It was a breakout hit at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, showcased at the Sydney Film Festival in June, and it’s coming to cinemas at the end of July.
Together stars real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a co-dependent couple that moves to the remote countryside.
And it all began here at Docklands Studios. Producer Mike Cowap explained how filming on a sound stage allowed the indie horror to aim high.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think filming at Docklands Studios was possible. I was sitting behind (Docklands Studios CEO) Antony Tulloch at South by Southwest and we got chatting and he put a little twinkle of optimism in my eye.
“I picked up the conversation with him when the finance was raised and also with Rosey (Cullinan, Docklands Studios’ Client Services Manager).Our DP–once he got the idea (of filming at Docklands Studios) he wouldn’t let go of it! And Nick Dare, our production designer wanted to service the director’s vision and build the set as high as possible.
“We had a couple of scenes set in a cave and it had to feel big—we wanted it to be cinematic and to light it from above, and there was no other facility in Victoria that allowed for that.
“Docklands Studios had the height and the rig to be able to help us hang our lights. The set we were able to build in the workshop and ship into the studio—obviously a huge cost saving not having to build it off-site and ship it across the city or reassemble it. Because of the space we were able to build that cave and also have a set of a bathroom on the same stage. We also had some very small sets—a dog kennel and a bedroom in close proximity. We didn’t have to move the unit, just shifted the crew a few feet to one side and started shooting on the next set.
“It meant an incredible saving of time and money. While our main location shoot was in the Dandenongs (mountains on the edge of Melbourne) the production design team was building sets at Docklands Studios where we were based for pre-production. For Dave and Alison, who have worked on much bigger productions, it made us feel like anything was possible, like we could make something that could play to a global audience.
“It’s got that intangible… just inspiring everybody and making them feel like there’s a certain expectation of the quality and to bring their best every day. And from a tangible perspective, it allowed us to be more ambitious with our sets and to move faster at the studio because there’s no compromise. And being greeted every day with a smiling face at the boom gate!
“It’s sort of magical ground—that drive across the lot to get to the stage feels like you could be at any of those major Hollywood Studios.”
Producers: Mike Cowap, Andrew Mittman, Erik Feig, Julia Hammer, Tim Headington, Max Silva, Alison Brie, Dave Franco
Writer-director Michael Shanks
Cinematography: Germain McMicking
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