If you love a good horror-thriller film, you might want to check out new movie ‘Dreamcatcher’, which was released in theaters, on demand and via digital on Friday. The synopsis to the film reads: ‘Dylan, known to his fans as DJ Dreamcatcher, is on the brink of global stardom. Everything changes the night of Cataclysm, an underground music festival, where two estranged sisters and their friends meet Dylan. After a drug fueled gruesome event, things begin to spiral into a 48-hour whirlwind of violence and mayhem.’  PopWrapped caught up with director Jacob Johnston and actors Travis Burns and Adrienne Wilkinson to find out more about the film and their future projects.

Jacob, where did the idea for this film come from and what makes it different from the many films that have come before it or are likely to come after? What made you want to write and tell this particular story?

‘Dreamcatcher’ was a product of opportunity. I received a call from the producers, Brandon and Krystal, who I’ve known for many years – and share a mutual adoration for 90s ensemble horror with. They said, and I’m paraphrasing – ‘hey, we want to make a movie – we’ve got the financing in place – and we’d love to work with you in bringing this to life.’ After an initial discussion, they basically established they wanted to do a love letter to the 90s, with a fresh young ensemble, and introducing – in some capacity – a music element. After all, soundtracks were SUCH an impactful part of 90s genre cinema. Those were really the only parameters I was given – and the rest was left up to me in the direction I wanted to go. 

The intricacies and mechanics of the plot were born from the development of the characters; that’s where it all started for me. After deciding to set it in the world of EDM, that opened up a lot of angles to take the ensemble from beginning to end. It was also important to me to focus on some kind of social, oftentimes satirical, commentary. Inlaid in that would be some heady subject matter, like the quest for identity, estrangement of family, and the insatiable thirst for validation in a world that thrives on scrutiny – among others.

The best part about an ensemble-based story is the ability to understand and explore varying perspectives. Sure, maybe we all saw or experienced the same event – but how does that moment truly affect me based on my previous experiences in life. Focusing on psychologically complex, layered individuals gave me the opportunity to tell a story that wasn’t simply about how gory it was, or how many jump-scares I could pack in, but rather finding ways to relate to the audience and ideally enhance their experience. We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but finding other ways to use the wheel – and those subversive elements are what make genre films so fun to make. 

Travis and Adrienne, what made you want to get involved with this film and how does it differ from any film or project you’ve worked on before? Can you recall your auditions? What drew you to the roles of your characters?

T: This film stood out straight away, because it was horror genre, there was so much blood and guts, and it was so different than anything I had done before. It was exciting to jump out of my comfort zone and dig deep into a character that had so many levels to him and have fun with it. I actually auditioned for a different role and after a few takes one of the producers came up to me and gave me sides for Dylan, and brief description of what they wanted. After I left the audition, they called later that night to offer me the role.

A: This is my first pure horror film. I worked on Raze, an action-horror film a few years ago, but this was my first chance to jump fully in to the genre of horror…and to do it with a character I was incredibly excited to explore, and with a team who had so much enthusiasm and such  a clear vision of what they wanted. The setting is sexy and cool..as is the cast…and the director/writer Jacob Johnston has such a layered, powerful vision; So it was an easy yes, and a delicious project to join. 

Can you tell me a little about the shoot for the film? How long did this film take to make from day one to wrap?

I was brought into this project based on my previous work. Casting – Jaime Gallagher – was familiar with me, and when they needed to fill the role quickly, I was so pleased that she reached out to me. I play Josephine Tully – the agent of DJ Dreamcatcher, and she had the most fierce character description I think I’ve ever heard: Coco Chanel meets Elizabeth Bathory…. so she may possibly murder you for something as innocent as blinking when she didn’t want you to, but she’s going to do it in style! It is so much fun to play someone who has given themselves endless permission to do and say whatever they want.

A: I believe it was just over 3 weeks of filming, though my role was scattered throughout that time. One of the amazing things about this project, is the idea was birthed around Thanksgiving, and they were in production in January – that sort of speed is absolutely unheard of.  Credit to the producers – Krystal & Brandon Vayda – for the light speed of pre-production.  

T: A lot of late nights shooting until 5am, as the film takes place mostly at night. From start to finish it took about 6 weeks. I remember my final scene I shot for the film was actually the last scene of the movie.

J: We started pre-production in November of 2018 – and we were shooting the second week of January in 2019. The shoot was 17 days in total. 

Any highlights or favourite memories from your time on set? 

T: One particular scene I remember being nervous to shoot, was towards the end of the film. Between scenes, Jacob came over and said to me “We have it, now it’s time to let go. Follow your gut and see where it takes you. Play with it”. Those words gave me the confidence to let go. To not think about the destination and enjoy the journey of creating the scene.

A: The locations were seductive  – the rave scene is raw and juicy and like a carnival. I can’t wait for you to see it.  And one of our main locations was a gorgeous house in the Hollywood Hills, with the most mouth-watering view.  I think the entire cast and crew had a luxury-contact-high from being up in the clouds, with that infinity pool, and that energy in the air.

J: It might sound silly, but I really loved the ability to bond with the cast and crew. In the indie world, you have to foster an environment of trust from the start – as there isn’t any time for ego. Our set ran smoothly because we were in the trenches together. We only succeed – if we succeed together. That passion stuck with us – it guided us – every person, the production assistants to the department heads; even when we were all running on fumes from weeks of overnight shooting. 

Some fond memories of the shoot involve the Cataclysm dance floor sequences. It was freezing cold – and like, 2am, but there was a camaraderie in that! We had this insane, concert lighting setup – hundreds of extras, and we’d just BLAST dance music and let everyone have a good time. We wanted to capture that experience of true reckless abandon – dancing like it’s your last night alive. It was a lot – but so incredibly fulfilling seeing it all come together. 

When you’re making a movie like this, there are so many things that happen spontaneously. It’s a chase sequence that lands JUST right in a single take. An emotional moment where the actor has a revelation in the middle of the scene – and that nuance bleeds through in a meaningful way. Those moments happened often throughout the shoot – and every time it happened – it was like lightning in a bottle. Needless to say, by wrap, we had a full case of bottles of lightning. I should start an Etsy store with them.

Is there any particular message you want those who see the film to take from it or is this film just something you hope people can enjoy and admire for the hard work and commitment that’s been put into it? 

J: Every film is a labor of love, regardless of budget or genre. Obviously, you want the audience to admire the hard work and commitment involved with bringing that particular story to life. There was a lot of love that went into this film. And for anyone watching, I really hope the film surprises them. Maybe they go in expecting a run-of-the-mill slasher extravaganza – and realize along the way – there are more layers to the film. This is a story about identity, about family, corruption of power and loss of innocence – about the price of unruly, misplaced ambition; I hope that resonates in some way. The horror genre is ripe with films that teach us something about shifts in societal thinking – or finding ways to impart messaging without becoming heavy-handed. I want the audience to laugh and maybe jump a couple times – feeling that nostalgia of 90s-era ensembles where maybe the suspension of disbelief is a little ridiculous at times, sure, but you’re strapped in and enjoying the journey regardless.

A: I hope the audience has a fantastic time.; that they find more than a few laughs, some electric scares,  that they love the eye-candy cinematography, the smart writing, the chemistry between the cast….and that they utterly enjoy the ride. 

One of my favorite parts of the film is that while on one hand it is pure escapism – so needed right now – on the other hand, each character has depth and dynamic issues of their own that they are facing outside of the broader story of this 48 hours. Jacob’s writing is clever and biting, really giving each character a voice and concrete point of view and subtly addressing broader issues of our time and culture. So, it’s a choose your own adventure. You can focus on the music, the flare, the slasher aspect…or you can deep dive into the journey of the characters and the psychology behind their choices. 

T: I just hope this is a film people can enjoy that provides a wild ride as a result of the hard work and commitment we all put into making it. There is an underlying message especially for Dylan. When I first got the role, I went straight to my acting coach to start building the character. After hours of putting together a backstory to get to where Dylan was at the beginning of the film. Dylan was all about creating and enjoying the process of making music. As he got launched into stardom it became all about business and less about creating and enjoying the art of music, so a little message is to always enjoy creating and enjoy the process of art.

The Corona Virus pandemic has badly affected the film industry, pushing back many planned theatrical releases and meaning others have gone to streaming instead. Do you think the industry can recover from the hit it’s taken over the last year and where do you see its future going in the months and years ahead?

T: The Corona Virus has been a shock to the whole world affecting everyone and many businesses and industries. Originally, the producers of Dreamcatcher were pushing for a theatrical release until the pandemic hit, but they had to adapt and continue moving forward and that has moved us to streaming. I do think the industry will recover; we will just have different rules to follow to make sure everybody is safe while filming.

J: The entertainment industry is resilient. It has existed for well over one hundred years – through a crippling depression, two World Wars, and many, many other traumatizing events leading up to the Covid pandemic. The adaptation necessary to ensure the survival of the industry won’t happen overnight. Of course not. It will be a tedious process of trial and error – and the ideology of things going back to the way they were is probably very much off the table. I know from my own experience, our release got shifted 4 times due to the pandemic. This is happening all over the world in varying degrees. It’s hard to say exactly how the required evolution will impact distribution strategies and content creation – but I confidently believe we’re on the right path. 

A: Stories are important.  As human beings, we crave stories so much, we even tell ourselves stories while we sleep…in our dreams.  We want to find meaning, understanding and connection and all of that exists in how we tell our stories.  Through music, movies, art, novels….   I think Covid-19 has forced us into fast-forward with changes we were already facing as an industry.   We will always crave entertainment, and the past few years have vastly broadened the stories we are telling by  opening up and focusing on so many of the stories that had never received the attention they deserved – those that had previously been on the fringes and can now be included and celebrated mainstream.   The film industry is not leaving, but it will be evolving and transforming and while we might have growing pains, I trust we will learn to thrive in this new chapter.  

With this film out now and available for everyone to see, what’s next for you? Have you any new projects you can tease?

J: I’ve got a few things cooking, yeah; some stuff I’m really, really quite excited about. I’m reluctant to say much in fear of jinxing – or violating an NDA! But stay tuned – there’s some news on the horizon!

A: I’m excited for the release later this year of a dramedy web series I’m part of called ‘Sidetracked.’  It’s about a group of friends each facing a day where all of their lives fall apart and how they struggle together to get their lives back on track. It also stars Tracie Thoms, E. D. Brown, Jim Holdridge and a whole host of insanely talented actors who give the most brave, vulnerable, hilarious performances.  You can follow and find out more via my website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

T: I can’t wait for everyone to see it; it’s felt like a long time coming. As the pandemic is still affecting the industry, during lockdown I have been working hard on my own company. I will be launching a golf brand called KJØRE GOL, which will focus on apparel and accessories.

Check out the trailer for ‘Dreamcatcher’ below and you can keep up to date with Jacob and Travis by following them on Twitter.