A guest on a previous Women in Horror Month spotlight, I'm pleased to welcome back Laura Wilson to catch up on her involvement in numerous indie projects for director Jozsef Gallai and several other recent films of hers.
Me: Hello and thank you for returning! Since last we spoke, you’ve performed in several features for indie filmmaker Jozsef Gallai. What about his style and approach keeps bringing you around to work with him?
Laura Wilson: Hey! Thank you for having me back!!
Yes, I have been working with Jozsef for a few years now. Jozsef’s approach to everything is very practical and he knows how to direct with both the actor and the viewer in mind. For both ‘The Poltergeist Diaries’ and ‘I Hear The Trees Whispering’ I did several voice recordings for him and was given lots of direction before he made his choice. His direction was clear and straight to the point. What I like about working with Jozsef is his no-fuss approach to filmmaking. Sure, we laugh, but the end game is always the movie.
Me: Your first film together, “The Poltergeist Diaries,” saw you play Alicia Blake. What do you recall about your time working for him in Hungary?
LW: Although ‘Project Skyquake’ was the first time I worked with him ‘in-person,’ I first performed voice roles in ‘The Poltergeist Diaries’ and ‘I Hear The Trees Whispering,’ respectively. Both productions were shooting during covid so it would have been impossible for me to fly out and work with him in person, so it was a nice introduction to him and the way he works, before actually flying out for ‘Project Skyquake.’ What I recall was his huge welcome when both Laura Saxon and I landed in Hungary. He arranged transport from the airport to the apartment we were staying in and was waiting for us when we arrived. He had filled the fridge with lots of goodies, made sure the apartment was comfortable, and ensured we both felt safe and secure before leaving us for the night. He was very thoughtful throughout the shoot and we both really appreciated his hospitality – especially with us both being women and traveling to a country none of us had been to before!
Me: Returning to work with him on “Skyquake” after a cameo role in “I Hear the Trees Whispering,” did that help to make you more comfortable not just with him but the rest of his stock group of actors and actresses?
LW: With Skyquake, I was very lucky really as I was traveling and working with one of my good friends, Laura Saxon. The other actors in the production were shooting remotely, including Robert Lasardo and the late Tom Sizemore, so it was really just us girls and the crew on set. Some of the crew had very limited English but we learned some basic Hungarian and they learned basic English and we were able to communicate (hilariously) through that and body gestures! Jozsef’s English is fantastic though and he helped to translate a lot. As it was a small crew, we all bonded really well, and very quickly and I have very fond memories of the shoot, hence why I’ll be back later this year shooting ‘A Stranger In The Woods’!
Me: What has been the most memorable experience that you've had based on your collaboration together?
LW: I have 2 moments that really stand out from that shoot. Firstly, we were on a night shoot, and we were filming one of the climatic scenes and it was one long camera shot, handheld by myself and found footage style. It involved walking from the top level of the house, down the stairs and through the ground floor, outside, and round to the garden at the back of the house. The entire shot was about 6/7 minutes long and unfortunately, because there was a fire in the outdoor shot, the camera kept losing focus within the final minute. We must have shot that about 10 times, and we were all losing the will to live!! The moment we got the shot, we all cheered, and it was such an exhilarating moment! The second most memorable experience was when the crew took us out to a traditional Hungarian restaurant, which only the locals go to, so you know it's legit!! The food was unreal!
Me: Outside of his films, you've also landed a role in the indie film “With Child” as Lily. What attracted you to take the role?
LW: I’m a sucker for ANYTHING horror so when I read the synopsis, I just had to apply. I read the script and I could envision the entire movie and myself as Lily. I spoke several times with Jeff (writer/director) and I was so excited when he offered me the role. I had never played as pregnant before, let alone heavily pregnant, but I was so up for the challenge. I really like the fact that although it is essentially a horror, there are some very relevant themes within which will give this movie way more depth than just your typical ‘horror’.
Me: What are some of the early prep-work you’re undertaken to prepare for the upcoming shoot?
LW: Well, I have a friend here in the UK who supplies props and they happened to have a third-trimester pregnancy prosthetic! So, I have borrowed that and wear it whilst reading the script. I like to walk when I read scripts (not just this one, all of them) as it helps me to retain everything better. I don’t know why, but it’s also a technique I use when learning large pieces of dialogue. It’s been a challenge walking with the prosthetic on for sure and I also borrowed some maternity clothing from my neighbor who has recently given birth. I am speaking with Jeff Kacmarynski (director) once a week and am going over various scenes with him too.
Me: With a stacked cast of talented indie actors and actresses involved, what are you most looking forward to getting to work with familiar names and those you haven’t worked with before?
LW: I met Eileen Dietz, Angel Bradford, Hunter Redfern, Christopher Kahler, and Claire ‘Fluff’ Llewellyn when we shot the crowdfunding promo last year and the FX crew Jamie and Clint Apple and that was so cool. We all really got on so well and I am really looking forward to getting on set with them all again in May. I’m just really excited to meet everyone else. I love working with new people and creating friendships and I know this is going to be one really fun and friendly set! I also worked with our producer Alexi Angelino a few years back on Vengeance, so I’m stoked to be catching up with her again too.
Me: As well, you’re also involved in several upcoming films including “A Stranger in the Woods,” “Cut” and “Reflecting the Void.” Is there anything you can reveal about these films?
LW: ‘Cut’ is currently in the final stages of post-production and should be released later this year. The story centers around a film director whose initial attempt at shooting his movie ended in disaster when a death occurred on his set. A few years later, he tries to pick the film back up and issues start to arise once again, questioning if the initial death was an accident, or deliberate! This is a stellar lineup of fantastic British indie horror actors and I can’t wait for its release!
‘A Stranger in the Woods’ is my next movie with Jozsef Gallai and I will be heading out to shoot in Hungary once again in October this year (2023). This time I will be working with Bill Oberst. Jr, who will be flying in from the US, so that’s incredibly exciting! Lynn Lowry will also be recording remotely too, so it will be great to work with her again after ‘With Child’. I can’t really reveal much about this one although it is still in the ‘found footage’ category but very different to Project Skyquake. There will be some very cool FX going on and an ending that will certainly be a shocker!
‘Reflecting the Void’ is in development right now, projected to shoot in a couple of years. It seems a long way off, but there is some insane CGI to be created as well as some serious creature props! The main location will be in an RV so it will be quite claustrophobic, but that will certainly add to the tone of the movie!
Me: What else are you working on you’d like to share with our readers?
LW: As of this moment, I have a few projects set to shoot this year including ‘Barry the Hatchet’ (horror), ‘This Time Next Year I’ll Be Famous’ (comedy), and ‘The Unquiet House’ (thriller/mystery). Unfortunately, I am unable to say much more about these projects, apart from the genre! Anyone who follows my socials will be able to learn more about them as and when I post. Sorry!!
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, 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!
LW: I say this all the time, but horror is such a fun industry to be in. If you’re up for a laugh, you work hard, support other women and their journeys, enjoy meeting wonderful people, like fake blood and prosthetics, and have a mean scream, get involved! If you have any questions about how to get involved with the horror scene, do feel free to shoot me a message. My DMs are always open!!
Thanks again for having me
This interview ran as part of our 2023 Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out the rest of our month-long celebrations including various reviews and interviews:
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