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Hello, Ms. Gusack, how are things?
Things are great! Thanks for
asking.
Where did the idea
for "In Memorium" stem from?
The idea for ‘In Memorium’ came
from a drive to the doctor’s office. I thought, ‘What if
I find out I’m dying?’ and it kind of evolved from
there. I kind of get all my ideas from some paranoid
tangent, which is nicely settling in the moment. The
other half of the idea came when I decided to write a
script to shoot entirely within my house. I pulled the
‘dying’ idea from the back of my brain and thought it
would fit really well.
Was the semi-documentary style planned
or a result of a low budget?
It was planned as a result of a
low budget. Basically we knew the following: We had to
shoot on video. We had one location. We couldn’t shoot
outside b/c we couldn’t control the visuals beyond our
property line. Music was expensive, and we need a story
that would work better with unknown actors. Rather than
let these things be limitations, I wanted to find a
story that would only work with these things; Let the
limitations frame, and pretty much design, the story. |
Was there any trepidation creating "In
Memorium" as a film within a film, after its predecessors
already basically covered almost everything in the genre?
Not really, because it was designed to be different from its
predecessors, and because Blair Witch carved out such a huge
dent in the ’reality/horror’ subgenre, that it made this type of
story ‘receivable’ to an audience. I think it helped us much
more than it could have hurt us.
Do you feel had it
been done in a pure film style, the same dread and atmosphere
would have been retained and still resonated with audiences?
I don’t think so. This story was written to be bare in every
capacity. I really believe horror works best when it reminds us
of moments of perfect vulnerability; Fears that seep from the
primal mind in the dark and the silence. With this film, I
really wanted create the sensory experiences of those moments as
much as possible, so less was definitely more.
Do you find your
film being compared to similar popular genre pieces like "My
Little Eye", or "Blair Witch Project"? And, is that a flattering
prospect?
People have mentioned both of those movies, and it’s very
flattering. "Blair Witch" was really influential and inspiring. It served
as a model for what could terrify people with absolute
minimalism--video, no music, etc.
I've been viewing the copy you sent to
us with my friends, and the feedback consisted of two constant
comments: It was well done, and it was very scary. Why do you
think "In Memorium" can reach down and scare people when many
modern films just can't accomplish that?
Thank you for the compliments! That makes me so happy.
I can only speak to what scares me personally, but I think some
modern horror films focus more on plot stingers and
moment-to-moment scares, rather than developing a primal or
personal theme that evolves throughout the story. As a result,
sometimes it’s harder to buy into those worlds, especially when
those films become copies of each other.
Really scary, effective movies, for me, often involve some lack
of control and/or parasitism, whether physical or psychological:
The Exorcist (invasion of soul), Alien (invasion of body),
Poltergeist (invasion of home and family) The Shining
(confinement), Frailty (trust/faith), etc.
For me, “In Memorium” carries the creepiness of sickness/decay.
I think, to some extent, we’re all afraid of dying, because we
have no control over it. It’s pretty terrifying to think about.
You seem to have a
history with the horror genre judging by your bio.
I love horror and thriller. Not straight gore, although I’m
not against it. It’s just not as fascinating to me as the
psychological fears that resonate from the characters to the
audience. With horror, you have the opportunity to create a huge
need in a character, above and beyond normal life, but directly
relating to it. You can make the stakes so high that the
characters must either change or die.
Do you find it's
easier to create a horror film more than it is creating a drama
or a comedy, or is it all basically an arduous process?
Since this is the first feature I directed, I can really only
answer that in terms of writing. Each genre has its own pace and
tone, which pretty much designates what kind of detail you can
put into a movie.
For me, horror is
drama with fantasy layered in. In writing it, I approach the
same way as drama, with respect to overall structure and
character development, and then play with color, mood, tempo,
style to specify the tone.
How long did it take
to film?
18 days.
Did neighbors or
anyone seem to have a problem with the film being shot in your
home?
Our next door neighbor thought we were shooting porn.
Everyone else was fine with it.
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How long did the
script take to write?
About 2 months for the first draft, with a week here and
there to address our awesome producers’ notes.
Did the actors
adhere to the script you wrote, or were the cast given room to
improvise?
Because the continuity was so important with this story,
there wasn’t a huge amount of improvisation. During rehearsals,
the actors asked me a lot of questions that resulted in dialogue
changes and modifications here and there. We had such smart and
sensitive performers whose input in rehearsals was crucial.
While we were shooting, there were a few changes and omissions,
but nothing terribly major.
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You seem to rely on
old factory devices like creaks, shadows, and bumps as opposed
to attempting CGI or computer animation (which I thank you for),
was this a result of the low budget or was it planned?
Both. For me, noticeable CGI really detracts from horror,
because
it reminds you that you’re in a movie, and therefore that you’re
safe. We had some effects in this film—simple mattes and
overlaps, but they were designed to be totally seamless.
I found "In Memorium"
was really similar to the original "The Haunting" in which we're
told what's hiding in this house, but never see what it is
that's terrorizing these people. Was this premeditated?
This is really bad—I’ve never seen the original “The
Haunting.” It’s on my list with a lot of other films that I’m
very bad for not having watched yet. I still have college
nightmares of watching ‘Citizen Kane’ on hard seats that I told
the teachers gave us bedsores.
However, that is an astronomical
compliment. A few people have recommended “The Haunting” to me
as one of the scariest movies they’ve seen.
This is kind of a
cheesy question, but I have to ask:
Did anything weird or unusual occur during filming? If not, then
can you make something up for our readers to enjoy?
The whole time we were filming I joked to the actors and crew
that we needed some kind of curse. I know my house, and I feel
very safe in it, so I wasn’t too concerned that it would happen.
However, one night when we were creating a ‘burn print’ of a
female form (with dirt and water), the house caught on fire
inside a wall outlet. Coincidence? Probably. But it was weird,
and we were all spooked.
Did you consider
adding a score for "In Memorium", or did you want to retain its
realism without it?
I considered it after an early cut, which was 10 minutes
longer than our picture lock. We’d gotten some really perceptive
notes that certain moments could move faster, and in addition to
cutting, some music might help. After listening to a bunch of
scores, and not finding anything that would work, I decided to
focus strictly on the pace problem.
We found a sound
designer to create kind of an internal score—atmospheric ‘music’
using the tones of the house, which is so delicious because
there’s no indication of when bad things are going to happen.
What has been the
general reaction to your film? I personally loved it.
Thanks! So far, we’ve had awesome compliments. No one’s spat
in my face or kicked me. I’m really thrilled with the response
so far. I love to hear that it keeps people awake at night.
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How long have you
been in the film industry, and what was your early career like?
I started writing in college and spent four years writing two
scripts, both of which were pretty bad. But I learned an
incredible amount writing them. I’m 31 now, and have been
writing pretty consistently from the time I started, almost
selling something here and there, but never quite breaking in. I
shot a short in ’99, and decided to write “In Memorium” after I
spent a year away from the business in’ 03. Now I’m all revved
up again, and I’ve had the joy of actually directing one of my
scripts. So I’m pretty psyched to move forward on the next
project.
Are you a horror
fan?
I love horror that really utilizes symbolism and character at
its core. I think “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is such brilliant
concept and terrifying film, because it turns normal adolescence
and parent/child complexities into source of death for the
children. It also confines the characters to an untouchable,
internal world. They can’t reach out or call for help. They
can’t be saved, because they’re submerged in their own
subconscious. |
What facet of
the horror film genre would you most like to attempt in the
future?
It depends. I’m still freaked out by the idea of possession
to the point that I won’t even write about it. Which means,
eventually I’ll have to.
What are some of
your favorite horror films and or literature?
Of course Stephen King. The Ring, Poltergeist, Frailty,
Something Wicked this Way Comes. I’ve finally read some of Ray
Bradbury’s prose, which is so stunning. It clings to the mind.
You can’t peel it off after reading it.
If you could work with anyone from
Hollywood, who would it be?
If I could just sit down for an hour with any of
these people, I’d be in Hollywood Heaven: Wes Craven, James
Cameron, Gore Verbinski, The Wachowski Brothers, Chris Nolan,
Kathryn Bigelow, Bryan Singer, Ridley Scott, Hilary Seitz, Bill
Pope, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Kate Bush ( though not in
Hollywood). Actors: Kate Blanchett, Benicio Del Toro, Hugh
Jackman, Jennifer Connelly… The list goes on for days.
Do you believe in
ghosts and all that jazz?
I definitely believe in jazz. I believe in ghosts. I pretty
much believe in anything and everything, depending on the time
of day and what I’m thinking about.
Does Casper scare
you?
Casper scares the crap out of me.
Since most people
probably haven't had the thrill of seeing "In Memorium", can you
sell the film to catch their interest?
I don’t know if I can sum it up any better than your review.
You might just have to link to it here.
Beat you to it. Thanks for the words.
Are you entering
this film in any new festivals?
Not as many now. We just got the word that we’ll be playing
in
Shriekfest, which we’re really psyched about, and we’re still
waiting to hear from a few more.
I read on your
website that you're seeking DVD distribution. How has that been for
you?
It takes time. There’s so many indies out there waiting to be
watched by execs, and you just have to be patient.
Since it's sadly not
on DVD yet, how can people get a hold of, or watch "In Memorium"?
Come see us at
Shriekfest. The festival runs from September
22-October 1st in Los Angeles. You can find out more
at the
official website. They’ll be posting the
schedules soon, and we’ll put the screening information on our
website as soon as we have it.
What projects do you
currently have lined up, if you're willing to share?
I’ve just written a new thriller that I’m really excited
about. I can’t say more yet, but I’ll let you know when it’s
finished.
Many thanks for the
interview, Ms. Gusack.
My pleasure! Thank you guys!!
So, there you have
it. Our many endless
thanks go out to director Amanda Gusack who, even though still
hasn’t seen the original “The Haunting”, is still a very good
sport, and a kind person for providing us with the interview. If
you want to check out “In Memorium” will be screening at the
upcoming Shriek Fest, and if you’re around that area we suggest
attending. But if you can’t, just take our word for it, “In
Memorium” is an excellent horror film.
-
Felix Vasquez Jr.
