For her freshman outing as a feature film writer/director/editor/producer ZOE KAVANAGH tackles the dark underbelly of the demon world with DEMON HUNTER, the story of Taryn Barker, a young woman who is half demon-half human. Barker enters the world of darkness and evil to search for her 12-year old sister. Finding her raped and murdered, Barker vows revenge. Herself surviving a demonic possession and satanic ritual, Barker is rescued by a team of demon hunters and trained in the art of fighting evil, something which comes in handy years later when Barker is taken into police custody for questioning following the death of a man she believed to be a demon. As people go missing and the body count rises, one detective, Beckett, believes Barker’s assertions of evil and turns to her for help when his daughter is taken by the demonic cult. With no choice but for Taryn and the police to trust each other, Taryn is unleashed upon the Satanic worshippers who she learns are intent on resurrecting an ancient evil force to destroy the world.
While it may seem a bit unorthodox for an action-horror film to be written and directed by a woman, one look at DEMON HUNTER and all doubts are assuaged as Kavanagh demonstrates a command of her craft, most notably in creating her protagonist Taryn Barker, as well as in her visual and sonic design, celebrating the rich detail within the streets of Dublin, including the legendary Charleville Castle, and then fueling the undercurrent of the film with a heavy metal soundtrack.
Knowing that she “always wanted to tell a story in the way my imagination worked” Kavanagh found that she had a penchant for “some really weird dreams and a thing for strong colors” and originally wanted to get into video games, “but I changed that to directing as I felt I would have more control over the creative process.”
A filmmaker since 2006 when she was studying at Ballyfermot College of Further Education in Ireland, where she started experimenting and filming on mini-DV while learning how to do live broadcast television, Kavanagh found herself more interested in music videos. “I did a few short films in my years in college, but it was music videos that really helped me develop my style as a filmmaker and as an editor. The great thing about music videos, they’re basically short films but rewatchable to the fan of that music. You make more content if you’re making videos for bands.”
Key to Kavanagh’s development as a director is her familiarity and experience with the technical advancements and variety of cameras available to her over the years. “In 2006 I was on mini-DV, then 2009 I switched to DSLR and now I’m filming on Sony Fs7, Canon C300 etc. I think it’s important to always be making something if you want to find your style and get better as a filmmaker.” Working with her cinematographer Luca Rocchini and shooting on the Canon C300 Canon XF300, we see the devil in the details as the entire production feels larger than it really is or that an indie budget typically allows.
It was on graduating from IADT, the National Film School in Ireland, that Kavanagh knew “I certainly wanted to make a feature upon leaving college.” And she had just the character in mind to help her fulfill that desire. Taryn Barker.
“When I created Taryn Barker in 2008, I knew I had created a character that would stick with me. She an amalgamation of what I see in an anti-hero, she is a flawed, broken but also immature strong-willed fighter that never gives in no matter what comes her way. She has a goal and she will see it through. She was my motivation to making my first feature.”
Starting with the script, which was co-written by Kavanagh and Tony Flynn, it didn’t take long for Kavanagh to realize she was meant to direct the film as well. “It was that moment after numerous drafts sending back and forth did it come to a point I was like, “I have to make this happen and I don’t care what gets in my way!” Much of the success of the script comes from Kavanagh and Flynn expanding on the age old battle of good versus evil, and personalizing it with revenge and vengeance on the part of not only Taryn Barker, but Detective Beckett. “[While] we didn’t have the budget we should have had making this script, we did have talent and skill though.” And speaking of talent, Niamh Hogan easily handles the multi-faceted Taryn Barker, from her vulnerability to physicality, while Alan Talbot makes his feature debut as Detective Beckett.
As a producer on the film and captain of the ship, “From getting the right crew in departments, locking down locations, getting a post production crew, making DCP’s, trailers, contacting distributors’ sales agents, film festivals, marketing and deliverables, I would say for the majority I did the most work.” But once filming began, much of the heavy lifting fell to fellow producers Anna Ginjaume Grive, Matthew Taylor and Victor McGowan of Constant Motion Pictures, leaving Kavanagh to directing.
Tackling so much for a first feature, one has to wonder if Kavanagh has any regrets or if she considered passing the film off to another director. “Not a chance in hell! This was my moment to prove myself as a filmmaker and I was going to use it. I wouldn’t even consider imagining it! [laughing].” Having said that, Kavanagh is also quick to note she could envision other versions of the film happening. “ There is so many ways to tell such stories in this world and there [are] so many different filmmakers with unique styles. I would be curious to see what others would do with the material.”
Already planning a sequel to DEMON HUNTER and the return of Taryn Barker, Kavanagh looks to the future with lessons learned from her current project “In the next one I’m planning to shoot the entire film on two cameras. Steadi-cam. Move each shot, give fluidity to every scene. We will have more action scenes and will address a few things that may seem confusing in the first film! Also loads of demons and set pieces!
While Barker is “very proud” of what she accomplished with DEMON HUNTER, “I think I’ve gotten even better as a filmmaker since we finished making it. I’ve learned a lot since then. I would say DEMON HUNTER ranks at the top [of filmmaking resume] regardless, but I believe I’m even better now. My style of editing and camera work is stronger and I hope I get to make a sequel so I can showcase how awesome that would be!
But for now, with DEMON HUNTER now available to the public, for Kavanagh “The best part is that you feel that it’s your imagination fully realized on screen.” What an imagination it is!
