Trespassers

Director's Statement

When I started this project, I was seeking to create a film that I would want to watch myself. I grew up on horror, and have always been intrigued by the staples of the genre. Naturally, it would be where I would begin my early attempts at film making. By now the slasher and exploitation sub genres have faded into obscurity, giving way to a wave of new supernatural horror films. Although I get a kick out of them too, I do miss the former. I don’t believe in ghosts or malevolent creatures, so they don’t frighten me like the very real evil that happens in everyday life; home invasions, murder, sexual assault etc. So after working my way through film school, producing a myriad of mediocre short films, it was time to revisit the “so terrifying, it could be true” films, and pay homage to the one that started it all for me - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I’m not talking about the original though. Although it too has a special place in my heart, it just wasn’t my generation’s fright flick. I’m talking about the dark, stylish 2003 edition, directed by Marcus Nispel. It’s the film that began my love affair with mystery, terror, shock, gore, etc. And it’s the film that ‘Trespassers’ takes it’s visual cues from. This project was very exciting to work on, because not only does it pay homage to films that I love, it does so by exploring a real, terrifying issue in modern society; an issue which lends itself to the genre well. What sets it apart from the rest, is that we’ve strived to create tension in wide open spaces in broad daylight; using Australia’s searing landscape as our backdrop. This is something that hasn’t really been done since 2005’s ‘Wolf Creek,’ and I think the audience are going to respond to it well. We’ve assembled a great cast and crew, who have all experienced the joys and challenges that came along with production. The results have been both rewarding and humbling, and I’m proud to call each member of the team a friend. I have always fostered dreams of being a Director, and I believe that ‘Trespassers’ is a great stepping stone towards an exciting career in film.