We all have had dreams at one point in our life of stardom, be it on the stage, on the screen or behind the camera everyone has at least once thought about what it would be like to be famous for whatever it may be.
Those may be short-lived for some, but for others, they are not merely dreams, but aspirations, the driving force behind their creativity. One of those people is Jessica Herrett, a student studying her Bachelor of Film at The SAE Institute Sydney.
“I’ve completed two trimesters so far, and am just absolutely loving it… It’s always hands-on and very collaborative,” Jessica said, “it’s a great experience for skills that, not only translate to the industry but release the stress of working alone.”
Ever since I’ve known Jess, she has been drawn to the horror genre. From her style to her favourite films, it all walks straight out of a Tim Burton film (in the best way) and her aspirations are no different.
“I tend to gravitate towards horror… monster horror specifically. I have a fascination for creature design and monster design.” Finding inspiration from the likes of Trevor Henderson’s Siren Head and Jim Henson’s work on The Dark Crystal, Jessica’s inspirations draw from the world of the visceral and, often, incomprehensible.
“Part of it is the experience of going into something where you don’t really know what’s going to happen, (rather than the fear itself). It’s a fascinating process, the psychology of what scares people… whether it’s jumpscares or things that, themselves are fucking scary.”
Jess credits Ari Aster’s Hereditary as an unforgettable film in this respect: “I will never get over it… it’s just one scene… all those shots of the cult members standing in the background, always there… it was genuinely terrifying.”
“With certain movies (like Jordan Peele’s), he uses the horror genre in a way I’ve never seen before… again they use things that are genuinely terrifying and combine these political themes with horror in a combination that is both scary and telling… It’s so perfectly executed, it’s not in your face, but it’s very much there.”
There’s still a world of unexplored possibilities in a genre that, at first glance, may appear to be getting stale. “There’s so much possibility in film… it’s a shame that not everyone grabs it as much as they should. There’s heaps of big-budget films that are pushing the mould, but smaller directors and indie production companies are where a lot of risks are being taken.”
It’s the world of student films and people uploading their shorts to YouTube, where the excitement is, and young filmmakers will continue to push the limits as much as they can.
For Jessica, it is the filmmaker’s job to leave an impression on the audience, and nowhere is this more important than in horror. “It’s every filmmaker’s dream to have an impact on their audience… I want my audience to go away with something new… (if they have) left the cinema with even one new idea, then I will have done my job.”
There’s no doubt that the horror genre, as much as it might be classed as low tier entertainment by some, has the ability to leave a lasting impact on its audience. Whether it’s to scare them or pull back the curtain on society, the horror genre is capable of getting in the minds of its viewers like no other genre.
For young filmmakers like Jessica, the horror genre opens up a world of creativity, a vessel for important messages and creative stories, presented in a way that leaves an audience shaking.
You may not like horror films, they’re not everyone’s cups of tea, but make sure, when you see a film in the future directed by Jessica Herrett, to give it a watch; it’ll likely be nominated for an Academy Award.
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