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Your new movie Havenhurst
- in a few words, what is it about?
It’s a horror thriller about a woman on the road to redemption who finds
herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What were your inspirations when writing Havenhurst?
And what can you tell us about your co-writer Daniel Farrands, and the
collaboration between the two of you? Daniel and I came up
with the concept for Havenhurst
many years ago. We were introduced and
tasked with finding a solid genre concept. We got along well from the very
beginning, partly due to our passion for horror, and really enjoyed
bouncing ideas off of each other. The end result was Havenhurst. Do talk about your
movie's approach to horror, and is that a genre at all dear to you? I’ve
always found horror to be extremely entertaining. When I was younger there
was nothing better than a good ghost story around the campfire to get the
blood flowing. The foundation of this movie is routed in the terrifying
history of H.H. Holmes. We had a lot of fun exploring what it would be
like if he had descendants doing the same thing in modern times in the
heart of one of the busiest cities on the planet, NYC.
You
also have to talk about the wonderful location you shot at, and what was
it like filming there? And did you write the movie with the exact location
already in mind?
That location was a set built on a stage
in Los Angeles by the extremely talented production designer, Julie
Walker. Because we built the set we were able to design it exactly how we
had imagined it in the writing process.
What can you tell us about your overall
directorial approach to your story at hand? I love the
collaborative process and really worked off the fantastic crew and actors
that we put together. I wanted the movie to have a classic feel so the
design and camera work mirrored that to an extent. Do talk
about Havenhurst's
key cast, and why exactly these people?
We were very lucky
to have Julie Benz, Fionnula Flanagan, Danielle Harris, Josh Stamberg,
Doug Tait and Belle Shouse. Each one suited the character so
perfectly that it really helped to bring the script to life. I’ve
been a fan of Julie Benz from the very beginning of her career. She’s
very grounded and brought a vulnerability to Jackie that really made me
feel for the character. I can’t say enough about Fionnula, she’s
just amazing and really added a dimension to Eleanor that elevated the
character to a place I had only hoped we could achieve. The rest of the
cast, Josh, Danielle, Belle and Doug were selected because of their
incredible body of work and professionalism that helped to land this movie
solidly into the genre.
A few words
about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
It was
a challenging shoot because we struggled against making the building such
an important character. All the traps and action were fun to tackle but
ate up a lot of time on a relatively short shooting schedule. But because
of the great crew and cast we were able to pull it off. The
$64-question of course: When and where will Havenhurst
be released onto the general public? It’s being released
theatrically Feb. 10th, in NYC, LA, Houston, San Francisco, Denver, Kansas
City, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Atlanta. And then VOD nation wide around
the same time.
Anything you can
tell us about audience and critical reception of Havenhurst?
As
it’s just being released, I won’t know how it’s being received by
the audience. There have been some very positive reviews coming in from
critics. What got you into
filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on
the subject?
I’ve always had a passion for film so when I tried my hand at writing
and directing it really felt right. I’ve stuck with it ever since and
have been lucky enough to make a career out of it.
I was not formally trained. I learned the technical aspects by going
out and experimenting until I felt like I had a real grasp of the process.
What can you tell us about your filmwork
prior to Havenhurst? I’ve
been very fortunate to have made a number of movies of varying budget
ranges. Each one has taught me a lot about the film making process. There
are always new challenges and bit by bit I feel like I’m earning the
title of director.
How
would you describe yourself as a director? It’s such a
collaborative medium. I always start with a very clear vision of what I
feel I want to achieve. Being involved in the writing process really
solidifies that vision for me. Then, the real magic happens when we hire
incredibly talented people, crew and actors, that elevate and change that
vision, almost always bringing it to another level.
Filmmakers
who inspire you? All the greats of course and honestly, I
love watching what younger filmmakers are doing. A lot of the time that
is the most inspiring material out there. Your favourite movies?
In the horror genre I love The Strangers, The Conjuring,
The Last Exorcism, The Sixth Sense and the list goes on and on.
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Your/your
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My current company website is
www.themobentertainment.com
Thanks
for the interview!
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