Film Name: Gone
Director: Simon Cluett
Writer: Simon Cluett
Starring: Rebecca Ferdinando
A woman confronts a horrifying memory. It can’t be true… can it?
In a new interview leading up to the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival, I got a chance to ask writer-director Simon Cluett a few questions about what we can expect from his film Gone.
Gone will be showing at Horror-on-Sea at 10am on Saturday 14th January
Q. Your film Gone has been selected to play at the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?
A. Hopefully it will surprise viewers. Without going into spoiler territory, it starts off as one thing, then becomes something very different.
Q. What were some of your influences when writing the script for Gone?
A. The story is simple – it’s almost dream-like (or nightmarish) in nature. The script was more of a shot list.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
A. A key sequence is inspired by the Giallo films of Dario Argento.
Q. Did you make any changes from the original script during filming?
A. No. There isn’t any dialogue, which is unusual for my films as they often involve people shouting and swearing at each other. Instead, the emphasis is on the visuals, supplemented by a low-key sound design, and atmospheric music. In fact, I’d like to give a shout out to my friend, DiElle. She’s a incredibly talented singer/songwriter who recorded the haunting vocals especially for me.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
A. The film involves some trippy editing. Putting that together was a lot of fun.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. Lockdown restrictions at the time meant I couldn’t go out and film anything with my usual cast, so I had to get creative. Half the film was shot remotely, I wasn’t even there at the time. The other half is comprised of free stock footage I found on the internet.
Q. What makes Gone stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. I think it might surprise people. The aim is to get viewers to feel something… but it’s for them to work out what it means.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the film?
A. The film could be divisive and won’t be for everyone. I’m guessing viewers could be shocked, repulsed, even angry after seeing it. I’m fine with that, so long as they’re not bored!
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. I’ve just finished a 5-minute sci-fi epic about a planet ending alien invasion. Imagine Independence Day on a £20 budget! I’ve also just had a book published, a dark and disturbing thriller called ‘Minotaur’ which is getting great reviews on Amazon.
Q. If someone was looking to write and direct their own film what advice would you give them?
A. Don’t waste time down the pub talking about making a film, get out there and do it. Work out what you can realistically achieve, round up all your creative friends… and have fun with it.
Gone will be showing at Horror-on-Sea at 10am on Saturday 14th January. You can purchase tickets and merchandise for the festival on the website 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!
