Interview with Jonathan Hawes from One Door Films
Jonathan Hawes is a filmmaker, writer, video editor and colourist based in Nottingham and we sit down for a few words about his work, where he finds humour and his latest film The Morgue Party.
Hi Jonathan. Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I'm a filmmaker from Beeston, Nottingham and I've been writing and producing short films under the One Door Films production company name for several years now. I studied Film & Television Studies at the University of Nottingham and went into freelance video production after graduating. From there, I have been writing, producing and directing my own short film productions and having them screened at film festivals.
You’ve made a couple of comedy films. What draws you to comedy?
I think satire and absurdity interests me more, but making an audience laugh always seems to be a by-product of that. I think an audience appreciates a light-hearted film within a festival setlist too, especially if the setlist is rife with serious dramas. So if I can release some tension by making an audience let out a few laughs, then I’m happy.
Comedy allows you to explore ideas and concepts that an audience might otherwise be unwilling to subject themselves to. When I see films without a single ounce of humour in them I immediately switch off emotionally (and usually literally), because they don’t feel truthful to me. For this reason, it has always felt more honest to write scripts with a vein of humour running through them.
I’ve always been a fan of comics like Bill Hicks, George Carlin and Richard Pryor too, which may have had an impact on my approach to writing. Humour is everywhere, even in the darkest places. You hear stories all the time about surgeons and emergency first-responders who have the most depraved sense of humour. And regarding ‘The Morgue Party’, I'm sure there are plenty of morgue attendants who indulge in gallows humour similar to the protagonist portrayed in our film.
Is this the first time you’ve written a folk horror?
Yeah. It was a challenge to approach the folk horror genre, which is a very niche genre in comparison to zombie horror or the shock-scare trend of horrors that finally seem to be fading away. But I have always been a big fan of folk horror films, such as The Wicker Man, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Midsommar, so it was a great opportunity to explore that genre in one of my own films.
Can you tell us about The Morgue Party?
Sure. The film explores a group of morgue attendants who indulge themselves in wild parties with dead corpses in their midst. They believe they are celebrating the person’s life in the truest form and are opposed to the idea of a traditional funeral. Larry is the moral core of the story. He grapples with the moral implications of the celebrations portrayed in the film and challenges the authority of Timothy (played by Mark Aldrich), the leader of the group, which sets the events of the film in motion. As a side note, I discovered recently that there is a tradition in Indonesia which have a similar tradition to what we portray in our film. It’s called the Ma'nene Festival. It’s extraordinary.
What were your influences for the film when making it?
I like contemporary filmmakers such as Robert Eggers and Ari Aster, particularly Ari Aster. His films are funny, but they conjure strikingly surreal imagery and tap into primal fears that we often prevent ourselves from exploring or imagining... and to have the courage to do that with a film is a very exciting and inspirational to me. This is something I wanted to explore with ‘The Morgue Party’. Some of it is downright strange and uncomfortable to watch, but hopefully it feels like you’re exploring something new as a viewer.
I am a big fan of Mia Goth's work recently in Pearl and Infinity Pool. Her performances are always so visceral and she has such a twisted sense of humour which is always so compelling to watch. When constructing a film with elements of horror, it was hard to ignore her work. A story of illicit partying is something that must have been weighing on my mind during the writing process as well, which makes sense to me now, seeing as the film was written during the pandemic.
And what is your approach to writing?
I try to avoid having a God’s eye view of a story before I start writing it. I just let the characters start talking to each other let them guide me through the story, rather than the other way around. It’s the only approach I know that works and feels organic to me.
Where did you film ‘The Morgue Party’?
The film was shot at a Grade II listed country house in Burton upon Trent, which is one of the most authentically rural locations I’ve ever seen. There are busts of stags all over the place, muskets hanging on the wall and a gothic sense of foreboding. It’s a stunning place. They did a Most Haunted episode there once… although none of us bumped into any phantoms when we were there unfortunately.
How did the cast and crew come together?
The cast - played by Danny Patrick, Mark Aldrich, Beth Gatherer and Charlotte Handley – were all incredible to work with. They were so dedicated to crafting these characters as real people and I think they did a stunning job. Jake Turner and Hazi Mistry also steal the show with some supporting performances! Stanley Roubaix did a wonderful job with the cinematography too. The opening shot of the film was shot late in post-production and involved pulling a camera on a dolly track to reveal a spinning mirror ball, all in 120fps slow motion. It was crazy, but a lot of fun! That’s the great thing about the Midlands - there is such a dedicated network of creatives to call upon who are so passionate about producing challenging films for audiences to enjoy. And I couldn’t really do any of things I do without their talent, dedication and support.
What has been your greatest achievement or success?
I had a great time at the Beeston Film Festival this year. A film I released last year called ‘Cosmo’ was part of the opening night and it screened in front of 150+ people. To hear an audience laugh and enjoy something you spent hours working on is an amazing feeling – and very addictive.
Who are you favourite creatives and how do they inspire you?
Thomas Loone is a Midlands-based actor who is one to watch. I worked with him on a project a few years back called 'Gone Fishing' and he's an incredibly versatile and committed performer. We share an admiration of Daniel Day-Lewis (along with the rest of the planet), so we're always on the same page when it comes to working on creative things!
The Morgue Party is now available to watch for a limited time at One Door Films YouTube Channel
