‘Bloodline Killer’ Director Ante Novakovic On His New Serial Killer Thriller
Mary Beth McAndrews
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Director Ante Novakovic‘s new film Bloodline Killer is a star-studded horror-thriller that boasts an iconic, and terrifying, villain wearing a mask that seems it came from the depths of hell. The film, starring Shawnee Smith, Taryn Mannin, Tyrese Gibson, and Bruce Dern, is a different kind of slasher film, one that digs into what it means to be a survivor.
In Bloodline Killer, “Moira Cole endeavors to rebuild her shattered life after the murder of her family at the hands of her deranged and obsessed cousin.”
We spoke with Novakovic over email about creating his own spin on the serial killer, collaborating with Shawnee Smith, and the power of the horror genre.
Dread Central: Tell me how you got attached to this project.
Ante Novakovic: The project was brought to me and my producing partner Rob Simmons by the Gaudioso Twins (James and Anthony). They wrote the screenplay and after our initial meeting, they asked me if I wanted to come on board as a director on the project. With an affinity for all things horror and slasher, I said yes.
DC: With so many serial killer movies out there, how did you want to make your mark on the subgenre?
AN: The slasher/serial killer genre is definitely well-worn territory. With that in perspective, there’s always an opportunity to introduce new blood (no pun intended) with a different telling, origin, depiction of motive, need, and inciting incident for a new slasher character to draw from and build upon. Ultimately making the film its own thing, in its identity and characteristics is a really important factor that was given considerable creativity, effort, and attention in bringing Bloodline Killer to life.
DC: You’re working with an incredible cast. Who came onto the project first? What was it like working with horror royalty like Shawnee Smith?
AN: Tyrese Gibson was the first cast member to come on board and shortly after that, Shawnee Smith came on board. Both are extremely talented and an absolute pleasure to work with. Shawnee, as a performer and horror royalty, is an absolute force of nature in what she brings and brought to the table in terms of depth as the quintessential matriarch in the role of Moira Cole. She was everything I was looking for in Moira and she instantly added layers to the performance, elevating the storyline.
In a very similar way, both Tyrese Gibson and Taryn Manning added very nuanced and textured depth to their respective roles and were incredibly collaborative throughout.
DC: Talk me through the design process for the mask in Bloodline Killer.
AN: The mask is a defined, featured element and a specific key into the persona and lore of our slasher. There’s a definite rhyme and reason for the mask’s existence and origin in terms of the character itself. I came up with some very simple drawings, sketches, sample designs, and ideas based on the storyline and the origin of the character. I worked on how and when the mask came to be and what it would look like currently. Then I brought all of this to the incredibly talented and wildly prolific Howard Berger of KNB FX. He took all of the information I shared with him and ran with it, creating an incredibly iconic mask.
DC: What do you love about the horror genre both as a fan and filmmaker?
AN: I started out as a huge horror fan when I was a kid and I still consider myself a huge horror fan. Growing up, I was exposed to classics like The Omen, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Candyman. These films had such a lasting impact on me and they ultimately took up residency in my mind. Because of these films and a fascination with the idea of fear I started to ask many questions such as: How did these movies create fear as a palpable experience for viewers? What triggered the fear? What made these films linger in my mind well after I watched them?
That led me to love the imagination and exploration of fear in horror films and the metaphors that can be explored through the genre. As a filmmaker, I love having the opportunity to explore many different themes through the genre and being able to push them to extremes. Other genres might not allow me that specific type of opportunity.
DC: What was the film that scared you the most as a kid?
AN: For me, it’s more of an amalgamation of films that scared me early on. Many of the films I referenced earlier play like a greatest hits anthology in my mind when I think about what had the most impact. It’s also an evolving list of current films like Smile, Barbarian, Evil Dead Rise, and the updated Candyman. And that’s the beauty of horror for me. It keeps evolving and keeps scaring audiences which is why I love it.
Bloodline Killer is out now on VOD.
Categorized:Interviews
