Like horror films? If you do, Wrong Turn 3 might be something you don’t want to miss.
Director Declan O’Brien calls it a cross between Con Air and the first Wrong Turn and judging by the trailer and clips, it looks exactly like that.
I talked to both Declan and the films star, Janet Montgomery, and both were excited about the upcoming release. They think it’s a fresh roller-coaster ride that once it gets started, it doesn’t stop.
Janet has been acting only 2 years and already she’s got 4 films on her resume! Totally jealous, right? She’s from England where she did an episode of the hit series, Skins. From that, she was noticed and hasn’t stopped working.
So what do you guys think you bring fresh to this movie?
Declan O’Brien: Well, I think that this film brings a lot of action to the horror genre.
I saw the trailer. It’s really cool.
Declan: Yeah, we blow up a lot of things. It’s kind of like ConAir meets Wrong Turn, so there’s no respite in this movie. Once you get going, it grabs you by the throat and just goes.
From the casting process, from the time you started, how long did that take?
Declan: I started casting, probably 6 weeks before I started shooting. I actually saw the producers of one of Janet’s other films, The Hills Run Red, actually showed me some footage of that, and I saw that. And she did such a great job in that. I’m like, well I want that girl for my film.
That must have been easy then.
Janet Montgomery: It was a really nice surprise to kind of go back to back doing two movies. It was great. It was nice to have people showing my work off to Declan. It was really nice.
So, how’s it work. You’re just sitting around hanging out and you get a phone call?
Janet: I wish. If you do that then you’re probably not gonna get a phone call if you sit around waiting. It’s auditions and getting your face in and getting to know you. Especially when you’re first starting because my movies haven’t come out yet, so it’s very difficult to kind of get the ball rolling. But then when things come out, I think it gets easier. But it’s all going to auditions, meeting people.
How long have you been acting?
Janet: About two years. I’m fairly new.
It’s happened pretty quick for you.
Janet: I’ve been really lucky. I did a TV series in the UK called Skins with Dev Patel and Nicholas Hoult. And I did these two movies and I just did another movie with Danny Dyer and Sir Phillip Davis called The Rapture. So yeah, I’ve had a good time. I did another independent in LA called Dark Side of Nowhere. So, things have started picking up, which is good.
Did you have any say in your character?
Declan: No absolutely not (laughter)!
Janet: No, there was no freedom!
Declan: I gave her line readings. I would say I want you to say it exactly like this – I’d get up there and act it out.
Janet: He’s messing with you. Declan was really good at kind of letting you bring what you wanted to. And if you had any questions that was fine, but more it was like he wanted to see what you felt and giving your freedom as an actor, which is really refreshing. And it makes the work look better at the end of the day because you’re not restricted. And I think I clicked with the character, anyway.
Declan: The character she plays is a really strong woman. Very athletic, very strong. Kind of like an Angelina Jolie type, so she immediately clicked with the character. We had some discussions on set, but basically, you know, she found the character and I was really pleased.
How does it work on a movie like this, can you improvise at all?
Declan: There was some improvisation. There wasn’t a lot because you do more of that in a comedy. We have to get the gags and stuff like that in terms of the kills and it’s very technical making a horror moving. And so I would say there probably wasn’t that much, maybe some. What do you think?
Janet: I’d say there was room for a little bit of improvisation, but a lot of the time there isn’t in horror movies just because of the nature of them. You can kind of suggest things and say oh I felt like I’d say this rather than this and then if it works it works and if it doesn’t then you’re not doing it.
Declan: Right, we would always, I always have another time – time for another take for an actor. So, if they want another take for whatever reason they want or if they want to try something their way I’ll give them the opportunity to try something their way. As long as I get the opportunity to have it my way as well. And the tale of the tape in the cutting room.
You can do it your way but then my way is just gonna be on screen.
Declan: Well you know, you never know. Not always, not always. Sometimes, you know, moviemaking is a collaborative process and more heads are better than one. So I’ve been pleasantly surprised. People have shown me things – actors. And I’ve been lucky to work with some really nice ones.
Was this a big cast?
Declan: Yeah, it was about 15 probably.
What’s your normal week like? Do you go to classes?
Janet: No.
Just too many auditions?
Janet: Yeah, at the moment there’s a lot of auditions. I moved to LA in January, so a normal week for me is auditions, prep for auditions. Reading, like I read scripts all the time. Watching a lot of movies. And hanging out with my friends and my boyfriend.
When you get a script like this, a horror script, how do you break it down? Is it like any other script you get?
Janet: It is and it isn’t. Something like that when you read it you can’t really feel it until you’re on set. When you’re reading a horror script, you can’t just sit – you need to really concentrate because they’re so exhausting doing a horror movie for an actor. Anybody who says acting is easy has never done a horror movie. You really need to plan things out in your head and kind of pace yourself. And when you’re on set you need to know how far you can go and what’s coming next and to give it more levels rather than just screaming like a maniac the whole time, you know?
What’s next for you guys?
Declan: Well, I’m in the midst of writing another horror film, and so hopefully –
You like that genre the best?
Declan: I really do like that genre. It’s a director’s genre because it’s a very visual genre. You have more control as a director. So I do like it. I like thrillers and I like action. And I like it all, but horror seems to be what’s on my agenda right now.
What about you?
Janet: I just finished a movie, and independent, called Dark Side of Nowhere. It was like a crime kind of movie. That’s going to be out I think later this year.
