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Support Indie Flix ~ How rigorously did you stick to the script while shooting and/or did it turn out differently than what you originally envisioned?

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Erica ~ The most difficult artistic choice were certainly the location choices.  When I had tried to produce this film the first time, years ago, the Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge was available for crews to shoot in and they were offering for indie filmmakers to sometimes used the facility for free (with past references etc) and I had worked on a larger budget film the year prior that filmed there called , JUNE, as a grip.  I wrote the script tailored to that hospital because half looked like it was in fully working order and the other half looked ravaged by the elements and lights flickered and it was super creepy.  At the time, like 90% of the film was slated to be shot there.  Then we got involved with a producer and the film fell into development and fundraising limbo for quite a few years. By the time our contract was up and I had my film back to film as I pleased, that hospital had been turned into a SWAT training facility for the Baton Rouge officers and was no longer available. I tried talking with all of the other hospitals and doctors offices (even vet clinics) for months and no one wanted to allow us to film in their facilities for the $1500 I had budgeted for locations.  So I redrafted the film several times to take place at other locations, and kept having to make alterations to the story for how it would be plausible.  I pitched to all of the cabin owners in a two hour radius and was turned down due to the content of the film.  No one wanted monsters chasing people around their campgrounds.  Louisiana is a very religious state and some people don’t take kindly to horror. So with time running out, I chose an Airbnb that was huge and secluded and booked it for two consecutive weekends and re-altered the script again to fit that location.  So it wasn’t ideal but it also turned out very nice because we had enough room to sleep there, room to bbq meals on the patio, the water nearby for the lake and stream scenes.  It was great.  And the majority of the rest of the film Marc and Desiree Shiadaee (parents of our young actress Rainey Moone) graciously provided for us including the dilapidated cabin, and tons of wooded property to run around and scream on.

Support Indie Flix ~  You cast a group of talented actors, how was it working with them and what scene did you enjoy directing the most?

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Erica ~This cast was phenomenal.  I got VERY lucky with them, especially because I cast almost exclusively off their resumes and reels and did not actually host any formal auditions.  I remember Frank R. Wilson, Henry Frost, and David McMahon’s reels being the most impressive.  David’s especially.  Olivia was amazing too.  I believe she came recommended by Henry because none of the women that had applied for the part looked or sounded anything like what I wanted.  When I saw her I knew she was the one I had been searching for and we were so blessed that she was available.  Not only that, but she turned out to be SUCH an amazing person and I think she was incredible in this.  Hick was amazing too.  He actually did a ton of research on his own time on Nic Wilder (my late friend who the character is based off of) and he did such a good job at putting some little Nic touches in there that a few times I actually wept on set.  It was so nice to see Nic honored in such a way.  Nic even knew about the film and the role of Mick and was so ecstatic that he was going to be immortalized like that so I know the extra effort Hick put in really would have made Nic smile and say “F&%$ yeah!”  This whole cast was really phenomenal and so much fun to work with.

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Support Indie Flix ~ Did you ever feel like you were treated differently in the film industry because you are a female film director?

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Erica ~ As a director/producer, not so much.  I’ve been treated with a lot of respect and equality since I had my first public film premiere for “Rag Doll,” my third feature (Obsidian being my sixth) However I also work in the film industry as a grip, which is predominantly a male job on set and there I’ve definitely encountered and overcome a LOT of sexism over the years.  I’m very think-skinned though and usually try to prove through my work ethic, dependability, and my ability to not get too riled over it that eventually it goes away and I got hired more and more.  Some of the key grips down south will tell you that I can work circles around some of the boys.

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