An accomplished writer, director, and producer among other roles in the genre, filmmaker Lou Simon has crafted a solid career working on a slew of solid titles with her company White Lotus Productions. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, working on some of her past films, and some upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Lou Simon: The first horror films I remember watching are the old 1930s monster films with Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and Lon Chaney Jr. I was so scared that I was afraid to go to sleep afterwards. I must have been 7 or 8 years old.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for filmmaking? Were you always into the creative arts growing up?
LS: I started writing when I was ten. I wrote a short story about a woman who kills her husband by poisoning the spaghetti sauce. Showed it to my mom, and she thought it was hilarious. Then, for my 6th grade class, we had to write a longer story. I wrote one where my class went on a school trip and the bus broke down. When we went to get help, the house was haunted. I should have known then what I would end up doing eventually.
But I pursued prose writing for a long time. That was my major in college. But when you have a grade riding on it, you have to write more of what your professors will deem “art.” I went on to go to law school and then a legal career. It wasn’t until years later that I started writing scripts. By then, I was writing mostly horror/thriller scripts. I made my first film just to see my script come to life. I enjoyed directing so much that I’ve continued doing it since then.
Me: Growing up in Cuba, did that hinder your interest in the genre or force you to turn to the local cinema for inspiration?
LS: The embargo meant that our American entertainment ended in 1961. That’s the reason why the only horror I saw as a child was from the 1930s. There weren’t a lot of productions going on in Cuba. Most of our entertainment came from what was then the USSR. Most films they made were largely propaganda so horror was not a genre they embraced. It wasn’t until I arrived in the U.S. when I was 9 that I was able to watch modern horror films.
Me: When you entered the University of Florida for your studies, was there any kind of push towards a specific style or format?
LS: I wanted to be a novelist. I liked reading John Grisham and Scott Turow novels for fun, and I figured that’s what I would write. I had already written a novel in high school that was a similar genre. I enjoyed watching horror, but never considered it as something I would write professionally. For school, I had to write what was considered more traditional sorts of literature. In all honesty, I pretty much wrote stories that reminded me of Hemingway, because I knew that would get me a good grade.
Me: When writing a new project, what's the one fall-back tactic that you're always able to draw inspiration from?
LS: I always write a very detailed outline. Until I don’t know exactly what is going to happen, I don’t sit down to write the actual script. It keeps me from getting writer’s block.
Me: Having worked on several short films early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects by the time you made your feature-length film HazMat?
LS: I actually never worked on short films. My very first project was a feature film. I WISH it had been a short film. I learned so much about productions and directing on that feature. But it was a huge failure. It was my film school.
Me: Moving on to films like 'Agoraphobia' and 'All Girls Weekend,' what did you realize were your strengths as a writer and a director?
LS: It’d be a lot easier to list what my flaws are. Most of us creatives are our own harshest critics. I am still growing and still learning as a filmmaker and a person.
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented actors in these productions, how do you settle on the casts getting involved? What characteristics did you look for with each performer that they brought to the table that helped bring the production to light?
LS: Honestly, when I first started out, I did a pretty wide casting for talent. Since then, I have largely used the same actors, because I know they’re good and I know that we work well together. When you make an entire feature in a couple of weeks, you want to work with people you like and who like working with you. Working with new talent sometimes comes with unexpected surprises and you don’t want to learn what those are when you’re so limited on time and budget.
Me: With your most recently-released film '73 Minutes' filmed during the lockdowns, how did that change your style compared to the other films of yours?
LS: I don’t know if I could ever do that again. It was an experiment in filmmaking, for sure. The entire film transpires while the main character is driving for 73 minutes from a seedy hotel to a guy who is threatening to hurt her daughter. She is in the car the whole time, and various people (her lover, her mother, and the “caller”) contact her via phone calls or video calls. It’s surprisingly engaging, despite these limitations. But to be honest, I’m not sure I could come up with another story that would have those types of filming limitations and still keep the audience interested. I’m good at writing with limited locations and characters, but that one was especially challenging.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
LS: We had a very small crew because this was May of 2020. We were in the middle of the shutdown. So we had four people in a large pickup truck and we towed the car where the lead, Aniela McGuinness, is driving and doing her lines. We set up cameras in the car, which the DP controlled remotely. The other characters filmed their scenes in four other states. We were just trying to stay creative to stay mentally healthy. Those were crazy times.
Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
LS: I watch a LOT of films, more than TV. I also read a lot of books. My mind never stops creating.
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
LS: “9 Windows” should be released later this year. It’s a modern retelling of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” with William Forsythe and Michael Paré. I’m very excited for everyone to see it. We shot entirely on an extended reality stage using Epic’s Unreal Engine.
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!
LS: Honestly, I’m not going to sugar coat it for anyone. It’s rough out there for both male and female indie filmmakers. The whole industry is going through a transition period. No one knows what is going to happen with the different streamers. I guess the only advice I can give is for anyone who wants to make films to do it for themselves. Get with your friends and create a film that you’re proud of without any expectations. If it goes on to be the next “Terrifier,” great! If not, who cares? You enjoyed making it and had a great time with friends.
Thanks for the interview and great questions!
This interview ran as part of our 2024 Women in Horror Movement celebrations! Click the banner below to check out our complete coverage:
Comments
Post a Comment