Undertone is one of the new horror movies in April, and another successful hit for A24. I recently spoke to the movie's director about why he chose to focus so heavily on sound, and also learned some creepy things about the movie's set.
Many of us might think that the scary things end when the cameras stop rolling, but the Undertone set felt like it was "haunted", according to director Ian Tuason, who filmed the movie in his family's home.
When I asked what things were like behind the scenes, and if there were any unexpected challenges, he said: "We got haunted, so there was a lot of unexpected things!"
"The lights were flickering before we'd changed the light bulbs in the house, but it was only happening in the rooms where we were filming. It was my family's house, so that creeped us out."
Despite the mysterious light flickering and scary vibes, Tuason described the atmosphere on set as being chilled out and a fun collaborative experience.
He added, "Overall, it was very easy. Very light for me at least, that's how I felt light, collaborative, fun, playful, yeah."
Undertone taps into some intense, psychological horror as we learn more about the creepy paranormal sounds that Evy (Nina Kiri) experiences while making her podcast with her friend. While initially a skeptic, things begin to change.
Throughout the movie, we center on Evy's increasingly fragile emotional state and paranoia, and Tuason said he hoped that cinema goers take away an important message.
He said, "For me, it's if you're feeling isolated and stressed, just talk to someone. Just tell the truth."
UK audiences can see Undertone from April 10, following shortly after its March release in the US. I definitely recommend checking it out.
