At first glance, it might be easy to associate Ed Boase’s “The Mirror” with other recent genre films such as “Oculus” – or the upcoming “The Sleeping Room”. After all, haunted mirror movies aren’t exactly hard to come by these days. But what about a haunted mirror movie that is backed by a true story? With history behind it, and eye witnesses? That’s what separates The Mirror from the pack.

We have been lucky enough to chat with writer/director Ed Boase about the film before it hits iTunes this coming Monday, January 26th. We talk about his inspiration for the film, how he came across the story in the first place, as well as some of his favorite moments in horror history. Check it out:

Before we get into The Mirror, we always like to gain some insight into the mind of the film maker. Have you always been a horror fan? Or was the tale of The Mirror simply too good to pass up on?
I’ve loved horror films since I was kid. I blackmailed my parents into allowing me to watch Silence Of The Lambs aged 12 by making them an unlikely proposal: that if I came top in my school exams they had to let me watch it. They readily agreed on the basis that I was hardly an A-Grade student. I’ve never worked so hard in my life, or felt so motivated. Miraculously, I managed it. The school was amazed. My parents were both proud… and appalled. I can still picture my dad covering his eyes as Hannibal peels away Sgt Pembry’s face in the ambulance.
What’s your favorite death (or scene) in a horror film?
The film I come back to more than any other – horror or otherwise – is The Shining. As a kid (I first saw it aged 8) I was terrified at the thought of my dad pursuing me with an axe. Now, as a father, I’m terrified at the thought of anyone being influenced into doing harm to their family. As for my favourite death, it’s the axe-in-chest death of Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers). Kubrick does a great job building up Halloran as a symbol of hope – and, of course, smashes that hope almost as soon as he arrives at The Overlook.
If you could take a crack at remaking/reimagining a horror film.. which would it be?
There’s a fantastic British horror/revenge film called Witchfinder General which, despite being made in the 1960s, was notorious in the UK for being banned for over 25 years. By complete coincidence, it was directed by someone who was at my school – several decades before, I should add – called Michael Reeves, who died tragically young. It contains a career-best performance by Vincent Price as the titular witchfinder wreaking havoc on Civil War-era England, eventually provoking a young soldier (Ian Ogilvy) into seeking bloody revenge. It’s simple, brutal, and uses a rarely-explored period of English history as backdrop. It could do with an update, not least because the central theme – suspicion and paranoia being exploited by the state – is more relevant than ever… also, the effects haven’t dated especially well.
Where did you first come across the story of the “Haunted Mirror”?
I read about it on a news website at the beginning of 2013. I was in the midst of a development process which, for various reasons, was taking forever. The prospect of making a film anytime soon was becoming increasingly distant. I saw the found footage horror anthology VHS and thought ‘I can do that’. Also, a mirror seemed like a cheap prop to make a film about.
How did you approach the owners on the subject of making it into a feature film?
It wasn’t that hard to track them down through Google. Sotiris, one of the (former) owners, is a painter/decorator in North London and I called his mobile. He was understandably suspicious at first, but agreed to meet for an after-work beer at his local pub. After all, who doesn’t want a film made about their life? I tried to manage expectations as much as possible: they wouldn’t be paid much money, the film might never get made, if it did it may never see the light of day… all the time I was thinking: why the fuck hasn’t Hollywood been onto them? The story had been covered by everyone from CNN to the Huffington Post.
Based on your gut instinct, did you get the feeling these guys really experienced unexplainable events after purchasing the mirror? Or were they simply seeking attention?
Initially I didn’t care. It was a fantastic story. But the more I got to know them, and particularly after I viewed some photos and video footage of their experiences, the more I became convinced they were telling the truth. Also, I liked them. I didn’t want to believe they would lie to me. To this day, I believe they went through a terrible experience – not all of it easily explainable.
Once you had the foundation of your story, what was the inspiration of turning it into a paranormal competition of sorts?
I can’t claim credit for the idea of the film being an entry for the James Randi Foundation’s One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. The idea for that came from Chris Parsons, Associate Producer on the film. His point was that the chief flaw of found footage films is that the characters keep filming, even when faced with lethal threats. Who would do that? You would run away, and fuck the camera, right? Not, I’d argue, if the potential upside of continuing to film is winning a million dollars.
The Mirror is your second feature film, but it is your first that is done in “Found Footage” style. Why the switch?
Money. Or lack thereof. Found footage bypasses many of the costlier aspects of filmmaking, such as lighting, grip equipment (and crew to operate these). I also like the found footage aesthetic. I think it works really well for horror, which benefits from a certain grunginess. Some people hate it – there was a lady who walked out of the Frightfest screening within the first minute, claiming motion sickness – but I don’t think (as a sub-genre) it’s going away anytime soon. For one thing, it’s the way we see much of the world (as people increasingly document their lives on mobile phones) and it’s also a cheap, accessible way for filmmakers to tell their stories.
Your previous film in 2011(Blooded) , had a reported budget of $280,000 USD. You yourself have stated that you only had somewhere between $10,000-$15,000 USD for The Mirror. That’s an incredible jump. Having seen the film, I can say that it doesn’t look like a $10k film. What were some of the challenges you faced with the budget, and how did you overcome them?
You’re right about the figures, and right about the jump. Blooded was filmed on location in the Scottish Highlands, and required transporting a crew of 40 to some of the remotest parts of the UK. Also we went the traditional route, stylistically, with all the inherent crewing and equipment costs. With The Mirror, which was self-funded, it was a question of how much I had in my savings account. I wouldn’t say there were any particular hurdles, budget-wise. If people know a film is being made for peanuts they adjust their day rates accordingly. I wouldn’t say the catering was spectacular, though.
Would you do anything differently given the chance?
Always. There are flaws, though far less than I anticipated – given that the film was entirely improvised. I would possibly have chosen a scarier-looking mirror, though I didn’t want it to look too obviously ‘evil’. The real haunted mirror looks quite ordinary.
For people that will undoubtedly draw comparisons to other haunted/possessed mirror films – what do you have to say to them? What makes The Mirror different?
At the time, I wasn’t aware of Oculus. That said, even if I had been, I still would have gone ahead. After all, my story was based on an actual mirror. I hope what makes The Mirror different is that, partly due to the style, you feel you’re living the experience with the characters; after all, the film is almost entirely POV. Also, it’s funny, in a gallows humour rather than Scary Movie sense. Judging by the Frightfest screening, there’s a steady flow of amusing dialogue, which ultimately gives way to silence and chills. I think the ending is genuinely frightening, though it does require an investment in the characters – and a degree of patience – to get there. It’s a slow-build horror.
Once The Mirror hits iTunes on January 27th, what’s next for Edward Boase? More films? Staying in the horror field?
I’m gearing up to do another horror – this time set in the medical field – later this year. It’s unsettling, horrific and relatively high-concept. Not found footage, this time… we have a budget!

We want to thank Ed for his time, and highly encourage all of you to check out The Mirror when it hits iTunes this coming Monday, January 26th.

We look forward to seeing what Ed has for us in the future, but until then, enjoy what he has for us NOW!

iTunes: The Mirror