We love invention at FrightFest and there's a killer of a movie this year which combines psychological horror with the slasher genre seamlessly, John Berardo's The Mannequin. We had a quick chat about this movie.
NYX: Have you always been a fan of horror movies?
JB: Absolutely. I grew up on a steady diet of scares and suspense. In the 90s, after school, I’d sit with my grandma and watch the old horror classics on TCM, bonding over black-and-white monsters and buckets of melodrama. But the real turning point came when I snuck over to a friend’s house and saw Scream. That movie didn’t just scare me, it rewired me. It was like someone had pulled back the curtain and said, “This is what horror can do.” From that moment on, I wasn’t just a fan, I was hooked for life.
NYX: Did you know from a young age that you wanted to work in the film industry?
JB: Yes. I’ve always known I was a born artist. For as long as I can remember, I had a gift for portrait sketching and could draw with a pretty realistic eye. After watching Scream, I naturally started sketching scenes from the film and portraits of Neve Campbell, and I think that focus on detail was what propelled me toward writing and directing my own horror movies. So I borrowed my mom’s hi-8 camera and made it happen.
NYX: Where did the idea for The Mannequin come from?
JB: In 2020, just days before the premiere of my first feature at SXSW, everything changed. What was supposed to be “the year” turned into “that year,” a time of waiting, grieving, and isolation. To stay sane, I went back to creating with my hands, painting, drawing, and building. That was when I rediscovered a collection of mannequins left behind by a former roommate. There was something unsettling yet deeply human about these abandoned figures, so I began sculpting them into new pieces of art, limbs bursting from walls and light fixtures rising from torsos. Out of that process, The Mannequin was born, a personal story about grief, ambition, and the fight to reclaim meaning when the future you counted on disappears overnight.
NYX: Did it take long to get right, and did you write it with a cast in mind?
JB: It definitely took time, but it was necessary time. I approached this script differently, knowing my budget before the final draft was done, so I had to work backwards and ask myself, “Okay, this is my sandbox, what kind of castles can I build inside these walls?” I did have the core cast from Initiation in mind. I love writing roles that push actors into new territory while giving them room to shine. And honestly, one of my favourite parts of the process is hearing how an actor interprets the dialogue, then shaping the character together. It makes the work feel alive, almost like the film starts breathing before the cameras ever roll. Isabella, Shireen, Lindsay and Maxwell were all in Initiation. Lindsay, Max and I go way back, over 15 years ago, it all started at UCLA. And funny enough, Krystle Martin and Jack Sochet were also in the theatre school at UCLA with us. So it was one big Bruin reunion with a predominantly USC alumni crew. We’re all family, and that kind of spirit is what got this movie made.
NYX: This is your second feature, what lessons from directing your first did you learn from that project?
JB: Honestly, I could write a book about it. Saying I learned a lot from releasing Initiation would be an understatement. The experience gave me a crash course in how unpredictable the independent horror business can be, and how quickly it evolves. But on the creative side, one of the biggest lessons I took with me was how to build a scare that isn’t just a throwaway jolt. I’m drawn to horror that’s rooted in character, where the stakes are personal and real, because that’s what makes the scares stick. I also had to learn VFX on Initiation, and to save money I ended up doing all of them myself on this film. It was a wild experience but also really meditative for me, literally painting the frames of the movie by hand and watching the film come to life one image at a time.
NYX: I love the studio location, it really adds a “character” to the movie, where did you find it?
JB: That’s exactly what we said when we first scouted it. The script was originally written to take place in my own loft, a space all the actors knew well, which made it feel almost meta since I was casting people from my first film. But shooting in my home wasn’t realistic, so we scouted lofts around downtown LA that had the same industrial energy. After four or five spots, we landed on Loft 1923, this incredible relic just off the 10 freeway. The space had such presence, I actually rewrote parts of the script to highlight it. It didn’t just hold the story, it shaped it.
NYX: The effects are amazing, were they all done onset?
JB: Yes, it was a blend of practical and VFX. All of the blood effects were done practically on set by our phenomenal makeup artist, Allie Shehorn, with only minimal digital clean-up. For the possessed eyes, the actors wore white contacts with tracking dots, and I built the final look in visual effects. It was the best of both worlds, grounded in practical magic but enhanced with just the right amount of digital polish.
NYX: Which sequence was the hardest to pull off?
JB: Honestly, the whole film was a challenge. We shot the entire movie in just 12 days, averaging only two or three takes per setup, during the SAG/WGA strike under the interim agreement, so every moment felt like walking a tightrope. But we never went over time, because the crew ran like a well-oiled machine. The toughest day by far was the 1950s sequence. Our DP, Jonathan Pope, and I wanted to capture it in the style of classic films from that era, which meant intricate dolly moves and elaborate masters that ate up the clock. For a while, it felt like we were slipping behind, but then we nailed this brutally complex “ax-to-the-head” shot right after lunch, and suddenly we were back on schedule. It was exhausting, but honestly, it was also one of the most exhilarating days on set.
NYX: The film has a lot to say about the fashion/modelling industry, was it hard for that not to get lost under the horror?
JB: I’m flattered you see that in the film. Honestly, I never set out to make a statement about the fashion or modeling world, but those themes naturally came through in the characters, the actions they take, and the environment they inhabit. On Initiation, I got some pushback from genre fans who felt the social commentary overshadowed the scares, so this time I wanted to lean into a more fun, campy kind of horror. That said, it’s great to hear that the heart of the characters and the horror they face still resonate as a larger commentary on the industry. For me, the best horror always smuggles in those layers without losing the thrill ride.
NYX: Will you be nervous when the movie has its UK premiere at FrightFest2025?
JB: Not at all. One of the biggest lessons I learned from Initiation is that not everyone is going to respond to a film the same way, and that’s okay. I’m more excited than nervous, honestly. The only thing I’m bummed about is not being there to experience it with the UK crowd!
NYX: The film has a paranormal element to it; do you believe in such things?
JB: I’m someone who likes receipts. UFOs? We’ve got the receipts. Ghosts? I’m not so sure. I grew up Catholic, spending countless Sundays in church, usually eye-rolling at the rituals and fairy-tale stories. I never really bought into it. Though I’m always open to being proven wrong. For inspiration, I would watch paranormal YouTube videos of eerie sightings, objects moving, and those CCTV shots can look super convincing. So bring me the evidence and I’ll happily join the séance.
NYX: So, what are you working on at the moment?
JB: I’ve got a few projects cooking. Right now, I’m developing an erotic monster-slasher movie and also exploring adaptation territory. No matter the subgenre, I’m always drawn to a good murder mystery, especially one with a twist that really bangs.
NYX: John Berardo, thank you very much.
