In the spring of 2017, I participated in the production of When the Howls Find Us as production designer. The story, an ambitious horror film, was a chance I got to expand my skills as an artist and filmmaker. The vision from the director was to create a shed where a young woman and her grandmother find shelter at the impending end of the world. It was challenging—from the team, to the look, to the script. I found it hard to imagine what I wanted, my vision book overflowed with places that once showed a sign of life, something that would still be of use even in vacancy, but it was a strange approach in this studio.

Although the director and I could not have been more different, we understood each other. When things click on a set, even if other things are falling apart, it’s satisfactory and affirming. Although not my preferred medium, this is probably one of my most cherished accomplishments. I hadn’t worked as PD on any bigger projects and I was scared of failure. What I found was the depths of my imagination. When I began to trust myself, my intuition, and my skills I came up with a vision that was executed with my team very well.

when the howls