Sam Gostnell & Max Sznewajs
I think the thing that this film is trying to tackle is how the systems of social norms and traditions can create violence and harm, but we’re not trying to vilify anyone. The characters in this film are as much victims of their circumstances as they are the perpetrators of violence. We want to explore how the confluence of masculinity and violence can have generational effects, and when you throw in gun culture in the US it becomes even more visceral.
The greatest breakthrough happened on our 2nd and final day of production. Up until that point it had been controlled chaos on set because we had such a short shooting schedule. However, I remember that morning ran like a symphony orchestra. We were out in the woods of Malibu Creek State Park, and everything went off without a hitch. It gave me a few short minutes to pause and realize how incredible the filmmaking process is when everyone is in sync and working towards the goal of telling the best story possible.