Inner Demons – An Interview with Seth Grossman
Inner Demons Director Seth Grossman (R) and DP Chapin Hill (L). Photo credit Debra Sugarman.
Director Seth Grossman recently premiered his latest feature film “Inner Demons” at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival. A clever spin on the found-footage, reality and possession genres, “Inner Demons” follows sixteen-year-old Carson Morris, who is fighting addiction, while a three-person ‘Intervention’ style reality TV crew captures (on video) her frightening struggle with heroin addiction, mental illness and demonic possession. After the World Premiere of “Inner Demons,” IFQ spoke with Grossman about being a producer on A&E’s award-winning series “Intervention” and its influence on his latest project, the challenges of indie filmmaking, directing “Inner Demons,” and horror icon Linda Blair.
Independent Film Quarterly (IFQ): How did you come on board as Director of “Inner Demons?”
Seth Grossman (SG): My manager set up a meeting with Robin Schorr after he found out that she was developing a treatment called “Untitled Intervention Exorcism Film.” It seemed like an obvious fit. In my first meeting with Robin, I realized she was a truly insightful, story-driven producer, someone with whom I wanted to collaborate. (And she realized I was the ideal director for this film after 5-6 incredibly thorough meetings.)
IFQ: How did your background as Producer on “Intervention” inspire or influence the story behind “Inner Demons”?
SG: “Intervention” served as a master class in the psychology of addiction, and informed the character dynamics for the family at the core of “Inner Demons.” Although there was a basic script in place when I came onboard “Inner Demons,” I worked with screenwriter Glenn Gers to add texture and specificity to Carson’s drug habit and her family’s response.
IFQ: The ‘Intervention’ style of the film is a unique reinvention of the horror genre. Why did you decide to create a docu-horror as oppose to standard shaky-cam found-footage fare, or regular possession films?
SG: I’m interested in the tension that reality producers feel between telling a true story and telling a good story. Sometimes telling a good story requires simplifying, sanding the edges and eschewing the complexities of real life. It also requires finding reasons why — explaining causal relationships — when sometimes the why is obscure or too complicated to explain. I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of the reality crew because I feel that the act of holding a camera keeps the crew from investing emotionally in the trauma that’s unfolding before them, and the crux of the film is Jason’s struggle to stop documenting and start helping Carson.
IFQ: Israeli actress/model Lara Vosburgh came across as authentic in her portrayal of Carson, a possessed, teenage heroin addict. How did you find her and how did she land the role?
SG: Our incredible casting director Ricki Maslar found Lara, and I worked with her over the course of three auditions to make sure she was able to truly commit to all the elements of Carson Morris — good girl, addict, unstable young woman in recovery, and demon. Lara and I worked with an acting coach named Catlin Adams to develop the physical persona of her demon and find ways to transform in and out of a possessed state.
IFQ: Why did you choose to cast mostly unknown actors?
SG: Our tight budget and quick schedule meant that we had to cast all non-SAG actors. I was impressed with the wealth of undiscovered talent that exists in Los Angeles, and it was exciting to work with actors who were as devoted to their characters and performance as I was.
IFQ: Indie film shoots can be quite difficult due to smaller budgets, crew and number of shoot days. What were some of the challenges during the shoot?
SG: The tight schedule meant that we had only one chance to get certain practical SFX shots, and we had to live with the coverage we got. This just meant that we spent more time prepping to ensure that the climactic shots would go smoothly.
Lara Vosburgh as Carson in “Inner Demons.”
IFQ: What were the most challenging aspects of working as a producer on “Intervention?”
SG: The job required me to gain the trust of addicts and alcoholics and play therapist, which can be exhausting given the amount of trauma that most addicts have undergone. Fortunately, “Intervention” paid for therapy for all its field producers. It’s difficult to watch a person unraveling without interfering, but as producers, we had to remind ourselves that we were serving a larger audience than just the addict in front of the camera.
IFQ: What was the most extreme behavior you witnessed while working on “Intervention?” Anything, or anyone similar to Carson?
SG: I witnessed an addict named Christine whose meth-induced psychosis led her to believe she had insects burrowing under the skin in her face. She used needles (sterilized by her equally troubled mother) to dig them out of her face, and ended up wrecking her skin. But Carson was inspired more by a heroin addict I met in the streets of Portland, OR, named Dallas. She was a beautiful, troubled girl with a lot of violence in her family, and a boyfriend who would do anything to save her.
IFQ: “Inner Demons” just premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. What are your thoughts on the film fest scene in general, and in particular LAFF?
SG: LAFF is a great festival that truly treats filmmakers well. The Filmmaker Retreat was something to remember. I hadn’t been to a festival since 2012’s Toronto premiere of “A Late Quartet,” a film I co-wrote, and it was nice to attend a festival in my city. On a side note, “Inner Demons” premiered the night that the Kings won the Stanley Cup at the Staples Center downtown, so right before the premiere, the streets were flooded with fans celebrating the victory. It was easy to pretend that they were excited about the film.
IFQ: Finally, what was your reaction when you heard that Linda Blair liked the film?
SG: I’m happy that Linda Blair liked the film — she’s horror royalty and I respect her opinion. I got to work with her movie mother Ellen Burstyn on my first film, so this felt like it was coming full circle.