I had the pleasure and privilege to work with Ms. Bonnie Judd on THE BLACK CAT an hour-long episode, which I directed for the Showtime series MASTERS OF HORROR.
I have worked with other animal trainers during my twenty-some years in the business, but I have never seen such amazing results. THE BLACK CAT is based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe, and as the title implies, the cat is the central character in the tale and is on screen for large portions of the story.
Bonnie made this possible using several black cats, cats trained to perform different specific actions. We worked together closely during the production and she was able to explain in detail how each of the shots would be accomplished. She was invaluable in the planning of the shoot and extremely professional in her approach. And she never promised something that she was unable to deliver.
As anyone familiar with cats knows, these are very independent creatures and almost impossible to train. But Bonnie’s cats performed small miracles every day. Her gentle approach and patience provided animals capable of accomplishing everything that the script demanded. The crew and I watched with our mouths open in amazement.
It would be my pleasure to work with Bonnie again at the earliest opportunity. And I would be happy to discuss this in greater detail and answer any questions you may have.