Now available On Demand and on digital services from Momentum Pictures, we have a Q&A with Neon Lights director Rouzbeh Heydari, who talks all about the process and challenges of bringing this story to life:
Can you talk about teaming up with Dana Abraham for Neon Lights and what inspired the two of you to create this film?
Teaming up with Dana was just meant to be. We met during the 1st wave of the pandemic through a mutual friend online and hit it off incredibly, it felt like we have known each other for a lifetime. We share the same passion for film and the arts and challenge one another in such a constructive and creative way. We really wanted to make a film together, and wouldn’t let a global pandemic get in our way. So we constructed a story and characters that could be brought to life in a single location(essentially a bubble), while staying true to our vision of making great films that we could be proud of. I was inspired by my love of Edgar Allan Poe and introduced Dana to his literature as well as drawing off some of my favorite films like Suspiria and The Masque of the Red Death and then we just lived and breathed this film until we got it done.
What were the biggest challenges you faced getting this movie made and how did you overcome them?
There were so many obstacles that we had to overcome while trying to bring this picture to life. Firstly we got plunged into an unprecedented time where nothing was certain(not that life is ever certain), and that posed its unique challenges. People were nervous to leave their houses let alone gather and work. Funding this film also posed challenges, no one knew what direction our world was headed in. But despite all this, our passion and determination for this project overcame all obstacles and Neon Lights was created and I could not be happier. Making a film during the 2nd wave of the pandemic is something I will never forget.
Can you talk about the location you choose to film Neon Lights in? Why was it perfect for the story that needed to be told?
After the script was written, Dana, who is a Hamilton native called me and said, I know the perfect location for this! We went to scout the location and just as we entered the gates of the property I knew it was the perfect location for the film. This location became a character in the film and we tweaked parts of the script to ensure we would not have to leave the location for the duration of filming. Not only did it become a living and breathing character in the film, it also allowed us to shoot scenes that gave scope to the film. I cannot stress enough how vital a location is to a film, and we couldn’t have done this anywhere else.
You work with a really talented cast, including Kim Coates. Can you talk about working with them on some of these incredibly intense scenes?
Working with Kim Coates was a dream come true. Simply said, he is brilliant. Kim is one of my favourite actors and when he said yes to Neon Lights it was just surreal! The reality didn’t kick in until he showed up on set, stood in-front of my camera and I called action! He gave this project all his love and energy and brought a level of experience and knowledge that elevated everyone’s performance and work. What was really special was getting to lens Kim and Brenna Coates in scenes together and watching the father daughter dynamic unfold on screen. The cast of this film was carefully selected and I felt each character was perfectly brought to life by a group of gifted actors. The amount of preparation and work that each cast member brought to the film, working tirelessly to really make the characters their own, workshopping beats and dialogue with me every day leading up to filming, and trusting me unconditionally was everything a director can hope and wish for.
Do you have a favorite behind-the-scenes moment you can share from the filming of the movie?
My favorite and least favorite moment on set was calling out; That’s a wrap on Neon Lights! That was a moment full of emotions. I looked over to Dana and his eyes were tearing up, we had done it against all odds and the shoot was successful, but bittersweet because it was over.
With Neon Lights available everywhere this July, what's next for you?
Currently I am on set directing a couple episodes of a TV show created and executive produced by Eli Roth, and in the fall Dana Abraham and I go to camera for our next film together Black Cat, a modern day adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story.
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