‘Hold Your Breath’ Directors Battled ‘Rattlesnakes, Locusts and Lightning’ While Shooting Horror Film: ‘An Actual Dust Storm Shut Our Shoot Down’

As a seasoned film enthusiast with a penchant for gritty dramas set against historical backdrops, I must say that “Hold Your Breath” has left quite an impression on me. The sheer determination and resilience demonstrated by the cast and crew during production is nothing short of astounding. Battling rattlesnakes, lighting strikes, dust storms, locusts, and union disputes, Karrie Crouse and Will Joines truly put their mettle to the test.


During the filming of their Dust Bowl-era horror movie “Hold Your Breath,” Karrie Crouse and Will Joines faced numerous challenges such as rattlesnakes, lightning strikes, dust storms, and locusts.

On a particular day, we had to halt filming due to a genuine sandstorm that forced us to close set, as Joines explained. After the sandstorm subsided, everyone returned to the location, turned on a massive 20-foot fan, and scooped up dirt into it to create an artificial dust storm for our continued production.

Thankfully, Crouse and Joines managed to avoid nature’s fury during the Los Angeles premiere of “Hold Your Breath” on October 4th at the Harmony Gold Preview House. Sarah Paulson, along with the film’s principal cast members, walked the red carpet alongside the directorial pair.

The film ‘Hold Your Breath’ portrays the struggle of Margaret Bellum (Paulson) and her two daughters (Amiah Miller and Alona Jane Robbins), living through the harsh conditions of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl era. As she anxiously awaits her husband’s return from work out of state, Margaret is tormented by eerie apparitions of a spectral wanderer, known as the Grey Man, which appear during fierce dust storms.

Paulson played a crucial role in the movie’s triumph, as she served both as executive producer and star. The team declared that she was essential to the film’s success in every possible aspect. Joines and Crouse commended her for being a dedicated advocate for the film, highlighting her determination even on difficult shooting days.

At some points, she was positioned before a large fan, with clouds of dust in her line of sight. We assumed she would stop working due to the conditions, but instead, she surprised us. She expressed, “I want it to appear correct. I want it to feel authentic. Give me more.

She challenged the safety director by saying something along the lines of, ‘This is my face, and I’m the one inhaling it. Spray more dust on me!’ This was quite astonishing,” Crouse noted.

Paulson, acting as a mother figure to Miller and Robbins, expressed deep gratitude for having the opportunity to shine alongside her talented young costars, whose outstanding performances in “Hold Your Breath” left her feeling extremely fortunate.

Paulson mentioned that Amiah and Alona aren’t completely new to the workforce, but they’re almost starting from scratch in their respective fields – acting for Alona. He’s grateful for these opportunities, as he was part of Elizabeth Olsen’s debut film and Lupita Nyong’o’s first movie. He believes these talented young women are destined to make a big impact in the industry soon. In fact, he might find himself asking them for roles instead!

“Hold Your Breath” is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

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2024-10-11 02:46