Meet Shant Hamassian | Horror Filmmaker and Founder of Fantastik Beyond

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shant Hamassian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shant, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

Thanks for having me. I’m Shant Hamassian, the founder of Fantastik Beyond, a horror-focused entertainment startup.

At Fantastik Beyond, we believe any strong intellectual property can thrive on any medium. Our focus is on developing simultaneous productions on film/series, video games, and VR experiences, unified by one underlying I.P. — and made possible by real-time engines such as the Unreal Engine 5.

This journey began when my short film, “Night of the Slasher”, made a huge splash in the horror scene, getting offers and meetings with agents, managers, and major production companies and studios.

During this period, I received wise advice from multiple friends in finance and tech companies, and encouraged me to start my own company, and own my I.P., generating a portfolio of valuable assets. Thus, Fantastik Beyond was born.

During this period, after researching and realizing all the faults in the live-action film industry, Unreal Engine 5 was released which completely changed my direction.

Our unique value position is focusing primarily on producing fully in-engine, real time films/series, video games, VR experiences, in collaboration with Unreal Engine artists and engineers. Back when I was in college, I was forced to specialize in either film or video game development. But with Unreal Engine 5, both mediums can be pursued! God bless Epic games.

Story and characters will always remain top priority, and they deserve the best team and tools for proper treatment, unrestricted from high costs and inflexible rigid schedules. So, not only do real-time engines allow the flexibility of non-linear production, but also allows high quality work with smaller budgets and larger profit margins, and a big safety net to take bold swings without sinking a company with one failed project (as many companies do).

Our deep passion for horror drives us to explore uncharted storytelling territories, pushing the boundaries of entertainment possibilities, which absolutely is in alignment with pushing the boundaries with new tech.

This is our vision for the future.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I don’t recommend downtown or Hollywood blvd.  You’re better off in Malibu or somewhere off PCH.
Of course, my favorite spot is my own home and would rather my friends come visit me instead of us all going out.  I have plenty of movies, books, and video games, and board games to have fun with.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

First, I’d like to thank John Heinsen for recommending me to Shoutout LA. He has been an instrumental figure since I began my career by being an incredible advisor, producer, and friend, connecting me with great collaborators, and helping develop great relationships.

I’d also like to give a shoutout to one of the most creative people I know in film, game development, metaverse building, and discord community leader, Raphael Arkera. His special talent is coming up with story and characters that people want to see. Whenever his first big project breaks out, people won’t know what hit them!

I’d also like to give a special thanks to James Blevins, co-founder of MeshVP (The Mandalorian, The Daily Show) who has been a great colleague, friend, and supporter in my endeavors. I look forward to further collaborations!

Last, but not least, I give my endless thanks to the support of my wife, parents, and family, on this exciting adventure I’m on! I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.