How the Filmmakers Behind Horror Anthology 'Holidays' Use Genre to Thwart Expectations [PODCAST]
For the 'Holidays' filmmakers, the key to making great horror lies in flipping tropes on their head to keep audiences on their toes.
Last week, I got the chance to sit down with several of the impressive line-up of genre directors from the new horror anthology film Holidays, during its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. Joining me on the podcast are Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim), Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact, At The Devil's Door), Dracula Untold director Gary Shore and the man in charge of piecing the whole thing together director/producer Adam Egypt Mortimer.
It seems like we're seeing a lot more anthology and omnibus films lately, as audiences continue a millennial-inspired love affair with short form content. This is a good trend for aspiring filmmakers on many fronts. It can give us higher exposure, more opportunities to break-through into the festival scene, and most importantly, it's a form that allows for quite a bit of experimentation. It's this experimentation which the directors of Holidays, now on VOD, cherished most. Our discussion ranged from Shore's (somewhat easy) decision to go from directing a studio blockbuster back to indie shorts, respecting (or ignoring) influences in filmic history, and how challenges on set end up benefitting your creative drive.
If you're a horror fan, or a filmmaker looking to venture into genre, this is not one to miss.
