In Cabin 11, a woman must burn down a cabin to break an ancient curse. We speak with writer/director Brad Rego about the film. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Brad! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you about your film Cabin 11. Tell us what inspired the film.
The inspiration for this film really came from its location. I had stumbled across an old summer camp in Upstate, NY that had closed back in 1992. It was such an amazing time capsule of a previous time. There was so much stuff left behind it looked as though it was just closed 25 years ago and everyone just walked away. It got me thinking of stories I could tell there. That led into some disciplines I had for myself in what kind of story I wanted. I wanted it to be a short, I wanted to jump right into it without a ton of setup, and I wanted it to be about a single person on a mission. Basically to tell the “third act” of an unwritten larger story.
What was the one thing you had to accomplish to tell this story?
The biggest thing we had to overcome was that same location that inspired me in the first place. The camp we shot in was in the middle of nowhere and had just been sitting, rotting, for 25 years. There was a lot of work that needed to be done weeks ahead of time to get it into a condition for us to film there. Cleaning cabins, boarding windows, moving furniture in and out, dressing the main cabin, clearing away areas for lights and equipment, running generators for heat and electricity, etc… On the first day of our shoot, after driving up to the camp, we got hit with a snow storm and spent six hours trying to set up lights and equipment in the snow, ultimately having to postpone the shoot. We ended up having to re-rent all the gear and equipment two weeks later and try again, and that was just the first problem we ran into on the location.
What was the biggest takeaway that has had a positive effect on your film?
I don’t know about on the film, but having an effect on me was the ability to overcome a multitude of problems and obstacles on set from a practical standpoint and still able to create a product I can be proud of. That has been huge for me, strengthening the ability to pivot when needed, and charging forward to make a good film despite difficult circumstances.
What do you hope to accomplish with the film?
I would love to have the film find an audience of people who find it fun and entertaining. That’s really about it. Awards are nice, but ultimately I just hope people will like it, and maybe it sticks in their head for a bit.
When choosing talent, what did you look for?
With our situation, there was no dialog in the film, so I really needed to cast someone specific. Someone who could really embody the character and convey so much without saying anything, while also being comfortable with the physical aspects of the film.
What was your favorite scene?
When our hero gets the ax stuck in the window board, and everything that happens during that moment. It’s a fun scene that goes from anger to panic, to despair, to triumph in such a short moment in time. Love it.
What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film?
Being open to the circumstances around you, and not being afraid to reevaluate and make changes on what can make your film better at that moment. Sometimes I’ll get stuck on what I’m envisioning in my head and try to push through and make it as close to that vision as possible, regardless of the realities around me. This film taught me about needing to reset every once in a while and to adjust as things come about.
What has been your favorite experience in making Cabin 11?
It’s really just working with and experiencing the dedication and accomplishment of the cast and crew on this project. They worked tirelessly and was amazing throughout the process.
When looking back on the film, what resonated with you the most and why?
I loved our hero’s struggle, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. The fact that she is not afraid to be vulnerable, but still strong enough to do the job.
In your opinion, how could this film make an impact on the world?
Ha, it really can’t, and that’s ok. It’s not supposed to. It’s a fun piece of film that I hope people enjoy, but that’s as far as I need it to go.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to make this film? Would you do anything differently?
Of course! I wish I could have found a way to have made the creatures in the film more menacing, and a greater overall threat.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the film and your career?
Building off of what we accomplished in Cabin 11, we are currently in pre-production of a feature horror film called Cryptid. Although it’s not connected to Cabin 11 storywise, we are using some of the same team. Cryptid is an old school practical effects creature feature about a journalist who stumbles across a series of grisly murders in his small town and believes it to be something more sinister then the authorities believe. We have a raised a significant amount of the budget through a brand new concept of equity crowdfunding, which allows supporters to actually own a piece of the film and all its revenue forever. For more info, you can check out the page here: www.startengine.com/cryptid.
Social Media Links:
Twitter: Twitter.com/221films
Poster Credit: Kevin Provost.
Woman in Photo: Jane West.
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