A Quiet Place: Day One Director Michael Sarnoski Talks Jumping Into the Horror Franchise

As a filmmaker who’s had my fair share of indie projects and now ventured into the big leagues with “A Quiet Place,” I must say that the experience was quite fascinating. It was like stepping into a new world, yet it felt surprisingly familiar – much like when you watch a movie based on a beloved book, only to find that the characters are different than how you’ve imagined them in your head.

As a gamer, I’ve been thrilled by the spine-chilling experiences in “A Quiet Place” and its sequel, where emotional depth was never compromised for scares. Now, it’s exciting to know that filmmaker Michael Sarnoski has taken on the task of creating a prequel, focusing on fresh characters during the initial day of an alien invasion, as depicted in “A Quiet Place: Day One.” He’s got the daunting challenge of maintaining the legacy set by John Krasinski’s previous films, while also injecting his unique style to demonstrate why he’s such a perfect fit for this franchise. You can catch “A Quiet Place: Day One” on Digital platforms right now and it hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD shelves on October 8th.

As a devoted fan, I can’t wait to immerse myself in the chilling sequel to “A Quiet Place” entitled, “The Day the World Fell Silent”. In this heart-pounding tale, I find myself stepping into the shoes of Samira, played by the incredible Lupita Nyong’o.

I had a chat with Sarnoski about creating the movie, selecting the purr-fect cat actors, and other interesting topics.

Screenwriter Interview: When I joined this movie series, it was only the third installment. Naturally, there were certain boundaries or guidelines for the story’s progression and aspects to be explored. I was wondering how these boundaries influenced your script-writing process. Was it already decided from the start what you could and couldn’t do, or did you come up with ideas first and then adjust them later because of these limitations?

Michael Sarnoski: Primarily, we didn’t have a comprehensive guide or manual for creature lore. Instead, my understanding of these creatures mainly came from analyzing the initial two films, and when I had queries, I would consult John, who would share insights like “Ah, here’s what we intended” or “That wasn’t addressed yet, so feel free to interpret as you wish.” This approach provided a good deal of creative liberty.

Instead of delving deeply into the creature-lore aspect, I preferred maintaining an air of enigma, creating a sense of danger like “Here are these beings that if disturbed, prove fatal.” The allure lies in its mystery, something raw and primal. I didn’t aim to dissect every detail of their existence, reproduction or otherwise, but rather hint at some lore while preserving an element of intrigue.

Primarily, my interactions were predominantly discussions with John and Paramount. The intriguing aspect is observing how people recall the earlier movies and how they truly unfolded. Often, memories distort the portrayal of creatures in various ways compared to viewing the actual films. For instance, one might remember a creature as more menacing than it actually appeared on screen. Striking that balance between satisfying audience expectations and staying true to the reality is challenging. Yet, it’s also exciting to find that middle ground – “Here’s how we depict creatures in Quiet Place.” Navigating the gap between memory and reality can be tricky. However, it’s also enjoyable figuring out, “Let’s not give them exactly what they expect, but still make it feel right for them.” Essentially, it was a constant dialogue.

As a writer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve learned to balance creativity and logic in my storytelling. When it comes to the scene featuring the melon, egg, sustenance pool of ooze, I can tell you that it was a mix of both elements for me. On one hand, I was inspired by the animal kingdom to create something plausible within the context of the alien world I was building. However, on the other hand, I also wanted to inject a sense of mystery and intrigue into the story, leaving room for viewers’ imaginations to run wild as they pondered the scene’s significance. In the end, I believe this approach resulted in a unique and memorable scene that resonated with audiences.

Absolutely, my concept for that stemmed from observing the first two movies. I noticed that the creatures don’t typically leave behind dead bodies. The only corpses you see are in exceptional circumstances, such as a train crash, implying they may have perished there. This led me to believe that the creatures were taking people with them, and I wanted to avoid the cliché notion of them eating their victims. Instead, I liked the idea that they used human bodies as a natural resource for growing their food, serving as an organic material for their food source. In the making-of feature on the DVD, you’ll find more elaboration on this concept.

The concept was centered around leafcutter ants, insects known for collecting plant matter from leaves and cultivating fungus within it. The fungi utilize the organic material to produce sugars that the ants consume. It’s interesting to note that despite their intimidating appearance with sharp teeth, they don’t prey on humans; instead, we serve as a source of fertilizer for them. This aspect of them being agricultural creatures rather than predators appeals to me, as it recalls the Abbotts from the early movies and also challenges the assumption that large claws and teeth always signify a predatory creature. In fact, their big claws are actually used to crack open their peculiar, small fruits or “melon things.” Overall, I found this perspective on them intriguing because it presents them in a more benign light.

In addition to the film, I found the feline actors Schnitzel and Nico to be truly captivating. Did you have various cats to choose from during production? Perhaps one cat lacked the skills required or had a distinct appearance that wasn’t fitting? What made Schnitzel and Nico stand out as the perfect pair for this movie, convincing you that they were the ideal trainer and cat for the role?

In my gaming world, the first step is encountering a horde of feline companions, each with their unique charm. As I traverse the digital office, I greet them, sensing their distinct personalities. Amongst the cute and cuddly, Schnitzel caught my eye. He’s the one who seems straight out of the New York streets, a bit rough around the edges yet incredibly endearing. While most of his feline counterparts are picture-perfect for cat food ads with their big, captivating eyes, Schnitzel stands out as the streetwise tomcat I’d expect to find in the concrete jungle. He might not be groomed to perfection, but he’s undeniably adorable.

After that, Nico, it turns out that Schnitzel was a b&w feline friend, while Nico was the white one. To make them look alike, we colored Nico to resemble Schnitzel. So, Schnitzel became our beloved hero cat, and Nico took on his likeness. We aimed for minimal cast members in our production, so you’d feel like these cats were familiar each time they appeared on screen. Schnitzel had certain skills, while Nico excelled in others. At times, one might get tired or need a break, but we adapted to their abilities and managed accordingly. Initially, I acquired Schnitzel as an experienced New York alley cat.

Given the success of this film, both with audiences and critics, and your background in independent films, have you crossed off the list, “I must do a big IP, franchise movie,” and are now focusing on original works? Or does this experience spark your interest and potentially lead to considering a return to the world of A Quiet Place, perhaps not a direct sequel but another spin-off within that universe?

I think both. Doing a big studio movie was never really a goal for me. I think one of the deciding factors in doing this was that I needed to make sure that it wasn’t because I was afraid to do it. So this proved to me that, “Oh, I can handle this and I enjoy this in a lot of ways, but it’s not the only space I want to live in in filmmaking.” I love doing smaller movies. I really loved doing a big movie. I just want to do a movie that’s the right size for the kind of movie that it is, and small ideas and big ideas appeal to me.

As a seasoned filmmaker with years of experience under my belt, I’ve learned that there’s a certain thrill and challenge in tackling both small-scale and large-scale projects. While a big studio movie might be appealing, it’s not something I’m eager to jump into right away. Instead, I prefer to keep things balanced by dipping my toes in both pools of creativity.

You can currently purchase or rent “A Quiet Place: Day One” digitally, and it will be released for 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 8th.

I have carefully reviewed this conversation and made necessary adjustments to ensure it is concise and easy to comprehend. You can get in touch with Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter, a platform where he actively shares his insights and experiences, having built an impressive career in the field of… [insert relevant information about Patrick’s career].

2024-08-01 00:40

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