Film Name: They Wait in the Dark
Director: Patrick Rea
Writer: Patrick Rea
Starring: Sarah McGuire, Laurie Catherine Winkel, Meagan Flynn, Patrick McGee
From Patrick Rea, director of I AM LISA, a haunting domestic abuse chiller. What does our past mean for our future? Can cycles of abuse be broken? Amy and her adopted son Adrian are on the run from her abusive ex-girlfriend, Judith, and take refuge in her family’s abandoned farmhouse. Soon, a supernatural force from Amy’s dark past rises up and begins haunting Adrian. With the vengeful Judith in pursuit, Amy and Adrian find themselves locked in a showdown between the threats both outside and in.
In a new exclusive interview on Blazing Minds, I got a chance to ask writer-director Patrick Rea a few questions about the film They Wait in the Dark which will be making its International Premiere at Arrow FrightFest on Saturday 27th August at 13:15hrs
Q. Your film They Wait in the Dark has been selected to play at the Arrow FrightFest Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?
A. I think people should expect a more character-driven film that blends domestic thriller with supernatural elements. The film has a slow burn pace that I think pays off in the end, with a finale that I really hope resonates with the audience long after it’s over.
Q. What were some of your influences when writing the script for They Wait in the Dark?
A. I have always loved a variety of haunted house movies. Poltergeist has always been my all-time favorite. The challenge I had was coming up with a story, where I felt the audience had to really believe that the main characters wouldn’t just pack up and leave the house. That’s where Poltergeist works so well. Clearly the Freelings can’t leave the house because their only line of communication with their daughter is through the television. With They Wait In The Dark, I wanted Amy to have no real way out of her situation as well. She needs to hide in the house for her and Adrian’s safety, but once there, a new threat manifests itself. So she’s trapped between a very real threat and one that can’t be explained.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
A. Two films I used to describe the look to my DP were Insidious and The Conjuring. Granted, we had a tiny fraction of their budget, but I wanted to several scenes where the invisible threat falls off in shadow in corners of the rooms. I didn’t want things to be over-lit. I also was influenced by the recent horror film The Dark and The Wicked which I thought did an amazing job of creating a really unsettling atmosphere with its visuals and sound design.
Q. Did you make any changes from the original script during filming?
A. The script was fairly locked when we started filming. We only had 12 days to get it in the can, so I really didn’t have much wiggle room. The only thing that was fluid was the dialogue, but even that didn’t change much. I did cut a few small scenes that felt like filler from the final script so we were able to remove them off the shooting schedule.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
A. I really like a lot of the quiet moments between the characters. I felt like Sarah McGuire and Patrick McGee have very good chemistry as Amy and her adopted son Adrian. I also really liked one of the tense scenes between Judith (Laurie Winkel) and Jenny (Paige Maria). The cast did such an amazing job, so watching them perform was a great thrill.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. The only real challenge we had besides the very tight schedule, was that we shot in late June when it gets extremely hot. The scene where Amy and Adrian are having target practice was one of the hottest. We were working with a prop gun and it was 100 degrees in the shade. We also shot several overnights, which always makes people go a little crazy. Haha.
Q. What makes They Wait in the Dark stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. I think the fact that we are balancing two different threats in the film, one threat that is very real and relatable, and the other being supernatural, makes the film a little different from the average haunted house film. I definitely wanted the audience to feel like Amy is trapped from the outside and also from the within the house.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
A. I think the film contains several messages that I don’t think we beat the audience over the head with. One of these messages deals with ending the cycle of abuse. Ultimately, I hope the audience finds deeper meaning in the film outside of its supernatural-thriller veneer.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. I’m currently working on several projects that I hope to get off the ground. It’s always very challenging raising funds for feature films. I have a sequel to I Am Lisa that is also set at Christmas, I’d love to shoot. The script was written by Jimmy George who co-wrote WNUF Halloween Special. I also have a vampire film and a supernatural murder mystery I’m exploring. So finger’s crossed that one of these takes off soon!
Q. If someone was looking to write and direct their own film what advice would you give them?
A. My biggest piece of advice is to find people you enjoy working with and want to grow with. Filmmaking is super collaborative and it’s vital to find crew that are not just talented but are also good people who you want to be around for 12 hours a day on set.
You can find out more about the Festival and purchase tickets at https://www.frightfest.co.uk/
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!
