From Staten Island to Global Screens: Michael Leavy on STREAM, Terrifier 3, and the Indie Horror Movement Fueled by Local Talent
From Terrifier 3 to STREAM, Michael Leavy shows how Staten Island’s indie filmmakers are breaking barriers. In an interview with Jahtiek Long, Leavy explains how the island’s talent and resources are fueling a creative revolution.
Staten Island is often overlooked as a cultural hub, but recent triumphs in the indie horror world are changing that narrative. The team behind the Terrifier series, mostly made up of Staten Islanders, has proven that creativity from this borough deserves global recognition. Terrifier 3 set a new record as the highest-grossing unrated film of all time, earning over $60 million globally on a modest $2 million budget. This achievement, alongside other notable projects like STREAM, highlights how far Staten Island's creatives can go when empowered and supported.
One filmmaker leading this charge is Michael Leavy, a Staten Island native who co-founded Fuzz on the Lens Productions. As a co-producer for Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3, as well as the producer and director of STREAM, Michael exemplifies the borough's growing influence on the global creative stage. These successes raise a crucial question: What could be possible for Staten Island’s artists if they received the recognition, funding, and resources they truly deserve? The island’s talent is undeniable, but now it’s time to invest in its future.
We spoke with Michael about how his journey reflects the emerging creative wave from Staten Island and why it’s time to shine a brighter spotlight on the borough’s artists.
From left to right: Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), director Damien Leone, actor Daniel Roebuck as Santa Claus, co-producer Michael Leavy, and producer Philip Falcone. ( Photo courtesy of Michael Leavy )
Growing up in Staten Island, what aspects of the borough do you feel influenced your creativity or helped shape your career as a filmmaker?
It’s funny, Staten Island truly is a wonderful place to grow up, you have the excitement of the city life but then at the same time the peace of middle America suburbia. It’s truly a unique place that has so much to offer. I always say filming in Staten Island is like filming on a giant studio backlot, there are so many wonderful locations and it can legit look like anywhere in the world at any given time period, it’s very diverse. You also get the tax credits of shooting in NY but with parking. I think growing up in Staten Island helped aid my love of horror, especially given its haunted history, there are some historians that even refer to Staten Island as Haunted Island.
What was it like working on Terrifier 3 did you all know you would be making history, and how does your journey with this project reflect the kind of creativity emerging from Staten Island?
It was a blast making “Terrifier 3”. We are all pretty much family at this point and we all have been with the franchise from the start. We have the most fun and shooting in our hometown it’s like literally making a movie in our own backyard with our best friends. I’m not sure we knew we’d be making history but we knew we were making something really cool and something we couldn’t let our fanbase down with. They have always shown up for us and we have to make sure we deliver for them. It’s how we got here. There is wonderful talent on Staten Island and I think it’s being discovered more and more every day, with us alone the entire core of the Terrifier and STREAM franchises are either from or have lived on the island before so that’s pretty special.
The success of Terrifier 3—breaking records and pushing indie horror into the mainstream—along with the impact of your film Stream, really shows that Staten Island has produced major talent. How do you feel the success of these projects demonstrates the potential of Staten Island’s creative community, and do you think this is a turning point in how seriously the Island's talent should be taken?
The records and all are cool but to be honest, the thing we are all most proud of is how we opened up doors for indie films and filmmakers in general. Before Terrifier no general audiences would even consider watching indie films let alone them being a major success mainstream, so it’s nice the attention this all is bringing to those films and creators with their projects. There are so many talented people that go unnoticed and just need eyes on their projects so it’s nice this kind of success gives them an opportunity. It’s a major success for independents and a major success for Staten Island too. Too many times Staten Island is forgotten and I think seeing how much greatness is coming out of it maybe it should be forgotten no more? Staten Island is almost like the indie scene of the big city and we are the ones making the change and being the most innovative. The island has a lot to offer, just have to give the people here a chance to do their thing!
Official theatrical release poster for STREAM
You’ve had the opportunity to work with legends like Tony Todd, Dee Wallace, and Tim Curry in Stream. What was that experience like for you and your team, and how do you think working alongside established names can elevate the perception of Staten Island talent? Additionally, you raised over $180,000 on Indiegogo for the project—can you share some insights from that crowdfunding journey? Do you believe crowdfunding is a valuable tool for more Staten Islanders to pursue their projects, and what outcomes do you think it can lead to for local creators?
Working with people I idolized growing up is very surreal and such a fun part of what I do, we all are fans first and foremost so it was a real honor to do a film with some of Hollywood’s genre greats! I believe it can elevate the perception of Staten Island for sure, if these people who have had huge success in Hollywood and are willing to come and shoot here, it shows the entire world that Staten Island has a lot to offer. As far as crowdfunding goes, honestly, the success came from being honest with people and showing the passion we had for our project, it’s not easy and you have to work at it every day, it’s almost like making another film entirely and you have to keep coming up with engaging ways to reach more people. I’d compare it to campaigning and marketing to raise awareness more than anything.
Do you think Staten Island gets the recognition or resources it deserves when it comes to supporting filmmakers and artists? What’s one thing you think could help elevate the local creative scene and encourage more artists to thrive?
I don’t think it has in the past but it’s starting to now for sure, and that’s because we have great people in office who support local talent and want to see them strive. I would personally like to see more studios in general that aren’t just for Hollywood big budgets but all indie budget friendly to be able to shoot. Also as good as the NYC tax credit is, maybe a slightly better deal should be in place if you come to Staten Island itself to shoot, we have great spots it’s just hard to get a lot of city people to come here due to our public transportation being limited compared to the other boroughs. People in the industry think it’s another world and so far away to come to Staten Island to shoot compared to say, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or the city so we need to incentivize even more to why everyone should come here and discover what this great place has to offer!
You’ve worked on projects with tight budgets while still producing high-quality, effects-driven films. How important is resourcefulness in indie filmmaking, and how can this quality empower other Staten Island creators to realize their visions?
Michael Leavy, Director of STREAM and Co-Producer of Terrifier 3 ( Photo courtesy of Michael Leavy )
Yes, we have and most of that is utilizing the relationships we have developed over the years. We have great resources right here on the island and we utilize them all to help keep costs down and be able to pull off what we can. I always advise shoot in your hometown, they know you. You’re real to that community and you can get a lot out of it and give a lot in return to a place you care about. Relationships and reciprocal favors can go a very long way!
Practical effects play a major role in both Stream and the Terrifier films. What draws you to this approach, and how do you see Staten Island filmmakers pushing the boundaries of genre filmmaking through innovative techniques?
There is something pure about practical vs VFX there is a certain charm about it that people can just tell, and it creates this mystique of wonder and “wow, how did they do that!” I personally hate CGI when it’s only used, as you can always tell and it pulls you out the film, it should only be used as a tool, not a substitute in doing things. Staten Islanders have so much at their fingertips, we are part of the greatest city in the world so we have a lot more offered to us than most places so we have access to some great businesses and people who can continue to push boundaries and help achieve groundbreaking films.
As someone who has achieved success while staying connected to your Staten Island roots, what advice would you offer to emerging filmmakers on the island who want to make an impact but feel limited by resources? How can their stories resonate with broader audiences?
Always be genuine to yourself and your roots! People can tell if someone is disingenuous. Write stories you know about and also want to see on the screen as a fan, there are plenty of people and audiences out there that are interested in the same things you are, we are more similar as people than you think. Don’t look at Staten Island as a place you need to escape to make it, look at it as a place that can help you make it because it’s so unique to anywhere else in the world with a lot more resources than you think. Like I said it’s a part of the greatest city in the world and the biggest resource we have here are our connections in our community, people want to help especially when it’s dealing with filming that’s out of the norm. Everyone loves movies and don’t often have the opportunity to be a part of one, offer them that opportunity in exchange for something you may need in production.
Behind the scenes on the set of Terrifier 3, featuring some of the cast and crew during principal photography wrap ( Photo courtesy of Michael Leavy )
In your experience, what can Staten Island do to foster a stronger film and arts culture? Are there specific types of funding or infrastructure you think could make a difference for local filmmakers and contribute to the overall growth of the creative community?
Meet and greets, mixers, events, social media groups, etc really anything to get the filmmaking community together and talking. I’ve met so many talented people here and the island has produced so many people working successfully in the business. Things can happen if we can all get into a room together. Some people have done them and they’ve been awesome and I’ve been able to meet some wonderful people I have since worked with.
What role do you think established creators like yourself can play in advocating for more opportunities and support for the next generation of Staten Island filmmakers and artists? How can your experiences inspire others to pursue their creative paths?
I think we play huge roles and it’s up to us to highlight the positives of not only being from Staten Island but living in Staten Island and showcasing what it has to offer and actually show the younger generations you can make great content here. I’m a big proponent of “show it”, and I think people can be inspired by seeing it is possible, if I can do it from here and still love the island, still live here, and talk positive about it then they can too! We need to talk up our island, it’s a privilege to be from here. I hate when people put it down, no need for that from our natives, we get that enough from everyone else who don’t really know how great it is here and how much you can actually do on the island regarding the entertainment industry.
Stay connected with Michael Leavy for the latest updates on his exciting projects—follow him on Instagram @leavisisland and @Fuzz_on_the_Lens for more updates on his projects.Don’t miss STREAM now streaming on all platforms, and catch Terrifier 3 in theaters today. is now available on all streaming platforms, and Terrifier 3 is currently in theaters. Visit fuzzonthelens.com for more!
Disclaimer: STREAM and Terrifier 3 are packed with blood and guts. If you’re not a fan of gore, these films might not be your thing. Proceed with caution!
Jahtiek Long is an interdisciplinary artist, musician, community organizer, and co-founder of the Shaolin Art Party. He loves photographing the island and playing the ukulele. Jahtiek is passionate about shifting the narrative surrounding Staten Island and showcasing the vibrance of the borough. He’s also really excited about all the new Ramen spots popping up. @Jahtieklong