South by Southwest (SXSW) has evolved from a music-centric festival to a prominent platform for filmmakers, especially within the indie scene. At the festival, Danielle Dallaire from FEAR FOREVER engaged in a compelling conversation at The Driskoll Hotel in Austin, Texas, with Colin Minihan, the director of the chilling thriller “What Keeps You Alive,” alongside its stars, Brittany Allen and Hannah Emily Anderson. Their discussion peeled back the layers of creating a film steeped in suspense and survival, revealing the challenges and creative choices that brought this intense story to life.
Fear Forever (FF): A significant portion of “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” is filmed outdoors in a dense forest. What were some of the major obstacles you encountered shooting in such a natural, yet potentially challenging environment?
Brittany Allen (BA): The outdoor setting was definitely a key consideration right from the start. We were actually quite apprehensive because our ideal shooting window, mid-to-late spring, coincided with peak bug season in Muskoka. It’s a relentless cycle, starting with black flies, then morphing into mosquitoes, and finally deer flies. There was a point where I seriously questioned if we could even manage it. But the schedule was set, so we had to find a way.
Colin Minihan (CM): Looking back at the scheduling, I believe we front-loaded the outdoor scenes to film them in the first half of the production.
BA: Yes, I think so too. We anticipated that the bug situation would only worsen as spring progressed. The initial phase was already intense. We were constantly battling the elements, trying to act as if we weren’t being swarmed by insects!
Hannah Emily Anderson (HEA): Bug nets became our essential wardrobe.
FF: You’d never guess the bug battles were happening just by watching the movie. It’s seamless.
CM: That’s because we resorted to extreme measures. We were literally spraying the lens with insect repellent before almost every take. Without that, you’d see swarms of tiny dots buzzing around in many shots.
FF: How incredibly frustrating!
BA: And we weren’t spared either. We were dousing ourselves in industrial-strength DEET.
HEA: Completely saturated in what felt like poison.
FF: And does that stuff even work effectively?
BA: This was next-level stuff, practically illegal!
CM: We actually ordered a 98% DEET concentration repellent from Amazon. We even had a dedicated line item in our budget – “bug warfare.”
FF: Seriously? A budget line for bugs?
CM: Absolutely…
FF: That’s almost comical, in a way. Incredible.
FF: Filming a thriller, especially one as intense as “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE,” can be demanding. What did you do between takes and on shooting days to inject some levity and keep spirits up on set?
HEA: Despite the dark themes, there was a lot of laughter and camaraderie on set. We became a very close-knit group very quickly, especially given the challenging filming conditions.
FF: It sounds like those conditions fostered a strong bond.
HEA: Definitely. We even had a “joke of the day,” sometimes even “joke of the hour.” And we had Ben, one of the producers, who would randomly appear, do something hilariously absurd, and then just vanish.
BA: (Laughing) Oh yeah, Ben!
FF: Did that comedic relief help? Or did it ever disrupt the intensity you needed for your characters?
CM: There were probably moments where we might have thought, “Okay, Ben, maybe take a break.”
HEA: Sometimes the timing wasn’t perfect, but mostly it was a welcome distraction.
BA: The film is so dark, you really need that counterbalance.
FF: Balance is key, it seems.
BA: Exactly!
HEA: Absolutely!
FF: “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” reminded me of “POOR AGNES” (2017), another female-driven film where the antagonist is a powerful, formidable woman, skilled in survival and weaponry. Both films feel distinctly Canadian. Is there something inherent in the Canadian landscape or psyche that lends itself particularly well to the horror genre?
CM: Regarding that specific parallel, I’m not sure. But Canada definitely has a strong track record in horror. My personal favorite Canadian horror film is “GINGER SNAPS,” which also features female leads. Perhaps it’s the long, bleak Toronto winters – the darkness, the isolation of being indoors for months due to the extreme cold. It might stir up some unsettling creative energy.
BA: Colin grew up in a small town on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. He often talks about how the long drives through the dense, dark forests between towns, sometimes two hours through mountains and woods, sparked many of his early story ideas.
CM: That’s true. Canada’s vastness plays a role. There are only about 30 million people in Canada, compared to 30 million in California alone.
FF: That’s a striking comparison.
CM: So, there’s a lot of empty, untamed space out there.
FF: That sense of isolation and wilderness must be a significant factor.
CM: I think nature is a huge influence. My last two horror films were definitely inspired by the environments I was living in when I conceived them. One was the California desert, and “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” is rooted in nature and the wilderness. I enjoy that challenge – the idea of confronting and perhaps overcoming nature’s power.
FF: That’s evident. The landscape itself almost becomes a character in “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE.”
FF: Brittany, for you, a portion of the film involves prosthetics and special effects makeup. What was that process like, and did it restrict your movement or performance in any way?
BA: You adapt to it. My prosthetics were relatively minimal – mainly a significant cut or gash on my wrist. It was manageable. It wasn’t like having extensive facial prosthetics. The stickiness of the fake blood was the most persistent discomfort, especially over long shooting days.
FF: But it wasn’t a major impediment?
CM: She’s remarkably resilient, never moody, even covered in blood and goo.
BA: You learn to enter a kind of meditative state. When you’re covered in that stuff, there are moments you just want to scream and peel it all off and jump in a shower. So, you just have to find a way to stay centered.
FF: A low-key freak out averted by meditation?
BA: Pretty much!
FF: And reminding yourself it’s just a movie?
BA: Exactly.
FF: For both of you actresses, what kind of character development work did you undertake to shape your roles in “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE”?
HEA: I had a couple of weeks leading up to filming, so I immersed myself in research. I watched countless interviews with psychopaths and serial killers. It’s a subject that has always fascinated me. For some reason, they are incredibly compelling figures. But a lot of the character’s nuances emerged organically during filming.
CM: The first few days are definitely about discovery.
HEA: Yes, we experimented and played with the tone. We’d do a take, and then Colin would offer direction – “try this, try that.” We’d explore different levels until we collectively found the right pitch for the characters.
FF: That’s fascinating. Watching interviews with psychopaths – that’s a really insightful approach.
HEA: I studied their facial expressions, their mannerisms.
FF: You both have worked together on previous projects. How did your experience on “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” compare to your other collaborations?
BA: Interestingly, we didn’t actually share any scenes in “JIGSAW.” We had briefly met a few times in passing. So, before “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE,” we barely knew each other. We had to establish a sense of intimacy and comfort very rapidly. That’s often the case when you’re portraying a relationship on screen with someone new. The first few days are about navigating that dynamic, and then it usually clicks. I loved working with Hannah. We had a fantastic working rapport.
HEA: It was great.
BA: We challenged each other and pushed each other to elevate our performances.
CM: Especially physically!
BA: Yes, and in our acting choices too. We brought different strengths to our work, and I definitely learned from Hannah, and hopefully, she learned from me too.
FF: Complementary strengths and perhaps different approaches?
BA: Exactly, yes.
HEA: It was wonderful to genuinely work alongside Brit. I’d seen her on the “JIGSAW” set, but she was always completely covered in blood!
BA: (Laughing) True!
HEA: Actually collaborating with her was fantastic. There was a healthy sense of competition between us, especially since it was primarily the two of us for most of the film. I hadn’t experienced that dynamic before. We really pushed each other to be better.
FF: That collaborative energy, especially when you genuinely get along, is crucial, isn’t it?
HEA: Oh, absolutely huge!
FF: Colin, you co-created the popular Canadian horror franchise “GRAVE ENCOUNTERS.” What experiences from working on those films did you apply to “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE”?
CM: Those films are vastly different. I think my natural filmmaking inclinations lean more towards grounded, violent thrillers like “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE.” Something darker and more rooted in reality. “GRAVE ENCOUNTERS” is supernatural, though it also tries to maintain a sense of situational realism. With “GRAVE ENCOUNTERS,” I had to set aside some of my stylistic preferences – certain camera angles, rich cinematography – that I admire in film. “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” allowed me to showcase that visual style, which has always been part of my filmmaking identity. I’ve been making films for a long time. The biggest lesson from “GRAVE ENCOUNTERS” was realizing that some of the most compelling moments come from the unexpected, from spontaneous discoveries within a scene. If a scene wasn’t working as written, I’d open it up to the actors, encourage improvisation to find its core. I felt that freedom even more on “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE” because we had a smaller crew. We weren’t as constrained by equipment and elaborate setups. We had room to play, which was reminiscent of the “GRAVE ENCOUNTERS” approach in some ways.
FF: That flexibility sounds creatively liberating.
FF: Colin, one of my favorite aspects of the film was the location itself – the land. It’s serene yet also feels brutal and menacing. Can you tell us about finding and choosing your filming locations?
CM: The house?
FF: The land, the overall environment.
CM: It was actually a serendipitous discovery. About four years prior, Brittany and I (we’re a couple) visited her family’s cottage in Muskoka during the summer. The opening shot of the film, where you turn off the highway onto that long, dark, narrow road – that’s literally the road to her family’s cottage. The first time I drove down it, I noticed there were two parallel roads with a strip of trees in between, which is quite unique. I had been scouting locations, trying to find places to shoot car-to-car sequences. That area was so visually striking that I said to Brittany, “I’m going to try to write a movie set here!” And I did. For a while, I considered using her parents’ cottage if we couldn’t find a better option. Then, one of our producers stumbled upon a location database while searching for something completely different. Buried at the bottom were photos uploaded by homeowners offering their properties for film rentals. We found a fantastic location about a 40-minute drive away. We housed the actresses there and shot at the original cottage location and other spots nearby.
FF: So, the land itself was the initial inspiration.
CM: Absolutely. Just like I mentioned earlier.
FF: Music is integral to “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE.” From Jackie/Megan’s musical talent to the prominent and carefully placed score, it’s a key element. Did you collaborate closely with the composer to achieve the specific tone you wanted?
BA: I actually scored the film.
FF: You did? Wow!
BA: It’s cool that you noticed the music’s impact!
FF: It’s incredibly effective. You women are so multi-talented – actresses, singers, musicians… what am I doing with my life?
BA and HEA: (Laughter)
CM: You’re doing great!
FF: Seriously, amazing actresses, musicians – so impressive!
CM: Music became a huge part of the film, even more so than initially planned. I discovered “BLOODLET,” a song by Canadian artist KATHLEEN MUNROE – the “demon inside” song. I found it during a rewrite just before shooting, and it became such a crucial element. Originally, there wasn’t a scene where Hannah’s character played guitar or sang. That song really shaped that scene and brought it to life. I incorporated it throughout the movie. It became a thematic thread that worked beautifully, especially since I knew I wanted Hannah to play MOONLIGHT SONATA on the piano, and you’re both gifted musicians, so it all tied together seamlessly. But yes, Brit scored the entire movie, creating every rich texture and layer you hear. It was her first time scoring a film, and she did a phenomenal job.
FF: Wow, congratulations, Brittany!
BA: Thank you.
CM: She had been creating electronic pop music and learning music production for a couple of years, and many of her sounds have a TRENTON REZNOR-esque quality – gritty, pulsing electronic synths. I knew I wanted a texture that blended piano with those electronic elements. We weren’t initially sure if Brit would be comfortable taking on the entire score. So, I sent her a scene and said, “Try scoring this one scene and let’s see how it goes. We’ll know if you can score the whole movie based on this.” At the time, we were living in a place with a piano, and she wrote something incredible.
BA: Yes, it was incredibly fun. I really loved the process.
FF: Finally, is there anything else you’d like readers to know about yourselves or “WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE”?
CM: Let’s talk more about the music.
BA: For me, this project was special in so many ways, but the most lasting impact is that it introduced me to film scoring. It’s something I never imagined doing but have always deeply appreciated in other films. Now that I’ve experienced it, it feels like a natural fit and something I hope to pursue much more in the future. I’m incredibly grateful that Colin entrusted me with that role, and that we’ve started this new creative journey together.
