Monsters, Music, and Muscles

(Heidi & her dad Bill Hinzman in Flesheater)

You may recognize Heidi Hinzman from the films she's been in: The Majorettes, Monkey Shines, FleshEater, Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary Edition, Children of the Living Dead, and Saloonatics. But the majority of her credits are behind the scenes as part of the set crew or assistant director of such movies/shows as: House M.D., The Crow: City of Angels, Scream 3, and Boston Legal to name a few. She also had the distinguished honor of being the daughter of my favorite movie zombie, Bill Hinzman (R.I.P.)! I've never met Heidi in person but recently had the pleasure of interviewing her!

1. What was your favorite thing to dress up as for Halloween in childhood?

Of course I loved dressing up as a Zombie for Halloween. I usually had costumes from movies I acted in or ones dad had in his collection, and I had the help of some great SPFX artists and my father to help me . I also enjoyed dressing up as Jem (She is truly outrageous!) when I wasn't playing dead.

2. What is your favorite horror movie and why?

The Halloween movies have always been my favorite. I love the fact that you never see the actual gore. I believe your mind can create something much more terrifying.

3. Who are your favorite horror movie actors/actresses?

I have made a few friends while doing the Horror Conventions through the years. So this one is hard to answer. But of course I love Jaime Lee Curtis. And love Robert Englund he scared me to death as a child and is also a really nice man.

4. Is there any particular monster that fascinates you?

Growing up with one of the first real Monsters in horror history this one is hard. I used to sit on my dads lap and watch Night of the Living Dead and cheer him on so.... monsters never really seemed scary. But the Exorcist always terrified me.

5. What is your favorite movie you have acted in & why?

I always had a good time on set. I got to go through make up with friends and then play zombie. Children of The Living Dead is not a movie I would recommend but we had so much fun making it. We always had fun and I am still good friends with some of the cast that lives here in LA.

6. Who did you idolize as a child?

There are many people I idolized as a child. My mother of course for being the most beautiful woman I know both inside and out. As far as actors, I always wanted to be like Sandra Bullock. She was beautiful, funny and so talented.

7.Going to conventions you have met a lot of famous people, who is your favorite?

I have a lot of amazing memories at conventions. My favorite memories was in Pittsburgh for the 25th anniversary. A lot of the cast that have passed on were there. The NOTLD cast all rode together in limos to the screening. It was amazing to see the fans with cameras at the red carpet. Kyra Schon and I joked about how strange it was to go from every day life to such am amazing experience. I had fun taking photos of the fans and paparazzi as we stepped out on to the carpet

8. What has been your favorite horror convention that you've been a guest at?

See #7

9. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you want to meet and why?

I used to say Wes Craven but.... We were fortunate to accompany him to his daughters rock concert at CBGB in New York many years ago. I was very young (not legally old enough to actually be there) and quite star struck. I got to ask him the questions I always wanted to know. Now I would love to just have one night with my father and brother that have both passed.

10.What made you get into acting?

I was acting in commercials and documentaries for the Latent Image Co. before I can remember. Being that my father was a cinematographer I was always in front of the Camera. I mean he filmed my birth and every other big moment in my life. My mother is a Dance Teacher so I also grew up on the Stage. It has always been my passion. But I am now an Assistant Director in TV and Film and enjoy life and make my living behind the Cameras.

11. What do you feel makes a good horror movie?

I believe I kind of dipped in to this earlier. I love movies like Psycho and Halloween where you have to use your imagination and that is usually much more intense than what they can show you. It also depends. There are horror movies and campy horror movies that you can laugh at. I love them both.

12. Why do you think that people enjoy being scared?

Being scared is an adrenalin rush.

13. Any current projects?

I have a few projects coming up. I have been working at Comedy Central, Hallmark, and Blumhouse to name a few. Los Angeles has lost a lot of work to Tax incentives around the US but I have managed to keep pretty busy. You can imdb me for some of my work.

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