PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Recently I had the absolute thrill of reviewing Sylvia Caminer’s new thriller, Follow Her. You can read that review right here! Even better, I was able to interview the filmmaker herself!
Follow Her Synopsis
An aspiring actress responds to a mysterious classified ad and finds herself trapped in her new boss’s twisted revenge fantasy.
PopHorror: Follow her was AMAZING. I’m super excited to speak with you.
SC: Thank you so much, that truly means a lot! I really wanted to make an entertaining film that took you on a ride and hopefully also made you question your own relationship with social media.
PopHorror: What inspired you to make this film?
SC: I have been producing indie features and directing non-fiction and unscripted projects for twenty years. I always planned to direct fiction but about six years ago I made a very deliberate decision to find a genre script that I connected with to direct. Dani Barker, the writer, was introduced to me by my longtime friend and mentor, John Gallagher.
I connected to the story immediately. I love character-driven films with flawed protagonists. I really love exploring why people do morally questionable things and how/if they make amends with that plus it felt so contemporary and I love horror/thriller films that deliver suspense but also make you think. I find the current world of social media and influencers a rich subject matter, so it was an exciting endeavor. We workshopped the script for about ten months trying to bring in elements that made it feel even more current and made it more of a biting satire about pursuing fame and how that might make one do questionable things.
PopHorror: Do you have any favorite scenes?
SC: My favorite moment in the film is the big twist where so quickly things shift 180 degrees and everything the viewer perceived is pulled out from under them. I also really like the park scene where Tom and Jess meet and then later when Jess thinks she has figured things out and tries to escape. The detective scene also stands out to me as it deals with truth versus perception, and it brings a bit of biting humor.
PopHorror: The acting was terrific. How did you make your casting choices?
SC: Casting is one of my favorite parts of the process! I brought on long-time collaborator and terrific casting director, Judy Henderson. From the start we knew Dani would be playing the female lead, Jess, so it all came down to finding the perfect actor to play opposite her in the meaty role of the antagonist, Tom Brady. The film really hinges on their chemistry, and we wanted it to feel believable so the actor playing Tom would need to have real charisma as well as an underlying sense of menace. Luke Cook brings all of that and more and he and Dani really had great chemistry.
The other supporting roles were small in screen time but important, and had to very quickly inform the audience who these people were. Eliana Jones who plays Kai came in on a cold audition out of LA and she really had everything we needed for Kai – she sparkles on film and knew exactly how to bring the influencer vibe to the role. I felt incredibly fortunate to get Mark Moses to play Richard, Jess’ father, he is incredibly supportive of indie film and was an absolute pleasure to work with. Mark really brought substance to the role – it’s important because the relationship Jess has with her father informs a lot of her behavior and the chances she takes. Judy also found Cristala Carter who is just perfect as the Detective. For many of the smaller roles, we cast actor friends whose work we admired like Brian Vincent, Lorraine Farris, and Justin Wilson.
PopHorror: Are there any filmmakers that inspire you?
SC: I’ve been inspired by so many filmmakers and have a pretty eclectic appreciation of film. Early inspirations include great Italian filmmakers like Vittorio De Sica, Lina Wertmuller, Federico Fellini to Frank Capra, William Wellman, Alfred Hitchcock, John Cassavetes, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Milos Forman, Stanley Kubrick John Sayles plus so many others. Recently I’d say Sarah Polley, Jordan Peele, Thomas Vinterberg,, Jennifer Kent, Paul Thomas Anderson, Mike Flanagan, Scott Derickson, and documentarians Laura Poitras, Heidi Ewing, and Rachel Grady. Plus first-time feature filmmakers Emerald Fennell, Jane Schoenbrun, Parker Finn, and Rose Glass but on any given day the list of current inspirations would likely change.
PopHorror: Are there any new projects in the works? What’s next?
SC: I have a few projects I am really excited about, but everything is really on hold until the Writers Strike gets resolved, hopefully, it won’t take too long but it is necessary. Everything starts with the script, and I certainly stand with them. David Higgins (Hard Candy) and I have teamed up to produce the elevated horror film, IT Walks Among Us, which I will also direct and is written by Will Davis. It is a character-driven film, the protagonist is a smart no BS 16-year-old girl who happens to be trans and is pitted against a very cunning shape-shifting creature. We hope to begin casting in early Summer. I also partnered with novelist, Nick Jones, to bring his Joseph Bridgeman time travel series of books to the screen. The first up will be And Then She Vanished. This is very exciting because Nick and I are writing the screenplay together. I plan to do a lot more writing this year. I would also love the opportunity to direct scripted series.
PopHorror: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us!
SC: I appreciate the opportunity and thanks so much for the great questions!
Follow Her is available in select theaters and on VOD now! Have a look at the trailer, then check out the film!
