A criminal fixer with a unique psychological condition is pushed to his limits when he confronts an enigmatic drug lord who uses psychedelics and hypnosis to deadly effect.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Pirie Martin

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I’ve always had a love for detective stories and Noir, and have always been fascinated by psychology, but I’d never put the two together before. That is until I got interested in auditory hallucinations and learned that some people hear film-style narrators in their heads. Ideas and associations flowed quickly: narrators and Noir, auditory hallucinations and warped perception, the mind and hypnosis…I went down several research rabbit holes at once. It was like a fever dream of inspirations combining very quickly and it was a really energizing experience. The more I researched the more interesting things became.

The style and artistic choices came from a desire to do something really weird and unique - to stand out, but also to experiment and push myself as a filmmaker. It evolved from research done into perception; the hyper-focused and even ‘controlling’ 1:1 aspect ratio, the harsh monochrome palette contrasted with bursts of saturated color and long ‘Erismann goggles’ inspired sequences flipped upside down - these all reflect some aspect of perception that amazes me; optical illusions, or things our brains take for granted - things we can lose. I wanted to draw attention to these in a very meta/filmic way and have some fun with it.

Psychosis - Michael Wilkop (L) and Henry Errington (R) as Aaron and Brodie in a cactus-filled drug lab dubbed The Palace.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I think the main draw card is the unusual audio and visual style of the film. You get into the hero's head (literally) in a way not many other films allow. It's a film that has many inspirations but is itself quite unique and unlike anything else.

The film also offers a stigma-free depiction of Paracusia, or auditory hallucinations, which is rare in mainstream film, but also allows the audience to experience something of what it's like living with verbal hallucinations. I hope it piques a few people's interest the same way it did mine, and provides an interesting perspective on our own subjective experiences and how our minds all see the world differently.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think the universal themes of guilt and the burden of trauma are present in my film, but not too heavily. Psychosis is a pulpy thriller/horror at heart, however, it does touch on how past wounds shape our present lives and the ways we must go on living with scars of different forms. While Van Aarle's unique condition may not be directly relatable to many people, his insecurities, fears, and perseverance in the face of it all will hopefully connect with many.

Psychosis - Derryn Amoroso as Van Aarle faces down Dorian Tisato as Skeleton.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script changed quite a bit throughout the course of production and even post-production. Because there are hallucinogenic voices throughout the film I had to try and evoke them without overloading the screenplay with blocks of disjointed chatter, so for some time there was a lot missing (except for the disembodied Narrator). We filmed the script without the voices, leaving room for them to be inserted later. Nobody on set really knew what we were going to fill these gaps with, apart from myself and our lead Derryn Amoroso, who had to use a lot of imagination.

In post-production, I wrote a second 'voices only' script which I could tailor to the edit of the scenes and we recorded all the voices in a solid block. It really tied the film together when we finally heard them all included.

We also reshot a couple of scenes and restructured another in the edit, which was done to improve the pacing and balance tone of the film. Initially, there was more comedy, but as it evolved the film became more melancholic, which was very interesting as it unfolded - but required some aggressive cuts.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback has been wonderful. Obviously, a film like this isn't going to suit all tastes, but when Psychosis finds its target audience the response has been enthusiastically positive. I couldn't be more proud of what we've achieved and I'm so glad it's resonating with its audience.

Psychosis - James McCluskey-Garcia as the monstrous Joubini.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I was expecting more confusion or frustration over the 1:1 aspect ratio, or the chaotic audio, however, those things have been really well received (at least by film festival crowds), and that has surprised me. I fully expected people to complain that the screening file is cropped or the audio is broken, but audiences have been quite positive about the style. I couldn't be happier with that!

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Of course, in part, I hope to get more eyes on Psychosis, especially among film fans and filmmakers, as that's a large component of my audience. Filmmakers and film buffs who have watched a lot and are looking for something weird and different.

It's also great to be visible among the international filmmaking community, which is something we South Australian filmmakers sometimes struggle with (although this past year or two has been pretty great for South Australian film!).

Psychosis - Adam MacNeill as a menacing henchman in the villain's lair.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I'm pretty well set at this stage as far as Psychosis is concerned, but I'm always on the lookout for future collaborators, producers, and craftspeople for future projects. I get a lot of motivation from working with and seeing what other creatives are doing, and love the teamwork side of filmmaking. Expanding my network is a big focus for me as I look toward future projects.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I just hope people enjoy it, it's entertainment first and foremost. Beyond that, I hope it inspires audiences to go and learn a bit about psychology and psychological conditions, because it's a fascinating subject and one that is too often portrayed quite negatively in film, which leads to a lot of nasty misconceptions and stigma.

Psychosis - PJ Van Gyen as LoneWolf trapped in a nightmarish Graveyard.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

I think an obvious discussion point will revolve around hallucinatory conditions and how they are represented in media. Psychosis isn't trying to educate, but it does offer a depiction free of any of the familiar stigmas around psychological conditions.

Another conversation that I am interested in more broadly is how subjective each of our cognitive experiences can be. I'd love audiences to try and imagine different ways of seeing the world and how that can change the way we see each other, our differences, but also the unexpected similarities we all share.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm currently developing and writing several new film projects which I hope to get into production soon, but I'm also a keen artist and aspiring novelist, so I'm always working on something!

Interview: December 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Psychosis

A criminal fixer with a unique psychological condition is pushed to his limits when he confronts an enigmatic drug lord who uses psychedelics and hypnosis to deadly effect.

Length: 1:38:27

Director: Pirie Martin

Producer: Pirie Martin

Writer: Pirie Martin

About the writer, director and producer:

PIRIE MARTIN is an award-winning director, writer and producer from Adelaide South Australia. His first short film, Andy’s Venture (2017) was nominated Best Short Comedy at the 2017 Houston Comedy Film Festival. Psychosis, Pirie's debut feature, premiered at the 2023 Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami where it was nominated Best Feature, followed by a Jury Prize for Best Feature at the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival and Best Experimental Horror at HorrorFest International.

Key cast: Derryn Amoroso, Kate Holly Hall, Henry Errington, Michael Wilkop, PJ Van Gyen, James McCluskey-Garcia

Facebook: Psychosis

Twitter: @Psychosis_movie

Instagram: @psychosis_film

Hashtags used: #psychosis

Website: hwww.psychosisfilm.com

Other: IMDb

Made in association with: Kessel Run Productions

Funders: Self-Funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Soho Horror Fest (SOHOME Virtual screening), London, UK; Nov 30th to Dec 3rd. Screenings limited to the UK.
Sherman Oaks Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA; Virtual and in-theatres Nov 29th to Dec 10th. Virtual screenings should be available worldwide.