Showcasing the horror-loving family nestled in upstate New York, the documentary Blood & Guts, directed by Carlye Rubin, Katie Green, and Tina Grapenthin, follows the story of the Adams family and their career of making punk-rock indie horror films.
The unconventional family has been making their low-budget and highly impactful films since 2010.
Rubin, Green, and Grapenthin go behind the scenes of their story and how it’s evolved since the first day they bought a camera.
VIMooZ interviewed directors Rubin, Green, and Grapenthin at the Brooklyn Film Festival to discuss how they came to document the family, and how their story goes beyond just their filmmaking talent.
BENI CWIAKALA: I was so happy to discover this family through you all. They’re fantastic. What was the process of making this film come to life?
CARLYE RUBIN: I first read about the Adams in the New York Times during the pandemic. I didn’t even finish the article before frantically sending it to Katie with the note, “this is a doc!!!”
It was a time when we were all feeling isolated, frustrated, and scared, and they were such a breath of fresh air. Luckily for us, they were up for it — and luckily for Katie and me, Tina was too. It was a joyful film to make. Having a finished doc four years later is something we’re really proud of, especially having made it independently, just the three of us. That feels apropos.
BC: Who is your favorite horror creator (director, author, etc), and horror movies, and why?
CR: I’ve always been scared of horror films — but making this doc has given me a real newfound appreciation for the genre, so I’ve been dipping my toe in. I loved Sinners and Weapons. J&T gave us some of their “must-watches,” so (as long as it’s light outside) I’m ready.
TINA GRAPENTHIN: Oh, authors! Everything from Rachel Harrison (I wish I could read Black Sheep for the first time again), Sunny Moraine’s The Shadow Half Remains, and of course, Stephen Graham Jones. As for movies, I’m a big zombie genre fan, so 28 Days Later is still on my favorites list.
KATIE GREEN: I’m also a horror-film scaredy-cat, so it was a bit ironic to be making this doc. Obviously, I had to watch the Adams family films, which were a good intro to the genre. I remember someone once saying how crazy it is that these sweet, positive, loving people make such f***ed up films — and I have to agree. It gave me extra respect for them and their craft. I’ve definitely grown to appreciate horror more, and I’m excited we’ll be screening at some horror film festivals — that’ll be a good baptism.
BC: How would you describe the Adams’ film style, and how did you incorporate it into the documentary?
ALL: We love the Adams family’s film style — it’s all so beautiful and cinematic, and in many ways we wish the documentary could emulate that. In truth, our style on this film was a bit messier and more chaotic, but that too is a kind of homage to the Adams approach. We share their ad-hoc, gritty, DIY spirit, and we think it comes across.
BC: How do you all feel about premiering this film at the Brooklyn Film Festival?
This is the New York premiere.
ALL: Having our New York premiere at the Brooklyn Film Festival feels a bit like bringing the film home. The three of us met in New York and still live here, and the Adams family is from upstate, so there’s a real sense of local belonging wrapped up in this screening. We’ve been lucky to share the film with audiences around the country, but there’s something especially exciting — and slightly nerve-wracking — about finally showing it to our family, friends, and fellow New Yorkers. We’re thrilled that the Adams, along with many of the people who worked on the film, will be joining us for the screening.
BC: How has the reception of Blood & Guts been so far?
ALL: The response so far has been great. We’ve screened the film for longtime Adams fans as well as people who’d never heard of them before, and both groups seem to enjoy the ride. Some audiences love getting a peek behind the scenes and the creative process, while others leave with a long list of Adams films they suddenly want to watch.
One piece of feedback we’ve heard again and again is that people find John and Toby incredibly inspiring — not just because of what they’ve made, but how they’ve made it. Their DIY spirit and willingness to simply start making things, regardless of budget or limitations, has resonated with audiences far beyond the world of filmmaking.
(We’ve also had more than a few people tell us they’d happily be adopted by John and Toby, which might be the highest compliment a documentary subject can receive.)
After more than a dozen festival screenings, we’re excited that the film (and the Adams!) continues to find new fans wherever it goes. Now we’re looking for the right distribution partner to help bring this wonderfully strange and unexpectedly heartfelt story to an even wider audience. Ahem, if any distributors happen to be reading this — consider it our very subtle pitch.
BC: What scene or moment in the film means the most to you personally and why?
ALL: We all got excited when we filmed (and later watched Tina’s first cut of the scene), John struggling with Zelda’s choice about whether to go to the Ivy League college or rebel against the mainstream — we called it the “gatekeepers” scene.
In some ways, it shifted *Blood & Guts* from being a film about indie horror filmmaking (with all its quirky, campy, and bizarre aspects) to being a universally relatable family story. This punk-rock dad was struggling with a choice he knew was ultimately up to his kid to make. Then we had John Sr.’s line about letting your children grow up, which echoed that same sentiment — as kids, we want to be free to become who we are, and as parents, we have to step aside and let them do that. It was a good lesson for us too. We always wanted to film a sequence where we got killed off by the Adams, but sadly, we never got the time… maybe they’ll be up for a sequel?
BC: What do you hope viewers take away after watching Blood & Guts?
ALL: Beneath all the horror, gore, and buckets of fake blood, Blood & Guts explores themes most of us grapple with at some point in our lives: change, independence, failure, mortality, resilience, and ultimately how we choose to move through the world.
What makes watching the Adams so compelling is that they face these challenges with an infectious sense of curiosity, humor, and optimism. We hope audiences leave the film inspired not only by their creativity but by their outlook on life. Whatever people may be navigating, there’s something deeply reassuring about watching a family continue to embrace new challenges, keep creating, and find joy in the process.
If there’s one takeaway, we hope it’s that you don’t need perfect circumstances to make something meaningful—you just need to keep going.
BC: Were there any memorable behind-the-scenes moments you can share?
ALL: Every day of filming in Roscoe is one we’ll remember. Every trip to the Adams’ house came with a new surprise. One day, there’d be a gigantic bloody vagina waiting for us under the porch; another, we’d open a freezer and discover a dead bird being saved for a future project. Spending time with the Adams meant constantly discovering little absurdities, which is exactly what made it so much fun.
There were the less glamorous adventures too — like getting our car stuck in their driveway on our very first shoot (funny in hindsight), or the intimate interviews where we wanted to put the camera down and give a hug instead, but knew that as documentary filmmakers our job was to keep filming. And yet that’s exactly what made the experience so special. We came to document the making of horror movies and ended up capturing a story about family, perseverance, and the very human realities that exist behind all the blood and guts.
This interview has been edited for length, clarity, and formatting. Some responses may have been condensed or lightly modified to improve readability while maintaining the original intent.
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