ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona faculty members Brian Onishi, associate professor of philosophy, and Jeff Stoyanoff, associate professor of English and of women's, gender and sexuality studies, have released a new episode of their "Horror Joy" podcast. In the latest “Meet Your Maker” episode, the hosts are joined by Spider One and Krsy Fox to discuss their upcoming film “Big Baby” and the relationship between joy and horror.
One and Fox trace their creative paths from small-town upbringings through music, acting and songwriting into filmmaking, emphasizing that making your own work overcomes industry gatekeeping. They explain how “Big Baby’s” writer protagonist reflects frustrations with disposable modern criticism and explores storytelling’s power and responsibility, including a meta take on the author/filmmaker as a kind of slasher. The guests detail designing the original “Big Baby” mask with Little Shop of Gore, balancing physical with psychological thriller elements, and maintaining safety and a supportive “family” set culture. They tease a possible “Big Baby 2” and cite revisiting the “Evil Dead” series with their horror-loving daughter as their current joy.
The full episodes of "Horror Joy" can be accessed on podcast providers or on Red Circle.