Insidious Chapter 3

I had always known I would direct one day - the question was WHEN? Sometimes, you have to be pushed out of a plane rather than jumping when you’re ready. I have Jason Blum to thank for my directorial debut. When I pictured my first film, it certainly wasn’t an Insidious sequel. I had thought it would be an original film, something where I could establish my own voice. It was Jason who cut that thinking short and said “You’re doing this, buddy”. I am very thankful for that. Insidious: Chapter 3 was a great way to wade into the waters of directing. I quickly discovered how much I loved the job of director and now wish I had gotten started sooner. I had been frustrated by the second Insidious film and wasn’t happy with my work on it. I felt that it was too complicated and, at times, ridiculous. The third film gave me a chance to start from scratch and replicate what I had loved about the first film. In that way, it felt like writing an original. It also gave me a chance to focus on Lin Shaye’s character of Elise, who I loved. She felt like a superhero in this supernatural world. Lin and I talked a lot about her character’s journey and I was so inspired by her commitment and energy. Lin is one of a kind, that’s for sure. It was high time she was given the chance to step up and play the lead. She shared the film with another great actor, Stefanie Scott, who I found in the audition process. I’m really proud of the finished film. A sequel to a film like Insidious is not something where people are expecting quality but I put my all into it and treated it like I was making The Godfather. Hopefully you can feel that passion in these pages.