In this exclusive interview, director and co-writer WARREN SKEELS talks about THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN and the fascination and intrigue surrounding this dark and disturbing true crime inspiration and how it allowed him to delve into the darkness of the human psyche through a narrative film, while also providing a platform to explore broader themes of fear, vulnerability, and the resilience of the human spirit.
SYNOPSIS: Based on actual events of the serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr., THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN delves into the eerie underbelly of a seemingly idyllic 1975 Florida town, and follows the harrowing experience of young Annie Williams, a spirited girl whose carefree existence is turned upside down as she becomes stalked by an ominous man in a white van. The tranquility of Annie’s world, from her love of horseback riding to her leisurely strolls home from school in the nearby woods, begins to crumble as the menacing white van inches closer and closer. As her parents’ skepticism increasingly grows, Annie finds herself psychologically isolated, and on Halloween night her worst fears materialize into a full-blown nightmare.
Making his feature directorial debut, THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN is directed by WARREN SKEELS and co-written by Skeels and Sharon Y. Cobb, and stars Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin.
In this exclusive interview with director and co-writer WARREN SKEELS, Warren takes a look at the American fascination with serial killers with the Billy Mansfield Jr., murders, telling the story from the POV of one of his intended victims and creating a chilling film that leans into strong visual storytelling led by cinematographer Gareth Paul Cox and an outstanding performance by Madison Wolf as “Annie”. Emphasizing constriction and fear, Warren and Gareth developed a visual grammar that employed wide lenses and ECUs to capture details, while the film’s score by Scott Thomas Borland and needle drops, including a significantly cued “I Think I Love You”, enhance the thriller genre.
As Warren took me through his process and the “making of” THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN we discussed in-depth:
- Casting and Performance
- a crucial element in bringing the film’s characters and narrative to life in an authentic and compelling way, despite the challenges of adapting a real-life story
- Madison Wolf as “Annie”
- Visual Storytelling and Cinematography
- collaborating with cinematographer Gareth Paul Cox and developing a visual grammar to establish a visual concept of “constriction”, starting with wider landscape shots and gradually moving into tighter, more claustrophobic framing and extreme close-ups, mirroring the sense of Annie’s world closing in around her
- designing specific angles, lighting, and camera movements to make the van feel ominous and threatening
- developing lighting, most notably in the third act climactic barn scene
- Editing and Pacing
- collaborating with editor Billy Gaggins
- finding the overall tone and honing that in for each act of the film; “a slow burn up to the top, and then just it all drops out, you know, full speed ahead that third act”
- Production Design
- Score and Needledrops
- working with composer Scott Thomas Borland
- wanting a versatile score that could tap into the thriller and genre elements of the film, as well as the more emotional and character-driven moments
- musically conveying a sense of villainy, danger, and impending doom yet needing musical themes that captured the sweetness of the romantic relationship between Annie and Mark, as well as the sisterly bond between Annie and Margaret
- needledrops of the time period such as “Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers and “Free Ride” by the Edgar Winter Group
- key use of “I Think I Love You” by The Patridge Family by incorporating it in different ways – both in Annie’s bedroom as a nostalgic teen romance, and then in a more sinister way during the climactic third act
- making the needledrops a seamless part of the storytelling
- working closely with music supervisor Barry Coffing
- Ongoing investigation into the real-life case that inspired THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN
- Psychological aspect of the premise of a mysterious “man in the white van” stalking and terrorizing victims as it taps into deep-seated fears and anxieties within the public consciousness
- exploring the psychology of the predator, the trauma of the victims, and the societal impact of such heinous acts
- adapting true crime stories into compelling narratives provides an opportunity to shed light on these events, honor the victims, and potentially uncover new information or perspectives
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, Exclusive Interview 12/19/2024
