In this upcoming mystery thriller, Ghosts of The Ozark, channels the reality of society coexisting with a supernatural force.
The setting takes place in a western era, post-civil war, Arkansas. A young doctor, named James “Doc” McCune, played by Thomas Hobson, is mysteriously summoned to a remote town known as the Ozarks that is greatly protected and run by his uncle, a seasoned medic Phil Morris, played by Matthew McCune. Matthew meets with his nephew, to bring him up to speed about the town and its history with ghosts. Confused by the information, James meets with townies to learn more about the state of living in this inscrutable society. From there, James learns that this perfect society is one that is filled with secrets surrounded by a detectable supernatural presence, and if challenged, will not hesitate to reveal it’s reckoning force. The film also stars Tara Perry, Tim Blake Nelson, Angela Bettis, and David Arquette.
Here’s what co-directors Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long have to say about the upcoming thriller, the creation of the film, and additional thoughts about the film.
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your creative direction for this film. Why did you choose the Western era to depict a thriller?
Matt: As the cinematographer, and with Jordan being the Production Designer, we both were in charge of the different elements of the visual style of the film. This made it easier for us to fine-tune the look of the film and helped us nail down the tone. We wanted to have hints of “western” and “horror” and “thriller” in the film, but did not want to rely too much on the tropes of any of them.
Collaboration in film-making is very important and having two directors on a film seems like the ultimate form of that collaboration. We’re very different, but we both want what’s best for the film, so we’re willing to sacrifice “our babies” if it means a better film. It’s always exciting when Jordan brings up an idea for a scene that I never would have thought of. It keeps things fresh.
Jordan: What he said!
The Knockturnal: What would you say were some challenges about directing a thriller genre?
Matt: One challenge was understanding how much to tell and how much to show throughout the film. We originally had much more of the creatures. As we started filming, we decided that, while the creature was amazing looking, it felt more terrifying to hide them in shadow, and let the audience decide for themselves what was their true, horrific form.
Working on a smaller budget, we also had to minimize the number of shots for each scene. We needed to cut down our shot lists to the essentials while still accomplishing all the tension and beauty we wanted in each shot. It was always a tough choice, but I think the decisions we made resulted in a better film.
Jordan: The Atmosphere! You have to get it right and you can’t give up just because it’s windy outside! Luckily we decided that we’d make practical red fog a character.
It’s not as tough as making an animal the lead of your movie…but it’s up there! Practical fog team for the win! The fog in the film was helped out tremendously by the composing work from Matt. He really brought the fog alive with it.
The Knockturnal: Were there any restrictions that delayed the production of the film? If so, what were they?
Jordan: Covid. We started principal photography in June of 2020, just months into the pandemic. SAG had not released their plan at that point so we wrote our own & redrew the plans for the cast/crew holdings in the production space. We worked with government officials and bounced ideas back and forth, which was extremely helpful. We spoke with SAG & they approved us to move forward with production and we ended up becoming one of the first films to finish successfully without any shutdowns or positive cases.
The Knockturnal: How important is the influence of supernatural forces in creating a film like Ghosts of Ozarks?
Matt: Supernatural elements are always an interesting ingredient in storytelling. Throughout history, people have used supernatural elements to explain away the horrors of reality. The same is true for storytelling. There are hard truths out there that can be frightening to some. If you veil those truths in the supernatural, it can be safer to digest and you can reach audiences that might otherwise be afraid to engage in such topics.
I also feel like we all live in THIS world, and sometimes it’s nice to escape to another world. Even horrific worlds can be engaging because you’re watching someone navigate horrors that you’d be too afraid to face. And sometimes it makes you feel like maybe you could face those monsters too.That being said, I’d be the first one to go in an apocalypse.
The Knockturnal: What do you hope for viewers to enjoy most when they view the film?
Matt: I hope everyone finds something to enjoy in it. I’m proud of the work everyone put into the film and if someone out there enjoys any one of those elements, I’ll be happy.
Jordan: Yes, I hope they enjoy the craftsmanship of this film. We’re so proud of everyone.
Ghosts of the Ozarks is set to premiere in select theaters, on demand, and digital this Thursday, February 3rd.
