A gothic fairy tale that never leaves the house, “Hole” shows us a couple days in the life of a TV shopping addicted woman and the strange sounds she starts to hear. We asked director Aleksandra Hansen about her inspiration for the project, her creative process, and the latest film that blew her away…

1) Can you talk briefly about your background and how you first got interested in movies?

As a kid I was constantly drawing and coming up with fictional worlds, even though I now realize I once conjured up a whole story that was basically a rip off of the Buzz Lightyear TV show. I read a lot thanks to my mom who would read to me every night at a very early age, and this was essential in making me want to tell stories. I’d read books like Stephen King’s “It” and “The Stand”  at least five times each, and that’s why I had a lot of friends and was really cool. I grew up moving around the world quite often, and I like to create films that have roots in my Norwegian background. I ended up attending the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, and now I live in Los Angeles where I continue to work with old classmates and friends on projects.

2) What’s the origin story of this project? What were the early stages of inspiration?

I was writing a lot of stuff that involved holes when I came up with the concept for “Hole.” I’m not entirely sure exactly where the initial idea came from, but I started with the image of a woman being tormented by a simple hole in the floor. The darker themes came when I started writing, and when I started to imagine what would drive a woman to become obsessed with infomercials and become afraid to leave her apartment, it just clicked that this woman was being haunted by her own inaction that lead to her former life falling into pieces. I also consider this to be a story that is the result of an initial, unspeakable horror and the lingering trauma. We usually see stories in the midst of the terror and action, but I wanted to tell a story about someone who remains years after the main event, the character that is forgotten once the story is over.

I also wanted to try and learn a new skill by building a crude model and stop motion puppet. By teaching myself something I’d never done before I got a lot of value from the process.

3) Can you talk a bit more about your creative process? How do you form your ideas? Are you thinking visually when you’re writing? Do you get feedback from people, and what stages?

I usually start with an image, something that comes to mind without forcing anything. I don’t have a specific way except for finding a thought that’s compelling and following it. I definitely think visually first and then build a story up through the visuals. I always get feedback, at every point of the process if possible. The notes I got during editing were invaluable and helped me cut a couple of things that worked in the script but absolutely didn’t work in the final product. It’s great that I have people who are willing to do this because it’s easy to get too wrapped up in a project being a certain way when you don’t ask for honest feedback.

4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that really blew you away, and why?

A couple of friends recently showed me Todd Haynes’s film “Safe.” I didn’t know anything about it before seeing it, and I’m glad I didn’t because it’s really an experience. I love how the world creates a mood that tells the story as much as the dialogue and plot. It’s the first movie I’ve seen in a while that is completely unique.

5) What’s next for you?

I’m trying to teach myself animation and am currently making a short using a little live action and mostly animation. I’m also writing a feature that I hope to make in my hometown in Norway sometime in the near future.

Contact Info:

Email: aleksandrafhansen@gmail.com

IG: @aleksandrahandsome

Twitter: @alekshandsome