Who hasn’t made up stories about the hermit or creepy neighbor next door? Writer-director Karl Mueller is here to make you even more apprehensive of the hooded weirdo who might dwell right down the hall or road in his Tribeca Film Festival Midnight Program entry, “Mr. Jones.”
The film hones in on Scott and Penny (Jon Foster and Sarah Jones). He’s a filmmaker in desperate need of some inspiration and she gives up everything to head out to a secluded cabin to help him get moving on a nature documentary. However, while they’re out there, Scott realizes there’s something much more interesting to film than picturesque scenery; he’s got the elusive yet famous sculptor Mr. Jones and an abundance of his beautifully eerie scarecrow creations right next door.
It sounds rather cut and dry, but “Mr. Jones” most certainly is not. Not only does the narrative test the balance between reality and your worst nightmare, but Mueller turns the found footage format on its head, using the technique in a fresh way, one that mirrors the characters’ descent into this terrifying situation.
In honor of the film’s world premiere, Mueller and Foster sat down to run through the genesis of the core concept, the meticulous planning necessary to ensure they pull off the shooting style, the challenge of creating effects in camera, and more. Check it all out in the video interview below and keep an eye out for the film’s impending release via Anchor Bay.