Chris Ferguson had a whirlwind Monday. His film, Backrooms, which was adapted from Kane Parsons’ popular YouTube series, made a stunning $118 million on its opening weekend. This Vancouver-produced movie, costing $10 million, has caught Hollywood’s attention.
Ferguson shared that he has received countless calls about new projects. “On Saturday, I walked 25,000 steps without leaving a three-block radius,” he said, reflecting on his busy schedule. Friends have even started betting on his daily steps as much as they bet on his film’s opening weekend returns.
But the excitement doesn’t just surround Ferguson; it also involves 20-year-old Kane Parsons. Ferguson initially found the young director’s age intriguing but quickly realized Parsons’ talent surpassed his years. “He’s so intelligent and curious. He’s different from anyone I’ve worked with,” he recalled, adding that Parsons seems like an old soul trapped in a young body.
Ferguson wanted to give Parsons the best support for his first theatrical feature. He surrounded him with a tight-knit crew that had been working together for years. Parsons, who handled every aspect of his YouTube series, from camera angles to music, needed that strong team to navigate the complexities of a film set. “A movie is on a different scale,” Ferguson explained, emphasizing the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
Backrooms revolves around a mysterious doorway in a furniture showroom, and it was announced earlier in 2023 as a collaboration with prominent production companies like A24 and Atomic Monster. While Parsons stands as a beacon of talent emerging from YouTube, Ferguson cautioned against Hollywood’s rush to mine social media for talent, saying not all creators translate well to feature films.
He believes that the true heart of filmmaking often lies with those who have honed their craft over years, not just those who can create viral content. “Online is a great platform, but it’s still about longform execution,” he added, stressing the importance of training and experience.
Backrooms doesn’t just highlight Parsons’ rise; it continues a successful trend for Ferguson and his producing partner, Osgood Perkins. Their company, Phobos, has enjoyed success with previous films like Longlegs, which earned $128 million from a $10 million budget. The marketing strategy for Longlegs has even been praised as a model for building anticipation for horror films.
Vancouver has become a thriving hub for indie horror movies, attracting passionate young filmmakers. Ferguson attributes this movement to the dedicated crew they’ve built over the years. “There’s an excited young crew here that wants to make films,” he said, highlighting the unique energy that has developed in the region.
As Ferguson looks to the future, the excitement around talent like Parsons suggests that the horror genre might continue to thrive in unexpected ways.
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