Filmmakers Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, alongside stars Sterling Macer Jr. and John Fleck, descended upon Austin, Texas for the highly anticipated world premiere of their enthralling horror crime-thriller, Dead Mail.
In the eerie backdrop of a desolate Midwestern county road, we witness a bound man, Josh (Sterling Macer Jr.), desperately crawling towards a remote postal box, slipping a blood-stained plea-for-help message into the slot before a panic-stricken figure closes in on him. This ominous note finds its way to the county post office and lands on the desk of Jasper, a seasoned and skilled “dead letter” investigator tasked with unraveling the mysteries of lost mail. As Jasper delves deeper into the case, he encounters Trent (John Fleck), a peculiar yet unassuming individual who has taken up residence at the men’s home where Jasper resides. When Trent unexpectedly appears at Jasper’s office, it becomes apparent that he holds a vested interest in the note, stopping at nothing to retrieve it.
Pop Culturalist had the distinct honor of conversing with the cast and creative minds behind this much-buzzed-about film. From delving into the genesis of the project to exploring their ongoing collaboration, the discussion illuminated the trust and creativity that underpin every aspect of this riveting film. With insights into the decisions that shaped its narrative, Dead Mail promises to be a standout feature at SXSW, sparking discussions and leaving an indelible mark on audiences.
PC: Joe, you stumbled across the dead letter office which sparked the inspiration for this project. You and Kyle started with that opening scene and essentially worked backwards. How did that initial concept ultimately manifest itself into Dead Mail, which is filled with so many twists and turns? Having had such an established friendship with Sterling, did you write Josh with him in mind?
Joe: Sterling won the part of Josh on our first feature when we were staying in a remote Airbnb. He sat down at the piano and started jazz riffing after showing all the other things he can do, like throwing darts and army crawling. He’s so coordinated.
Regarding the evolution of the script, the dead letter office really fascinated us. Kyle had the awesome idea for the opening scene. We delved into a fictionalized version of what happens in the dead mail room at the post office. That was really fun to build up to this great investigator who’s a savant at his craft and has a Norwegian counterpart with advanced tech. We wrote that first act first, which led us to the question: what does this man do? Let’s give him a great occupation like a synthesizer engineer. It went from there.
PC: Kyle, a consistent theme in the films you and Joe have collaborated on is their historical settings. Creatively, this is a smart choice as it adds a level of simplicity, yet through your cinematography, set designs, and props, everything feels grand. How were you able to seamlessly balance these elements?
Kyle: Thank you. We put so much focus on establishing the world, and that’s what excited us. Our production designer, Payton Jane, and our costume designer, KerriAnne Savastano, ensured that what’s in front of the camera looks authentic, striving to make it unique.
We’ve always said, let’s choose the most unique option available. By doing that, it lent itself to this film. We used one lens for 95% of the film and spent a lot of time creating a set that we were happy with. We wanted to show angles conducive to showcasing the world we’ve made, for better or worse.
PC: Sterling, you’ve had this ongoing partnership with Joe and Kyle, and so much about filmmaking is that trust between actor and directors. How have those prior experiences and that friendship that you’ve all developed throughout the years enabled you to take agency over your character and make the creative decisions that you made throughout, particularly in the vulnerable state that he finds himself in?
Sterling: Great question. It’s everything. Usually, an actor on set has to try to figure out if he can trust production enough to let those layers unfold and do all the things to get into that vulnerable position. You need all of that stuff in order to make things happen. But with these guys, I’ve already established that. I know their aesthetic, their taste, and the level that they’re shooting for, so it was easy for me to say, I can go wherever they’re asking because I trust them.
PC: John, there’s such a fine line that you have to walk when you’re playing a character like Trent, whose motivations and actions are so heightened, but you brought such restraint and groundedness to him. What was that process like, developing this character and finding out how far you could push it?
John: Trent is this character who has lived in this oil drum his whole life. I had to lose touch with my humanity. I created this world where I’ve basically built this fortress in the middle of nowhere. The only tactile thing that I have is sound, food, and the fact that I finally meet somebody who I connect to, and it’s overwhelming. I don’t know how to process this connection. It really goes haywire for Trent, but the intent was pure. He just wants Josh to be loyal and there for him because he finally feels like he’s met someone he could trust.
Joe: It’s the thought that counts.
Kyle: And make you a goddamn synth.
PC: Joe, what you’ve both done so brilliantly is you have these scenes that are told from multiple perspectives and at different points of the film, but it never feels repetitive. Instead, it really creates that intrigue and challenges audiences to pick up on those subtle nuances. How challenging was that from a writing perspective?
Joe: That was actually a lot of fun. The first idea was let’s only see the first act from Jasper’s point of view. Then we can go back and see it from Trent’s point of view. That felt like a fun thing to do. But it was figuring out how much we need to receive from Trent’s point of view and then what twists we are going to get once we do that.
Our producer, Zachary Weil, really helped us hone in on getting the end of that second act to a place where it’s worth seeing it again. I think it works.
PC: Kyle, there’s a lot of unexpected humor which feels so on-brand for the ways in which you and Joe write, and the ending credits are so unexpected. How did you even come up with that idea? Why was that contrast so important for you to add in, especially given how the film progresses?
Kyle: Genuinely, that was done in fifteen minutes. [Laughs] We had been toiling over the edit, and it felt like we needed a reprieve. We needed something there. I was just trying to make Joe and Zach chuckle. So I quickly put it together, and they liked it. They were like, “We should keep it in.”
John: I’m flattered that you made me as attractive as you did in that scenario. [Laughs]
PC: Sterling and John, you both have a shared background in theatre, and there are so many things you can’t account for in filmmaking, especially independent filmmaking, which feels similar to the experience on stage. How has that training allowed you each to remain flexible and play off each other?
Sterling: You’re asking really amazing questions. I just want to say these are really insightful questions. Having a similar language helps our rapport. If you’re a theater actor and you’ve done it enough, you’re a disciplined actor. You know where the boundaries of work stand, and you’re generally going to be really respectful of your character.
Knowing that made it much easier for me. I remember when Kyle first brought the role up to me, I was like, “Wow. Who are they going to call? Who are they going to cast in this other role?” I was curious because they need to be able to turn it off. It was nice to know that John had that theater discipline because we share that.
John: I couldn’t have said it better. I’m not a method actor, but for personal emotional scenes, you need to be able to use that and then drop it after, especially when he’s chained to a sink. You’ve got to take care of your fellow actors.
Speaking of theater versus film, as actors, our intention is to focus on the obstacles and the relationships. I tend to come in big, and then it’s great to have directors who can say, “Let’s bring it down. The camera will catch the subtleties.” That’s what I love about it. You just have to keep your intention pure, and you don’t have to worry about reaching that back row.
PC: Joe and Kyle, in the film, Trent and Josh are pushing each other as creatives. Having been frequent collaborators, how have you been able to push one another?
Kyle: That’s such a good question. We can’t imagine writing or doing it without each other at this point. It’s been a really fun ride to be able to be here together, which is super cool. We have a lot of overlap with our aesthetic and what we like creatively, but there’s a bit of a difference that keeps us grounded with our wayward tendencies.
Joe: We’ve gotten to a point a while ago where we killed our egos and we said if we don’t agree with this direction, there’s probably a better way to do it. That’s helped us fine-tune the writing and every element.
PC: Sterling and John, the two of you have done it all throughout your careers. What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as creatives?
Sterling: It’s being able to have experiences like this and finding that creative tribe. It can only happen, in my experience in this business, in that independent spirit because the studio is their own tribe. But in the independent world, you’re trying to find people and experiences that you like and you share the artistic standard. In that sense, it almost becomes a repertory experience. That’s why I love the independent spirit. You can have a relationship that contributes to the whole of making it greater.
John: You’re so articulate. That collaboration is what I love about. You work on a TV set or a bigger budget, you go into your little trailer. You never meet anybody. Because of the budget, we’re all there.
I think these guys, Kyle and Joe, are truly the stars. They wrote it, shot it, and conceived it, and made it what it is on this budget. What an accomplishment. I was so thankful to be along for the ride.
Make sure to follow Joe (Instagram), Kyle (Instagram), Sterling (Instagram), and John (Instagram).
Dead Mail Screening Times at SXSW:
Photo Credit: Dead Mail LLC
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