reviews

  • Heart of Stone (2023)

    Nate Zoebl
    August 18, 2023
  • Obstacle Corpse (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    July 20, 2023
  • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

    Paul Brian McCoy
    July 16, 2023

psychodrivein

Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 449: Gamera - Rebirth (2023)

Overall, Gamera: Rebirth takes the goofier aspects of the Gamera films and turns them into moments of awesome.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #Gamera #GameraRebirth #Netflix
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E66 - De-Classified Debt

Greg and Jaren talk news, acquisitions, and balancing the budget when all your toys are arriving at the same time.
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod guys at the link in our profile!

#Anything Joes #GIJoe #GIJoeDeclassified #WrathOfCobra
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation - Defusing Bombs: Cutthroat Island (1995)

Cutthroat Island is worth a look, keeping in mind its weaknesses.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #CutthroatIsland #GeenaDavis #RennyHarlin #MatthewModine #FrankLangella
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E65 - Pyramid of Darkness (2): Rendezvous in the City of the Dead

Greg and Jaren continue their dive into the classic G.I. Joe mini-series Pyramid Of Darkness! 
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod gang at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #GIJoeARealAmericanHero #PyramidOfDarkness
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 447: Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

Batman: the Animated Series demonstrates how to adapt a popular character without losing the character’s essence.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#Batman #BatmanTheAnimatedSeries #MarkHamill #KevinConroy #ArleenSorkin #WB #DC
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Heart of Stone Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Heart of Stone (2023)

It’s hard for me to envision anything Heart of Stone could offer that people would request a return visit.
---
Read more of Nate's review at the link in our profile!

#HeartOfStone #GalGadot #Netflix
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E64 - Pyramid of Darkness (1)

It's time! Greg introduces Jaren to the first episode of the iconic "Pyramid of Darkness" series from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero!
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod guys watch the cartoon at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #ARealAmericanHero #PyramidOfDarkness
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E63 - Kentuckiana 2023 

Greg and Jaren discuss the new layout, the vendors, and their recent acquisitions from attending The Kentuckiana G.I. Joe Toy Expo! 
---
Watch the new @AnythingJoesPod video at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #Kentuckiana #KentuckianaGIJoeToyExpo #GIJoe #Kentuckiana2023 #KentuckianaGIJoeToyExpo2023
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 446: Cowboy Bebop (2021)

One snag the live-action Cowboy Bebop has is trying too hard to look like the anime.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #CowboyBebop #Netflix #Sunrise #HajimeYatate #ShinichiroWatanabe #YokoKanno #Seatbelts #JohnCho #MustafaShakir #DaniellaPineda #AlexHassell #ElenaSatine
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Latest Columns

  • Lost in Translation 449: Gamera – Rebirth (2023)

    Scott Delahunt
    September 22, 2023
  • Anything Joes: S01E66 – De-Classified Debt

    Greg Engle
    September 13, 2023
  • Lost in Translation 448 – Defusing Bombs: Cutthroat Island (1995)

    Scott Delahunt
    September 8, 2023

Look Who's Talking

Barbie Worldwide
Barbie Worldwide - 8/5/2023
Lost in Translation 429: The Barbie Movie Teaser
Barbie still in the driver's seat and the movie is speeding past a billion by August 7, 2023.
John E. Meredith
John E. Meredith - 4/5/2023
EZMM 2023 Day 3.1: Zombie for Sale (2019)
Of course, I just woke up from an old-man nap and had a strong urination before reading this, so now...
John E. Meredith
John E. Meredith - 4/3/2023
EZMM 2023 Day 1.1: I Am a Hero (2015)
Oh hell yeah. Looks like one more thing to add to my watch list.
RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

Archives

Large_rectangle_336X280
All work on this site is Copyright © each individual writer.
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise