FilmDaddy catch up with Abigail Blackmore and Rich Wiley Director and producer of Tales from the Lodge

Film Daddy - Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, how did the project come about?

Abigail Blackmore – Well I originally wrote the script as a sample for myself. My agent said to me “What do you see yourself doing?” so I said I wanted to do a feature, so I wrote that along with another couple of scripts and just used them as sample scripts. Then I went for networking drinks and met one of our other producers Ed, and I was telling him about Tales from The Lodge and was telling him I wanted comedians to be the actors. Eventually I sent it to him, and he said he wanted to help me get it made, and it only took four years to get the money *laughs*. Then Richard came on about 6 months before we started shooting…

Richard Wiley – Funny that, I come aboard, and it all comes together *laughs*

AB – I prefer to think we laid the path so you could come in and take a bow *laughs*

RW – Ed sent the script to me and I thought we could get the money quite easily, but Ed and Abi did all the hard work.

AB – Then we took a few months to cast it, which is difficult getting six people who can gel and pull of being actual friends and available all at the same time. Luckily, we got everyone we wanted, and they were perfect for the role.  I wrote the role with Mackenzie in mind as we live in the same area, so I approached him and said I wrote a script and he was attached for a couple of years. Johnny was attached for around a year, so having those people attached really helps when you are selling the film to actors.

FD – In the film each character has their own story, which is directed with by the actor, was that always the plan?

AB – It was always going to be different directors, but we didn’t have the idea of the actors doing it until we asked Mackenzie if he wanted to do it. So, we decided that each actor would direct their own character short, because they are that much more invested in the character’s journey. Luckily Johnny Vegas has always wanted to direct a zombie film, which was pure coincidence and he always wanted to do independent films.

FD - With Mackenzie and Johnny on set, I can imagine there was a few laughs on set, what sort of influence did they have over the comedy feel of the film?

RW – Johnny is a big fan of improvising on set but there was only a small rewrite from his lines.

AB – Mackenzie had some brilliant ideas, people work differently as Johnny would adlib a line whereas Mackenzie would come forward and say, “I have got this idea” and it would be one of the best ideas, do that! So, they work in different way, but we kept so many of Johnny’s adlibs and so many of Mackenzie’s ideas. They are all hilarious people though, so there was a great energy on set.

FD – The film took a few swerves when it looked to go down the usual horror road, was this a conscious effort to keep people surprised throughout?

AB – Absolutely, you want to keep people guessing and throw in a few red herrings, ad you want them to second guess the characters. It’s fun as a writer to put those twists in and play on the ambiguity of the situation for sure. I love the idea that people go “I know what’s going to happen, wait no I don’t.” As soon as you pull the rug out from under the audience’s feet, they will think everything they perceived is wrong, like American Horror Story they will do cliché, cliché, cliché and then twist everything around. You don’t want to see a film that you only want to watch once, you want to make a film that people will come back to repeatedly.

FD – So what other projects are you working on at the minute.

AB – I am working on a few scripts and trying to see what the next project is. It’s difficult to concentrate on one thing when something else could go first so we shall see.

FD – We are looking forward to seeing it, thanks for talking to us