Films: Masks
Director: Andre LeBlanc
Writer: Andre LeBlanc
Starring: Cindy Dolenc, Kenny Johnston, Livia Treviño
Synopsis – A husband draws his wife from a long-standing catatonic state by having her wear a series of increasingly disturbing masks.
Masks will be playing at Dead and Sudburied on Friday, 17th October at 12:25 pm.
Q. Your film Masks has been selected for Dead and Sudburied, can you tell us a bit about what we can expect from the film?
In our case the title says it all: there’s lots of masks! It’s not just the literal masks the characters wear on their faces, but the metaphorical ones, too. In other words, who are these characters below the surface? We also have a major subversion of the premise, something you may not be prepared for.
Q. How did the idea for the film come about and what were your inspirations when writing the script?
Typically, my ideas come from an image– at least as a jumping off point. However, as the writing process evolves, I tend to make connections and draw on other influences. For this short, I was inspired by We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). The idea that someone close to you could be so unknowable is scary. Perhaps they act one way with you, but are a completely different person to someone else.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
Because our film is a 1 location chamber piece with 3 actors, we kept everything very grounded. Our visual references were less about other movies, and more about keeping the energy alive between our actors. Our lead (Anna) is immobile, so the idea was to keep the camera as static as possible, to reinforce her situation. But when she starts to come to life, we let the camera come to life with her, and guide the
situation. In that sense, our actors were the biggest influences on the style, as their movement dictated how we framed and filmed everything.
Q. Did you make any changes from the original script during filming?
We made no changes to the script, though we constantly had to simplify our approach to the process. I was unprepared for the added complexity of someone trying to communicate through a mask, and how much difficulty that could add to their performance. We quickly realized the less flourishes, the better. So while the script didn’t change, we were always simplifying the process of making it, and trying to get to the essence of the story.
Q. What were some of your favourite memories of making the Film?
For me, making a film is very difficult. Therefore, I’m never able to draw on memories of the ‘good times’, when all I think about is compromise and time constraints. That said, the film holds such a special place in my heart, and I always look back at the experience with love. That’s because of the people I got to work with, from those I’ve been with for several years, and others I met for the first time.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
We experienced several issues during filming, mostly dealing with the masks and the prosthetics. The masks introduced a surprising hurdle for the actors, almost binding their ability to move and communicate. They were also very uncomfortable to wear for long stretches. This only got more difficult toward the end, as the masks are reinforced with prosthetics. At that stage, our lead actor had such a limited field of movement, and we had to keep things as simple as possible for her.
Q. What makes Masks stand out as something different in the horror genre?
Masks are a staple in the horror genre, to the point of being a cliche. That said, any idea can be subverted, and we use masks as a pure thematic reference point, and take it to an extreme. I think –hope– that will be new for people.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
I hope people are entertained and also creeped out. My primary goal is to engage the audience on a primal level. However, I also hope they’re thinking about it a few hours after the lights go up, and in a more intellectual mindset. Perhaps trying to piece together some of the layers, about the characters’ relationships and the thematic element behind the masks.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
I work in post production, and for the past few years, I’ve worked on a Netflix show called ‘Love, Death & Robots (2019 – ). But I’m also working on my own projects as much as I can. Currently, I’m writing a feature adaptation for ‘Masks’!
Q. If someone was looking to get into filmmaking film what advice would you give them?
This is a long game. And for some people, it’s a very long game. You have to use failure and disappointment as a learning experience, and let it guide you to the next level. And you have to love the process of making films no matter the budget level – usually lower than you’d like. But if you go into it with the idea of creating, and not about being the next star, I think you will be happy.
Masks will be playing at Dead and Sudburied on Friday 17th October at 12:25pm.
You can find out more about Andre LeBlanc on Instagram
Find out more about the festival and purchase tickets for Masks here
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
