Filmmaker and Actor George Baron on ‘The Blue Rose,’ Early Inspirations, and His Passion for Directing
…The Blue Rose is meant to be fun, campy, and silly. I get a lot of comments saying it’s a David Lynch knockoff or a Hitchcock tribute, but it’s really not. It’s just a movie that’s fun and goofy. Nothing is that serious, and you’re fine. That’s my main takeaway from the film — it’s unserious, and there’s no overarching message or moral. It simply exists, and that’s okay…
I had the pleasure of talking with George Baron. George, an actor, writer, and filmmaker, has recently gained attention for his feature directorial debut, “The Blue Rose.” The film, set to premiere on July 12th, follows two rookie detectives who find themselves trapped in an alternate reality filled with their worst nightmares. This mind-bending horror film, described as a “pastel-noir” piece inspired by the golden age of Hollywood, is poised to make waves in the industry.
George Baron’s story begins with a whimsical origin: he jokingly claims he was “plucked out of a cabbage patch by a stork” and delivered to his unsuspecting parents, who foresaw his future stardom. Growing up in Los Angeles, George was exposed to the entertainment industry at a young age. His first major role was as Arty in “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,” where he acted alongside notable names such as Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, and Amy Poehler. This early experience in a major production set the stage for his future in the industry.
Baron’s journey from child actor to filmmaker is marked by a deep-seated passion for creativity and storytelling. He recalls his time as a child actor as an experience that ignited his love for creating. Over the years, he transitioned from acting to directing and writing, driven by the desire to create and share his unique vision with the world. His latest work, “The Blue Rose,” is a testament to this drive.
“The Blue Rose” was inspired by an immersive theater art show that George directed in early 2020. The film features characters based on the artwork of his longtime collaborator, Sophia Victoria Frizzell. Despite the challenges of a limited budget, which prevented a full 1950s period piece, Baron chose a quasi-50s setting to enhance themes of gender fluidity and repressed desires. This creative decision allowed for a blend of period aesthetics with modern elements, creating a unique and captivating atmosphere.
“The Blue Rose” premiered at the 2023 FrightFest Film Festival in London, followed by screenings at FogFest in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, and the Fright Nights Film Festival in Austria. These festival appearances have been highlights of George’s career, allowing him to share his work with diverse audiences and receive valuable feedback.
Baron credits much of his artistic development to his high school film teacher, Mark, who introduced him to classic films from the ’60s and earlier. This education fostered a deep appreciation for older films, which is evident in the stylistic choices seen in “The Blue Rose.” Additionally, George draws inspiration from the works of David Lynch and Alfred Hitchcock, though he emphasizes that his film is meant to be fun and unserious, in contrast to the often intense and dark themes of his influences.
George’s career has not been without its humorous and challenging moments. He recalls his first day on the set of “Wet Hot American Summer,” where he stumbled and fell in front of the entire cast and crew during his first scene. Despite the embarrassment, he quickly recovered and continued with the shoot, demonstrating his resilience and determination.
As George looks to the future, he aims to continue exploring themes of identity, fear, and expression in his work. He hopes to travel more, both for personal enjoyment and to share his films with wider audiences. His goal is to create films that immerse viewers in unique worlds and offer an escape from the everyday.
George Baron is a rising talent in the entertainment industry, bringing a fresh perspective and a passion for storytelling to his projects. With “The Blue Rose,” he has showcased his ability to blend different genres and eras into a cohesive and captivating narrative. As he continues to grow and evolve as a filmmaker, audiences can look forward to more innovative and entertaining works from this multi-talented artist.
For more information and updates on George Baron and his work, you can follow him on Instagram at Spooky George (with zeros instead of O’s) and watch “The Blue Rose” on digital platforms starting August 9th.
Yitzi: George, it’s an honor to meet you. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
George: Okay, yes. So I was plucked out of a cabbage patch by a stork. The stork flew to my parents’ house and dropped me on the front porch. They were like, “Why is this weird baby here?” Then they said, “Wow, this baby is going to be a star one day.” And here I am.
Yitzi: That’s great. That’s a unique origin story. It’s almost as good as Spider-Man.
George: I would say better.
Yitzi: Yeah, better. Can you share the story of what led you to this career in entertainment as a successful writer and filmmaker?
George: I don’t know if I would consider myself successful. I would definitely consider myself trying. But how did it start? Well, I was a child actor, which is an experience in itself. I guess I just fell in love with being able to create. There aren’t many jobs where you can freely create and pump things out. This is definitely something I’ve always wanted to do or something I’ve always done. I’ve been in the game for a while now, since I was pretty young, and it feels like a lot of that hard work is paying off now.
Yitzi: Amazing. So you probably have a lot of interesting stories from your career in entertainment, from acting to directing. Can you share with our readers one or two of your favorite stories from your professional career?
George: Oh, my God. Geez. Okay, this is a little bit harder. Favorite moments. I think… honestly, starting the festival circuit last year for Blue Rose was really, really fun. I went to London and premiered our world premiere at Fright Fest there. Then we went up to Fog Fest, which is in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. That was the most fun experience I’ve ever had. It’s such a cool little community up there, and everyone was so chill. It’s like this tiny dot on a map, but it’s got all these super sick people and a super sick film festival. That was fun. I love traveling, so whenever I can go places with a reason that’s more than just wanting to go, it’s great. Do you know what I mean? Having something there that I am involved in makes it even better. So, I like getting to travel, and I’m excited to hopefully continue doing that over the course of my career.
Yitzi: That’s great. It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from it?
George: Um, yeah, but also… I don’t know if any of the mistakes I’ve made are humorous. I think they’re mostly just traumatic.
But what I will tell you is actually a fun story. Nobody knows this. It was my first day on the set of Wet Hot American Summer. First scene, first shot of the day — I was like 10 or maybe 9. I really don’t remember how old I was. I was very young. I showed up at this ranch in Malibu. It was the biggest set I had ever been on in my entire life. You know, a giant Netflix production with all these huge stars. So the pressure was on for sure.
The first scene that I shot is actually my first scene in the show. I’m walking out of the bus at Camp Firewood, holding a pamphlet, and I go up to Michael Ian Black to ask him where the radio station is. The first time they said, “Okay, rolling,” I was on the bus looking at the pamphlet, walking, staring at it, and I just fell out of the bus. I stumbled and completely fell on my butt, right at the stairs of the bus, in front of like 50 extras and over 100 crew members. I was mortified. David Wain, the director, came up to me and asked if I was okay and if I wanted to hold and wait. I was like, “No, no, no, just do it again.” And then I did it for real the next time.
That was literally the first thing I ever shot, and I fell on my ass. It’s funny looking back. I was just a little kid. I don’t know if I necessarily learned anything from it, but it’s definitely a fun story to tell.
Yitzi: I appreciate your vulnerability and sharing that. Okay, great. None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who made a profound impact on your professional life? And if you could share a story about that person?
George: Wow, I would say I had a film teacher in high school named Mark. I had always been super into older films, like the ones reminiscent of what Blue Rose has become. But I hadn’t seen everything. He was my film teacher and made it a point to show me the majority of my older film knowledge, especially from the ’60s and earlier. He really cultivated that for me. While it’s not necessarily a professional career thing, it’s definitely someone I’m very grateful for in my journey.
Yitzi: So let’s talk about your work. You have so much impressive work, and I’d love to hear more about The Blue Rose. Tell us why we all have to watch it.
George: You don’t have to watch it. But if you did want to, it’s just a fun, campy mystery. I’m not great at plugging myself, but it’s like solving a mystery as an audience member. You get really immersed in the world of the film. It draws you in and takes you on a journey that feels like you’ve stepped into another world or something.
Yitzi: What would you say are the main lessons we could take from the motifs and themes of the film? What do you want society to take from the film?
George: To not take everything so seriously. The Blue Rose is meant to be fun, campy, and silly. I get a lot of comments saying it’s a David Lynch knockoff or a Hitchcock tribute, but it’s really not. It’s just a movie that’s fun and goofy. Nothing is that serious, and you’re fine. That’s my main takeaway from the film — it’s unserious, and there’s no overarching message or moral. It simply exists, and that’s okay.
Yitzi: That’s great. I saw it’s described as taking place in a quasi-50s era. Why did you choose the quasi-50s?
George: Because we didn’t have a budget to do full 50s. (Laughs) If I could have, I would have shot it on film with an old camera to make it look like it was from that time period. The initial idea was to be very reminiscent of Anna Biller’s film, The Love Witch, which is a tribute to 60s camp and looks like it was made in that era. That was the goal for Blue Rose, but as we got into it and faced logistical challenges, we had to adjust. I still think it retains some of those qualities pretty well. The honest answer is we didn’t have the budget to go full period. However, there’s something cool about the quasi-50s quality. It’s mostly 50s, but then you’ll have a character with a bunch of tattoos or some played-with gender roles. It’s not an exact period piece; it’s more period piece adjacent.
Yitzi: Beautiful. So, how would you describe the similarities and differences between your personal character, George, and Dalton, the character you play in the film? How are you similar, and how are you different?
George: I think Dalton is very reminiscent of my younger self. When I was making and writing the film, he was kind of just me at the time. I look back on that character almost like he’s a little brother to me. When I wrote it, I didn’t know anything, and Dalton doesn’t know anything a lot of the time. Now that I’m older — I’ve been working on this film for like five years — it’s crazy how much can change from when you’re writing it to when it’s coming out. It’s wild. So, I think Dalton is definitely a part of me, but it’s a part of me from the past, for sure.
Yitzi: Great. So this is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success now. Back when you first started, can you share the five things you need to make it in TV and film based on your experience, or five things you need to know in order to get your film produced?
George: I promise you, you’re asking the wrong person. I am not qualified, but I will give you something.
I think… I was very lucky because my situation is different than a lot of other first-time filmmakers. It’s weird because I don’t feel like I’ve made it or done anything. I still feel like I live a pretty normal life. More normal now than when I was making the film. When I was making the film, I was living in LA, doing the whole thing. Recently, I moved down south; I live in Georgia now, go to school, and I’m not a celebrity. I’m just a normal person. I don’t subscribe to the “making it” thing or the “five things you need to know to get your film produced.” That’s not my MO. That’s not what I think about or do. I’m much more interested in watching other people’s movies on my couch at home and hanging out with my dog and my friends. That’s where I’m at. But yeah, ask someone else because I’d love to know what they say, because I don’t know.
Yitzi: Can you share with our readers any self-care routines you do to help your body, mind, or heart thrive?
George: Some good meds. (Laughs) This is the most fun interview I’ve ever had in my entire life.
Okay. Some good meds, therapy three times a week, a comfy couch, and birthday cake ice cream from Publix. The Publix brand birthday cake ice cream. I don’t know if they have Publix in Baltimore, and they don’t have them in California, but Publix brand birthday cake ice cream.
Yitzi: Okay, that’s great. I know you’re going to snoot at this question, but I’m going to ask you anyway. Because of your great work and the platform you’ve built, you’re a person of great influence, and people take your words very seriously. If you could spread an idea that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
George: Oh no. Oh God. My brain just wants to say the most unserious things ever.
If I could spread one idea that would bring the most good to the world… Okay, let me think genuinely. Let me take the mask off and dig deep for this one…
That Lana Del Rey is the greatest songwriter of all time. That’s it. Thank you.
Yitzi: Why is that?
George: Because she is.
Yitzi: Any favorite themes or songs?
George: All of it. I’m just a little gay boy who loves Lana Del Rey, and that’s just me. I think everyone should be streaming her music. So that’s where I’m at.
Yitzi: This is what we call our matchmaker question, and sometimes it works. Is there a person in the world or in the US with whom you’d like to have a power lunch, share a beer, have a coffee, or collaborate with? We could tag them and maybe we could connect you.
George: Oh, probably Marina Abramović, the performance artist. I wanted to attend her retreat called Cleaning the House in Greece. It’s a week-long performance or retreat thing, but it coincides with my premiere, so I can’t miss that. But yeah, I would love to meet her, work with her, or do anything with her. I think she’s brilliant and my favorite artist.
Yitzi: We’ll try our best to get her attention.
George: Please.
Yitzi: How can our readers watch the film, continue to follow your work, or support you in any way possible? How can they purchase something that supports you?
George: You can follow me on Instagram at Spooky George, but all the O’s are zeros. You can watch The Blue Rose in select theaters on July 12, and it’s also available on digital platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, etc.
Yitzi: George, it’s really been awesome to meet you. I wish you continued success and blessings, and I hope we can do this again next year.
George: Yes, would love to. Thank you so much.
Yitzi: Have an amazing day.
George: Take care, Yitzi.
Filmmaker and Actor George Baron on ‘The Blue Rose,’ Early Inspirations, and His Passion for… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.