Hannah MacPhersonis a director to keep your eyes on. Having helped bring successful programs likeSchool SpiritsandTrinketsto life,MacPherson is back with a wild, high-concept slasher flick sure to please audiences worldwide. Co-written byFreaky’sMichael Kennedy,Time Cutblends horror and sci-fi genres, offering a flick sure to surprise and excite.
Hitting Netflix just in time for Halloween,Time Cutfollows high school senior Lucy (Madison Bailey), an amateur inventor who figures out a way to travel back in time to 2003 — the same year her sister Summer (Antonia Gentry)was murdered by an unknown killer. Racing against time, Lucy has a difficult choice to make when she realizes saving the big sister she never knew could mean she never exists at all.
For this interview, MacPherson sits down with Collider’s ownSteve Weintraubto discuss following time-tested time-traveling rules proven byRobert ZemeckisandBack to the Future, the absolute joys of directing actors, and dutifully crafting their performances in the editing bay.
Meeting This Oscar Winner Would Be A Dream For ‘Time Cut’ Director Hannah MacPherson
COLLIDER: I have some extra time, so I like throwing some curveballs to get to know people at the beginning of an interview. If you could have an hour-long conversation with any actor or director that is no longer with us, who would you like to speak to and why?
HANNAH MACPHERSON: Wow! Do they have to be dead?
MACPHERSON: I would have an hour-long conversation with Tom Hanks. I think he’s themost incredibleactor of our time. He somehow has this ability to transport me in every one of his movies to a different place. There are actors I like who are sort of the same in every movie, and that’s okay, that’s one thing, but he’s different in every movie in a special way. He’s a filmmaker in general, so as a director, I would love to pick his brain about why he makes the choices he makes, how he learns to make the choices that he makes, his favorite directors he’s worked with, what are their styles? Everything he touches turns to gold, and I admire that. I also think he’s careful about creating a body of work — not to say that it’s “feel good,” but that it’s elevated, and smart, and has messaging that feels important in our human experience.
An ‘Outer Banks’ Alum Is a Time-Traveling Vigilante in First ‘Time Cut’ Trailer
The film premieres on Netflix on October 30.
I loved everything you said. The other reason I like this choice is because he’s thenicestperson like that.
MACPHERSON: Is that really true?
It’s crazy how nice he is. I have nothing but positive things to say. He’s just a really nice guy.
‘School Spirits’ Season 2 Will Be Huge!
“So different andmuchbigger andmuchcrazier and not what you expect at all.”
When you think about everything you’ve worked on, what shot or sequence has been the toughest of your career thus far?
MACPHERSON: Well, I just did some work that I probably can’t talk about.
Or can you? [Laughs] Just joking, I don’t wanna get you in trouble.
MACPHERSON: I just directed four episodes for Season 2 ofSchool Spirits,and we did somecrazythings on this season. I directed the first two episodes and the last two episodes. It really feels like Season 2, all of a sudden, is like, “Okay, Season 1 was one thing, and now this show is gonna be something so different andmuchbigger andmuchcrazier andnotwhat you expect at all." That involves things like sinking entire sets underwater and some huge stunts I’ve never done before. So those things were challenging in terms of just the technicality of directing.
Pure, the Blumhouse movie I made for theInto The Darkseries on Hulu, had challenges because it was a 16-day shoot. A lot of beautiful ensemble cast but a lot of people to cover.I’m an actor’s director at heart.I love working with actors, and I wanna have time to truly get to a place of them being able to be living in the moment, but also the chaos of, you’re being real and all these things are coming together. Maybe the scene changes in a special way. When you’re working really fast, it can be hard to get beyond two takes and to really get toplay. For me, that’s the hardest part.
Peyton List Talks ‘School Spirits,’ the Satisfying Season Ending, and the Final Season of ‘Cobra Kai’
“I read it so fast because I wanted to find out [what happened]. I was on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t stop crying,” says List of the finale.
It’s amazing to me. I’m fortunate enough to speak to so many people about what it’s like making a film or TV show. The one thing I hear from everyone is they just wish they had more time. It’s just time. That’s the most valuable commodity on a film set.
MACPHERSON: It’s really true.
Which Time Traveling Rules Does ‘Time Cut’ Follow?
“Less is more. If you can, don’t talk about it.”
Jumping into why I get to talk to you. Where did this idea come from? Was it always this thing you wanted to make? Was it another script that you had? How did this one come about?
MACPHERSON: I was sent Michael Kennedy’s script forTime Cutand fell in love with it. Then, I got to do some rewriting on it to hone in the sisterhood angle. So truly, it is his story, and he is a genius.What an incredible idea to mash up sci-fi, horror, time travel, and slasher.The second I read it, for me it was a no-brainer. Then, to find this beating heart at the center of it, which was truly that it’s a love story about two sisters, I was sold.
Time travel and sci-fi are my favorite genres. One of the things about time travel movies is you can really get in the weeds of describing how it all works. So, how much did you debate how much you wanted to depict the time travel, the rules, and everything else?
MACPHERSON: If I could have the hours of my life back that we spent talking about how much we should tell, what should the third act be, what should happen, whatwouldhappen in reality? Drawing diagrams of Quinn A, Quinn B, Quinn C, et cetera.
No, I think that this is a challenging genre for a reason and I just followed Robert Zemeckis’ lead. He said,“Less is more. If you can, don’t talk about it.”I think that’s really helpful. There were versions of this script and there were versions of the movie that talked about it much more than we do now. It always ended up being unsatisfying because the more you talk about it, the more you see the holes [laughs], and they always exist.
The thing I’ve learned is that your imagination is always the most powerful thing. So, as much as you can, lean into people’s imagination.
MACPHERSON: Yeah, I think exactly what you said is right, because people will fill in the gaps — actually, in a beautiful way. Whereas if you explain them, they have a reason to think they’re right and you’re wrong.
There Are Always Surprises in The Editing Process
“You find your North Star, and you let that guide you.”
I’m fascinated by the editing process. You touched on it a little bit, but you get in the editing room, you show it to friends and family — what did you learn from those early screenings? What were some of the big changes that ended up happening to the film?
MACPHERSON: Editing really is the third time you make a movie, right? And myfavoritetime. I mean, I live to be on set, I live to be with the actors, but I getrealexcited to roll up my sleeves and get in the edit bay with an editor and beverydecisive.I don’t cry at all over dead babies. I just kill them left and right.
The best thing that happened to this movie, and to most of the things I work on, is just getting to the right length. That had to do with deciding what was extraneous, what was not needed, and continuing to dial up the sisters' story. That’s what can surprise me sometimes in the edit bay is when you find your North Star and you let that guide you. As soon as we really clung to the sisterhood story, then the shape of it was much easier to find.
Do you remember what the last thing you cut out was before you picture locked?
MACPHERSON: Oh, man, great question. Actually, yes, or close to. The last thing we cut out of this movie was a side character telling our main character the date. It was an interesting choice because it’s actually in the trailer.
Is it back in 2003?
MACPHERSON: Yes. Telling her what day she arrived in. Now it’s done, she gets to realize it by looking around and figuring it out.I always love moments like that where you realize you don’t have to hold the audience’s hand as much as you think you might.It’s a fine line because sometimes you do. Sometimes, you want to explain things to everyone. I loved that we made this choice. Everyone’s gonna be on this ride with us. They’re gonna figure it out.
Making the Antagonist Fit Thematically and Still Be a Surprise
How did you figure out, and how did you work on the script, who the antagonist was ultimately gonna be and what the ending was gonna be?
MACPHERSON: It’s a very exciting twist, and I hope that nobody sees it coming. One of the things we really worked on in the script phase and prep was making it feel motivated and yet somehow disguised. That was a big challenge. But I hope the movie succeeds. Hopefully, everyone’s surprised by who the slasher is, and then also goes, “Oh, yeah, that was right in front of my face the whole time.” There’s also this great messaging around it, like, don’t be a dick.
No, I did not see it coming. What I like is it plays into the rules of time travel, if you will. If that makes any sense.
MACPHERSON: Cool! Yes. It 1000% does. It also makes sense to our theme, which is you get to be who you choose to be every minute. You don’t have to be who you thought you were a minute ago.
Who was the toughest to cast and why?
MACPHERSON: Great question. Us figuring out who our lead was gonna be was always hard, and getting Madison Bailey was incredible. Lucy is a character who’s flawed but also strong. I loved that, as a female character, she’s not taking a backseat to her life by any means, but she’s forced between a rock and a hard place because her family issoconsumed with grief. So, she’s forced to have less agency than we want her to have, and she’s able to find that in the past.
Time Cutis available to stream now on Netflix.
High school student accidentally travels back to 2003 and decides to stop the serial killer who murdered her sister.
