An Interview With Filmmaker Gabriel Evans
When we first heard about Gabriel Evans’ latest horror project ‘Was Live’, to say we were intrigued was an understatement. We were taken in with Gabriel’s concept of blending social media and movies together to make something completely unique. We wanted to know more about Gabriel and the movie so jumped at the chance to interview him.
Hi Gabriel it’s great to get the chance to sit down and chat to you.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into filmmaking?
Of course! I’ve been a movie buff ever since I was a child. My family didn’t have cable television growing up, so I would always rent movies from the library, and then that turned into the kind of stories I always wanted to create. I was a Blockbuster Video kid as well, and I started chowing down on all kinds of movies, watching as many movies from an AFI list or the IMDb Top 250. I went to the University of Texas at Austin film program, and I really learned to embrace the indie spirit of filmmaking – and that’s where my heart lies. I love making challenging, creative concepts come to life and really try to accomplish something cool with anything that I make.
I love how your passion for film has been consistent and driven you to chance your dream.
Can you tell us some information about you upcoming feature film ‘Was Live’?
WAS LIVE is a total passion project. At it’s core, WAS LIVE is the ultimate document of a found footage movie – terror unraveling in real time. The setup is simple and classic: a group of friends go to a house in the middle of nowhere, and horrific moments proceed – but the hook is that they’re happening through the lens of a phone, streaming to a Facebook page. The use of Facebook Live for the movie was essential in giving the movie a truly gritty, realistic feel. It was one of those sparks of an idea that you just had to jump on, because it was so pure and relevant.
We love this concept.
This is an excellent twist on the found footage genre. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea?
My co-writer and leading lady Sarah Safuto and I came up with the idea when we were doing a Facebook Live stream, and we saw that the glitches in the technology could really be terrifying if put into a horror movie. We immediately felt the potential and started fleshing out the concept. We knew that ‘Facebook Live’ was all the rage in the New Media / Internet landscape, so we figured it would be the perfect idea to explore through the lens of a horror movie. Sarah and I had bonded early on about making horror projects, so when the idea for WAS LIVE initially came about, we knew that we wanted to create the project together.
Personally, I think the best ideas come from being based on real-life situations, it helps the audience connect with the story so much more.
How long did it take to write?
Once we had the idea, we felt like we needed to move forward right away, so the whole process was a whirlwind. We wrote up the concept, started fleshing it out, wrangled our cast, locked the location, and were ready with the story in place, ready to film, within a two-week time frame. The process for writing the idea was really energetic and collaborative. We really wanted to have the essentials in place for the story, but we also wanted to approach the writing a little differently than a normal script. We wrote different backstories and fleshed our characters and motivations with the actors at different times, sometimes only letting the actors know about things that were relevant to their specific relationship or dynamic within the movie. That way we would keep the mystery behind the event, but still have enough of the story developed from a top level view.
What challenges did you face filming the movie in a found footage style?
I have loved found footage ever since the original Blair Witch, and I’ve made a lot of stories using the style. My favorite part of found footage is how different each movie can feel, depending on how the specific story is told. We knew that the Facebook Live already had an established look, which would be very intimate and personal, but the challenges with filming it would be that it would be in the hands of the actress at all times. So, the real obstacle for the filming was preparation, and trust. Motivating the camera was key, so Sarah Safuto and I had discussions regarding how her character would utilize the camera so that it would feel personal and real, but still have enough variety to keep an outside viewer want to watch what would happen next. We made sure that she would switch the camera from front lens to back lens, enough so it felt natural, but without feeling like it was unbelievable. She in essence would use the camera like it was the person she was talking to, so you really get the sense of her relationship with the phone, like it is her boyfriend. She shows you what she wants to show you, or what she needs to – so that you are fully engaged with the events of the story.
That must have been pretty tricky having the actor in control of the camera, but at the same time a very engaging experience for the viewer.
‘Was Live’ has recently received a string of award nominations. Have you been surprised by fantastic recognition it has been receiving?
All of the cast and crew have been so thrilled by the recognition. We had an absolute blast making WAS LIVE, and it really does feel like something truly unique and different. We are very humbled for the recognition because I feel it’s simultaneously a very high-concept and low-concept idea, and by that I mean that it has a good name and concept, but in reality can be hard for someone to imagine the feel until they are actually viewing it — which makes the award nominations extremely gratifying. We achieved a little gem with this movie, and it’s really wonderful to see that people like it as much as they do.
We think the recognition is very well deserved.
Where can our readers Catch ‘Was Live’?
WAS LIVE will be screening at the Austin Revolution Film Festival on September 24, 2016, and this will be the world premiere! WAS LIVE was submitted to a variety of other festivals, and we are waiting to hear back about future screenings (fingers crossed!) – and we will be getting news as early as this week.
You have another interesting project, the short film ‘P.O.V.’. Can you tell us a little bit more about this?
Yes, of course! P.O.V. is a found footage movie, as documented by the killer. It’s a really cool account of a murder that feels very voyeuristic and like you’re inside the mind of a murderer. Found footage movies usually follow a standard storytelling set-up, because you’re getting to know this group of people who will then encounter horrific things – so the twist with P.O.V. is that from the moment it starts it’s challenging your idea of why a camera would be on, why they would be documenting a murder, and how are they going to get away with it. I love it, it’s filmed entirely on a GoPro (I spoke earlier about loving making technology and the camera an integral character in the movie) – and it’s a great point-of-view look at how someone could do very dark, terrible things.
We love your take on this, it puts a real twist on things.
I thought this short was a fascinating idea and very unique. Where did this story come from?
You’re too kind! I challenge myself to take a step back and look at horror every year and make a project that I think challenges the status quo and has a really unique tone. P.O.V. came out of this idea of breaking the rules of a found footage structure, and letting you feel dirty while you’re watching this. My favorite kinds of horror are based in realism, because I think the scariest things can come from everyday life. When a serial killer is exposed, or a murderer is revealed in real life, you always hear the same thing from people: “He was a quiet, normal guy.” Or some variation of that. And with P.O.V. you can hear him gain trust and then break it, but never see his face.
Your right, I think it is a will be very interesting to see this story from a different point-of-view, I am looking forward to seeing it.
You make some great horror films, are you a fan of the genre?
I love horror, and most specifically I’m a big fan of home invasion movies, and slasher films where you’re creating iconic bad guys. I love horror because of how it makes you feel, how the storytelling can be so diverse and so effective in all kinds of ways – but I also love how culturally relevant it always is. Scary things happen all the time in this world, and exploring the darker themes of the everyday, creating terrifying imagery as faces to the demons of our everyday – that’s what I love. There’s no better escape than a good horror movie.
What are you favourite horror movies?
My immediate answer is: Alien, Blair Witch, and The Strangers. Alien to me is the best, because it’s a terror film. It’s quiet, it’s atmospheric, and it’s completely unnerving. The shadows are the scariest part, and it’s just beautifully crafted. Blair Witch really started my fascination with found footage, and I love how raw and real it feels to this day. It will always have a special place in my heart, because I saw it in theaters, and my mind was blown. I loved the mix of the docu-style filmmaking with the camcorder feel, and it just works. The Strangers is where my love of home invasion movies stems from – I just like how dark the movie is, and I love the simple motive of the bad guys: “You were home.” I love that.
We love ‘Alien’, the first one is still the best in our opinion, it is so atmospheric.
Do you have any directors you take inspiration from?
I’m very eclectic when it comes to my movie tastes, so my answer for this is probably not on horror-brand, but hey, that’s me. My favorite directors are Richard Linklater, Woody Allen, P.T. Anderson, Justin Lin, and Brad Bird. I’m always intrigued by directors who pump out stories all the time, versus directors who only make one movie every three years, versus directors who really know how to embrace a genre and elevate it into the ultimate kind of movie-going experience. So, I’m inspired by a lot of awesome people, and it’s because I like to watch movies for a variety of reasons. I just love taking it all in and seeing peoples’ visions, what works, what doesn’t, and what inspires something new in me.
Some excellent choices and great inspiration.
Are there any filmmakers out there you can recommend we keep an eye on?
I’m a huge fan of what Matthew Vaughn is doing right now, because he’s done some really cool movies outside of the typical film business that have been successful in the mainstream. He aggressively made Kick-Ass and did it how he thought would do the source material justice, and then that led him to jump to X-Men: First Class and re-invigorate that franchise, and then he followed it up with Kingsman, which was a lot of fun and very visually fresh, and then moved onto producing Eddie The Eagle, which is such a cool story and is that quintessential feel-good movie that I never would have seen coming.
Agree, Matthew Vaughn has done some outstanding work, all those movies have been exceptional.
Have you got any other upcoming projects you can tell us about?
I’ve always got a lot of projects moving at different stages, so WAS LIVE and P.O.V. are my most current horror projects that are completed. I work as a creative producer in Los Angeles, so I’m always pumping out new videos on a daily and weekly basis. I’m currently writing and collaborating on two different children’s books. I’m getting ready to dive into another horror project around Halloween, so that one will be coming soon! I love flexing all of my creative muscles, and I’m a fan of being aggressively creative because I feel like every piece of content and every story I create leads to more inspiration, more stories, and more awesome experiences.
We will have to keep our eyes and ears open this Halloween to see what you have in store.
What does the future hold for Gabriel Evans?
The future is nothing but potential, and I’m ready to explore it. WAS LIVE has been a wonderful experience because it’s true to my interests and true to itself and its form, so it’s a wonderful intersection between artistic integrity and a truly unique movie that fits the way people consume video and media today. I can’t wait to see the next thing that sparks my next idea, and then figuring out the execution of the idea from there is where the fun truly begins.
Good luck, we have a feeling your future will be very bright
Thanks so much for chatting with me, it’s been awesome!
It sure has, we have really enjoyed talking to you, thanks!
If your attending the Austin Revolution Film Festival make sure you catch the screening on the 24th September, and watch out for it on the rest of the festival circuit.
