A celebrated actress, director, and producer, Victoria Vertuga has built a career in various aspects of the industry both in and out of the genre on the strength of several impressive titles in her catalog. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, her past film work, and 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?
VV: My dad made me and my big sister watch Silence of the Lambs when I was super young and then whispered in our ears “he’s a psychiatrist…like me!” When it was bedtime, he hid under my sister’s bed and jumped out after she fell asleep. Pure evil. I loved it. Been hooked ever since ;)
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
VV: I’ve been a lifelong performer. I’ve always been drawn to stories and storytelling. I think it’s such an important part of being human. Stories are how we make sense of the world around us and our experiences, they’re how we connect. It’s so amazing to be part of that process of showing people themselves.
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?
VV: I just look for complex and dynamic characters. As humans, we’re complicated and messy and so many things all at once, so I want the characters I play to reflect that. I love getting to play roles that are very different from myself. It’s an awesome challenge to bring myself to the role and figure out what would make me behave this way, say these things, and do these things. I tend to gravitate a lot towards roles where the character is unraveling at the seams or has a major chip on her shoulder with something to prove.
Me: Having worked on plenty of short films and TV shows early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
VV: The good thing is that filmmaking is filmmaking so the process is much the same whether you’re on set for a 1 day co-star or leading the project. I think getting that set experience and seeing how things are run is always valuable. I’m also a sponge so I’m always watching and learning and seeing how everyone does things.
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on-set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
VV: I’m very very very not method, so I don’t stay in character at all. No shade to anyone who works that way, but that just isn’t how I work. I’m able to jump in and out quickly and as needed. It’s a great gift to be able to be free and loose on set and not need a lot of time or space to be able to do my thing. Especially now as someone who wears tons of hats when I’m producing and/or directing and also acting in a project. I’m able to put all the different hats on and still take care of myself as an actress. I make sure to do my acting prep way ahead of time so that I feel really solid and once I get to set I’m able to let it go and not worry about it.
If it’s a project I’m just acting in, then between takes I’ll usually be reading. I’m a total bookworm ;)
Me: Among your most recent projects was the indie effort “Lexi.” Where did the inspiration for the film come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
VV: Lexi was borne from the pandemic shutdown. Like so many people, it put a major hitch in my plans. I wasn’t able to shoot the next project we had lined up, the entire industry was shut down so I wasn’t working or auditioning but I still wanted to be creative and do what I love. So I started brainstorming with my writing partner about something we could write and shoot during that time. I knew it had to be very contained and mostly me in my house since that’s what was available to me. So it became a really fun and creative challenge to figure out how to make a story with these very intense and specific parameters. Who is this girl? Why is she at home? Why are we watching her? It was a totally unique project in the way it was created and shot cuz we did it piecemeal over months around my husband’s work schedule. And lots of stuff that was in the script didn’t work upon actually filming, and lots of ideas came to me while shooting so I’d try things out. It was a very experimental process and a lot of fun. I don’t think I’ll ever create anything in that same way again just because of the unique circumstances surrounding it.
Me: What initially inspired you to take to directing it? Was your previous experience as an actress a benefit to your duties? How did you balance the challenge of being the writer, director, and star of the film during a shoot?
VV: I initially started writing and producing because I was creatively unfulfilled and frustrated by the opportunities I was getting as an actress. I decided that the universe was telling me if I wanted to play dynamic and interesting characters I would have to write them myself. Then producing my own projects afforded me the opportunity to dip my toe into the directing pool. I’ve always been interested in directing. To me, they’re all different sides of the same coin. Knowing and understanding how all the different roles work has been so beneficial. Writing made me a better actress. Directing made me a better writer. Understanding the editing process and working closely with editors made me a better director. It ultimately makes you a more knowledgeable collaborator and you’re better able to provide your fellow filmmakers with what they need to do their job to their best ability. Directing has also changed the way I watch film and TV now. I’m always looking at directing choices, and the cinematography, is there a lot of camera movement? How are shots being framed? It just makes me appreciate all the components that go into making a piece of film so much more.
I think being an actress first is incredibly helpful. I already understand the story, I know if dialogue sounds good and believable, and I already had at least a cursory understanding of all the stages in the process. Getting to wear the different hats myself has just deepened that understanding and appreciation.
As far as wearing all the different hats on set, it is absolutely very challenging, but also super rewarding. The two most important things I have learned for myself are---do my acting prep as early as possible in the process so that it’s inside me and I don’t have to worry about it at all during filming; and hire awesome people to support you. When I’m directing and also acting in something, it makes the DP absolutely crucial. I’m relying on them to be my eyes during the take. Obviously, I’m watching playback after, but it’s so amazing to have a DP that understands what I’m going for, can suggest things, tweak things in the moment, call me out if I’ve forgotten a shot they think we need, all those types of things.
Me: As well, you’re also involved in the upcoming film “Cold Blows the Wind.” What can you tell us about it?
VV: We just finished up an awesome festival run with Cold Blows the Wind and we’re super excited to put it out into the world. The film is a ton of fun. It stars myself and Jamie Bernadette who has quite an extensive horror resume under her belt. We had so much fun working together and she did an absolutely phenomenal job. We did an initial exclusive website release for the movie and it will be available on VOD this summer. In the meantime, people can buy merch or signed DVDs at our website www.coldblowsthewindfilm.com
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
VV: We shot it over 17 days, entirely night shoots. It was a very challenging shoot because tons of insane things kept going wrong. We lost our original location two weeks before filming due to a fire. We lucked out big time finding our second location which ended up being amazing, but that was extremely stressful as you might imagine. And we had to juggle dates around to accommodate other shoots that the location had set up for the month. Night one there was a crazy thunder and lightning storm. We had a cat get stuck in our grip truck overnight. The cat was fine, but it made quite a mess of our grip truck. We had a pipe burst that flooded our set on the final day of filming. Just all kinds of crazy things like that. BUT, we were able to keep our heads, make things work, and still create a really great set environment. I still had so many crew members tell me it was one of the most fun projects they’ve been on so that was wonderful to hear.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
VV: We had a prosthetic dummy that we used for one of the scenes, and I forgot to take it out of my trunk after we were wrapped. When I popped my trunk a few days later I got some serious side eyes in the parking lot of the grocery store LOL
Me: What are you most looking forward to with its upcoming release?
VV: It’s always so cool to have something out in the world and see how people respond to it. I just love getting feedback, whether positive or negative, and hearing or reading the discussions around something. Obviously, you can never create something that everyone will like or that will resonate with everyone so I just love to create things that get people talking. It’s amazing to be able to witness that.
Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
VV: I think creativity is a muscle like anything else, so I just try to keep using it. I’m always watching things, reading scripts, and working on my own. As an actress, I’m always in class. I treat it like the gym and I want to stay in shape ;)
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
VV: Always working on scripts and other projects. Have a few in the stable that I’ll be looking at to produce next. Everyone can find me @victoriavertuga across socials to keep tabs on what I have coming up.
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!
VV: Do it! Tell your stories! There is only one you and your unique voice and experiences will create things no one else can. Horror has been male-dominated for so long and I love seeing all the subversions of typical tropes that are happening, especially with female creators. I think there is so much room for different POVs and unique takes and I can’t wait to see what women keep coming up with.
This interview ran as part of our 2024 Women in Horror Movement celebrations! Click the banner below to check out our complete coverage:
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