Exclusive: Paul Hyett Talks Howl, Special Effects, and the Influence of Neil Marshall
Paul Hyett is best known for his groundbreaking special effects work. Rightfully so, as Hyett has crafted some brilliant designs and effects for standout films The Descent, Attack the Block (for which he won a Chainsaw Award), The Seasoning House (for which he won a Critics Choice Award), Citadel, Outpost: Black Sun, The Children, and Eden Lake (these are but a few top-notch works on Hyett’s résumé).
To call him respected in the field is to issue a gross understatement. But Hyett’s days spent crafting the monster magic we so love to drool over are over. Kind of.
Hyett’s made the full-blown transition to filmmaking. And, to the man’s credit, it has been an excellent decision thus far. 2012’s The Seasoning House was well received. His follow-up, a tremendously spirited werewolf feature known as Howl, is another stunning success. This is the kind of werewolf film fans cross their fingers and hope for. It’s the kind of werewolf film we make special note to add to our home collection. It’s creepy, it’s fast-paced, and it’s got some nasty, nasty creatures to admire.
We recommend you look into Howl on January 12th, when it hits Blu-ray and DVD here Stateside. But in the meantime we welcome you to take a leap into the mind of Paul Hyett, who was kind enough to spend a few minutes answering some of our questions!
Dread Central: How has it been making a transition from a special effects guy to the man directing the show?
Paul Hyett: It’s actually not a huge transition. I’ve spent the last 23 years mostly on a film set than anywhere else, so it’s not a new experience. I understood how a film works and how all departments collaborate, and most importantly I had worked very closely with many directors, storyboarding, developing and trying to work out best how to utilize the make-up effects to supplement a director’s vision. It then came time to tell my own stories and bring my own visions to the screen.
DC: Are you done with special effects, or will you continue spending time working on that element of film as well?
PH: I’m done with makeup effects. It’s been a fun nearly 25 years, but it’s time to concentrate on writing and directing.
DC: There’s some great makeup work in the film. What kind of time goes into making that a reality, and what was the atmosphere like on set once those beasts made their presence known?
PH: We spent time on developing a look for our creatures before we went into production, and to be honest, we had quite a short amount of time actually making the creatures. The prosthetics team did an amazing job. And when they arrived on set, the cast and crew were amazed!
DC: I know you really made your name known working on special effects. How involved were you in the process for Howl, and how happy were you with the look of the monsters?
PH: I was very involved to begin with, mostly in the conceptual stage, to really make sure they looked exactly how I wanted them. Then it was time for the prosthetics team to take over and start the prosthetics process, and that’s when I stepped back and started to really concentrate on the directing and overseeing the production.
DC: What was it like to let someone else spearhead that element of a production while you took to the director’s chair?
PH: As it’s my second film, I was less precious. I now understand you have to let the creative people you’ve hired do what they do. They are artists, and if you stifle them, you’re not going to get the best from them, so it’s a balance of getting what you want and letting them be able to have fun and bring their creativity and talent to the production.
DC: The scenic shots and the outdoor imagery – specifically when the train breaks down in the middle of nowhere – looked awesome and felt quite organic. How much of this film was shot on a sound stage and how much was shot on location?
PH: We shot mostly on a stage, which was actually a massive warehouse. Completely green screen and a digital environment. Then we moved to a real location for the forest scenes at the end of the movie. It was great working on a green screen as we had complete control and [didn’t] have to worry about weather or when the light goes. We could be shooting night scenes during the day.
DC: This is your beauty, and that’s obviously going to influence your opinion, but if you step back and try to form an unbiased opinion, how do you feel Howl stacks up to other werewolf pictures out there?
PH: I just wanted to make a fun retro-style creature feature. There are some fantastic werewolf films out there and some bad ones; hopefully Howl sits in the middle somewhere.
DC: I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews for Howl, which I find very interesting. In regards to werewolf films, this feels like one of the greater efforts out there. How do you respond to negativity? Do you take it in stride? Do you make note of fan complaints?
PH: You know, not everyone is going to like your movie. It’s something you have to deal with. You read the good reviews and the bad ones and have to take it on the chin; everyone has an opinion and everyone has access to social media and IMDb, and I just don’t take it too personally. I just hope that they like the next one.
DC: You’ve done some amazing work with the awesome Neil Marshall. Is he at all influential to you?
PH: Neil was great to work with. And a lovely guy to work with. He’s great in how he collaborates with his crew and knows exactly what he wants. And that’s something I strive to be like.
DC: I know you’re working on a new one titled Heretiks. What’s the film about, and how is production on the film going?
PH: It’s a 17th century period supernatural horror about a young woman who’s saved from execution but then finds a much darker evil. It’s going well. We’re just shooting now, and it’s all going very well. More details soon!
A big “thank you” goes out to Paul, who is clearly a great guy with a bright future. If you need proof of that, check out Howl when you can, and thank us later!
Peter Hyett’s new werewolf flick Howl is getting set to tear things up on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States via Alchemy. Look for it online and in stores on January 12th.
Ed Speelers, Sean Pertwee, and Holly Weston star.
Synopsis:
On a stormy night, passengers on the last train out of London begin to panic after coming to a sudden halt. They soon realize there’s something dangerous lurking in the forest, and it’s stalking the besieged train, picking them off one-by-one.
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