Basic
question, why base a horror movie on the actual Werewolf Game, and
is that a game you participate in often in your private lives?
Jackie: I played a similar version, Mafia, in high school
and was a fan of the Among Us memes. I read a Japanese manga
that used the party game as a premise for creating horror.
Inspired me to create a film that used the Werewolf Game
premise as a jumping off point for a dystopian thriller with that same feeling
of adventure as the Japanese film Battle Royale.
Cara: Not particularly, although the few times I've played similar
games it's been a lot of fun. I'm mostly motivated by what makes a
compelling story, and when Jackie brought the idea for Werewolf
Game to me, I saw clearly that it was a great set up for some potent high-stakes drama and action.
Jackie,
what were your sources of inspiration when writing Werewolf
Game?
Jackie: I wrote the film during the early days of Covid lockdown
in New York City. Watching the paranoia unfold and news of the
worst unraveling daily, I wanted to create a movie where people were
locked down, isolated and forced to work together under confusing life-or-death circumstances.
What can you tell us about your movie's approach to horror?
Jackie: One of my biggest influences is John Carpenter's
The Thing. I find paranoia mixed with the creeping dread of
certain doom to be an effective mix for creating atmosphere.
Forcing people to make impossible choices under pressure with little
information can be stressful no matter what the circumstance, add murder
to the mix and it is going to be a rough time.
Do talk about your directorial approach to your story at hand?
Jackie: I have an incredible amount of empathy for my characters and
try not to be cynical towards their struggles no matter how much I may
disagree with their point of view. What interests me most in
stories are the moments of triumph out of seeming impossibility,
although it always comes at a great cost and not everyone will make it.
Cara: Likewise. I try to identify with each character's point of view
as earnestly as I can so I can help motivate the action in ways that
center the personal power of the actor and their character.
Having directed Werewolf
Game with one another, what was your collaboration like?
Jackie: Cara is my main creative partner and life partner, every second
spent with her is a delight! Being able to create art together on
the level of a feature film was a dream come true. We are
keen to listen and encourage each other's enthusiasm. After a
decade of working together we have a system of trust and instinct that
creates very little creative disagreements. Both of us are
extremely fond of genuine enthusiasm and will usually cave
under who has the most consistent, positive energy about a creative problem.
|
|
Cara: Hell yeah! I feel like we have cultivated a dynamic that is
akin to being a little kid and playing a really immersive game of
pretend. We try to build up and amplify each other's ideas and give each
other as much enthusiasm as possible. And we both trust each other's
sense of taste and resonance - if an idea is really not landing for
the other person to the point of dislike, we'll explore that too. We
never try to strong arm the other person into a creative choice they
genuinely dislike.
Werewolf
Game isn't the first movie you've worked on with one another -- so
what can you tell us about your previous collaborations, and how did you
two first meet even?
Jackie: We met in college, The School for Film and Television in New
York City, and became fast friends. We have collaborated on a web
series called Asher, and have a wild new short film releasing
soon called Be Not Afraid. We love the process of writing
and directing together and hope to collaborate on many future projects.
Back to Werewolf
Game: Cara, you also appear in front of the camera in your movie -
so what can you tell us about your character, what did you draw upon to
bring her to life, and how much Cara Claymore can we find in Suzie?
Cara: I've always been inspired by larger than life heroes like
Aragorn, Sarah Connor, and the X-Men. I wanted Suzie to feel like
the type of person who makes everyone around her feel a little braver
and a little more optimistic - someone who clearly knows how to problem-solve and is confident in her choices, because she's done hard things
before and knows what she's made of. Doing that was a process of staying
emotionally present with my character's reality and personal truth - her
desire for freedom, and her fury at the injustice she is witnessing. To
that end, I brought a lot of my own sense of value to the character. I
am enraged by injustice, and witnessing it stokes the fire of my
personal courage. I'm at my bravest when I'm acting from my love for
other people and desire for communal joy and healing.
Do talk about the rest of Werewolf
Game's cast, and why exactly these people?
Jackie: Several of the cast are our close friends, so we have had a
relationship before the film. We keep in touch with the rest of
the cast through social media. Many live in LA and we are NYC-based.
Cara: Some of our casting was pretty magical in how it happened, too. I
drew a sketch of Natalie based on how Jackie was envisioning the
character, and when I saw Tabitha Jane's audition tape I was just
gobsmacked - she looked and felt exactly like the character I had drawn,
down to the haircut, and her performance was dynamite. It was like she
was conjured out of the vision. I'd say a lot of our casting happened
incredibly smoothly like that; actors just absolutely nailing the
character out of the gate, and then us also clicking well professionally
when we interviewed them.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
Jackie: The crew overcame incredible obstacles presented to
us on the days of filming. The cast were extremely supportive and
close knit with each other. Most of the core team shared a
large house while filming. Coming from a theater background, we
give the acting space reverence and respect. We encourage
everyone who is on set during filming to stay focused and with the creative
energy of the actors. There were also incredible time constraints
so there was a decent amount of hustle and bustle from the crew.
Cara: I felt electrically alive from the moment I woke up at 4 AM to
the moment I went to sleep at 11 PM. Every day was a rollercoaster
of incredible focus, collaboration, and on-the-fly decision making as we
navigated the various constraints of filming, as well as last minute
challenges. The onset atmosphere was incredibly loving and playful,
because everyone came together as a team to secure the vision. We
even had actors stay after they were wrapped just to support each other.
I am forever grateful to the amazing cast and crew who gave it
their all. Long live the Wolf Pack!
Anything you can tell us about the audience and critical reception of Werewolf
Game?
Jackie: Great question. We hope audiences love and support the
current version of the film. Personally, it is difficult to
comment on the current reception of the film because it was made without
our creative involvement or input. We only saw the film recently and are sympathetic to the critical response. We
are hard at work on a brand new cut of the film with remastered 4K
footage, sound, digital effects, musical score, and a ground up recut of
the footage.
Based on your experience on Werewolf
Game, could you imagine to ever make another movie with one
another? And/or any other future projects you'd like to share?
Jackie: We have a new short film releasing this year called Be Not
Afraid and a new horror film in development currently titled The
Final Exorcism. There is also a sequel planned for Werewolf
Game that I would love the opportunity to create in the future.
Cara: We've been creative partners for over a decade, but it feels
like we're just getting started! Our next projects are fun, ambitious
stories that we can't wait to get in front of audiences.
Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?
Jackie: I am on Instagram: @sunstrikepictures
Cara: I am @Caraclaymore on Instagram and Threads, and have a free
Substack where I talk about film, personal cultivation, spirituality,
magic, and physical culture: Strengthmagick.Substack.com
Anything
else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
 |
Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned) |
The links below
will take you
just there!!!
|
|
 |
Jackie: Creating Werewolf
Game was one of the most harrowing and beautiful experiences of my life. A sacred journey
of growth and determination. I cannot wait for the audience to see
the unforgettable thrill ride that is Werewolf Game!
Cara: I want to shout out Peter MK McManus (who plays
"Matt"), Carolyn Schaumburg (BTS photography, associate producer) and Daniel Lonsbury (1st AD) for their presence and amazing
work on set as professionals and friends. From Peter taking me to Gold's
Gym at 4 AM to get focused for the day, to Carolyn being my go-to for
when I was frazzled and needed help with some random task (and capturing
the whole filming experience with beautiful shots), and to Daniel for
being an absolute rock of steady presence and keen insight, I am so
grateful to them, and to the entire cast and crew, for going above and
beyond in every way conceivable.
Thanks for the interview!
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
