This interview was originally published on 1428Elm.com. You can read it there by clicking here.
The latest episode of Blumhouse Productions Into the Dark, New Year New You, is currently streaming on Hulu.
New Year New You is co-written and directed by Sophia Takal (Green). Fascination with celebrity, addiction to social media, and self-help gurus manifest in the lives of old friends at a New Year’s Eve party. Sophia was kind enough to talk to us about her film.
The Interview
1428 Elm: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us at 1428 Elm!
Sophia Takal: Oh, no problem!
Sophia Meets Blumhouse
1428 Elm: Most of your films like Green and Always Shine have been smaller productions on the festival circuit. What was it like working with a bigger production company like Blumhouse?
ST: It was really different. But, in a good way. For me there was much more support. I had a bigger crew. And knowing that it would be available for people on Hulu right away. I didn’t have to take years and years of toiling away without anyone knowing the movie before it gets seen. It’s a really exciting, new experience for me.
1428 Elm: How did you get involved with Blumhouse?
ST: I think that they had seen my last movie, Always Shine. They had this particular project in mind and I went in and met with them. They sent me the script for [New Year New You]. And then we talked about the script and the direction that I would take it. They were really supportive and encouraging. They wanted me to make my version of the movie instead of some slotted-in director that would do whatever they said. For that, I think Blumhouse is a great company that let me bring my own vision to the project.
1428 Elm: That’s awesome. Let’s talk about New Year New You. From the start of the episode, I got a real 1970s horror movie vibe. But, this isn’t a slasher movie. This is more like a battle royale. Was that where you wanted to focus?
ST: Yeah. I’m really drawn to movies with a character dynamic where people are vying for status and vying for dominance. Being able to build tension through relationships is a goal of exploring the horror of everyday life and relationships. So, that was kind of the thinking and then having that build to something that’s not slasher, but violence. That was all all part of the original conception. It starts with these micro-aggressions that builds to something more extreme.
1428 Elm: And along with building that tension was the way the camera moved. When it was on Alexis or Danielle, it struggled to focus. It’s like it was having trouble figuring out who those characters were. Was that your decision or something you worked on with the Director of Photography Lyn Moncrief?
ST: It’s something that we approached together. I had never worked with Lyn before, but we had talked about what you said about the horror movies of the 70s and 80s. I loved their tone. And we worked together to interpret that and to figure out the language of the film that we wanted to make. And then piecing it together with the characters. I wanted the camera to add tension and to add to the subtext of what was going on with the characters. It was really important to me to ground the camera work in the character’s experiences. So, what you’re talking about is just that there’s so much unspoken tension especially between Danielle and Alexis. And Alexis has this whole plan. And the others don’t know about it. So she’s creeping towards that. This was a visual queue that there was a lot going on beneath the surface.
Beneath the Surface
1428 Elm: Yeah. Definitely. And another cool thing that goes with that is the number of scenes that start or end with looking in mirrors. Alexis and Danielle stare at themselves in mirrors and do the same things. It’s like you’re telling us they’re reflections of the same character.
ST: Yeah. The whole idea behind New Year New You is that Alexis kind of does become Danielle in a way. So, in that sense they are really similar. But there’s also this idea for me that social media breeds narcissism. We’re constantly putting ourselves out there to be judged, to be seen, and to be validated. We’re becoming so self-obsessed that looking into the mirror reflects that judgment and narcissism back at them.
1428 Elm: Another bit of subtext was when everyone starts singing TLC’s Unpretty. The lyrics basically explain Alexis’ plot. Was that something that was built into the script?
ST: The script said something like they start singing some pop song from their childhood. And then the producers brought me a bunch of options and TLC’s Unpretty was one of them. I was a little nervous about it. Like, is this too much on the nose? Or is this purposeful and funny? So we decided to take the plunge and go for it. It’s such a fun, recognizable song. And it does speak to the themes of the movie. And it’s kind of this idea I have about self-care and self-love culture that has all these ideas of empowerment. But ultimately, all you’re doing is reflecting what you think you need to do in order to feel valuable. And that’s not helpful. It’s damaging.
1428 Elm: It was perfect. As soon as I heard it, I started cracking up. But, in a good way.
ST: No. That’s good! It’s supposed to be funny. I hope that’s evident.
1428 Elm: There were several moments that broke the tension without slowing the momentum. That doesn’t always happen. I appreciated it.
ST: Good.
1428 Elm: With all of that tension, I was wondering if it was difficult to keep things light on set.
ST: No. It really wasn’t. For the scenes that were really acting intensive, I tried to keep everything calm and quiet so that the actors could focus. All of the stunt work and acting scared stuff is pretty technical. And everyone was really good at just turning it on and off. In general, it was a real upbeat set. And it was a quick shoot. It was only fifteen days. There wasn’t even time for a lot of tension on set because everything was happening so fast.
1428 Elm: What can we expect to see next from you?
ST: I hope to continue to make female driven movies, whether they’re traditional horror, thriller, or even romantic comedy. I just want to keep making movies about issues that women deal with. And reflect on conflicts that I perceive in our society, like obsession with social media and trophy culture in the case of this movie. I have a bunch of stuff I’m working on, but nothing that I can really talk about, yet.
1428 Elm: Well, at the end of the movie, we see Alexis’ YouTube page. One of the videos on the playlist is titled Sophia and Larry’s Sunbathing Tips. Have you decide to become a self-help guru?
ST: [Laughs] That’s just a picture we threw in at the end.
1428 Elm: I hope you do keep making movies like this that reflect on issues in a thoughtful way. I think it’s a really good example of how to do it and still be entertaining. I’ve seen it three times and I enjoy it more each time I see it.
ST: Good! Thank, you so much! That’s awesome.
Thanks to Sophia Takal for spending some time with us! I can’t wait to see what she does next. Blumhouse’s Into the Dark: New Year New You is currently streaming on Hulu.