Recently, we reviewed the indie horror film “Brightwood,” a stirring mix of horror, science fiction, and relationship drama about a couple who go jogging and find themselves trapped on a trail to nowhere. “Brightwood” is a debut feature from director by filmmaker Dane Elcar, who based his film on a short he directed in 2018. The film has been on the festival route lately, winning Best Sci-Fi Feature at Another Hole in the Head, Best Editing (and runner up for Best Director, Actor and Supporting Actor) at HorrorHound, and will now screening as part of both Panic Fest and Salem Horror Festival later this month.
Mr. Elcar took time out to talk to us about his first feature film, and what inspired such a bizarre genre film.
What inspired you to make “Brightwood”?
Just the completely mad and irrational desire to make an independent feature film! Ha.
I kid, sort of, but the drive to get a feature made was big. I suppose the idea of a couple trapped going around a pond had been brewing in the back of my mind for a long time. Max Worentydyke, my producer and lead actor and I had been developing another feature film, and it seemed like we were very close to getting the financing, but the pandemic really put the brakes on that, as it did with a lot of things.
Not one to stay still for too long. I kept thinking about this couple trapped in the woods. I knew I could keep the story contained and that it could be filmed with limited resources. So I started writing the script around December 2020. The more time I spent with this couple the more it felt like the right story to focus all my energy on. And here we are!
What influenced the creation of “Brightwood” for you?
I really wanted to make a horror film about relationships. You know, something truly terrifying! I had actually made a short film called The Pond back in 2017 that was sort of the first concept of Brightwood, but that short wasn’t a couple, just one man, played by me, which in essence was an experiment to see if I could get the basic plot elements and single location to work.
I wanted to keep the action going forward and make it entertaining and dark and fun. But it was always meant to be a couple. I really wanted to dissect a long term relationship. To see what would happen if I dropped them into that scenario. It allowed me to really explore the emotional cycles that can happen–the kind of progression and then regression in and out of toxicity. Love and hate. Plus, the basic nature of time loop movies are always a bit funny to me, so given the subject matter, it also presented a lot of opportunity to infuse it with humor. In the end I do consider it a love story. Some might disagree.
How long did the film take to make?
We shot for twelve out of sixteen days in May of 2021. Post production lasted about a year. I edited it. The music and sound design took some time. I worked with Joey Zampalla on the sound mix while my long time collaborator Jason Cook worked on this fantastic original score. He ended up giving me a nearly 83 min symphony to work with. I felt bad that I wasn’t able to use it all! And then later Jeff Prosser was able to do a final upmix to 5.1 and it’s beautiful!
Where did you shoot “Brightwood”?
We shot in Rockaway, New Jersey at a place called Egbert Lake. Everyone in the community was very friendly and wanted to help support the film. Every time we said we’re shooting a horror movie their eyes would light up. It’s kind of incredible to think back on it, but people were actively fishing or riding bikes and hiking all around us as we filmed. Obviously, we needed the illusion that these two characters were completely alone so each day had its challenges of keeping folks out of the shot.
Another issue was sound. I had to run after a few kids on ATVs now and then. But they all loved that we were making a movie in their neighborhood.
How did you create the illusion of the infinite loop within this wooded trail?
I knew I needed to take the time to familiarize the audience with the location. The trail around the pond was a huge character in this movie. I had markers in the script like the no swimming sign, and the trash can, a gnarly tree, etc. The woods surrounding the pond would be sort of chaotic, but I wanted the audience to be very familiar with these trail markers, so they’d know the characters are clearly walking in a circle around the pond. Once things go wacky, and they seem to be trapped, it’s really the performances of Max Woertendyke and Dana Berger that sell it. The illusion isn’t so much an illusion at all, once the characters start to suspect something is off, you’re right there with them.
What compelled you to cast Max Woertendyke and Dana Berger? They have great chemistry.
They do have great chemistry! Max and I have known and worked together for a long time now. We met working in a video store in Manhattan back in the early 00’s. He’s an amazing and meticulous actor and on top of that, one of the most passionate, hard working, and organized producers I know. For years now he’s the person I’ll send a first draft of a script to. And I usually send him utter shit, but he’s willing to talk it through.
What’s the story? Let’s dig in. So I had pitched Max the idea even before I wrote it and he was naturally the first person to come onboard. After a few meetings he suggested Dana Berger for Jen. They had worked together years before on a play and were good friends. And I knew that my actors were going to need not only good chemistry, but also a strong friendship to get through the hard shoot in the New Jersey woods. So Dana and I talked on the phone for a good hour or so and we really hit it off. I think there was an understanding that Dan and Jen are these kinda basic characters. I mean their names are Dan and Jen. Like a stereotypical American yuppie couple. That we could destroy.
Dana is so smart and she is also very funny. And I needed that. There is some heavy stuff in this script, but I wanted them to find the humor in it. We worked for months reading the script over and over again. Their input was invaluable. Then I’d go do a rewrite. This process really helped distill down the story and the language of the script. So that by the time we were on set, it was just go go go. We were ready.
Did anything weird happen while making “Brightwood”?
I don’t know about weird, but the BUGS didn’t help! I got lymes disease. Thankfully I was the only one. We did tick checks every night after shooting. We were so careful. We would have to spray ourselves in clouds of DEET every morning. Apparently the New Jersey woods are like a tick haven. I was also operating the camera, and I remember doing a take where I had to be on the dirt cross legged and right in the middle of a scene I looked down and watched as one slowly made its way towards me. I didn’t want to interrupt the take.
That took some mental constraint. But that one wasn’t the one that got me in the end. We had wrapped and I went out a few weeks later for B-roll. Afterwards, I did a tick check, but I missed the son of a bitch. They put me on antibiotics for a few weeks. I should be fine. If untreated it can be a horrible disease so I don’t want to make light of it, but I do get to say that my film gave me lyme. So that is kinda weird I guess.
“Brightwood” seems to be a lot about the horror from the seemingly mundane, would you agree?
Horror from the seemingly mundane is my bag of chips. I think it’s important to provide an atmosphere or some solid hints that things might turn for the worse. But yeah, Dan and Jen are just out for a jog. They’ve had a bad night. They’ve had a bad nine years. He’s hungover. She’s pissed. They have no idea what’s going to happen. And even when things start to get weird they’re still stuck in their own drama.
Their relationship is not good. They’re going to fight it out. Then boom! What is going on?! But this idea really boils down to perspective in the story telling. When and for how long you choose to follow characters. I love making something as mundane as a morning jog in nature digress into a violent bloody hell scape. I mean that’s how it goes sometimes, right? Maybe I’m just an anxious person.
Without giving anything away, do you have an idea of what happens in the ending? Are you leaving it up to the audience to decipher it?
Sure, I have an idea of what is causing them to be trapped in this time paradox. And earlier versions of the script went a little more into the mechanics, however I never wanted to get that deep into it. For me it was way more important to focus on what this does to Dan and Jen’s relationship than to fully explain why it’s all actually happening. There are some hints here and there. And I love hearing the theories about the ending. I’d love to hear what you think is causing it? But I’m very happy folks seem to still feel fulfilled by the ending. That’s very important. I might not give it all away, but so far folks seem okay with it. I complete Dan and Jen’s story by showing you their physical and emotional state. You must remember it’s a love story above all else.
How has the reception for “Brightwood” been so far?
So far it’s been great! We’ve had a lot of amazing reactions. I remember there was a man that came up to me after our US Premiere in Austin at Other Worlds with very sad eyes and he wanted to tell me that my film really upset him. He wasn’t mad, but he just wanted to express that to me. I told him that it was okay that he felt that way about it. And then in San Francisco at Another Hole In the Head, where it won the audience award for Best Science Fiction Feature, a woman screamed out, “this is my new favorite romantic comedy!!” Ha. Both are perfectly valid responses to the film in my opinion. I love it.
What are you currently working on?
I have a new feature in the early stages of development. The script is ready. It’s a horror thriller. I can’t say too much about it, but the film will be produced by Max Wortendyke, who won’t be acting in it this time, but I’m thinking he’ll get a nice bloody cameo. We’re starting to bring on other team members. They’re getting it all packaged up and things are progressing wonderfully.
What advice can you give aspiring filmmakers out there?
I mean this is my first feature, so I can only speak from the other side of that. We’ve been really lucky with Brightwood, but still it’s been exhausting at times. Making a feature film is very hard. Selling it is also very hard. I would say to aspiring filmmakers that it’s so important to hold onto that youthful passion towards movies. And never stop learning about the process of filmmaking. Respecting the process and craft involved is so important. Films don’t just happen. They have to be made one brick at a time by a lot of people. And you have to go out and find those people. Your future collaborators.
Never expect anyone to come to you, you go find them.