Slasher movies are always fun to watch with a crowd and Ladybug which is showing today is one of the best of FrightFest 2024. We chatted to director Tim Cruz.
NYX: Are you a big fan of horror movies?
TC: I absolutely love horror films. They provide such a thrilling experience, especially when watched in a dark room with friends and strangers. One of the first movies I remember watching as a kid was a Filipino horror film series called Shake Rattle and Roll (they eventually made 16 of them). My mom loves horror and action films, so I often watched them with her, clinging to her as she laughed through the scares. The Shining is a film that still gets my heart racing, but one of the scariest movies I still struggle with is Return to Oz. I have to mentally brace myself when I watch it, and I always need something comforting in the room with me. The ability of horror films to evoke such intense emotions and bring people together in shared fear and excitement is something I find incredibly addicting.
NYX: You co-wrote the movie with Anthony Del Negro who plays Grayson, did it take long to get the script right?
TC: The premise for Ladybug originated with Anthony, who owned the cabin and had an interest in creating a supernatural revenge story set there. He invited me to co-write the script and and be the film’s director. Anthony had already established the story's foundation, and together, we developed the themes and crafted the rules of the film's mythology. This is actually my third project with Anthony but def the first time I got to have him in front of my lens. It was a blast but sometimes when I needed to consult with him on story, I had to preface the conversation with “I want to talk to writer Anthony now…” haha Our goal was to explore specific emotions and psychological depths. We wrote together for about four weeks. We were rewriting through prep, our scout and our initial days of principle photography. Film is alive in the sense that it took a life of its on. Certain elements naturally landed while others required rethinking and adjustment.
Some of these changes were influenced by the circumstances and limitations of our small production, but I believe the core ideas we wanted to explore are intact.
NYX: Was it a tough shoot as it seems to have been shot all on location?
TC: Shooting Ladybug definitely had its challenges. The location was a 40-minute drive from town, and while we managed to stick to our 12-hour days, it required us to stay focused and ready when it was time to work. The weather was particularly punishing, with intense heat radiating from the cabin roof. Fortunately, Anthony had installed an air conditioning system that we could run between takes. There were moments when I had to stand right next to it to avoid feeling dizzy from the heat.
Despite being a single location shoot, we faced numerous challenges with the practical effects and the time required to set up and reset. Greg, Paige, and Julia were instrumental in keeping us on track and managing these hurdles. Our incredible AD, Aaron, along with Adelle and Shanna, kept us on schedule, averaging about 35 setups a day. I’m also immensely grateful for Kenzo, our DP, and our camera department and G&E team, who, despite the limitations, made it all happen. Their dedication and hard work were crucial in overcoming the obstacles we faced and bringing Ladybug to life.
NYX: What’s it like directing a legend like Charlene Tilton?
TC: Working with Charlene Tilton is truly a remarkable experience. Despite her legendary status, she brings a playful energy to the set that is an absolute joy to witness. She meticulously examines each moment and adds rich, authentic layers to her character. This is actually my second movie with Charlene, and it’s both a treat and an honor to watch her in action. Every take she delivers builds on new ideas, inspiring not only me but also the entire cast. Charlene is such a treasure, and her dedication and creativity elevate the entire production.
NYX: You’ve also horror legend Nancy Stephens, how did she get involved?
TC: Nancy is such a so cool. I believe Anthony had been finding a way to work with her and it just so happen that she was available when he reached out. She add’s that special horror celebrity to our humble lil project.
NYX: The paranormal relationship between Grayson and Sawyer is very believable, did they have much time to rehearse?
TC: I think Anthony and Zach are immensely talented artists. They already have a friendship, which helped naturalize their scenes together. We tried to maximize rehearsal time, but a lot of our work ended up being one-on-one due to the constraints of a small production. These types of films come with their own set of challenges, especially with limited time and resources. While we did our best to rehearse, there were moments when we had to rehearse and block for camera simultaneously. Some scenes required more finessing as Anthony and Zach made choices in the moment, which sometimes pushed us into parts of the set that we hadn’t fully lit due to our limited gear. This was frustrating for our hardworking crew, but they were incredibly adaptable and adjusted to these changes.
Despite these challenges, it was important to give our artists the space and time to discover nuances in their characters and scenes. This approach allowed us to capture some genuine moments, making their performances and the paranormal relationship between Grayson and Sawyer feel authentic and special.
NYX: There are some superb effects in the movie, were they all practical ones?
TC: Yes, most of the on-screen effects were practical, thanks to the demented genius of Greg McDougall. He’s an engineer of horror and death, creating molds that we could crush, smash, and use to simulate head wounds. My favorite part is how he can ghoulify a last-minute adjustment. I’m also incredibly grateful to our PAs who let Greg put them in makeup and position them in the corner of a frame for some unaddressed creepiness.
We did incorporate some layered effects in post-production, thanks to our amazing editor, Sarah Sheikh Bridge. She’s absolutely brilliant at editing story, crafting atmosphere, and handling VFX. Her work really elevated the film, blending practical and digital effects seamlessly.
NYX: Which scene was the hardest to get right?
TC: The exterior action chases were definitely the toughest to get right. Although it might not be apparent on screen, the cabin wasn’t actually remote. We were situated next to a fairly busy country road, which limited our shooting angles. We had to cheat a lot of shots to avoid capturing street lamps, power lines, and other modern elements. You might still spot a few of these in the final cut, although we managed to paint out some in post-production.
The lack of ample rehearsal time made it challenging to nail both the motion and the emotion of these scenes. Coordinating action sequences without thorough preparation is always tricky. Additionally, shooting exterior scenes at night presented its own set of difficulties. We had to contend with the humid heat and persistent mosquitoes, which added to the overall complexity. These factors combined made those scenes particularly challenging to execute.
NYX: It looks amazing, did you have much budget to play with?
TC: Thank you! No, we didn’t have much of a budget to play with. However, when resources are limited, you have to be resourceful. The look of the film is largely thanks to our talented team. Our DP, Kenzo Le, and PD, Elizabeth Rallis, along with our Art Director, Cecilia Peruti, brought incredible vision to the project. Our set decorator Kara Royster, Art Assistants Jill Buhain and Blake Mattingly, along with our amazing art consultants, Miguel Salcedo and Nick Galarza, who served as our prop master and painter, poured so much love and work into Ladybug. Their dedication and creativity are what truly brought the film to life.The artwork is superb, who created those?
The artwork was created by Nick Galarza who is just a multi hyphenate artist. He painted many of the portraits and their progressions and the live sketches, Miguel Salcedo also painted and sketched many of the pieces you see decorating our sets. It was truly astonishing what they were able to accomplish with our limited amount of time.
NYX: Do you believe in the paranormal?
TC: Yes. While I believe the universe is fundamentally entropic, I also think we are made of energy, and sometimes that energy lingers. I was raised Christian, and while I’m working on undoing some of the harms that belief system caused in my life, it fundamentally relied on the paranormal. Concepts like spirits, angels, and demons are central to many religious narratives. For instance, there’s a story in the Hebrew Bible where Saul consults the Witch of Endor to summon the spirit of Samuel for advice. The spirit predicts Saul’s death, which indeed comes to pass in a rather grim manner. These stories reflect deep-seated beliefs in the existence of supernatural forces and entities, and they resonate with my own experiences and curiosities about the unseen aspects of our world
NYX: Will you be nervous when the movie has its world premiere at FrightFest?
TC: Hell yes, I’ll be nervous! FrightFest is the largest genre film festival in Europe, and it’s also my first feature film festival premiere. While Ladybug is my fifth feature film, all my previous films were made for a studio or already had distribution prior to production.
My friend Simon Barrett, whose film Azrael is also at the festival this year, was thrilled when I told him we got in. He mentioned that FrightFest was a crucial festival for their film The Guest, and I’m excited to experience this incredible celebration of horror cinema in person. I’m really looking forward to it. Plus, I’ve already made a list of places to get a proper English breakfast!
NYX: You’re a writer, producer, director, do you have a favourite job?
TC: Director, without a doubt. While I produce to help make things happen and write to adjust the story to my vision, I find the most creative satisfaction and excitement in directing. As a director, I get to collaborate with so many talented individuals and bring various ideas to life, while also tackling the countless challenges that arise during production. The collaborative process and the opportunity to work closely with my friends make it truly fulfilling. I’m genuinely grateful to do what I love.
NYX: So, what are you working on at the moment?
TC: Currently, I’m wrapping up post-production on my next feature with Anthony, titled Don’t Let the Cat Out. It’s a dark horror comedy about a couple who kidnaps people and possesses them with the souls of their dying cats—think Get Out with cats. It’s going to be wild! I’m also writing a feature for Tubi and Fox, which I can’t discuss in too much detail yet, but it falls within the horror/slasher comedy genre as well.
Additionally, I’m in the process of raising funds for another feature written by my friend RJ, called Rager. It’s like Can’t Hardly Wait meets American Psycho, about a high school student throwing the ultimate house party and killing anyone who stands in his way.
NYX: Tim Cruz, thank you very much.
