In this interview, BIGHT cast and creatives discuss their 13-day shoot and the erotic horror of their new film.
Debuting on Tuesday, February 10 on TVOD, BIGHT is a psychologically charged exploration of power and intimacy that centers on two couples reuniting for a dinner to celebrate the success of an avant-garde erotic photographer.
What begins as a daring conversation about open relationships and artistic ambition quickly unravels into a claustrophobic evening defined by jealousy, betrayal, and the dark side of desire. Against a backdrop of Shibari and sensual tension, the film challenges the illusion of freedom and the fragile boundaries that hold relationships together.
In a recent interview with Mama’s Geeky, the cast and creative team behind BIGHT – Cameron Cowperthwaite, Mark Hapka, Maiara Walsh, and Maya Stojan – discussed the intense labor of love required to bring this indie project to life.
The conversation dove into the unique challenges of wearing multiple hats as writers, producers, and actors, the happy accidents that occurred during their lightning-fast 13-day shoot, and why the horror genre serves as such a powerful benchmark for character-driven storytelling.
Multi-Hyphenate Challenges & A 13-Day Sprint
For much of the cast, the production of BIGHT was a masterclass in multitasking. Walsh, Hapka, and Cowperthwaite all juggled roles behind the camera while starring in the film.
Mark Hapka reflected on the weight of these responsibilities: “I think three hats are great to wear. But then when you pile on every other hat on top of that, and it turns into 15 hats, that’s where it can get a little trickier”.
Despite the pressure of a 13-day schedule, the team leaned on their pre-existing friendships to maintain flow. Maiara Walsh noted that the pivotal dinner table scene was the moment she felt the project truly came together: “When we finished that scene, I was like, oh man, I think we have a movie. It felt like we tackled the hardest piece of that puzzle”.
The Indie Hustle and the Power of Rehearsal
In the world of independent filmmaking, time is a luxury the BIGHT team had to manufacture through months of preparation.
Mark Hapka emphasized that their extensive prep work was the only way to survive a 13-day schedule: “The rehearsal and embodying ahead of time really, really helped with that. Otherwise you’re discovering things and then it’s too late because it’s time to move on”.
Cameron Cowperthwaite noted that the project was only possible because everyone was fully committed, despite the typical hurdles of indie production: “These things are such labors of love that without that attitude, just across the board, it would have never happened”.
Writing Without Limits
Cameron Cowperthwaite, who co-wrote the script with Walsh, admitted that the darkness of the story came from a place of creative freedom – and a bit of disbelief that the film would actually happen.
“I was writing scenes, and I was like, I’m never going to film this. It doesn’t matter. I can put whatever I want,” Cowperthwaite shared, laughing about the realization he had once production began.
However, he found that letting go of his “writer” brain was essential once the cameras were rolling: “It’s such a pleasure to let it go and give it over to people who know more about that role than you do at the point of shooting”.
Once production began, he embraced the collaborative nature of the project and the importance of trusting his co-stars: “it’s such a pleasure to let it go and give it over to people who know more about that role than you do at the point of shooting”.
The team even had to rewrite a scene at 1:00 AM the night before shooting when a central prop – a painting – had to be changed.
Maya Stojan, who plays the seductive and secretive Naomi, found the environment created by her multi-hyphenate co-stars allowed for a deep level of presence.
Stojan praised the realism of the set, stating, “it was easy to be present because the performances were so authentic. It felt so real”.
She also touched on the film’s psychological depth and its subversion of traditional horror tropes: “I feel like this is one of those movies where the monster is in all of us kind of thing”.
The Catharsis of Horror
The team was unanimous in their love for the horror genre, viewing it as a vehicle for exploring complex human emotions that are often kept suppressed.
Mark Hapka suggested that the genre offers a unique form of therapy for the audience: “it might be a little cathartic for audience members and actors to experience the darker intrusive thoughts we all might have and never talk about”.
Maiara Walsh agreed, seeing the film as an emotional outlet: “To me, it’s genuinely a release of something. Then you can kind of go back into your normal quote unquote life and maybe feel a little lighter”.
