The Mother: An Interview with Anthony Deveney

Please tell us about yourself first. How did you become interested in filmmaking? Did you receive formal training in this field, or are you self-taught?

I've been in love with cinema since I was a child. Going to the movies every weekend was a common tradition in my youth. As I grew older, I sought out films from all over the world and through the discovery of international films, I fell in love with storytelling. I have received both formal training in all aspects of filmmaking, but have also learned more independently from my film projects.

How many films have you made before "The Mother," and where did the idea for its story come from?

I previously made a short film called "Midnight Ruin" in 2022 and a micro-budget feature film called "Noah" in 2011. In terms of the idea for this, I had already booked a month-long trip in northern England and decided to make a film while I would be in the countryside. Through research I discovered a beautiful Victorian-era mansion available for rent. I had always wanted to make a period piece so I booked the location and spent several weeks coming up with a story that could suit the environment.

Do you generally consult with anyone when writing screenplays? How long did it take, and how many drafts were written, before you arrived at the final version of "The Mother" screenplay?

It's important to always send your writing out to colleagues for feedback. I have a small group of friends who are gracious enough to read my work and provide helpful feedback. This story surprisingly evolved from a mysterious horror story into a heartfelt family drama. At least five different drafts were written until The Mother was complete.

What was your biggest challenge before making "The Mother"? Had you worked with children in a film before?

I live in Los Angeles so finding a cast and crew in the United Kingdom was far and away the biggest challenge. Luckily, I was able to connect with several talented individuals who helped immensely in every role of the cast and crew. Casting a child was also extremely tricky due to the strict labor laws. In the UK children can only be on set for 3 hours per day, they must have a tutor and their days need to be monitored. My way around the restrictions was to schedule the shoot on a weekend which avoided the need for a tutor and I created a rigid shooting schedule to keep us on time and prevent him from hitting that 3 hour mark. Thankfully his mother was extremely helpful with the entire process. I have several nieces and nephews, so I know how to communicate with children which helped with the collaboration.

Deciding to work in a mansion as large as the house we see in the film can be difficult and daunting for many filmmakers. Did the house itself feel like a character to you?

The entire estate was amazing! Not only was there this massive mansion, but there was also a vegetable garden, a bush maze, a stunning front yard and several wooded trails. I moulded the story around the environment since the location was so incredible. Large windows allowed us to use natural light for the interiors and beautiful crowd moulding helped sell the Victorian time period. Overall, the estate added a remarkable amount of authenticity which we leaned into.

How did you find your actors? And generally, how much did you rehearse with them? Do you believe in the evolution of characters during pre-production rehearsals, or do you think what's written in the screenplay should be executed exactly as is by the actor?

I personally knew one actor and then found the rest online through casting calls. Each actor was selected based upon their reels and a small interview. We carried out one rehearsal and I wrote backstories for each character which they were able to draw from in their performances. Filmmaking is a collaborative process so I'm always up to try any ideas actors have for their performances. For me the script is a jumping off point where they can take the reins and run away with it.

What were your cinematography strategies to find and capture visual equivalents that were fitting for the screenplay? Do you think anything would change if you were making the film now?

Our cinematographer, Toby Lloyd, was such a perfect fit for this film. I'm lucky I found him

because he understood my vision immediately. Our goal was to emulate the time period with vintage lenses and soft natural lighting as well as use the camerawork to illustrate what the lead character is going through. In the film, the camera starts out very rigid and controlled, and then transforms into a more liberated and free-wheeled approach to showcase her emotions. If I were making this today, I would definitely want to shoot on 35mm film as opposed to digital.

Your actor, Krystal Yong, succeeds in giving her character remarkable depth with minimal reactions, especially in scenes without dialogue. Tell us about working with her.

Krystal is an extremely talented and earnest performer. The entire film rests upon her shoulders and she handled the responsibility beautifully. Even though I really put her through an emotional roller coaster with the writing, she was able to handle the ups and downs of the story with ease. Film sets are a funny thing, one moment you're shooting the most devastating scene in the script and then twenty minutes later you're shooting a very light scene that needs playfulness and comedy. Krystal was able to enter the emotional headspace required for any moment of the story which helped keep the production on track and definitely aided the other performers.

Is making short films a bridge to feature films for you?

Absolutely. I don't have plans to adapt The Mother into a feature, but I have several feature film scripts finished and in development which I hope to direct in the near future.

If possible, please tell us about your upcoming projects.

I've just finished a new feature screenplay called Colossus, which follows a pair of elite college swimmers who are pushed to their limits by their perfection-hungry father in the pursuit of a national championship. Thankfully, the script just received a high rating on The Black List and I am looking to direct it soon. I am also beginning work on a horror script set in Europe.