With the upcoming screening of his award winning Australian horror film Ashburn Waters at IMAX on the 4th of February, we sat down with director David Pether to discuss his inspirations, the state of independent film making in Australia and memories from on location.
Tickets to the IMAX screening are available to purchase here
So, first things first, what got you into the horror genre?
Funnily enough, I never liked horror movies as a kid. Jaws scared the absolute bejeezus out of me and I still have vivid, horrifying memories of watching Halloween: H20 at a birthday party sleepover and having to continuously find excuses to leave the room so the other boys wouldn’t judge me for being so terrified! It wasn’t until I saw Freddy vs. Jason in cinemas in 2003 that I realised that horror could be fun, as well as scary. I then went on a horror binge, and found that I enjoyed the adrenaline rush that comes with a good scare, and have been chasing it ever since.
Besides the obvious, what films inspired Ashburn Waters?
The obvious being the Friday the 13th series, which after seeing Freddy vs. Jason, quickly became my favourite horror film franchise (team Jason all the way!). When coming up with ideas for a feature horror script I decided I should stick with what I know well, the camping horror film. But also, at the time the Paranormal Activity films were huge, and I really admired how they could give this demon such a presence without actually ever showing it. Jaws is also a great example of this, you barely see the shark until the end, and that makes it so much scarier. Your imagination is always going to present you with a much more terrifying image than I can ever show you, so I wanted to play with that idea for the majority of Ashburn Waters. You could say we tried to make Jaws in a campsite!
As an independent film maker, what is your favourite part of the production process / or favourite role?
Definitely the moment that everybody starts to gel on set. Usually a few days into the shoot, when everybody hits their straps and the shots just start flowing. You become a little family, and its beautiful. As a director, it’s the best feeling when everybody believes in you and your vision.
What inspired you to make a feature length film?
We had made a few short films and they weren’t really getting us anywhere. We might make it into a few film festivals here and there, then eventually we would release it online and it would just fade in obscurity. Plus, it’s really hard to make any money with a short, so we thought why not try for a feature? We felt like we had enough experience and dedication that we could pull it off. It took a lot longer than we expected, but we did it!
What’s the best memory you have from working on Ashburn Waters?
The production of Ashburn Waters has become a bit of a blur over the years, there were a lot of ups and downs. But I have to say my most cherished memory now is when I was finally able to screen the completed film for friends and family that have been asking for years ‘When can I see your movie?’ Their reaction nearly brought me to tears, it was so vindicating.
Working with your brother, was it easier or harder than working with non-related actors / did you treat him differently?
Working with Adam was an absolute treat. In a lot of ways, it was easier because I already know him well and know how to talk to him. I did have him doing things that I never would have asked the other actors though! But only because I knew he would do them! He did his own stunts without the luxury of pads, there’s a scene where he rolls down a hill and he rolled his ankle pretty bad during that shot. But he just shook it off. There was one time though where I had him jump into the river to check for sharp sticks, so the other actors wouldn’t get hurt. Haha that was a bit rough. There were no sharp sticks, so all was good! He might tell you differently…
Having worked on this film for nearly a decade, what’s kept you motivated through the ever-changing horror landscape?
The main thing that was spurring me on was the fact that we had come this far and I refused to give up. Too many people had put their, time, passion and talent into Ashburn Waters to let it die off. The timing of the film’s completion has actually turned out to be quite fortuitous for us though, as horror is pretty hot right now. Where is when we filmed it, horror wasn’t really selling well.
If you could pick one icon from movie history to work with, who would it be, and why?
I would love to work with Rob Zombie. I’m a huge fan of his movies and his music and think he’s living the dream being able to do both at such a high level. If I could pick his brain and pick up a few of his tricks and techniques, I’d love to bring that to my next film.
What do you think the state of independent horror film production is like in Australia?
It’s getting stronger and stronger because filmmakers like myself are just going out and making these movies ourselves, rather than waiting for someone to tell us we can. Film equipment is becoming so much more financially accessible and making horror on the cheap can make it more appealing. The cheaper and nastier the better, I say! But we could do with more support from governing bodies and investors. There is some great talent in Australia, we just need the chance to show what we can do.
In turn, what has your experience been like with the Australian horror fan community during your showings and promotion of Ashburn Waters?
The Australian horror fan community is strong and hungry. Once they became aware of our film and the fact that it’s an Aussie creature-feature, a lot of fans really got behind it. Especially you guys at the Melbourne Horror Film Society, you’ve really taken me in and believed in my film. Another happy little family, I love it.
Do you have plans to make another film, and are you wanting to stick with the horror genre, or would you like to diversify into a different area?
I have an idea for an action/horror film, that instead of the slow burn type of horror that Ashburn Waters is, would be more of a balls-to-the-wall gratuitous, gorefest. I just think that would be so much fun to make! But in sharp contrast, I’m also working on a supernatural love story script. And before you go ahead and judge me saying ‘Aww like Twilight?’ I’d say… yeah, kinda. But more on the horror side of things. I’d also love to make a comedy!
Now, you’ve had a young boy, Kit, recently. Do you think being a father will change your writing or filmmaking?
Absolutely. Ashburn Waters is a film about a guy getting over is ex-girlfriend when you really boil it down. That’s because I was going through a break up when I wrote the script. I’ve found that since Kit was born, I’ve really started to lean towards more family-based stories, especially in horror. I know this is kind of blasphemy as a horror fan, but I never really dug Stephen King’s work until I found out I was going to be a Dad. Then I saw the latest Pet Sematary movie, and something clicked. I think my writing will reflect those priorities in my life now.
Have you got any tips for aspiring film makers in Australia?
If you want to make a movie, go out and do it. Know that it’s a lot of work, but if you really want it, you can do it. Make friends with people who want to make the same kinds of movies that you do and then back each other to do it. It’s not impossible, you just have to be patient and know it won’t happen overnight. I certainly learned that! But I couldn’t be prouder now.
