Chad Werner is the director of the horror film A Perfect Host. We spoke with him about his career and the making of his new film.
You’re from Oklahoma I believe?
Chad Werner: Originally yes! My family moved to Texas when I was a kid.
And did you kick off your filmmaking career there?
CW: In a way, yes. I had an art teacher in elementary that really pushed me to be a director, but I didn’t start making little shorts until I was in Texas.
Much going on there – film-wise?
CW: I think Oklahoma is starting a little budding film industry yeah! I lived in Austin, TX when we filmed A Perfect Host however and there is a great filmmaking community there. Lots of commercials, but very talented filmmakers that are hungry to tell cool stories.
I know a distributor that films a lot of their movies up there – must be either good tax breaks or the beautiful backdrop? Or both?
CW: I know Oklahoma has some good tax breaks, I’ve yet to film up there, however. Texas used to have great tax breaks, and there are a lot of commissions and filmmakers trying to bring them back. I love shooting in Texas.
Where did A Perfect Host shoot?
CW: Just outside of Austin, TX. You actually can rent the lake house we shot at for vacation. If you’re looking for some scares.
Though it wasn’t known as A Perfect Host when it was shooting, is that right?
CW: The original working title was “Adonis Complex” we pulled a lot of story elements from Greek mythology and our body builder character is pretty self-involved. A Perfect Host just had a better ring to it.
Where did this idea come from? – and I’m scared you’ll say “an Airbnb I once rented”!
CW: [Laughs] Well my brother once rented an Airbnb… but the host wasn’t creepy, just very annoying and wouldn’t leave them alone. I always thought that was an interesting concept, but it was a combination of that, and this comedy sketch I wrote about a couple signing up for a workout class that ends up being run out of this Norman-Bates-type guy’s basement. Really, I just combined things I’m scared of: stranger’s homes and fitness freaks.
Have you had some experience renting off the apps?
CW: I have, and thank God, they’ve all been horror-free experiences.
Any miserable experiences or frightening ones?
CW: On our honeymoon, my wife and I stayed in this penthouse suite during this small town in Spain’s worse windstorm of the decade. It felt like the apartment was going to fly off. We just waited it out, not sure what to do. I’ve been very lucky, my scariest situations have been an air mattress deflating in the middle of the night, which is far worse than a sociopathic homeowner in my opinion. Most the horror in the film comes from my own imagination’s neurotic fears.
Any real-life stuff get injected into the screenplay?
CW: The relationships in the film are definitely based on real life scenarios. I’m pretty sure I lifted some of the dialogue from conversations I’ve had in past relationships, from all the characters. Tad is the extreme worst version of the worst people I’ve met – we all have a friend or acquaintance who is so fanatical about their new fitness regime or diet or self-help book and has made it their sole mission to proselytize anyone they speak to.
What about your actors – did they have any stories that they lent to punch up the movie’s plot?
CW: I can’t say they had stories to punch up the plot, the script was in place once we were filming. I do know they all brought their experiences to each performance. Jeff and Katelyn (who play Sam and Avery) brought a three-dimensionality to the whole relationship. They had such a great friendship and chemistry in the movie. Brady (Tad) and I talked a lot about specific people we were pulling from when creating Tad, he’s weirdo that is so easy to hate, but has an endearing quality about him. Brady did a great job of riding that line, it’s not easy to do!
It’s a various array of genres – – and it works better because of it. But what do you believe, as the filmmaker, are the film’s strengths?
CW: I love movies that surprise you by taking you on a journey you may not have expected to go on. I like that our movie has plenty of scares and jumps, but there’s authentic characters that you want to root for, not just see their demise. I also want people to be laughing at the beginning and genuinely shocked by the end. I think our film rides that line really well.
Anything you’ll do differently on the next one?
CW: Plenty, I’m always learning, but we also had such a fun time creating this one together. We all stayed in the house we shot in for two weeks and had a great summer camp-like experience. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Will you be renting an Airbnb anytime soon?
CW: Of course, I just will double check the host’s reviews… plus I need sequel material.