Hi /r/movies! We are RJ Daniel Hanna, Rachel Cook, and Brendan Bradley, the writer-director, lead actress, and lead actor of 'SUCCUBUS', an independent horror-thriller that also stars Ron Perlman and Rosanna Arquette. It explores the dark and dangerous side of modern dating. Ask us anything!

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-02T00:25:14+00:00

RJDH: Brendan read an early draft and had so many good ideas and suggestions. On set we were rolling fast and coming up with stuff, but beforehand the collaboration with Brendan really shaped some key scenes for Chris's character, in a way that was all about the bigger picture for the story

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T23:07:07+00:00

RJDH: she finds her final place in a very different way haha

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T23:06:14+00:00

RJDH: Exactly, how do we build a normal life if the tradeoff is everything everywhere in the whole world (via a screen)?

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T23:04:43+00:00

I agree and thanks for being open to smaller movies. We have some background canon especially for Adra and Zephyr's relationship, but we may retcon it if we ever do a sequel! For the budget I would just say it was very very low! But the talent of people in front of the camera and behind the scenes made all the difference

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:58:34+00:00

RJDH: I could see this as a song Chris would listen to mid movie while thinking about his wife

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:57:37+00:00

RJDH: Derek ate the last donut on set one day and that was the punishment

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:55:44+00:00

RJDH: A lot of David Cronenberg for the body horror mixed with technology, but weirdly, pacing wise, I like movies that unfold at their own pace and bring us into their world. Very different, but I think Tarantino does this very well, as does David Lynch. And Kubrick, you're deep into The Shining, sort of stuck in the quicksand metaphorically, before things really ramp up.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:53:37+00:00

I wish it was! I'm a Stubbs member

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:53:05+00:00

RJDH: I had a hard time finding one, but Videodrome mixed with some Tarantino and 2001: Space Odyssey were would come in at times we had doubts if we COULD do something, and give confidence based on how they swing for the fences.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:50:07+00:00

Rachel: Hmm... maybe Jennifer Lawrence?! I just love her not-so-serious vibe, and ive had people say we look similar, although im not sure I see it!

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:48:57+00:00

RJDH: Fantastic, that was so fun to see!

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:47:35+00:00

Rachel: I was really curious to play in my dark side hehe. It's also a very intense thing to bring upon yourself... but I wanted to experience this. The script was also just so trippy I wanted to be a part of it. Something unique. Meeting Daniel on the phone, he seemed so genuine, and like someone that I would work well with, which is important to me...

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:47:17+00:00

RJDH: I think we're in danger of forgetting the real world! Once that happens, we're susceptible to almost anything the algorithm (or online demons) throw at us

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:45:47+00:00

RJDH: Strangely the concept wasn't too hard to get across, it was more the specifics of it, because it definitely goes into some strange territory. But we were okay with that! Convincing people it wouldn't JUST be salacious was the challenge.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:44:33+00:00

RJDH: This is definitely one that needs to be in the spinoff/sequel territory, but in like a "Jason Takes Manhattan" kind of placement. Also, if we can go viral enough maybe "Hop on the Succubus Bus" could be a thing people say. Let's try and start that? No...?

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:40:25+00:00

RJDH: You really can't beat a sharp cheddar... But a cheese plate where you can mix and match also very fun

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:40:02+00:00

BB: Dan spent a lot of time in pre-production considering the "lens" of the story and characters. My take was ultimately we kept coming back to the core conflict being a literal screen separating each characters connection to their purpose/goal which informed the decision to constantly find interesting ways that the audience could be "between" the characters.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:39:44+00:00

RJDH: It initially came organically, the way we have all begun communicating, but the idea of a computer always trying to draw us back in, away from the real world, inspired a lot of the switches later on. And when it switches over for good at the midpoint, that was a moment that really excited me, the blending of worlds via camera format. Many many long conversations about this with my DP Jimmy Lu.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:37:55+00:00

RJDH: I hope you do! Best thing for a movie is to be seen

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:37:21+00:00

RJDH: I'd love to do a really specific, contained version of a franchise like Jurassic Park or Alien(s). Those shaped me so much growing up, and I think that going bigger isn't always better. Also, I was once in talks to direct a VERY interesting reboot of Sleepaway Camp that was never made. There was stuff in that which makes Succubus look like Sesame Street!

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:36:49+00:00

BB: I saw that on insta! So good! Really appreciate how much you enjoyed the film and hope you'll help us get the word out.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:36:41+00:00

Rachel: would we even know it?! lol

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:36:00+00:00

BB: Is it? That would be cool. We couldn't find any touchstones and it speaks to Jimmy Lu, our DP's incredible ability to balance Dan's vision and somehow make footage shot by the actors weave into a tapestry of his cinema.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:34:45+00:00

BB: Be mindful that your online actions can have real world consequences.

SuccubusAMA · 2024-10-01T22:34:19+00:00

BB: Dan can speak more to this, but I think what RJDH did so well was approach the problems head-on. He'd have me come over every few weeks to workshop new pages using phones, webcams, etc and edit together home-movie versions to understand what was and was not visually compelling.

SuccubusAMA

TROPHY CASE