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Get ready for a fun interview today on BEHIND THE LENS as I talk with writer\/director and composer ERIC OWEN about his latest film IN A COLD VEIN. \u00a0While we dig into the making of IN A COLD VEIN, we also have a lot of fun talking cats, duct tape, and blood. \u00a0And my regular readers and listeners know how much I love talking duct tape and excessive use of blood in films.<\/p>\n
IN A COLD VEIN is Eric\u2019s sophomore directorial following his debut feature in 2023, THIRST. \u00a0I\u2019ll tell you right now, I see growth in his filmmaking with IN A COLD VEIN, notably with the technical elements and using the tools in the toolbox.<\/p>\n
IN A COLD VEIN has a very simple plot – Dean is kidnapped and left for dead. \u00a0Who kidnapped him, how, and why are the questions that unfold as the story progresses. \u00a0Desperation takes hold as Dean unleashes a firestorm of vengeance to find his 9-year-old son, who is missing. But the truth behind the conspiracy is a shocking betrayal that may cost him everything.<\/p>\n
Written and directed by Eric Owen, IN A COLD VEIN stars, among others, Evan Gamble as Dean, Brian Villalobos and P. Michael Hayes as kidnappers Phil and Steve, Marc Pouhe, Mor Cohen, Cliff Dean, and Steve Brudniak as a trucker named Chuck. \u00a0On the production side, Josh Taylor delivers on lighting and lensing while Samantha McDanel builds tension and suspense with the film\u2019s editing. \u00a0Nihar Gagneja dazzles with the film\u2019s sound design and mix with a celebration of silence. \u00a0And as mentioned, Eric is also the film\u2019s composer.<\/p>\n
In this exclusive interview, Eric and I dive deep into the making of his thriller IN A COLD VEIN, focusing on how working within the confinements of a van, and shooting at night, impacted the visual grammar developed by Eric and his DP Josh Taylor, including the film\u2019s color palette, not to mention the importance of close-ups and ECUs given the film\u2019s use of minimal dialogue, a bound and gagged protagonist Dean, and selected silence. \u00a0Roughly 80% of the film plays in close-up or ECUs.<\/p>\n
Explaining how the film grew from a single first-shot image\u2014an eye opening in extreme close-up, pulling back to reveal a bound man in a van\u2014and then expanded into a multi-phase thriller: an assassination-survival story that evolves into a mystery about who ordered the hit and finally into a revenge narrative, this in-depth conversation really takes you through the mechanics of cinematic creation.<\/p>\n
Delving into the layered characters, perhaps one of the most interesting being Chuck the truck driver, we segue into the dialogue structure and sound design, which help build each character and the twists and turns of the story. \u00a0Dissecting the sound structure and score is very interesting, particularly Eric\u2019s development of the score and how he gravitates toward odd time signatures, minor keys, and tritone-heavy harmonies to keep the viewer slightly off-balance, while still making the music \u201cgroovy\u201d and listenable.<\/p>\n
On the editorial front, interesting for all of you filmmakers out there is that Eric says the cut itself wasn\u2019t the hardest part, because he and DP Josh Taylor often shot with specific, limited coverage in mind. \u00a0 The real challenge came in precision moments of violence and surprise, like the under-the-table hand-stab shot, which is hands down one of the movie\u2019s \u201cmoney shots.\u201d Eric cites the horror film \u201cSmile\u201d as inspiration for the way that scares are structured and timed, and reiterates his belief that a few well-earned jump scares are better than an onslaught of cheap ones.<\/p>\n
And amidst all of the cinematic dissection, which is much more than what I just described above, \u00a0there are a lot of laughs along the way, especially about duct tape and blood usage.<\/p>\n
IN A COLD VEIN\u00a0 is currently available On Digital and On Demand.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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