Writer/Director DAVID WILLING talks all things SURROGATE in this exclusive interview.
What is about filmmakers Down Under that makes them such excellent storytellers of horror films? Is it the umbilical connection with the outback and the unseen and unknown terrors within the Australian environment itself? Jennifer Kent and The Babadook immediately pops into my head as one of the most frightening horror films of all time, as does Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek, quickly followed by Peter Weir’s Picnic at Hanging Rock, and so many more, including David Nerlich’s Black Water, a film that relied on real crocodiles and practical effects. Whatever the reason, Australian filmmakers and their horror films are always rich and textured, both emotionally and visually, preying on innate fears within each of us, and cinema and the genre itself are the better for it. And now we can add DAVID WILLING to the list of Aussie horror excellence with his debut feature of paranormal horror, SURROGATE.
Written by Willing and Beth King, SURROGATE is the tale of Natalie Paxton, a single mother and nurse, who falls mysteriously ill and struggles to stop her family from being destroyed. Starring Wolf Creek’s Kestie Morassi along with television and film veterans Jane Badler and Matthew Crosby, SURROGATE also showcases some new young talent including Taysha Farrugia, Ellie Stewart, and Ellie Tevelis. Keep your eyes on these girls!
Diving into SURROGATE, David goes in-depth discussing the genesis of the story, designing a visual tonal bandwidth with a very specific visual grammar with his cinematographer Ben Luck that embraces unique camera angles with hand-held work and boasts an absence of ECU’s, practical effects, effects make-up (which is incredible), Bianca Milani’s production design which focuses on three separate and distinct sets that elevate the film’s chilling tone, finding pace and nail-biting tension with editor John Balazs, blood, and so much more. Passionate about his craft and this film, David is an open book; articulate and purposeful in his resolve in bringing his vision to life.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 09/08/2022
