Casper Kelly, the author and director of Grownup Swim Xmas Log 2, opens up on his shock sequel, style mash-ups, the thrill of sensible results, and what he’d prefer to discover in an element three.
Grownup Swim Xmas Log was some of the artistic horror surprises to return out of 2022. Casper Kelly’s vacation bait-and-switch begins as an innocuous Xmas Log video loop that’s meant so as to add ambiance to 1’s residence, solely to regularly rework right into a heightened absurdist movie a few sentient Homicide Log. Two years later, Grownup Swim has concocted a macabre sequel to this experimental gem. Grownup Swim Xmas Log 2: Branchin’ Out is one way or the other even wilder than its predecessor. Xmas Log 2 mashes collectively an aggressive horror movie with a cheerful Christmas Hallmark film, the likes of which culminates in one other Grownup Swim traditional that’s assured to be one of many community’s most talked about productions in 2024.
To have a good time Grownup Swim Xmas Log 2’s launch, Casper Kelly will get candid on the comforting joys of Hallmark vacation motion pictures, the struggles of bringing this formidable sequel to life, the delights of subverting construction and expectations, and his future horror style aspirations.
Bloody Disgusting: Initially, how did the concept for a sequel come about within the first place? Did you pitch the concept to Grownup Swim or did they suggest it to you?
Casper Kelly: I feel I knew that they had been proud of the outcome. So I knew they might be probably open to a sequel. I had a couple of concepts that I used to be desirous about and, for some motive, I used to be very enthusiastic about Hallmark motion pictures. I used to be in a film membership and we watched one referred to as Vacation in Handcuffs.
BD: Sure, after all! With Mario Lopez…
Kelly: Sure! Okay. What stunned me was that I used to be form of trying down on the film, however I additionally did get emotionally concerned with it. Then we watched a couple of extra. I watched Falling for Christmas – the Lindsay Lohan Netflix film – which isn’t technically a Hallmark film, after which A California Christmas. I simply thought it was one thing form of attention-grabbing to research as a result of I had cognitive dissonance the place I form of didn’t admire these motion pictures, however I obtained emotionally concerned in them and loved them. They made me really feel good.
BD: That’s attention-grabbing, as a result of I used to be actually attempting to look and see if there’s been a horror Hallmark hybrid earlier than and I couldn’t actually discover any. And even when Hallmark is attempting to form of do one thing darker, it’s by no means a full-on horror film. However I feel that’s level. Vacation In Handcuffs, if you form of strip all the things away from it, you’re like, “This can be a fairly tousled story,” if you happen to really simply have a look at what’s occurring.
Kelly: Sure. They attempt to play it as gentle as potential, however it’s a kidnapping. That man is afraid for his life and if he’s going to get shot.
BD: Had been you all the time form of pondering of this “horror meets Hallmark” angle, or had been there other forms of concepts that you just had been contemplating?
Kelly: Yeah, completely. I’m itching, if I get to do a 3rd one, to go very darkish and really bizarre. Simply deliver it residence within the darkest, weirdest means potential. I additionally seen that some trilogies – not all, however some – like the unique Star Wars or Again to the Future, make the center one their darkest entry. So I assumed to perhaps go lighter on the center one – go towards the norm – however then go actually darkish for the final one.
BD: It virtually gave me form of a Human Centipede 2 or Blair Witch 2 vibe, within the sense that the primary film is a textual content on this movie. I all the time love when a sequel can take that meta method.
Kelly: A part of the unique plan, which we ended up not doing, was to promote it as a re-airing of the primary one. However then it turns into the second as a shock. For some motive, when it comes to scheduling and different points, that didn’t occur. That was the unique concept although.
BD: I actually like that as a result of, yeah, inevitably you possibly can’t simply do what you probably did within the first film. The shock of the primary one is that you just assume you’re getting a Xmas Log factor, however that doesn’t work a second time. You could subvert it. I feel that’s a intelligent approach to do it although the place you assume it’s only a repeat, however then you definitely be taught that there’s extra to it.
Kelly: That was the plan after which, if I get to do a 3rd one, I’ve a plan for that one, too.
BD: I feel one of many film’s most satisfying components is the way you play with the style staples of a Hallmark film, whether or not it’s the lighting, music, or dialogue. That dinner scene that’s cut up in half with the completely different lighting is so good. Are you able to discuss somewhat on fleshing out these components and bringing all that collectively?
Kelly: Thanks a lot for pointing that out. I discovered that very satisfying. It’s nice as a result of it says one thing about individuals’s state of minds. Even if you’re amongst your folks and any individual’s depressed and in hell. You might have a bunch of individuals round a desk and one form of particular person may be depressed, however one other particular person is in temper. It form of visually represents that. So I’m very glad you pointed that out. That was form of an early concept. I considered Halloween and the second Halloween, which picks up proper after the primary one. For my ultimate lady, I knew that she was going to carry onto that ax and, no matter is going on, she’s not going to let her guard down once more.
Secondly, I simply favored the concept of her getting out of city. If she simply will get away then perhaps this log can’t journey 1,000 miles. That’s what I might do in that state of affairs. However on this she’s not simply getting away geographically. However she’s escaping to an entire different style. Then I used to be drawn to the concept of coloration assortment, altering the music, and so forth. Hallmark film coloration may be very even and there’s not a number of highlights or shadows. It’s heat and comfortable. Horror – a number of trendy horror – has that form of blue tint. It’s somewhat extra crushed. There’s larger distinction. Then my DP, Alex Allgood, additionally had the concept of the letterboxed shift. That was actually enjoyable to play with.
BD: I really like that you just use the identical musical theme, however then it simply will get lots creepier when the horror stuff is available in.
Kelly: Thanks! You’re my favourite. Thanks for noticing that. Yeah, I didn’t have a composer for the primary one. For the sequel, I employed a composer, Jonathan Snipes, particularly to attempt to try this. He does a number of Rodney Ascher’s motion pictures. Rodney is a good friend of mine. One enjoyable, however hellish factor about making these motion pictures is that they normally need us to make it and air it inside that yr. That is one other film that I wrote, made, and edited within the span of 9 months. It’s very back-breaking, but it surely’s enjoyable to do one thing that quick. So many film tasks simply fall by means of in growth. Right here, the cash’s obtained to get spent. You’re locked in. You’re going to have, on the finish of the yr, a film.
BD: How was the finances and filming schedule compared to the primary film? I do know that the primary Xmas Log took 15 days to shoot. Was this considerably extra intense than that? Numerous the time, sequels will get the next finances to mess around with. Was that the case right here?
Kelly: It wasn’t considerably greater, to be trustworthy. Actually, due to two years of inflation, the finances was actually about the identical. The manufacturing crew and media crew had been excellent at placing the cash on the display screen. For instance, a bunch of the places – the police headquarters, the hospital room, the Coral Conservancy places of work, and one different location – had been all shot at Grownup Swim as a result of that’s a free constructing. Issues like that had been simply very sensible decisions. However I gained’t misinform you. It was exhausting and I in all probability can’t do this once more. Normally I simply go for it and assume that I’ll determine learn how to do it with the cash.
Now, going ahead, I’ve actually obtained to consider the finances and what may be accomplished comfortably with this stage of cash. I can’t simply preserve cashing in favors. This sequel has a a lot larger scope. There are lots of extra places, many extra actors. You gotta have a bunch of hunks, ? They had been like, “Can we minimize down the hunks?” I’m like, “No! We’ve obtained to have a number of hunks.” The hunks had been enjoyable to solid as a result of I don’t have the most effective radar of who’s a hunk and who’s not. So I concerned my spouse and my two teenage daughters. It was enjoyable to try this with them and find out about what they like.
BD: To that time, I really like when a horror sequel is ready to observe a number of the similar characters and grow to be a narrative about survivor’s guilt and PTSD. Why was that one thing that you just needed to discover right here moderately than a sequel with completely new characters?
Kelly: Yeah, I did take into consideration doing a sequel the place it’s the Xmas Log in a brand new hearth and we begin off the identical, but it surely’s a brand new group of individuals. Nonetheless, I assumed that the avenue that we took provided extra alternatives for doing new issues and asking new questions that hopefully will get answered within the subsequent one.
BD: Was it a rewarding expertise to get to broaden upon the story and lore of the primary film and push all that even additional? Was it difficult to construct upon these concepts?
Kelly: Sure, however in a means, I didn’t actually broaden the lore. I did give it some thought. I imply, I did broaden the lore to a level, however I didn’t have Zoe like investigating what that is and attempting to know it. I did give it some thought, but it surely didn’t look like Zoe could be prepared to try this if this sequel is choosing up proper after the primary one. She must get away. In order that was my method, however I am enthusiastic about exploring the lore additional. Alternatively, I assume some motion pictures as we speak generally over-explain the lore. I favor a world that feels lived in the place some issues are implied otherwise you don’t actually have all of the solutions. I have a tendency to love that higher. Take any superhero and I don’t essentially have to understand how his dad and mom met in a flashback, or no matter.
BD: The sensible results gore set-piece that kicks off the ultimate act is so fantastic. Are you able to discuss placing that transformation sequence collectively and pulling it off? Was it only a dream come true to deliver one thing like that to life?
Kelly: Sure, I’m good mates with this sensible results artist, Shane Morton, who runs Silver Scream FX Labs. He labored with me on Too Many Cooks, Your Fairly Face is Going to Hell, and the Cheddar Goblin in Mandy. I used to be pondering of how to up the ante and he actually delivered. I imply, I couldn’t imagine the results that he and his crew put collectively. You’re speaking about that “can opener impact.” It was simply wild that he might do this. He has a studio right here in Atlanta and going there may be simply very enjoyable to me. It’s the kind of place the place it’s like, “Hey, do you want some eyeballs? I’ve obtained an entire field of eyeballs over right here. What number of do you want?” You need some blood to go along with the eyeballs? I’ve obtained some on that shelf over there.” It’s only a excellent spot.
BD: Had been there any particular creature inspirations for the ultimate Homicide Log monster? I obtained a number of Pumpkinhead vibes there…
Kelly: I really haven’t seen Pumpkinhead! I’ve bizarre, annoying gaps in my film information, however I’ll look it up! So no, Pumpkinhead wasn’t intentional. I feel I simply favored taking part in with that Alien sensibility and the way these horror components can infect a Hallmark movie. It was all about determining a approach to have or not it’s somewhat completely different than what we did earlier than.
BD: There’s a shocking second when Holly from the primary movie exhibits up, together with Santa Claus, the place they assist rework the Homicide Log into a special sort of menace. Was there extra that you just needed to do with them? How did they enter the equation?
Kelly: Yeah, I simply felt like I ought to do one thing with Holly. It simply appeared proper. After which, weirdly, Santa Claus is a trope in these Hallmark motion pictures. He’ll seem and form of do one thing magical to get individuals to fulfill. This element actually confused individuals who don’t know Hallmark motion pictures. Like, “Why is Santa on this?” In my thoughts, he and Holly had been form of utilizing Zoe as bait to lure this factor, as soon as and for all. However they weren’t fairly as thorough as they wanted to be.
BD: You now have two options beneath your belt. Are you curious about making extra horror motion pictures and pitching one thing to a spot like Blumhouse, A24, or Neon that might find yourself in theaters, moderately than these extra experimental tasks? What do you see forward sooner or later?
Kelly: Sure, positively! Music out of your lips to God’s ears. Proper now I’ve a film with a script with BoulderLight Footage, who did Barbarian. So we’re working to get financiers for that. I’ve obtained the fever although. I really like making motion pictures and I wish to make a bunch of them. I’ve obtained a couple of motion pictures occurring, however simply in between that, I wish to do a Kickstarter to do a really low finances, micro-budget experimental movie. Type of like Skinamarink, Eraserhead, or one thing like that. One thing that’s very Let’s All Go to the World’s Truthful. Grownup Swim offers me tons of freedom, however on the finish of the day, you continue to need to have the ability to ship one thing to a sure sort of viewers. If it was a Kickstarter factor, I might actually – – attempt one thing actually experimental. That’s on my record of one thing that I wish to try to put collectively.
BD: On that be aware – and also you form of hinted at this – however have you considered what you’d do in a 3rd Xmas Log film? Wouldn’t it be one other massive stylistic change?
Kelly: Sure, however I would like individuals to be stunned. I do know the leisure enterprise is struggling proper now. Attending to make any film is a present. Who is aware of if I’ll even get to make a 3rd one. However sure, I’ve a bunch of actually darkish concepts that I’d like to get to do.
‘Grownup Swim Xmas Log 2: Branchin’ Out’ is now obtainable to stream on Grownup Swim and Max.
