An accomplished filmmaker with plenty of credits as either an actress or burgeoning director, Julie Bruns is taking new steps in her career with the success of her new genre short The Purgamentum. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, her experiences as an actress and the short itself.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Julie Bruns: Thanks so much for having me!
I think horror has always been something that’s drawn me in, even as a kid - there’s something about being scared that’s exhilarating. It’s like that jittery feeling that you get when you were little and would jump into bed and pull the covers up over your head – quick, before the monsters get you! I grew up in a very book-centric home, and I remember reading Bony Legs and In a Dark Dark Room and Other Scary Stories when I was small, and it’s incredible how much a story that frightens you can stick in your psyche and still conjure certain feelings. I always thought that was amazing.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
JB: I came into horror films a bit later - I think my first real hook into horror was watching The Ring in my mid-teens. I really remember the haunting impact of the storytelling along with the tension of that film, I can still envision the one shot of the horses on the shore and what I was feeling at that moment. And I just fall in love with any film that can do that, that can have you so invested that you’re not just watching a movie, you’re having a whole interaction with the story. Your body is clenched, or you’re holding your breath, you’re yelling at the characters like they can hear you - it’s a physical experience.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for moviemaking? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
JB: I always was fascinated by cameras growing up, and I think my first foray into filmmaking was probably around age 12 when my mom indulged me and filmed a short I had written for my toy horses on the family camcorder. But it took me a while to realize that a career in filmmaking was an actual option. I think I was 20 when I got serious about pursuing acting, and then I moved from where I was living in Mexico to Vancouver, where there was a solid film industry. From acting, one thing led to another, and I found myself just sucked into the storytelling element of filmmaking and the incredible camaraderie that forms around creating a film; I think both of those are my favorite parts of directing.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What do you look for in a character to be excited and interested in playing it?
JB: I’m excited by characters that have to struggle with themselves, you know, stand and face all those beautifully human flaws and carry the audience through that journey. I also love a good underdog story, and the rogue-type, witty characters that have to think on their feet to stay one step ahead. Also dangerous characters, there’s something deeply enthralling about playing a character that makes everyone feel a little nervous.
Me: Having worked on plenty of short films early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
JB: I think I learn something from every project I do, at least I hope I do. Whether that’s something super functional like the name of a certain kind of light or pros and cons of a certain kind of camera, to how to do something on a budget but keep production quality looking expensive, or how to maximize shooting time, or simply gaining confidence in my abilities or building relationships with other creatives, shorts have been so good to me.
Me: In addition to acting, you also wrote and directed several shorts including 'Sense Memory' and 'Influenced.' What inspired you to go into directing for these projects?
JB: I think I really reached the point where I was eager to really get into the storytelling in the fully hands-on and precise way that you get to when you’re directing. There’s just a beautiful rhythm to a story well told, and I love finding that and discovering how to capture it on the screen. But really filmmaking is intensely collaborative, and the biggest part of your job as a director is figuring out how to inspire and enable your team to do their best work, and that is so rewarding.
Me: Being the writer, director and star among other roles on the shorts, did it challenge you to be involved in various capacities at once? How do you balance those priorities during a shoot?
JB: It definitely takes a lot of focus, but I think once I’m immersed in shooting mode, I’m just living the story anyway - everything that you’re doing in those roles has to serve the story, so in a way, the jobs all complement each other. Definitely acting and directing at the same time is the most challenging, since you can’t physically be in front of the camera and behind it, reviewing footage at the same time. You always feel like you’re making a bit of a sacrifice, and at that point, you just have to trust in the preparation you’ve done and trust in the team.
Me: As well, you also directed the recently-released short 'The Purgamentum.' What can you tell us about that?
JB: That was such a fun project - it was actually co-directed by myself, Steven Kammerer and Shawn Major, and was an awesome work in collaboration, that I think turned out really well. Shawn and I were also starring as the two leads in the film, and it was really exhilarating to be flowing between different roles on set so smoothly, and be able to have such clear communication and keep the through line of thought and tone all the way through.
Me: Where did the inspiration for the film come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
JB: It was actually created as part of a 48-hour film competition, so it was completely made, from conceiving the idea to delivering the film on a hard drive, in those 48 hours. Prior to the competition, we had found the float house location that we ended up shooting in, and we were really in love with the retro mood of the space and the idea of shooting partially underwater. We had a lot of mythology and creature ideas floating around - pun intended - during writing, and Steve gave it its base with the idea for the eerie underwater noises because of research he had been doing around mysteries of the ocean.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
JB: We had such an incredible bunch of people on this film, every single person was amazing. We shot on location in a float house on the Burrard Inlet, and we had to be very aware of the amount of weight we brought onto set, gear-wise and people-wise, so it was a very small crew of 10 people. Everyone was just so game to try things and make the film as good as it could be, which is so incredible when doing something that is so constrained time and budget-wise. At one point our cinematographer, Marc Yungco, was filming from in a canoe, which is no easy feat because that’s where the shot looked best from. Our co-director/co-star Shawn Major was in a full drysuit in the freezing ocean for hours because once he was in the drysuit, he was pretty much stuck in it till the end of the shoot. Steve, our other co-director was in a wetsuit doing underwater camera work - there was just so much ambition for this film, and everyone just had the best energy and creativity going on.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
JB: I think the most surreal part of that shoot was that we had a large claw-foot bathtub filled with piping-hot water on location to warm up actors in between the takes where we were in the ocean - which was freezing, it was late October. And so I had a few turns just sitting in my clothes in this hot bath and Steve would bring in a monitor to review the last take. It’s really strange to direct while sitting in a bath.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
JB: The feature version of the Purgamentum! And I’ve actually got an elevated thriller series in the works that’s been stealing my attention right now – quaran-times have really been the time to write and outline and muse.
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
JB: Definitely - never stop learning, never stop growing, film isn’t just an industry or a job, it’s an art, so the potential to challenge yourself is infinite.
This interview ran as part of our Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out all of our reviews and interviews about the occasion:
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