It’s my favorite week of the year for BEHIND THE LENS - Halloween Week! And to celebrate my favorite holiday of the year, I’ve got some chilling, spooky, terrifying tales for you as PEDRO KOS breaks down his new film, the horrifying IN OUR BLOOD, while JON BERARDO talks about the blood-drenched noirish THE MANNEQUIN.

First up, let’s take a look at IN OUR BLOOD. Directed by Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker PEDRO KOS in his first narrative feature, IN OUR BLOOD masterfully blends psychological mystery with chilling horror. The film weaves a twisted tale of reconciling with the ghosts of our past and confronting the complicity we share in creating a world that preys on the most vulnerable. Directed by PEDRO KOS with script by Mallory Westfall, IN OUR BLOOD stars Brittany O’Grady, E.J. Bonilla, Alanna Ubach, Krisha Fairchild, Leo Marks, Bianca Comparato, and Steven Klein.

In IN OUR BLOOD, nothing is as it seems when filmmaker Emily Wyland (Brittany O’Grady) teams up with cinematographer Danny (E. J. Bonilla) to shoot an intimate documentary about reuniting with Emily’s estranged mother after a decade apart. When her mother suddenly goes missing, possibly succumbing to the addictions that first tore her family apart, Emily and Danny must piece together increasingly sinister clues to find her before it’s too late.

An intense narrative that blends documentary realism with genre elements in this exclusive interview, Pedro Kos discusses the film and his freshman foray into narrative filmmaking with this story, which explores themes of humanity and vulnerability. The thematic and emotional layers are superbly crafted, as is the genre meld that brings shocking horror into the mix.

As we bite into the making of IN OUR BLOOD, Pedro discusses casting and some superb performances, most notably by Alana Ubach, Krisha Fairchild, and E.J. Bonilla, who immerse themselves in their respective characters, all of which are a testament to Pedro, given that he has not worked with actors since his days in college theatre. It’s refreshing to hear him talk about his approach to working with the actors and “creating a safe space for them to experiment and bring their characters to life.”

Cinematography is also a big part of bringing IN OUR BLOOD to life and we break down Pedro’s collaboration with cinematographer Camilo Monsalve in developing the film’s visual grammar, camera movement, lighting, color, and the importance of shooting in Las Cruces and how that influenced the film’s visual tonal bandwidth. And this is all just the tip of the iceberg.

Then we get a bit bloody, a bit supernaturally creepy, a bit mysterious, and a bit noirish thanks to writer/director JON BERARDO and his new film THE MANNEQUIN that transports us hauntingly through time from a glorious black and white prologue to a grisly exorcism. Written and Directed by Jon Berardo, THE MANNEQUIN stars Isabella Gomez, Lindsay Lavanchy, Shireen Lai, Maxwell Hamilton, Gabriella Rivera, with Krystle Martin and Jack Sochet.

In THE MANNEQUIN, Liana Rojas, a creatively starved stylist assistant, discovers that the historical downtown Los Angeles factory building where her fashion designer sister mysteriously died is haunted by a serial killer posing as a headshot photographer for film studios who brutally murdered and dismembered his victims half a century earlier. This knowledge forces Liana and her friends to find a way to free themselves from the curse and escape the sinister ghost before they lose their own body parts.

THE MANNEQUIN is delicious. And as you are about to hear, Jon is a creative voice that is beyond visually expressive, and understands character, understands space and spatial relations, and understands the importance of sound to deliver a fully immersive cinematic experience. Not only does Jon discuss the film's creativity, twists, and jump scares, but also the economical approach to filmmaking. Giving the backstory of his inspiration for THE MANNEQUIN, Jon drew inspiration from the 2020 pandemic and created mannequin art during lockdown while living in his own loft in Downtown LA.

As we examine the making of THE MANNEQUIN, you’ll learn how important and challenging location and lighting were for Jon and cinematographer Jonathan Pope, especially with the building itself, a former textile factory from the 1920s, and the current freeway that runs nearby. Part and parcel to the loft itself, sound design came into play and is meticulously executed on multiple levels by sound designer David Eichhorn, who had to strip freeway traffic sounds and recreate a sonic ambience to fill the large loft space. Using static effects and the contrast between the loft's modern and vintage feels, Jon highlights the particulars of David’s work.

And then there’s creating a visual and emotional contrast with the home of one of the characters that brings in negative space and contrasting colors. A real stand-out in THE MANNEQUIN is the period-perfect make-up and hair, as well as some fabulous practical bloody horror make-up. And of course, we talk casting.

You’ve got a couple of terrific horror films to check out this week for Halloween. But don’t forget to hit your local theatre and see the masterful work of Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN, one of the best films of the year and a hot contender for upcoming awards.