Vincent Cortez’s compelling supernatural thriller The Hush has the look and feel not only of classic film noir (and neo-noir), but also a graphic novel, with a muted color scheme and soft focus photography giving it a seductively dreamlike quality. Though it was filmed locally in Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward, the film retains a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere that could be anyone’s nightmare in Anyplace, USA, without any recognizable East Bay landmarks or references to designate the location of the unpredictable action, enhancing the eerie, ethereal effect that lingers with the audience beyond the final credits. Cortez even composed the outstanding Ry Cooder-type music, brilliantly augmenting the overall feeling of desperation that plagues the main protagonist, a young hit man named Freddy “The Hush” Burnett (Zachary Gossett) who has a crisis of conscience when he confronts the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time (Melody Gomez), unleashing his own personal demons and ghosts from his past as he tries to escape the mysterious men that hired him for this fateful job, who may or may not be demons themselves. It is an absorbing ride through dark territory, with violence exploding around every corner and danger lurking in every shadow, underscored by a relentless mood of impending doom, making for a quietly enthralling experience.
Vincent, who owns his own Oakland-based film production company, Mitchell Street Pictures, explains the genesis behind this special film:
This was a family/ensemble effort, but you're practically a one man show, with your stamp on every aspect of the production - writing, directing, editing, even composing the mesmerizing blues guitar soundtrack. What was your inspiration for this prodigious effort?
VC: I started making films and learning how to be a storyteller in my youth, inspired by my family, but I've always just felt a strong connection to stories, what they represent and the power they can hold. I am also anartist, musician and tech-head, so I've really enjoyed disciplining myself outside of just writing or directing, stepping into the realms of editing, sound design and composing, because I do feel like it helps to better shape a vision. The genesis of The Hush came from an image that wouldn't leave my head: the image (in classic EC comic style) was of a Hitman at the wheel of his car with three ghosts (each representing something distinct) sitting in his backseat as he drives down a dark road, alone and uneasy. I drew out the picture and before I knew it, all these characters started to come to life and the story unfolded - all I had to do was document and navigate through the possibilities.
Can you explain the creation of the film's unique style, from the use of close-ups to the moody cinematography?
VC: The style we developed for The Hush was crafted very early on in the projects development. The 'look' for each scene shifts and changes (some times subtle, some times more apparent) as the main character goes through his journey. We storyboarded every shot months in advance so that we knew what the 'language' of our film was (an 82 page script equaled 90+ pages of storyboards). I am a fan of close-up shots, especially when trying to create a feeling of isolation while focusing in on subtle changes. The cinematography was very “contrasty,” so that the shadows became an essential part of the Hush's world, his safety. We captured the majority of the film directly from camera to my Mac Pro tower so that I could eventually apply some "color stylization tools" to not just every scene, but each shot. These tools allowed me to fine tune contrast, saturation and color while playing with highlights and creating the right atmosphere. The sound design/score for the film had to be very specific so I spent time recording, mixing and crafting the sounds from the ground up. Finally, the blending of genres, so that the audience feels like they're experiencing something outside of a typical film, was an important goal for us with The Hush.
The actors are quite impressive. How did you go about casting the film?
VC: My goal from the onset was to not just find talented actors that I could communicate with and trust, but also know that they were devoted people. It was essential that they had a genuine connection to the material, especially given the fact that we had a very miniscule budget. We'd meet up and shoot screen tests and talk about the story but it wasn't just about auditioning them, it was also about getting to know them. Many of the supporting actors were people that I had worked with on previous projects (shorts) - we all enjoyed working together, so it was a real pleasure for me to have their time and talent yet again (especially on my first feature).
Are you an East Bay Native, and in any case, how do your real life roots inform your creative process as a filmmaker?
VC: I was born, raised and am based in Oakland, CA. There is something (to me)that is very 'Oakland' about The Hush: I have seen people having been given a bad hand be consumed by their vices, but I have also seen people that have made mistakes, find a reason to pick themselves up and change - and the film is ultimately about finding a way to change. There are also very beautiful things about life in Oakland but you can also turn around and see pain, violence and loss. My family roots have really shaped my passion and determination for filmmaking: I come from a family of laborers, teachers and artists. I try to take the discipline it takes to build a house and apply that very hands-on work ethic to all aspects of film production. If I'm going to do it, I'll do it right (or to the best of my abilities). I spent practically every day, for nearly a year and a half (most of the time as a one-man-army) crafting, cutting, mixing and polishingThe Hush. But even with that said, my community, family and friends are the reason I chose to tell this story. It was with their help and encouragement that I tried to stay truthful to the material and focused. This generally applies to all of my films: there is something very personal about working hard to create something that allows people to share in an experience.
What's next for you?
VC: I try to keep myself busy. I am currently finishing post production on my sci-fi short entitled Roamer (hoping to turn that into a bigger scale project if there is an interest). Also, I am writing a few scripts that each range somewhere between fantasy, sci-fi and horror. I produced and am post supervising my friend and fellow filmmaker's feature film. There are also some Hush animated prequels that I am developing (the first one is done) in conjunction with my father. Finally I have a new feature-length project (a character driven, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi horror film) that is now in early pre-production.
Cheers!
The Hush, which opened the Oakland International Film Festival 2011 at the Grand Lake Theater earlier this year, next plays Saturday, June 11, 7PM at the Bal Theater, 14808 East 14th Street in San Leandro, $12, followed by a live discussion with cast and crew. The original soundtrack is currently available for purchase and highly recommended.
Will “the Thrill” Viharo is a pulp fiction author and B Movie impresario.
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