Gnaw Wraps! Exclusive Photos and Chat with Director Haylar Garcia
With 2014’s An American Terror filmmaker Haylar Garcia having completed principal photography on his latest feature, Gnaw, we chatted with the Denver-based director regarding the paranormal horror flick, which stars Penelope Mitchell of “The Vampire Diaries.”
Having directed from a script he co-wrote with Kathryn Gould and Jim Brennan, Garcia said of the shoot (a joint production of Unreal Media and Wrecking Ball Pictures), “It was grueling, amazing, exhausting, and satisfying. We had such a great crew and top-level talent, both from Los Angeles and Colorado, that despite the hardcore schedule, we pulled off some really great stuff.”
Of the cast, Chris Johnson (xXx: State of the Union) and Kyle Gass (Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny) join star Mitchell for the proceedings, which revolve around a small-town girl (Mitchell) who, after fleeing an abusive husband (Johnson), tries to make a new life for herself in the big city. But it’s hard to start over when something is eating you alive… one painful bite at a time.
Glowed Garcia of his lead actress, “Penelope is a charming actor with a true passion for character. I found us laughing and getting along famously most of the time, while other times challenging each other on deep and stern levels that brought her performance itself and our overall collaboration to even more dramatic and powerful places than we’d imagined. She lights up the screen in many ways: physically, emotionally – but it’s far more than just being photogenic. Penelope’s presence seems to belong innately on film, and not just by virtue of her well-prepared dedication to her craft. Simply put, she fills and inhabits the frame like a movie star.”
As for Gass, who’s predominantly known for his comedic roles, Garcia offered, “I think many people will be surprised by Kyle’s dramatic chops. He took our character of Terry to such a wonderful and balanced place. The way Kyle was able to sculpt this character into such an anchor point for the film just floored us from the very first scene he did. On set he is a total pro, so collaborative and easy to work with, and then ‘Boom!’ He brings magic so effortlessly. I can’t even really explain how fortunate we feel to have gotten him on the project.”
With Garcia currently in post-production on the film, we asked him if there were any plans for Gnaw on the film festival circuit, to which he replied, “I would imagine that going right to a good distribution deal and/or making a sale would be amazing, but we also love horror fans and know how important the grassroots connection that is cultivated in the festival world can be. I can’t speak for the producers’ plans, but I don’t think anything is off the table at this point. I also believe that if we concentrate on making a great film that horror audiences will love, the film will find its own way.”
For more on Gnaw, “like” the film on Facebook here!
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