Interview: Shihan Van Clief, director of My First Horror Film (2024)

DREAD, the horror label of L.A.-based distribution and financing company Epic Pictures, recently released its latest horror film, My First Horror Film, in select theaters in North America. The film, written and directed by Shihan Van Clief, has already made waves on the festival circuit, winning awards at the Stockholm City Film Festival, Underground Indie Film Festival, Diabolical Horror Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival.

My First Horror Film had a special screening in Los Angeles on Aug. 9, 2024, with a VOD release following on Aug. 13, 2024. The cast includes Georgina Navarro (Fade), Chauntice Green (9-1-1: Lone Star), Justyn Franco (The Nexus), Stephan O'Shea, Joy Marie Thomas (Ballers), and Miles Crawford (Euphoria). 1428 Elm got the opportunity to speak with writer-director Shihan Van Clief about his new movie, and this is what he had to say.

1428 ELM: What inspired you to direct My First Horror Film? Was there a particular experience or story that influenced the film’s concept?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: I would say the biggest inspiration/motivation behind getting My First Horror Film completed was my close friend of mine calling me ‘a snob.’ He said being a snob and never creating something for others to criticize just makes you an a**hole. And that did it. From that day to the first day of shooting was a little over a month.

Part of My First Horror Film’s concept was taken from an actual interview with an actress who described what struggling actors are willing to put up with for an opportunity to be seen. Even going as far as meeting in an abandoned alley and hopping in an unmarked van to an undisclosed location for little to no pay.

1428 ELM: How did you approach blending the elements of horror and reality in the film, especially with the storyline involving a real-life killer?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: Part of my approach to blending horror with reality was recognizing that they are one and the same. We live through everyday horrors. We consume horror on so many levels, and the crazy part is we choose it. A lot of times, when something horrible happens, it’s broadcast to us. But once the internet came through with the neverending trough of sh*t, we began to seek it out. It’s like we love to watch people be terrorized. Horror being such a profitable genre also proves that idea to a certain degree.

The casting process for My First Horror Film

1428 ELM: Can you tell us more about the casting process for the film? What drew you to Georgina Navarro and the other actors for their roles?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: There was a lot of favor asking when it came to casting. The first person approached about being a part of the film was Georgina Navarro. She had an innocence to her presentation that made me feel people would either like her and want to see her through, or some would feel like she was so wholesome they just couldn’t wait for her to be killed onscreen, and to me, that was a win.

What I looked for in the other members of the cast was authenticity. A natural way of carrying their character so that nothing felt forced. Miles Crawford, who plays the Director, was so compelling in his reading that others who ended up in the film were talking about how good he played the role over Zoom.

There were a few shuffling parts in the film. Jock was recast the weekend before we began shooting, and Justyn Franco stepped up in a major way. The original actor contracted COVID, and we had no choice but to replace him due to our schedule.

Chauntice Green, who plays Girlfriend, was an actor I felt had really great range. In fact, she was in my first short film, and after that, I knew I wanted to work with her again. Stephan O’Shea, who plays Black Guy, was an interesting choice to me. He was recommended by a well-respected friend, and when I spoke to him about the role, I explained I was interested in playing with the idea of a gay actor being casted as a straight character pretending to be gay.

He gave some of his thoughts and ideas and he did a great job. I think everyone was chosen because they brought a realness and likability to their roles that almost felt divine.

Challenges

1428 ELM: What challenges did you face while shooting the film, particularly with the suspenseful and intense scenes?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: Biggest challenge was budget and time. We had roughly $12,000 to make it. We had about 12 days to shoot. We knew that everyone involved had to be fully committed to the story I was trying to tell. Luckily, I had an amazing partner with this project. Arianna Basco, who produced and also played Wardrobe in the film and behind the scenes. As far as the challenge of creating suspense and optimizing our intensity, honestly, I just trusted the cast to do what they were brought in to do. And they trusted me with helping mold it into shape.

1428 ELM: How did you work with the cast to ensure they brought authenticity to their roles, especially in a film that blurs the line between reality and fiction?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: I talked with the cast a lot about being natural. Also, I wanted to write the script with the most natural dialogue I could so that everything sounded like something the characters would say in real life. They did the rest.

1428 ELM: What were some of the key themes you wanted to explore through the film’s narrative and its characters?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: Some of the themes I wanted to explore through the film were isolation and what it means to step out on faith and have someone purposefully try to destroy you. I think sometimes I imagine My First Horror Film is really a metaphor for me and my journey to create my first feature.

Memorable moments

1428 ELM: Can you share any memorable moments or behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the filming process?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: There were a few memorable moments, but I’ll give you two. There is a part in the film in which cops arrive at the scene of a crime. We shot this scene really late at night…on a farm…in the middle of nowhere. But, we forgot to mention it to the neighbors. So the next day, I get a call from the woman who owned the farm asking if everything’s been going okay. I say, “Yeah, why?” and she replied, the neighbors called me all night saying they kept hearing gunshots and the cops yelling, ‘He’s got a gun!’ and “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot!” And they were scared. I thought that was hilarious.

The other thing I learned is that My First Horror Film couldn’t have been made without my incredible team. The amount of work that went into scheduling and shoot lists and catering and everything else I didn’t think about was handled impeccably.

1428 ELM: How did you balance the film’s horror elements with its satirical aspects, particularly in depicting the influencer culture?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: I think influencer culture is very much a part of American culture. And it’s work. It’s not easy. Just the thought of filming myself doing menial tasks all day, every day scares me. The amount of time and energy that it takes to record and edit those videos seems like a nightmare, but so many do it. I almost lost my mind editing my feature. I think I have PTSD now with regard to seeing films/videos with crazy edits.

Intended impact

1428 ELM: What kind of reaction or impact are you hoping the film will have on audiences, especially those familiar with the horror genre?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: I’m hoping people will walk away from the film feeling like they enjoyed themselves. That they fell for a character or hated a character or laughed during that one scene or flinched at another scene. I wanted people to know that I love horror, and horror has the ability to be more, and I’d like to see how much more I can make it.

1428 ELM: Are there any upcoming projects or themes you’re interested in exploring next, following the release of My First Horror Film?

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF: I’m working on my next feature now. It’s a thriller and is a much larger world than the one in My First Horror Film, but it is also an extension of the world we were introduced to in it. Abuse and the creation of martyrs are some ideas I’m looking to play with in it. The goal is to start shooting before the end of the year. I want to make movies that are entertaining and leave the audience with something to think about. Cheers to the next.

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