Kate Siegel: Mike Flanagan's Muse Directs Her First Horror Film for V/H/S/Beyond [photos]

The heroine of Hush Hush and Hill House follows in the footsteps of Ti West and Adam Wingard by writing and directing a segment of this 7th opus of the horror saga.

“What I like about it V/H/Sit's its segmented, scrappy side. You're surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do, but who don't have the budget of a Marvel, which means that everyone is interested in the creative aspect, trying to solve each problem together. I felt very lucky to arrive in such a well-oiled machine for my first job as a director. In addition, V/H/S is a saga known for having always supported young directors to offer them the opportunity to realize their dreams.”

Kate Siegel preparing at the moment Stowawaya segment from the seventh film V/H/Swhich follows a young mother and physicist (Halle Halley) who discovers a UFO and decides to explore it, ignoring the danger. Entertainment Weekly unveils its first images, and the actress of The Haunting of Hill Housewho recently became a director, took the opportunity to detail her ambitions and recall all the love she has for horror cinema. While saluting her predecessors, this horror franchise having previously welcomed Ti West (future director of X), Adam Wingard (The Guest, Godzilla vs Kong), Matt Bettinelli-Olpin or Tyler Gillett (then at the helm of Scream 5 And 6). Not forgetting Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Black Phone…), who participated in his penultimate opus, V/H/S 1985returning to the “small” horror projects that allowed him to get his hands dirty before signing with Marvel for Doctor Strange.

“I always dreamed of making a film in space”

“I love the concept of space, for starters, Siegel confides. I like InterstellarI like AlienI like this idea that a ship is nothing more than an abandoned house… in space, therefore.”

When Josh Goldbloom asked him to direct a segment of V/H/Sshe hesitated at first, then immediately leaned towards a UFO story. Would her ideas fit the concept of this horror saga?

“That's what I liked best about when we met, she explains about the producer of the franchise. No matter what crazy ideas I suggested to him – I did mention a musical, and I don't know what else – he was enthusiastic, he replied: 'Cool, cool, cool. Write a pitch and come back to me with it.'“

“I had heard from a friend that Kate wanted to move into directing, Goldbloom comments. I know she's an actress first and foremost, but I also knew her experience as a screenwriter, with Mike, on Not a sound. (…) Right from the start, what she proposed to us was crazy, one of the craziest things I have read in my career. It was chaotic, and at the same time very complete. On paper, we had the impression that she had imagined a short film worth 100 million dollars.”

Mike Flanagan's unwavering influence and support

Kate explains, however, that the first time Josh asked her to work on V/H/Sshe initially refused:

“Before this experience, when people asked me if I wanted to make a film – I'm not talking about producers, but about my mother, for example – I would answer: 'Wow, that's a lot of work, and my days are great and already full. I can afford to take a nap at 2pm, play with my kids in between text lessons…' Basically I answered: 'I'm a bit of a lazy girl with a busy life. That's nice, but no thanks.'“

“I knew, because I work closely with my husband, what it would take, she continues. I know how much effort it takes. Energy. As I was talking to my manager about the project on the phone, I was telling him I felt incapable of doing it, and I heard Mike come up behind me shouting: 'Yes, you can do it! Go ahead, don't refuse it.'I told him: 'Can I call you back?'“

Mike Flanagan, who was preparing on his side Life of Chucka new adaptation of Stephen King after Doctor Sleep (with Kate as an actress, by the way), then introduced him V/H/S/Beyond as “the right first step” as a director.

“He told me: 'You will be supported, and at the same time, you will be free to be creative. It's a great project to start with.', Kate explains. Personally, I always said to myself that if I were to move into directing, I would first make a short film. Because you can't start making an entire meal if you don't know how to cook eggs, right?”

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By following his advice and finally signing for StowawayKate Siegel knew she could draw on her husband's directing experience.

“Of course I turned to Mike to ask him to help me write a film if I ever got into directing, she confesses. He gave me good advice, simply because he wanted to protect me. He loves me, he wants things to go well for me. So yes, he helped me design the structure of my story, and that was a good basis for shooting this first film. I have this privilege that others don't have: I live with Mike Flanagan.”

Transmit your own energy

Kate Siegel openly acknowledges her husband's influence on her first film:

“We've always been in collaboration, actually. We met on Mirrorsthen we got married. When we did Not a soundat the end of the making of this film, that's when we understood that we should get married. For us, the two are linked (cinema and private life, editor’s note). It's our way of talking about love. Which doesn't mean we don't argue. We don't always agree, and on this film either, obviously. But I was able to tell him that it was important that he could remain my North Star, and I his. Our collaboration needs to be frank, so we can get out of our comfort zones together.”

“I know that some people think that I only work because I am hired on my husband's projects, she adds. I'm very aware of this kind of reasoning. But you know what? The truth is that if I wasn't criticized for that, it would be something else. 'She only works because of blah blah blah.' Some people love to put you down just because you work, they want to reassure themselves when they themselves aren't doing exactly what they want. I had to let all that go. On Midnight Massit happened to me to be in my trailer between two scenes and to say to myself: 'I'm gonna screw this up because the only reason I'm on this show is my husband.' While deep down, it's okay. I think all actresses suffer from this kind of imposter syndrome. Personally, I feel especially lucky to be able to work with my friends on ambitious projects.”

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The main actress of her segment of V/H/S Beyond, Alanah Pearcehowever, defends Kate Siegel's very personal way of working, giving a specific example. Suspended in the void for several minutes to shoot a scene, she saw her director do her best to make her as comfortable as possible despite her unpleasant position.

“I've never had a director come and kneel down next to me on a dirty floor like that and start massaging me to make sure I felt a little bit better, given that the scene required such an uncomfortable position, she says. It was so sweet! Throughout the shoot, she gave me her mommy energy.”

V/H/S/Beyond does not yet have a French release date, but the film has just been unveiled to the public at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. In the United States, it will be released on VOD, via its distributor Shudder, just before Halloween.

TIFF audience rewards Mike Flanagan, Stephen King, Tom Hiddleston…