Welcome to Matt's Movie Reviews Saturday Conversation Show, an interview series where we talk to entertainment personalities, content creators, and filmmakers about their work and love of film. Today's guest is Steven Cognetti, the director and creator of the "Hell House LLC" franchise, one of the most acclaimed found footage horror franchises that began a decade ago. The fifth and final film of the series, "Hell House LLC: Lineage," is set for its Australian premiere at the Dark Knights Filmfest.
Steven Cognetti shares his excitement about the film's theatrical experience, especially since the previous installments were predominantly on streaming platforms. Watching the film on a big screen was a significant and rewarding experience for the cast and crew, offering them an opportunity to share their work with audiences in a more immersive setting.
Reflecting on the creation of "Hell House LLC: Lineage," Cognetti discusses the unexpected path to a theatrical release and how it allowed him to enhance the film's sound design—something he prioritizes for its theatrical debut. He recalls his early influences, noting how movies like "Jurassic Park" inspired his desire to become a filmmaker and his early experiments with a camcorder.
Cognetti shares his journey through film school and the value of creating short films for practical learning. He emphasizes that while film school provides a theoretical foundation, making a film is the best experience to understand filmmaking intricacies. Originally writing "Hell House LLC" as a narrative feature, he eventually found that a found footage format better served the story, offering a more engaging way to present the central mystery.
As the conversation continues, Cognetti touches upon his writing process, preferring to jump into scripting rather than laboring over outlines, allowing creativity to guide his first drafts. He also talks about future projects, suggesting a departure from found footage with his next narrative-driven horror script.
Fans of the "Hell House LLC" series are eagerly anticipating the screening of "Lineage" at the Dark Knights Filmfest. Cognetti hints at potential expansions of the Hell House universe in graphic novels, allowing further exploration of its complex mythology. Despite this being the final film in the series, Cognetti remains open to new storytelling avenues beyond the constraints of low-budget filmmaking.