Evan Gorski

Alter Films

WITCH HUNT

Q & A

Name a Horror character you relate to on a spiritual/personal level?

The Creature from the Black Lagoon. When I’m not practicing witchcraft, I’m diving the shores of California. I am obsessed with scuba diving. Like Gill-man, I’ve seen mankind’s callousness towards our oceans first-hand. Our underwater world and its inhabitants need to be protected. We’re the villains. It’s time we side with the hero.

You’ve gotta go through some bad ideas to get to the good ones. Tell us one of your bad ideas. How do you get past the bad ones to find your spark?

Ideas are like darts. Throw enough at a dart board and one of them is bound to stick. I’m only half kidding. Find a friend that will deliver honest feedback and pitch the ideas that won’t go away. Follow your gut. Intuition is key.

Do you consider yourself part of a horror community?

I do! Similar to most disciples of the dark, I was that weird kid who grew up with a love of the macabre. Horror people are my people.

When you’re building the world of your film, where do you look for inspiration?

I found my inspiration for “Witch Hunt” in Salem, Massachusetts. There’s a real palpable energy there that flows through every crack of cobblestone and corner of graveyard. Growing up in New England, I’ve spent countless hours soaking in its history. Whenever I visit family back east, I make it a priority to take a tour, see the Satanic Temple and stock up on candles from Witch City Wicks to keep the spirit alive in LA. I also turned to my family history, reading up on my long-deceased blood relative, Sarah Davis. Sarah was accused during the witchcraft hysteria by the infamous Abigail Williams. I named a character in the film after her. It’s one of the many easter eggs sprinkled throughout.

What would you do if you woke up inside of your film?

I’d ask to join Annie and Nathaniel’s coven. We’d stir up some chaos and end the night with trick r’ treating

Who would be on your ultimate horror villain squad?

Nancy Downs from “The Craft,” Lord Summerisle from “The Wickerman,” and Sam from “Trick r' Treat.” All hold a deep respect for tradition and the old ways. Together, we’d conjure some good ol’ Pagan chaos.

Lightning round: Freddy or Jason? Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft? Practical or CGI? Post Apocalypse or Pre Apocalypse?

Freddy. Stephen King. Practical. Pre-apocalypse.

How do you go about creating the props and sets for your film? How do you create objects that are relatable but unfamiliar?

All of the credit goes to the brilliant Jamie Weiss and Sabrina Ovalles. They built the film’s most integral props from the ground up. Everything they conjured brought such an incredible authenticity to the film. I was so lucky to have them.

What scares you, and does it inspire your storytelling?

Death. It terrifies me. The idea of an eternal black void of unconsciousness gives me so much anxiety. But this fear is why I’m so drawn to horror. It’s my way to cope with the inevitable. It’s therapeutic. This theme will forever circulate through my work for as long as I’m… not dead.

And finally, Ghostface would like to know ‘What’s your favourite scary movie?’

If we’re talking theatrical, it’s a toss-up between John Carpenter’s “The Thing” and “Halloween.” They’re both iconic masterclasses in horror filmmaking that left lasting imprints on me. But I’d like to give a special shout-out to my favorite made-for-tv horror film, “The Midnight Hour (1985).” It’s a wonderfully charming, zany love letter to All Hallows’ Eve brimming with witchcraft, Thriller-esque musical numbers and undead love. If I had to be sucked inside a film and forced to endlessly relive its events beat by beat, that’d be the one.