PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I love psychological thrillers. I like them because they’re usually so fucked up that you’re like, “WTF just happened?” I chatted with Vaughn Stein, the director of the new psychological thriller, Every Breath You Take, and we talked about why he wanted to be a part of the film, why he wanted to be a filmmaker, and of course, horror movies.
Vaughn Stein: Hey Tiffany! How are you?
PopHorror: I’m good, thank you. How are you?
Vaughn Stein: Not too bad, thank you. I’ve just had to stand up out of my chair because I’ve got a leg cramp. Apart from that, I’m all good.
PopHorror: Oh, good. I get that way too. I work at a desk job so I completely understand. I watched the movie last night. I thought it was great. It was visually stunning, the story was fun. I really liked it.
Vaughn Stein: Oh, thank you so much! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
PopHorror: What intrigued you about the film, and made you want to be a part of it?
Vaughn Stein: I remember reading it. I remember the first time I read it after the producer sent it to me, and I remember that feeling that you get when you read a great book or you watch a great movie. When you just don’t know which way it’s going to go next. I loved that fear, the twist and turns as I read it, and I knew immediately that I wanted to make this film. I think I really responded to the humanity of it, the reality within… Veracity is probably a better word. The veracity within the characters. This grieving family who was just struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss. Also, they’re just stuck, having lost the ability to kind of communicate with one another. Almost unable to be in the same room. That combination of intense character drama with this searing psychological thriller within it, I thought it was brilliant.
PopHorror: Going back to what you said about reading a good book or seeing a good movie, I agree. There’s something so satisfying about finishing a great book or movie, and just wanting to share it with everybody. “I just experienced the greatest thing and you need to do it too!” So I really appreciate that.
Vaughn Stein: I completely agree. That sort of savage pleasure of realization when you’re genuinely shocked by something. I think that’s something that really intrigues me thematically as a filmmaker.
PopHorror: What is your process to prepare for shooting?
Vaughn Stein: I come from a theatrical background. For me, I feel really, really confident as a director, and as a writer as well, when I know the script inside out, and you know where you’re narratively and emotionally within everything. Within the script, within the shoot days, within the scene. It’s an independent movie. You’ve got to move quickly. You shoot out of order, and you shoot depending on cast availability. You need to know it inside out. That’s where my confidence as a filmmaker comes from. I love to rehearse. I was blessed with the most amazing cast on this. The ensemble was just incredible. Working with them was such a pleasure. They knew their characters inside out, and they brought great ideas to the set. I loved rehearsal and I loved to prepare so that there’s room when you’re in the moment and you’re on set, and you’re shooting that you can have those sort of bubbles of brilliance that come out, the improv will come out of moments of discovery. That’s what really excites me. That’s what I look for.
PopHorror: I have to agree that your cast was just phenomenal. I’m a big fan of India Eisley. She’s such a rising talent. I was really glad to see her kind of showcased in this film.
Vaughn Stein: She is incredible, India. I mean, it was a really lonely role at times. Her character is a rebellious teenager struggling to come to terms with this family tragedy, and is unable to communicate with her cold and uncommunicative parents. She’s such an intelligent actor. She’s got great instincts. She’s just brilliant at what she does. All of them were amazing. I’ve never seen her do anything like this, and I think she was absolutely brilliant. Casey (Affleck) and Michelle (Monaghan), who are just world class actors, what they brought as well… I really think great psychological thrillers come out of great characters, and great, implausible drama, and that’s what they were able to achieve. And when you throw Sam Claflin into the mix, who is just tremendous in this and sort of unnerving, it was an amazing combination of talents.
PopHorror: You mentioned having a theatrical background. What was it that made you want to be a filmmaker?
Vaughn Stein: That’s a good question. I fell in love with film when I was in university. It sort of came out of nowhere. I remember when I was at school in my later years, we kind of had a film club, that was one of the electives at school that we could do. I sort of went through this quite intense period of discovery of film when I was 17, 18. I had a teacher who taught a module called From Hitchcock to Spielberg which was the history of American cinema through the auteurs of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s. That was the first time I saw Psycho, this was the first time I saw… my gosh, what else? We saw everything. The first time I saw Goodfellas. There are too many to name. That really inspired me. I went to University. I decided I wanted to go into film and started out as a production assistant. Just fell in love with it. Once you’ve been on a film set, and once you’ve seen the mechanics of it and the magic, I think it gets in your blood, you know? It’s hard to escape it.
PopHorror: You’ve already worked with some amazing people. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Vaughn Stein: Oh my God. That’s such a good question! That’s like Sophie’s Choice. I think Tim Roth is absolute magic. I have to say he is one person that every time I see him, everything he does is just unbelievable.
PopHorror: That’s a great choice!
Vaughn Stein: Oohh, that’s such a good question! I love William H. Macy, I think he’s unreal. I love Natalie Portman. Every time I see her, I just think she’s just transcendent. Ah. I’m going to stop.
PopHorror: Those are some really great answers! What’s up next for you, Vaughn?
Vaughn Stein: I’m writing at the moment. Well, sitting in my pants watching reruns of Friends, depending who you ask. I’ve just finished co-writing a period gangster thriller set in Boston in the 1960s, which has been great. It’s an uncertain world, at the moment. There’s a few things bubbling up, but I’m not sure. Looking after my dogs, a lot. And my wife I should add.
PopHorror: I have three dogs so I hear that. And Friends is my comfort show so I completely understand.
Vaughn Stein: My dogs are really needy, and have become very dependent. I can feel them starting at me through the door. I’m not sure what I’m doing next, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it. It’s been too long since I’ve been on a film set.
PopHorror: One last question for you, Vaughn. What is your favorite scary movie?
Vaughn Stein: Oh, that’s a great question. That’s a great question. I love Shutter Island. Shutter Island destroyed me actually, when I watched that. I have to tell you that. It’s high up there. As a chilling psychological thriller, I think that’s up there. I still love The Shining. I think The Shining is unreal. The thing that makes me jump the most, if I’m honest, ever, was The Ring. Verbinski’s The Ring. The remake. I was absolutely terrified by that movie. I’m not sure why, but it really got under my skin.
Thank you so much to Vaughn for taking the time to speak with us. Be sure to catch Every Breath You Take, in theaters and On Demand Now!
