(To view video of the interview visit PegasusNews.com)

Agora Entertainment, with headquarters and production facilities in the Las Colinas sector of Irving, got some really big news recently.

Photo by John P. Meyer

Jason Kabolati

Their first in-house narrative film production -- The Final -- was selected to be one of the eight features making up this year's After Dark Horrorfest (Number 4, for those keeping track), which hits theaters on January 29.

The bad news for North Texas Horrorfesters: As things stand now, the nearest theatershowing Horrorfest 4 is one in Houston. But fear not, fear fans: The folks at Agora are working behind the scenes to get this year's main event slate of eight (films, that is) onto a movie screen near you in Dallas/Fort Worth.

[And even if that doesn't work out, The Final -- along with its seven cinematic brethren -- will release on DVD this spring, courtesy of a distribution deal with Lionsgate.]

I got the grand tour of the Agora studios (parts of which are still under construction) courtesy of Marketing Intern Felicia McGovern and Production Coordinator Andrea Craft. (That's right, I was double-teamed by two lovely young women. I love this job!)

Some of the sets in the photo gallery were used to film Agora's latest production (still in post): A Mind of Its Own. Afterward, I got a look (thanks to Media Coordinator Ravi Kiran) at the as-yet unreleased trailer for this one, and it's -- how shall I put this? -- a "below the belt" kind of comedy. (And that's all I'm sayin' -- for now.)

Listen in on our interview as The Final's producer/writer and head of Agora Entertainment's film and television department Jason Kabolati shares the following information:

• The film was inspired by the tragic events of Columbine and VA Tech, though with an emphasis on the motivation behind what causes these events.
• "I was really moved by how little it takes to send some people over the edge -- and how far you have to push someone else to get over that same edge."
• Jason is not a particular fan of horror. Usual Suspects and Shawshank Redemption are examples of the kinds of films he'd like to be making eventually.
• "In all honesty, if I had my choice, I'd do comedies." - ref. his next feature (in post-production): A Mind of Its Own.
• He and director Joey Stewart looked at Audition (Ôdishon) as a stylistic model for the film.
• Location shoots were done locally - including one at Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet.
• Acting veterans Jascha Washington (who played Will Smith's son in Enemy of the State) and Mark Donato (Degrassi: The Next Generation) were hired on to bolster a cast of relative newcomers.
• "No matter how small the role was, everybody did something really special."
• Jason tells us why he thinks we should see the film. (I mean, aside from the fact that he wrote and produced it.)

(Courtesy of PegasusNews.com)