A violent robbery is just the beginning of the bloodshed in HIDEOUT, which shot over the summer; read on for exclusive words from the filmmakers and a first look at the poster.
HIDEOUT was written and directed by Kris Roselli, who also produced with Tierney Boorboor and Mark Mattson; Katie Lyons, Chris Wolfe, Bryan Enright, Audrey Kovár and Janice LaFlam star. The synopsis: “Evading the police after fumbling a heist, four robbers escape to a remote house lived in by a seemingly normal family. Strange things happen and as the fabric of their situation unravels, they discover the family is not who they appear to be.”
“HIDEOUT is very much about the mystery and speculation of what’s going to happen next after the initial setup,” Roselli tells RUE MORGUE. “The people in the house that the robbers take refuge in aren’t who they appear to be, and we start seeing hints of evil. All the characters are hiding something–from themselves, one another and ultimately the audience. Without giving too much away, this movie pulls a few twists on the traditional home-invasion horror film.”
Roselli and co. shot HIDEOUT in Millville, New Jersey this past August and September, and were able to do so while maintaining pandemic safety procedures overseen by executive producer Mark A. Baum. “It is possible to shoot an indie film during COVID, even without the resources of a bigger production,” Boorboor says. “If you can effectively create a safety bubble for cast and crew and streamline the production, you can stay safe and be nimble. There are so many factors involved in pulling a film together, and COVID safety is another layer of planning, but one well worth the peace of mind. Kris and I were humbled by the sheer determination of the cast and crew to make this film happen. Everyone participated in quarantining and testing ahead, and were willing to drive instead of fly from even as far as Florida and Georgia. Once on set, we quarantined together for the shoot. We lived like family, and bonded in a way that doesn’t usually happen on larger sets.”
“I’ve been working toward getting this project into production since long before COVID even existed,” Roselli notes. “Luckily, the script worked perfectly within the current situation with the pandemic, so it did not need to be changed significantly. It was a true test of perseverance and strength for me, and I’ve always known that I had that in my heart when it comes to filmmaking. In some ways, the making of the movie was just as crazy as the movie itself: people from all over the country coming together to make the impossible happen, shooting a feature in 11 days during a raging pandemic. With strict COVID testing sessions and the entire cast and crew isolating together, I’m proud to say no one got sick. I joke now that not even a deadly global catastrophe could stand in the way of making this film happen.”
Boorboor has particular praise for makeup effects creator Rich Hill and art director Erich Ficke: “With the backdrop of a perfect house to shoot in, the visuals are an important and prominent aspect of this movie. Erich and Rich are both examples of very talented and creative people who went above and beyond to make every detail interesting and enticing for the audience and advancing the story.”
The result, Roselli promises, will be a film that gives viewers the same thrills he got from the genre fare he grew up with. “This is a movie you’ll want to watch late at night with your friends and some popcorn and maybe, hopefully, in a packed theater when the world opens back up again. I want to create that opportunity of a good time for other people. It has plenty of twists and turns that audiences will have a hard time keeping secret once they see it for the first time. I want HIDEOUT to be a movie that will make viewers forget about real life for an hour and a half, and that they’ll hopefully remember long after the credits roll.”
