Your movie House of
Good and Evil - in a few words, what is it about?
House of
Good and Evil
is a psychological thriller about a young couple trying to
start all over in their relationship after a fight and losing their unborn
baby.
How did you get involved with the project in the first place?
Many
years ago, an actor friend reached out and asked if I was interested
in shooting the movie. Of course I jumped on board before
reading the script and after that, I was glad I did. We shot a short based on the feature script, generated some buzz, but as
any independent filmmaker can tell you, projects can fall through at any
given moment.
Other jobs came and I tool thine jobs and years later Blu called me and
said he was ready to make this movie this time and asked if I was
interested in directing. I jumped on quicker than he could even finish
asking.
What
can you tell us about House of
Good and Evil's writer and producer Blu de Golyer [Blu
de Golyer interview - click here], and what was your
collaboration like?
Blu
has lots of drive and passion for this project. I always say as
long as you can possibly go, without being discouraged by rejection,
you will make it. In this business you will hear lots of
"nos" but that doesn't stop people with determination and
that's Blu.
Our working relationship was great. We agreed that what was on the page
goes on screen. I can respect the writers words, probably why everyone
involved wanted to be involved. So if there was something that
I felt should change, we'd debate it through and Blu would write something
new for the scene. With
House of Good and
Evil being a horror film - is that a genre you can in general
relate to, and why (not)?
I grew up watching lots of different genres of movies. Horror isn't
something in particular I can say I relate to or any genre for that
matter. I think there are many great stories and great
performances or technical achievements that also make a great movie.
The one horror movie that really gets to me, I can't even listen to it,
is The Exorcist. Maybe it's because I grew up in a religious household
as a kid or the supernatural stuff that's in the movie scared the crap
out of me, but I think that is part of the experience you want audience
members to feel.
How would you describe your
directorial style in House of
Good and Evil?
I
don't know if I have a directorial style. I think every script is
different and that moves one to make the choices they make.
Even though I had a clear vision of what I wanted in the movie,
collaboration is still an important process in making a movie as
well. If anyone had an idea they wanted to share, I'd
listen.
What can you tell us about your key cast, and what was it
like working with them?
The
cast was amazing to work with. We did a few rehearsals and tackled
some of the key moments in the movie.
Upon shooting, I didn't have to worry about them at all. They all were
all prepared.
I think one key element of
House of Good and
Evil is its location - so could you talk about your location for
a bit?
Throughout the years in making this movie finding the perfect house was
tough. The house plays a role in the script and to find one that
was large enough to split in half was a challenge.
This house we shot in was tricky. Besides finding that perfect house we
can split in half, it was a three story house and we had to make into
two stories. Certain angles in parts of the house was
allowed and others not. If we had to shoot coverage from a
different angle, we'd then move to the other flow and shoot the other
angles. This may seem impractical, but it was the only way
we could shoot inside the house.
What can you tell us about the actual shoot, and
the on-set atmosphere? The shoot went pretty smooth and not
much drama, besides what was on screen. It probably wasn't as light
as some sets I've been on, but that's also in part of keeping a mood for
the cast members.
Before
House of Good and
Evil you've been known mainly as a cinematographer - so what made
you decide to pick up directing? And after your experiences on the movie,
will you ever return to the director's chair?
I've
always wanted to direct since I was very young. It wasn't until
college is when I fell into camera. I wanted some more practical
knowledge so I can work in camera and stay close to the action. I
moved to LA and worked on many projects as a camera assistant.
Television is probably a great tool to learn how each director works.
Some good some bad, but like a sponge, I'd take it all in.
After my experiences in House of Good and
Evil, I've learned a lot, not
much during shooting but everything else in between.
Would I
do it again? Yes.
Any future
projects you'd like to share? I have a few things coming
up. You'll have to wait. Haha! How did you get started in
the film business to begin with, and did you receive any formal training
on the subject? I
went to uofa for school. They teach and cover the basics, but it becomes a
different beast when you work in the real world. I've been making
movies since I was probably 8 and used techniques studied in film school
and I didn't even know it. Even with all that you think you know,
there is always room to learn more. I've learned from the best in
the business and that's something you will never learn only in school. Would I recommend college for anyone wanting to get into filmmaking?
Yes but it's not needed to get a job. How would you describe yourself as a
cinematographer as well as your personal style? As a
cinematographer, I try to cater to what the director's vision is on the
script. Filmmakers,
cinematographers, whatever else who inspire you?
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I like the
works of many, just from the top of my head I'd say Kubrick, Scorsese and
Conrad Hall, just to name a few. Your favourite movies?
Godfather
2, Amadeus, Singing in the Rain (yes I said that), Tombstone. ...
and of course, films you really deplore? Don't know if
there are any I can say I hate. One movie I've ever walked out on
was Black Knight. Thanks
for the interview! You're welcome.
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