In Wineville, Brande Roderick plunges audiences into a chilling horror-thriller inspired by the infamous Chicken Coop Murders in California. Set against the backdrop of a family vineyard in the late 1970s, the film follows a woman, played by Roderick, who returns home to settle family affairs after her father’s death, only to face the dark, festering secrets that drove her away years earlier. Loosely based on the true story of a notorious serial killer family, Wineville blends psychological tension with shocking twists, creating a gripping narrative where survival is anything but guaranteed. The film captures the raw, unsettling atmosphere of classic 70s horror films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Last House on the Left, genres that heavily influenced Roderick’s vision.
Known for her roles in Baywatch and Starsky & Hutch, Roderick stepped into new territory by starring in directing and producing Wineville. During the interview, she discusses how the pandemic pushed her to take control of her career, the challenges of self-funding the film, and her desire to create something bold and unconventional. With a passion for horror that traces back to her childhood—where her own family’s playful scares tormented her—Roderick embraced the creative freedom of indie filmmaking to deliver shocking plot twists and a deeply unsettling story. She also reflects on what it was like directing her young son, balancing the roles of mother and filmmaker on set.
Chris Gore: Thank you for joining us. Tell us about your movie, Wineville.
Brande Roderick: It is a thriller-horror film, and it was based in 1978, and it’s got that feel. I have always loved all the late 70s and mid-80s films, such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Last House on the Left. So, I wanted to create that atmosphere in a film. I play a mother, Tess, who comes back to Wineville and has to go and take care of the family vineyard because her father has died. She had run away from home when she was 15 because of some very horrific things that had happened. This is the story of a serial killer family. It is loosely based on the true story of the Chicken Coop Murders that actually happened outside of Los Angeles.
We filmed on Wineville Road in Mira Loma, right next door to where the chicken coop murders actually happened. And if you haven’t seen The Changeling, you should. It’s a great movie that tells the true story. But anyway, this woman has to come back to settle the family winery. And when she comes back, things have just festered and darkened. It got even worse than it was when she left home. And now, not only does she have to try to escape herself, but she also has to try and escape with her young son, and she’ll do it. Anything to help protect her young son and get him out of that horrific situation.
Chris Gore: I have to compliment you first on your background. I see a Wineville poster, which is very smart on the marketing side. Yes, you’re marketing your movie; you’re selling it. Also, this is the piece of advice I give to all actors: Produce yourself. Don’t put your destiny in someone else’s hands. Don’t wait for someone else to cast you. Cast yourself and make a movie starring yourself.
Brande Roderick: That’s exactly what happened. And I did that because during COVID, as you guys know, there was just no work. And I was actually filming a Christmas movie with my son. And that was it. Like we were on set, this was the only thing that got approved. No other movies are getting approved. And I’m like, you know what, I’ve got to create this myself. I’m going to do my own story. I’m going to find my location, just do it myself, and create it so that it’s ready when we can shoot. And we were still shooting, wearing masks and the whole thing, but that’s precisely what I did. Am I supposed to create my own movie?
Alan Ng: Regarding directing, what kind of decision was on your part behind that?
Brande Roderick: It actually happened because, as I think you guys know, Richard Shankman, who is my writer and one of the producers, and I knew that I would have him as my mentor by my side every step of the way. I was lucky enough to have him on set every day with a seasoned, wonderful, fantastic director.
Chris Gore: And then we have over 2000 people watching live right now. They have a lot of questions for you. So before we answer their questions, I know everybody likes to ask. How long did it take to shoot?
Brande Roderick: It took two weeks to shoot. We did six-day weeks. We had Sundays off. We did 12-hour days and turned it around. So we are definitely down to the wire.
Chris Gore: And then what is the budget in terms of the money?
Brande Roderick: I won’t tell you the amount only because here’s the thing. And I’m glad you’re asking me this because this is something that all. New filmmakers should maybe not do this. I funded the film myself, and I have so many great producers saying, “Brandy, don’t do it.” But I didn’t want to waste time talking and trying to. I’m just not the type of person to go out asking for money. That’s not my style. Plus, I didn’t want to be under anybody’s thumb.
“…pushed the envelope… didn’t want to do what other people were doing.”
I wanted it to be my creative project. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I didn’t want to worry about getting somebody’s money back. As you guys know, that’s so stressful. So I sold my house, followed my passion and dream, and decided to do it and jump in with both feet. But I would not recommend that ordinary people do that. I’m a little crazy and nutty, as you can tell from the film and the scripts, that I’m really demented and crazy. So I did that. Yeah,
Alan Ng: I appreciate that the film goes in bizarre directions, and I love that. And I felt like if you were taking someone else’s money, they might dissuade you from going in specific directions at certain points in the film.
Brande Roderick: 100%. What was so important to me was to create these crazy plot twists and shocking moments. I wanted to push the envelope. I didn’t want to do what other people were doing. I wanted to take these crazy ideas and make them a reality. And that’s what I did. And you’re right, and I didn’t have anyone telling me, “No.” However, in one scene, Aunt Margaret and Young Joe are in front of a movie projector. Richard wrote that part, and he actually had to really convince me to do that. He did, and I’m glad that we did it because it really lends itself to teaching you and telling you what their backgrounds are, why they are so effed up, and what made them this crazy way. And that’s one of the reasons I think that shows why Joe is so messed up.
Chris Gore: So many people have questions for you. Okay. Brock Samsonite says that when scouting for locations, was the plan always to shoot in California? What are the benefits and hindrances? For an indie film, choosing to shoot in the state these days.
Brande Roderick: For me, it actually started with the location because I had, my friend owns Galeano Winery, which is the oldest winery in California. So, for me, it was a huge benefit to shoot here because I had an accessible location. Shooting in, in California. You don’t get any of the tax breaks, there’s the downfall there. So it’s, I think, evened itself out by getting a free location but not having the tax breaks. So, I think you’re fine shooting here if you’re not paying for locations. And a lot of times you can, you have, you could find people that are willing to let you shoot for free. Still, they’re more willing to let you shoot for free outside of California because people in California are a little numb to it, they’re a little numb to show business, but if you go outside of California, they actually think it’s cool. They’re like, sure, come shoot here. And they get all excited about it. Or at least go outside of Los Angeles, I should say.
Chris Gore: Question from Solomon Thornton: Greetings, Madam Brandy. What was the process of getting this film made?
Brande Roderick: Oh, that will take days to talk about. But like I said, the process was finding a location first, then getting together with Richard, my writer. We started with our characters. We knew I would be in the movie and wanted a strong female character. We knew my son was going to be in the movie. So we developed the characters around their relationship, and we would look around the location, which was made in the early 1900s. It really lends itself to that creepy vibe, with the old barns, farm equipment, and winemaking equipment. So we could go around and create just from looking at that vision. So that’s how it all started.
“…I sold my house, followed my passion and dream…”
Chris Gore: From Red French Moon: I think a vineyard is a character in itself. How did you approach to capture the vineyard atmosphere on camera?
Brande Roderick: That would be my great cinematographer. It really wasn’t hard because the property is so beautiful at any time of day and night. The way that the moon was shining on the barn and the way that the sun was shining over all the vineyards at certain times of the day. So it just had, like you said, it’s a character in itself, and it was very easy to shoot. We really didn’t have to do much craziness with lighting and things like that because it was already great.
Chris Gore: Patrick Lemire asks: How much did the actors rehearse to ensure the shoot went fast?
Brande Roderick: There’s actually a quick story behind that because during our casting process for one of the characters, actually two different characters, there were some really crazy people that seemed really crazy in real life. And I loved him. I thought, Oh my God, they’re so wacky and nutty. They’re going to be perfect for this character. And Richard Shenkman again said, Brandy, no, you don’t want to do that because, on films like this, you only get one or two takes. We don’t have a huge budget to be taking all day. And when you have someone’s unpredictable and a little nutty in real life, you know they might be going off the rails and need a million takes.
Luckily, I had that great advice in the beginning. So, I cast complete professionals who have been in this business long and have an excellent reputation, which is important. When we got on set, honestly, I would say they all got it in one take, but we all had our second take for safety. But the key is really getting professional, seasoned actors who know to show up and be prepared. So we got everything in pretty much, usually, in two takes.
Chris Gore: From English Batchers: How do you think of an original kill or go derivative? Do you like or have jump scares?
Brande Roderick: So I like jump scares, some jump scares. There are maybe a couple in my film. My film is not so much a jump-scare, typical slasher movie. It’s very plot-driven, with many plot twists and things you wouldn’t expect. We’re going deep into the characters and what made them the way they are. So we’re really not like your typical slasher movie. But you will be shocked a lot. Yeah. And what was the beginning part of that question?
Regarding original kills, that’s pushing the envelope I haven’t seen yet. That, I think, would make people, Oh my God, really cringe and freak out. So that’s how I went about coming up with the kills. Really just, the, and Richard too, cause he was the writer, but yeah, coming up with things that just, I haven’t seen.
Chris Gore: And one last question here from ADElllis24. How was it directing your son? In his second-ever film role, was there a distinct difference in attitude between director Brandy and Keeton’s mom?
“…my head is, yeah, really filled with all kinds of crazy s**t.”
Brande Roderick: No, I’m always the same hard-a*s mom, no matter what. I’m sure I’m probably harder on him than everyone else. But Richard wrote the script so that Keeton and I were talking. It’s very conversational, the way we would talk to each other. And that’s what was so great. Being able to do that because around trying to play pro out a million fires at on just come, to t set and just be ready to work with my son just made it easy. It delved in and went over my character, right? It was Brandy’s mom’s test, so that made it great. It was just, you know, like our normal banter back and forth, pretty much.
Chris Gore: Brande Congratulations. Wineville is out now. Yes, yes, it is. Yep, and I noticed there’s an Instagram.
Brande Roderick: You can find the film in the usual places: Apple, Amazon, Google Play. We have our DVD with all the behind-the-scenes stuff and all the special features, and you can get an autographed DVD on WinevilleMovie.com.
Chris Gore: Wow. I would not have expected a film like this from you. I don’t know why, but I just did not expect it.
Brande Roderick: That’s, I get that, but you know what, when I was growing up, my entire family tormented me as a child. We were a horror family. I watched the exorcist when I was six years old with my mother. My dad tortured my brother and me constantly, like running into the house with a knife and a stocking over his head. I’d be coming out of the bathroom late at night and dark, walking down the hallway, grabbing my leg and biting it, and having foam coming out of his mouth after we watched Rabid—just tons of stuff. And instead of having princess parties, when I was a kid, we slept outside in the tent and watched sleepaway camp. And my dad would come out and torment all the girls at night and shake the tent and scare everybody. So I’ve just been, I grew up like this. And I even took serial killer classes in college, like the mind of the serial killer. Like, I actually took courses about this. So I’ve been like into this my entire life. So it’s, my head is, yeah, really filled with all kinds of crazy s**t.
Chris Gore: And you did your own stunts.
Brande Roderick: Yeah. I don’t know if you remember when I was on Baywatch, I did all my own stunts there too.
