Hello ladies and gentlemen, Muldoon here with a fun Q&A with Josh Gerritson, director of ISLAND ZERO (as obvious in the title). I hadn't caught wind of the film myself, until the folks at Other Worlds Austin popped into an email. Other Worlds Austin has continued to grow into quite a kickass time with its early December fest, but they don't stop there as they screen all sorts of science fiction films throughout the year. ISLAND ZERO is next up on their docket with a screening on 9/20 at the Flix Brew House in Austin. If you're in the area, the below chat seems like a film you'd be into, think about checking it out. Flix is becoming one of my favorite places to watch films (as I love beer) and I've yet to have anything but great service. "Muldoon, we get it..." You're right, I'm not here to talk up a theater or a festival as much as digging into the head of a passionate filmmaker. I'm always down to chat with creative folks who put their blood, sweat, and tears (possibly?) into bringing a film to life, so I certainly hopped on the chance to shoot a few questions Gerritsen's way. I hope you find the Q&A below as interesting as I do!
"Inhabitants of a fishing island off the coast of Maine find themselves mysteriously cut off from the outside world after the ferry suddenly stops coming. All the phones have gone dead and every boat sent to the mainland fails to return. When dead bodies turn up along the water's edge, the hardy band of survivors must find out who, or what, is killing them."
How did you come to the project? I realize your mother (Author Tess Gerritsen) wrote the script, but how did the decision for you to direct it come to be?
It happened in a funny way. I was weeding my garden with Tess in the summer of 2014 when she asked me out of the blue, “What do you think about making a horror movie together? It would be fun!” I made short films as a kid and spent five years in New York City as a portrait photographer, but moved back to Maine to be a farmer. I thought those artistic pursuits were behind me. But she asked, we talked about it, and pretty quickly decided it made the most sense for her to write the script and for me to direct the film.
What were some films that you took inspiration from, if any?
“Alien” by Ridley Scott was my reference film in a lot of ways. The film slowly built up suspense in such a masterful way that made the splashes of blood and terror that much more horrifying. It also brought together a group of everyday people, in the middle of nowhere, to find a way to survive. I loved how Scott took his time telling the story and not rushing into the action.
(POSSIBLE SPOILER) How about the design of the creatures, how did you decide on the one featured in the film?
We were fascinated with cephalopods, specifically octopuses, because of how unique they are compared to any other species on earth. Their DNA has been characterized as alien by scientists, they have the ability to edit their RNA on the fly, they can blend into any landscape in the blink of an eye, and they are much smarter than we give them credit for. Unfortunately they only live 3-5 years. So, we took the idea of an octopus and expanded it into something more deadly and terrifying.
ISLAND ZERO Official Trailer (60 Sec) from Mariah Klapatch on Vimeo.
How did you go about casting the project? Were there any specific actors in mind as the script was being written?
We cast the film in four different ways depending on the roles. From the beginning, we wanted to make this a Maine film. There is so much talent in this state that were lucky to tap into. For our four principal actors Laila Robins, Adam Wade McLaughlin, Teri Reeves, and Matthew Wilkas, we used Kathryn Zamora-Benson out of New York. For the bigger Maine roles, we used a casting agent out of Portland, Maine. For the smaller Maine roles, my producer and I contacted actors in the area that we knew or saw in local productions. We did that casting out of my house. And finally, we cast our incredible child actor by contacting local middle school drama teachers and asking them to recommend a boy and girl they thought might be a good fit for our film. The role of Ellie was not gender specific. We wanted the best actor for the part.
How much of the script was written with existing locations in mind? Was Maine always embedded in the story? How much of what’s on screen do you think represents real-world Maine? (IE actual Maine, not “Maine for tourists.”)
Maine was always the focal point of the story, even before Tess wrote the first word of the script. The ferry terminal on Monhegan Island was clearly in her mind when she described those ferry scenes. The rest of the script didn't have specific locations in mind, but she knew we could find those spots from living here for over 25 years.
While it gets cold and dark on the coast where I live for over four months in the winter, it's nothing like what Mainers experience living on our remote islands. We've heard a lot of stories from residents on those islands that mirror what we portray in the film (besides the murdering and mass chaos). It can be very cold and isolating out there, but sometimes the soul needs some time away from civilization on a remote island to feel whole again.
Let’s talk about your crew. How did you come to hire your key positions? Was it made up of strangers or folks you’ve built a relationship with previously?
Our production would have fallen apart within days without every single member of our crew. Everyone more than pulled their own weight and stayed committed to our film from beginning to end. My producer Mariah Klapatch put together an incredible group of people from Maine and Los Angeles. Many of our key positions came from contacts she had in LA, but the majority of our crew came from Maine.
In addition to my producer, three other people were especially instrumental in making my vision for Island Zero a reality: our director of photography Mark Farney, our editor Michael Immerman, and our composer Clayton Worbeck. We hadn't worked with most of the crew before Island Zero, but I can't imagine making my next narrative without them.
How much prep did you have before principal began? How long of a shoot did you have in terms of days and how long those shooting days typically were?
We had seven months between the script being finished and the start of principal. We had 19 days of principal photography and typically worked 12 hours a day. We had no rehearsals before we started principal photography, only one read-through and rehearsing scenes right before shooting them.
What was your most enjoyable part of making the film?
For me, the most enjoyable part of making the film was learning how to analyze a script, breaking it down, and embodying every single line. When I spoke to my actors, I understood what motivated their characters every step of the way. Directors that neglect this very crucial step will not know what film they are directing when they get on set. You need to know your script inside and out better than anyone else in the world. Even more than the screenwriter.
(POSSIBLE SPOILER) What singular scene in ISLAND ZERO are you most proud of or think represents the film the best?
It's one of the quietest scenes in the film, but the scene I'm most proud of is when Sam and Lucy reconcile by firelight while Ellie is sleeping. Sam had spent years trying to figure out what happened to his wife, being doubted and doubting himself when he came up with a far-fetched theory. This obsession was driving a wedge between him and Lucy, and pushing her further and further away. In this scene, they both acknowledge that his theory was right after all. Even though I've seen Island Zero over fifty times at this point, this scene never fails to move me. To lose someone you love, never learning their fate, is something I would never wish on my worst enemy.
How about the least favorite thing you dealt with while making the film? What were some of the difficulties you faced, but ultimately pushed through to get your story on screen?
The day before everyone arrived, I had a terrible fever and spent the entire day in bed. For the majority of principal photography, I had a persistent cough that simply wouldn't go away. I always had tea, water, and cough drops on hand everywhere I went. Unfortunately this was on my mind every moment, as I was suppressing the urge to cough during takes. However, this had the added benefit of compelling me to get to bed as soon as possible when we wrapped for the day. I had the most sleep out of anyone that worked on the film, and that undoubtedly allowed me to stay level-headed for all of production.
What’s the planned roll out for the film? I know it will be screening in Austin in a week or so, but do you have any festivals lined up or do you have a specific VOD date set?
We've done a number of festivals around the country and will be announcing future screenings on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Stay tuned!
Would you say you learned anything from making this project, perhaps something that will stick with you with each film you make?
I learned more about filmmaking directing a feature than I ever could have going to film school. The biggest lesson I will always take with me on future films is that collaboration is the key to a successful movie. You can't get defensive if someone in the cast or crew has an idea that changes how you approach something. You have to look at it impartially and ask yourself if it strengthens the film. If it does, use it!
What types of films do you hope to do more of? Do you have anything special lined up for your next feature?
I'm currently co-producing and shooting a documentary about pigs. We are looking at the relationship between pigs and humans over the last 10,000 years, and why their consumption has been taboo in different cultures and religions throughout history. The answer is more complex and fascinating than most people realize. After we finish this film, hopefully another horror movie is next!
Boom! There we have it, ladies and gents - a little insight into what filmmaker Josh Gerritsen's process was like with bringing his film to life. The film's screening this next Wednesday (9/20) in Austin at the Flix Brew House.
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
