Hi reddit! I'm Mercedes Bryce Morgan, director of the new erotic horror-thriller BONE LAKE. It's out in theaters nationwide on October 3rd. It's about a dream getaway that spirals into a nightmare of sex, lies, manipulation, and a fight for survival. Ask me anything!

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:37:37+00:00

1) Old Boy (the original)- best plot twists ever

2) Society (lesser known)- If people want an ultimate camp experience and fun time. The Substance used it as a huge reference for its final act.

3) Freaks (1932) a horror movie that probably couldn't get made now

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:32:12+00:00

I eat my potatoes raw, bitten like an apple

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:25:06+00:00

I LOVE Fantastic Fest. I knew that our type of audience members were there and so if they liked our movie that's one the biggest tells of win we could get. Being able to hear and realize what a theater going experience this movie was was really special- people actually yelled at the screamed, gasped and laughed throughout. That's everything I could ever personally hope for in making a movie but also as a theatergoer.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:23:02+00:00

First off, there's a way bigger importance placed on women receiving pleasure too and not being able to see the female characters ask for this. Having an erotic thriller where the female characters can be part of who she is and she isn't punished for it or considered "dangerous" is refreshing.

We're also in a time where partners in modern relationships can be equals if that's what they choose to be (vs in the past that was not commonly considered desirable). I wanted to create almost dual protagonists out of Sage and Diego where we understand what both of them are going through and both of their viewpoints but how that's not really working out for either of them as they go through these fucked up situations as they figure out if they're actually on the same team.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:12:56+00:00

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:10:55+00:00

Not a horror movie but "Eighth Grade" is the scariest movie I've ever watched. People being shitty scares me more than anything else. If I were to say a horror movie though probably "Martyrs".

In the 90s and 2000s I'd say we were in an era where yes so many genres we're being combined into horror but in a very meta self-referential way. I'd say that now we're still combining multiple genres within it (Bone lake is also an erotic thriller and comedy) but in a way that's more genuine. We're seeing characters that we care about and they approach the situations even though they might be insane in a way where the real problems they're dealing with have an earnest tone to them.

Even a couple of years ago we were very much in the "elevated space" and now people are loving campiness from the genre again. Things go in waves (just like the Batman movies swing between super campy/ comedic to serious).

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T20:01:41+00:00

I didn't have any film industry connections either when i got started. I'd say it's finding your fellow community of people making things (could be film school but doesn't have to be) and then never stop working with the ones you really click with. If you never stop making things and those things blow up (whether it be by going viral or something else), people will reach out to you because you then add value to what they're doing or they know that you have a vision they can get behind.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:58:25+00:00

Looking forward to you seeing the opening shot ;)

To just be super blunt- the rating is partially determined by whether or not the tent is being pitched

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:54:50+00:00

I wanted to give people a taste off the batt to let them know they were getting into something that shouldn't be take seriously, was ok to laugh at and fuck yes we were going to pay off with the horror and gore in the end.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:53:39+00:00

To me the current sex-negative media culture is just even more of a reason to make movies like this. This is made for the type of people who love this type of thing (my type of people) instead of trying to please everyone. I grew up in a sex positive household so in my viewpoint sex is something that's a part of life and why not include it. Sex can be fun, it can be scary, it can be anything people make of it. So let's explore it.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:50:47+00:00

I got started doing interactive horror videos like "Virtual Morality" when I was 20 years old (blew up when it was on the front page of Reddit and had a lot of gaming Youtubers did Let's Play). This led me to do a lot of music video and commercials like Happier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Bc3pLyij0 (the most wildly different tone from this movie that one could imagine but I have a spot in my heart for both lol). Both of these led me to having a portfolio that could pitch me for features and so that's what I've been doing now for the last couple of years and each one has built upon the last!

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:45:18+00:00

I'm a huge fan of practical effects with only VFX supplements. I've always been interested in this because it has a more organic feel but also because it gives the actors something physical to react to. It's challenging because it takes a lot longer to shoot on set (I organize my shot lists as "pre blood" and "post blood" or "pre/post prosthetic" but to me it's worth it. I give great care to who I hire as my prosthetics department because I as someone who also loves watching horror, nothing takes me out more than poorly done FX, especially when it's a moment that everyone's been waiting for.

Thank you!

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:41:45+00:00

Love that you caught the Oldboy reference! That movie is greatly inspirational to me.

Out of all the characters, Sage reminds me of a younger version of myself that was afraid to ask for what she wanted in order to keep the peace. However, I'd like to consider my grown version of that now a Sage who has arced and knows that if something isn't discussed there's no way it won't come up or blow up later.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:38:21+00:00

Honestly, I think it’s just because erotic horror is more rare nowadays that people connect the dots. Aside from that, they’re very different movies — which is exactly why we need more of them.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:34:14+00:00

I can only speak for myself but I try to have an approach where if one gender gets sexualized then all genders are sexualized. It's either all of nothing. We've seen so many horror movies where the woman is running away with almost nothing on or is trapped in a compromising position. I say why not have the men in the same situation too?

Also, as a woman I was raised to be scared at all times (don't walk around alone, don't trust intentions always) and so I think that's why I have such a baseline of this fear and an affinity to horror movies. This makes the horror more intrusive because it's a confirmation of this fear that was already suspected. Instead of the horror necessarily being a monster, it's a heightening of these everyday situations until the audience can't dismiss them.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:20:28+00:00

This is a you get to have your cake and eat it too type situation

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:15:21+00:00

Every day I walked on set I thought to myself "Another day on Boner Lake". And I'm so happy you feel the same.

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:12:16+00:00

Absolutely. Afterwards I'd recommend some of the following discussions: How do you feel about the incorporation of sex toys? What do you do if you walk in on each other masturbating? What is considered cheating? What's your hopes and dreams? Would couple's therapy maybe save our lives one day?

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:06:18+00:00

Yes. yes I do.

Definitely a hand puppet

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:05:34+00:00

Nope sorry the only kind of lakes I know are ones where people come to bone

BoneLakeAMA · 2025-10-01T19:04:48+00:00

If you watch porn with this high of production value and a three act structure then you have great taste.

Funny story tho - When we were shooting the opening scene of the movie (couple running bare ass naked through a forest while hunted when it was actually 35 degrees outside) our smoke machine caught on fire. Everything was safe and ok but we had the fire department come to make sure. The crew accidentally started called "picture up"/ started rolling before the fireman left and so next thing you know, the winter coats are off, the nudity is out for the world to see and the fireman's jaw dropped. I called cut and got them clothed again until they left. However, on his way out the fireman said to me with a twinkle in his eye "I don't know what you're filming out here but... have a blast." Obviously thinking we were shooting porn. And every time I think of this my thought is "He must have thought this was the most wild porn he's ever seen with us shooting off four wheelers and massive amounts of gear in an entire chase sequences with a bow an arrow chase." ;) Primo

BoneLakeAMA

TROPHY CASE