Film: Hollow
Director: Jonathan Zaurin
Writer: Keith Temple
Starring: Pat Garrett, Pete Bird, Ellie Jeffreys, Ben Manning, Michael Coombes
A series of Gruesome killings is shaking Herefordshire. Beth, a mother in her sixties is showing signs of early Alzheimer. Worried about her, her daughter Jess and son in law Connor, try to find a way to help her. Together they purchase an old house on Wyvern Hill so that she can move in with them and be looked after. However, her symptoms and slow loss of reality render Beth unable to realize that something has moved in with her, observing her every move and preparing in the darkness of Wyvern Hill.
In a new exclusive interview leading up to The Romford Horror Film Festival, I got a chance to ask actress Ayvianna Snow a few questions about what we can expect from the new horror Hollow.
Hollow was shown at The Romford Horror Film Festival on Saturday 26th February.
Q. What inspired you to get into filmmaking originally?
A. When I first started out, I just wanted to be a theatre actress, and I hadn’t really thought much about the film. The film seemed unattainable to me. Then in 2015, I booked a lead role in a film almost by accident – I was called in to audition for a small role and while I was there, they asked if I wanted to read for the lead. I fell in love with the process of filmmaking and started actively trying to book more films.
Q. Your play young Beth in the feature film ‘Hollow’ which has been selected to play at The Romford Horror Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?
A. The film is a horror film, but it is so much more than your average gory slasher film. The subject of an older woman losing her husband and developing Alzheimer’s is explored with great sensitivity. It is beautifully shot with exquisite attention to detail. It has a lot of shocks and twists, but it is ultimately a story of a family coming together.
Q. How did you get involved in the film and what attracted you to the role?
A. I had auditioned twice before for Ben Manning who plays Morris, and I had worked with Pablo Raybould who plays Frank. When Ben heard Jonathan Zaurin was looking for an actress to play Young Beth, he very kindly recommended me. Jonathan sent me the full script to read, and I fell in love with it; the quality of the writing was excellent.
Q. What sort of preparation did you do to portray you character of Beth in the film?
A. I read the script many times. Then when I was on set, I tried to study Pat Garrett’s performance. We were meant to be playing the same woman at different stages of life, so we had to seem similar. That meant matching her physical mannerisms and her accent.
Q. Did you put any of your own personality into the character?
A. I think you can’t help but put a little of yourself into every character; ultimately, it’s my face and my voice. When you act, you search for a little of the character inside yourself; if your character is very vain, you try to find your own vanity – to give you something to work with.
Q. Did you change the character at all from the original script?
A. No, not really. At the beginning of the process, Jonathan asked me to send him a self-tape so he could see my interpretation of the character, just to check we were on the same page. Luckily, he liked my interpretation, so it seemed we had the same idea about the character from the start.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. None at all, I had a delightful time! Keith Temple and his partner very kindly let me sleep in their spare room for the duration of filming and they were very nice to me. Keith even used to buy me a coffee in the morning before filming, they were really very accommodating.
Q. What were some of your favorite moments during filming?
A. We filmed one scene at a Punch & Judy show. While we were waiting to start, Pat Garrett and I actually got to sit outside in the sun and watch the show; it was such a funny show, expertly performed. We had lots of child extras on set that day, and they really loved it. It was very heartwarming to see the children so happy.
Q. What makes Hollow stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. The sensitivity with which the story is told, the beauty of the cinematography, and the stunning central performance from Pat Garrett.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
A. I hope people find it frightening, but also heartwarming. You really come to relate to the main character and her struggles. I found it quite emotional the first time I saw it.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. I am currently filming Burnt Flowers with Michael Fausti; his film Exit (2006) is also nominated at The Romford Horror Film Festival. Also, The Final 45 directed by Ian Manson and Graham Birch, and LOLA directed by Andrew Legge, are coming out later this year.
Q. If someone was looking to get into acting themselves what advice would you give them?
A. See everything you can at the theatre and read everything you can. Don’t worry about attaining perfection; I used to think I couldn’t send a self-tape audition until it was perfect. Now, I realise perfection doesn’t exist; send the best you can.
You can follow actress Ayvianna Snow on Instagram
You can find out more about The Romford Horror Film Festival and purchase tickets here: https://www.romfordfilmfestival.com/romford-horror-festival
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!
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