PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Below is our interview with Clear Cut director Brian Skiba, a lumberjack-themed action thriller. Clear Cut is available in theaters, on digital, and on-demand as of July 19th, 2024.
Synopsis
Every moment is filled with danger for a man cutting timber in the Pacific Northwest, but Jack becomes the target of a brutal assault from more than the elements in this action-packed thriller. As Jack ventures deeper into the woods, he crosses paths with a criminal band of madmen from his past intent on killing him before he can fight his way back to civilization…
The film stars Clive Standen, Lucy Martin, Jesse Metcalfe, Tom Welling, Lochlyn Munro, Chelsey Reist, Tom Stevens, Mike Dopud, Stephen Dorff, Alec Baldwin
[WARNING: I don’t mean this to be snarky, but this isn’t the kind of trailer that keeps the film’s events a total secret.]Interview: Clear Cut Director Brian Skiba
Brian Skiba: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
PopHorror: So for one thing, I want to say that I like the lumberjack intro credit sequence.
Brian Skiba: Thank you.
PopHorror: What inspired you to use that in the movie?
Brian Skiba: The premise of this movie was about lumber, you know, logging is one of the most dangerous professions in the world. That’s what the writer told me when he sent me the script.
When I met the lumberjacks, he wasn’t wrong. These guys are beat up; many are missing limbs or fingers. It’s a really tough profession.
When we did the credit sequence, I thought it would be nice to use some stock footage of loggers from the early 1900s and pay homage to these guys who really started the industry. That was the idea behind it.
PopHorror: It reminded me a little of those photographs of people sitting on the girders of skyscrapers during their construction, like the famous “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo.
Brian Skiba: Yeah, exactly. When we found the footage and started looking at it, it was like, wow, these guys had no OSHA. They were putting their lives at risk.
Clear Cut and the Pacific Northwest
PopHorror: In Clear Cut, the Pacific Northwest setting plays a crucial role in the story. Can you tell us about the location scouting process and how you captured the unique atmosphere of the region on film?
Brian Skiba: Initially, when I started talking to producers about it, we considered various locations. They even asked if we could film it in LA, but I didn’t see this movie set there. Then they suggested Vancouver, and that made more sense.
I scouted for a week, visiting Victoria and Duncan. Duncan has a logging community, and we found real loggers who let us use their locations. It was great to find an authentic location.
PopHorror: The film has a strong cast with Clive Standen, Alec Baldwin, Stephen Dorff, and Tom Welling. How did you approach casting for these roles? And what was it like working with such a diverse and talented group?
Brian Skiba: Casting is always interesting. The script is strong, and many of these actors had worked with me before. They were eager to be involved.
Tom Welling surprised me by wanting to play a bad guy. Typically, actors who have played Superman don’t want to play villains, but Tom did a great job.
Getting all these actors on set and seeing them push each other was fantastic. Clive Standen, in particular, goes 120%, getting bruised up but never stopping. My directing style is very hands-on, and I think that commitment level allowed the actors to trust me and give more.
PopHorror: That reminds me a bit of Werner Herzog, who made a point of not shooting anything he wasn’t willing to do himself.
Brian Skiba: Exactly. I run the camera most of the time, which helps the actors trust me more. By the end of the shoot, we were all close and ready to work together again.
Character-Driven Story?
PopHorror: Clear Cut blends action and thriller elements with a personal story of redemption. What inspired you to explore those themes, and how did you balance the action sequences with the more character-driven moments?
Brian Skiba: What made this story interesting is that it’s layered. Many action films in this budget range are just about people shooting each other with no real reason. This script, however, explored Jack’s reasoning and the motivations behind the bad guys’ actions.
Balancing the pacing between action and character development was key. I relied on trusted people around me to help with that.
PopHorror: Are there any particular moments or sequences in Clear Cut that you’re especially proud of?
Brian Skiba: I really like the ending. The scene where Clive finally gets his redemption and the commitment level he went to achieve it is powerful. I still get goosebumps watching the last shot of Lucy Martin on the phone. It’s one of the strongest endings of all my films.
The Biggest Challenge
PopHorror: What were the biggest challenges in bringing the story of Clear Cut to life?
Brian Skiba: The toughest part is getting it off the ground. Filmmaking is not like selling a house; you’re selling a concept and hoping people get behind it. Convincing producers, writers, and distributors to invest in an idea is the biggest challenge.
PopHorror: I remember reading that Robert Kirkman from The Walking Dead initially lied about involving space aliens to get the series greenlit because he knew they wouldn’t approve it otherwise.
Brian Skiba: It’s very difficult these days with so much content out there. You have to find a group of people who believe in you, and that’s the toughest part.
PopHorror: We’ve been interviewing for about 10 minutes now. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Brian Skiba: No, I just appreciate you having me on.
PopHorror: I didn’t have much else going on today anyway.
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Thank you for your time, Brian!
(NOTE: This interview was edited for ease of understanding.)
