Director: Daniel Turres
Writer: Daniel Turres
Starring: Joelle Farrow, Mika Amonsen, Hannah Galway, Tyson Wong, Jorja Cadence
Synopsis: Internet influencers venture into an abandoned prison to create content, inadvertently unleashing a ravenous inmate. They’re now trapped, fighting for survival while capturing terrifying content.
In a new exclusive interview for Blazing Minds, ahead of this year’s Dead and Sudburied Horror Festival, I had the opportunity to ask writer-director Daniel Turres about his latest film’ ‘Fresh Meat’, which will screen at the festival on Saturday 24 October at 9:35pm.
Q. Your film Fresh Meat has been selected for Dead and Sudburied. Can you tell us a bit about what audiences can expect from the film?
A. I think the hardcore horror audience might expect some familiarity within the constructs of a slasher film, but they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the originality of the threat and the environment. As much as we love our slashers, every time they come
onto the screen, they’re a reflection of where we are in our time. I think audiences will be very pleasantly, and gruesomely, surprised by what’s behind those walls.
Q. For anyone who doesn’t know your work yet, can you tell us a little about yourself and how you first got into filmmaking?
A. Sure. I’m a Chilean Canadian independent producer and filmmaker, and I’ve been working professionally since around COVID. I made my first feature film when I was 18, Terry’s Car Gets Stolen. My first directorial opportunity on a larger-scale film was Here for Blood, which we started in 2020 and released in 2023.
From there, I was too excited not to start my next film, Fresh Meat. I’ve got some momentum going now and I’m really enjoying working within the genre because I’m already excited about the next one.
Q. How did the idea for the film come about?
A. The idea for Fresh Meat actually came from the location first. I was originally writing another script where we were looking for a jail for one scene. When I found out that Chatham, Ontario had a full abandoned jailhouse that they were offering me to use for filmmaking, it just made complete sense.
I thought, this is an amazing opportunity with great production value. I’m going to write a script that fits within the scope and scale of this place. That’s where Fresh Meat came from. It was one of those scenarios where the location inspired the story.
Q. What inspired you when writing the script?
A. Obviously the location was a huge inspiration, but I also wanted to stay within the horror realm while doing something different from my previous film. I’d just done a movie that involved a home invasion and a lot of supernatural effects.
This time around, I really wanted to be more character-driven, both with the influencers who break into the prison and with the character and design of the inmate, Jeffrey, inside the prison. That became my motivation for designing my very first slasher film.
Q. What are the biggest advantages and challenges of being both the writer and the director on the same project?
A. The challenge of being both the writer and director is learning how to handle limitations. There are limitations with time, resources and sometimes the expectations of what was written on the page versus what can actually be accomplished.
However, I found there was an even bigger benefit to being both the writer and director because I could adapt on the fly while still maintaining the vision I wanted. I think that was one of the best parts of doing both on Fresh Meat.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
A. I’m heavily inspired by the texture and creative world of Guillermo del Toro. When I worked closely with the art department on the design of our slasher, I wanted to make sure we had room to create our own monster rather than simply having another person behind a mask who is an unstoppable force.
I wanted Jeffrey to have a real sense of grit and reality, while also allowing the artists working with me to bring a lot of their own personal inspirations to the character. It became a very collaborative artistic experience.
Q. Did the script structure of the film change from the original concept during filming?
A. Oh, for sure. The script went through several different stages. Things changed for logistical reasons, limitations and also creative changes that developed with the cast.
Once you start seeing these characters come to life and understanding their motivations through the performances, it gives you different inspiration. I’m always very open to allowing the script room to breathe and grow while still maintaining its direction.
Q. How did you go about casting the film, and did they bring anything different to how you envisaged the characters in the original script?
A. One of the interesting things about casting this film was that there were a lot of great auditions from my previous film, Here for Blood, that had left an impact on me. I’d always hoped I would eventually get the chance to work with some of those actors.
So the casting process became a little bit of, “I kind of know who I want to bring on board.” I was able to work again with people from Here for Blood, including Jesse Buck and Joelle Farrow, who are incredibly talented actors and take their work very seriously.
Then I got the opportunity to bring on people I’d wanted to work with, like Mika Amonsen and Hannah Galway, who both have incredible career paths. Just getting to work in the same space with them was a huge opportunity.
I also cast two American actors, Alex Sands and Tyson Wong, who bring a lot of the charismatic humour that I think really resonates with audiences in the film.
Q. What are some of your favourite memories from making the film?
A. Some of my absolute favourite memories, and probably the ones that are going to resonate with audiences, were the days when we had these incredible practical effects happening on set.
It’s one thing to write something in a script and describe it in words, but when you actually see the physical and creative work behind these horrific practical effects, it’s something completely different. They left a lasting impression on me, and I think they’ll leave a lasting impression on the audience too. So it’s a bit of a shared memoryscape.
Q. What were the biggest challenges you faced during the shoot, and how did you overcome them?
A. Aside from being a micro-budget production, one of our biggest challenges was actually the location. As great as the prison was for production value, it definitely wasn’t built to accommodate a film crew.
We had a lot of people from different departments working within very tight hallways, confined spaces and sometimes uncomfortable environments. Logistically, it could be a hassle.
But the end result speaks for itself. The atmosphere that the camera department and production design team were able to create, combined with the performances taking place inside a real prison, made all of those challenges worth it.
Q. What makes Fresh Meat stand out from other films in the horror genre?
A. I think what makes Fresh Meat different is that you’re not coming into an origin story. You’re coming into a story that already has momentum from the beginning through the middle and the end.
You’re reacting more than you’re discovering. Because of the fear of what’s coming at you, there’s no time to think about the what, where, when and how. It’s simply, how do I survive this situation, and how do I escape this nightmare of a prison?
I think that’s what helps set us apart.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
A. I hope people take away that the slasher genre continues to be a very versatile space. We’ve seen a lot of the classic tropes throughout horror history, but playing within the sandbox of a slasher film is always interesting to me because the genre can become a reflection of where we are in our own time.
In this case, it’s interesting to ask: who are the new types of slasher victims? What would they be doing? Combining the current climate of influencers with an unstoppable violent force adds a different layer of possibility within the genre.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. Oh yeah. I’m always writing, that’s for sure. I’m always inspired and thinking about concepts for the next project.
The success of Fresh Meat so far has given me a leg up and allowed me to work with some incredible individuals who are looking forward to the next film we’re working on.
And yes, I’m still within the horror realm! But I’m really enjoying what horror can bring and the opportunities I have as a creative under the umbrella of this gruesome world.
Q. If someone was looking to get into filmmaking, what advice would you give them?
A. There’s never a perfect time. Do it.
I’d also encourage people to figure out how to make their first feature film. Short films are great ways of proving yourself conceptually and honing your craft, but if you really want to make a movie, we’re at a point technologically where filmmaking is
more accessible than ever.
Go for it and trust yourself. Accept the fact that it isn’t always going to be pretty, especially the first time, or maybe even for several films. Don’t give up. Keep pushing forward.
The film industry is tough, and the real truth is that sometimes the only person who’s going to give you the opportunity to make your movie is yourself.
Q. Where can people follow you and keep up to date with the film?
A. People can follow me on my personal Instagram, @daniel.turres, and we also have @FreshMeatMovie on Instagram for updates on the film.
You can also keep an eye on our partners at StudioDome, who will be making further announcements in the new year regarding the film’s official theatrical release, followed by streaming across several platforms.
So keep in touch, follow us on social media, and always feel free to reach out. I’d love to share this film with as many people as possible.
Fresh Meat will screen at the festival on Saturday 24 October at 9:35pm. You can find out more about the festival and purchase tickets for the festival 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!
