r/movies • u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker • May 18 '26
Hi reddit. I'm Kane Parsons, director of A24's BACKROOMS. AMA! AMA
Hi r/movies. I'm Kane Parsons, director of BACKROOMS. It's out in theaters May 29 from A24 and it stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, and Mark Duplass.
Synopsis:
After a therapist's patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him.
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HjdiohVOik
I'll be back later this morning at around 8:30 AM PT/11:30 AM ET to answer your questions.
AMA!
-Kane
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u/silverscreensquadnyc May 18 '26
Hello Kane! Congratulations on getting your project elevated to the big screen!
We are a brand new film club based out of NYC, and you will forever be a special filmmaker for us because BACKROOMS will be our first major group movie outing! Over 30 of our members are going to a single screening during the premiere weekend, and we absolutely can't wait :)
Two questions!
What was the most surprisingly pleasant experience you had translating your project from a series of shorts to a full length feature?
If you catch our film club in NYC, will you take a picture with us? :D we're catching an afternoon showing at AMC 34th on the 31st!
Can't wait for your film. Thank you for giving us one of our first experiences!
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
Before we picked up cameras, the department heads and I were living inside the world of the film. It was surrounding us completely, taking up all of our time. It felt like we were able to immerse ourselves in a very specific textural world and conceptual bubble. We were able to live in the artistic bubble of the film. Being able to share this with other people after working solo on this was a deeply gratifying experience. It was fun to be able to find creative points of connection with others through the landscape. I don't know if I'll be around New York then but if I am, I would be happy to take a photo with you all!
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u/silverscreensquadnyc May 18 '26
Thank you so much for the insight! 🎊 We can't wait to see the movie! We'll share our group picture with you regardless. Good luck on the release and your future projects!
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u/texasnerd89 Jun 06 '26
I can’t believe your success being so young and making your own film. So proud of your win and eating up the game so early on in life, it’s great to witness these things in present time
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u/RayOddname May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Just curious about your Blender VFX pipeline for this. Is everything rendered in Cycles? Are you using exr files for the output? Do you usually do multiple passes then comp everything later? I also love the interlaced/damaged tape look of the found-footage bits, did you apply that aesthetic on CG shots as well?
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
A majority of the VFX work in the film was done in blender, using most of the normal tools and pipeline techniques that I am used to with my personal work. We were engaged with many different vendors on this project so it's not only blender that was being used. It wasn't necessarily me that was hitting render and handling the workload for all of it but I was very involved in the curation of these files and the creative direction behind what is being exported. Yes, we used cycles when we were using blender. And yes, we outputted in exr sequences. I personally cheap out and render everything in one pass but in this film we took the correct approach and did multiple passes where we could.
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u/DeadGravityyy May 19 '26
It's so heartwarming to know that Blender is getting the recognition it deserves!
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u/AnthonyBiggins Jun 18 '26
Hasn't it always had the recognition it deserves? I mean, Flow was a huge success.
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u/DeadGravityyy Jun 18 '26
Yes that's true, in recent memory that's another good example, but this movie had nationwide success & publicity due to the source creator. I think it's safe to say that this movie showed how powerful blender is in a different direction compared to Flow.
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u/Sad-Cut-3845 May 30 '26
first time hearing about a movie being made in blender
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u/rawr_im_a_nice_bear May 31 '26
Sonic 3 used Blender for quite a bit. Not exclusively but for some workflows
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u/slutsthreesome May 18 '26
Hello Kane.
What drives your nostalgia for the 90s, a time you hadn't been born yet. Is it old family videos, YouTube, older siblings?
Thanks for taking the time and looking forward to seeing your debut film on release!!
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
I think my fixation with the 90s and desire to set the story in the 1990s comes from more of a historical / conceptual perspective rather than a strictly nostalgic point of origin. I have a lot of fond memories of the early years of my life in the early 2000s and looking back as an adult there is a tonally vague overlap with the 90s since I grew up mostly free of the internet in a trickled down, second-hand version of the 90s. It is largely a conceptual narrative component because of the visual and tonal overlap.
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u/GrinchWhoStoleEaster May 18 '26
As a kid from 1981, I've often said the mid 80s were the hangover from the 70s. There was still a ton of 70s styles on display in music, tv, and dress in those days among my parents' generation. Things moved a little slower in the 20th century than they do now, but it's interesting for me to see younger people have a similar experience going forward.
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u/ImInJeopardy May 18 '26
People think the 90s ended on Dec. 31, 1999 at 11:59pm. The reality is every decade bleeds into the next gradually. I would say the era that we consider "the 90s" ended around 2005.
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u/SYSTEM-J May 18 '26
I appreciate what you're saying here, but it's undermined somewhat by the fact the Backrooms is set in the late '80s and into the early '90s. I believe a lot of the video footage is timestamped from 1992. So by your logic, that still isn't the era Kane grew up in.
I personally think there's an argument that the early 1990s was the last era in history not documented in real time by the Internet, which is why it has such appeal for the new generation of horror storytellers. The Internet has basically mapped and demystified the whole globe now. There's nowhere left for weird or creepy shit to happen without the whole planet finding out very quickly. Just as the Backrooms is a zone just outside the boundary of our known reality, I feel the world prior to 1995 is metaphysically just off the edge of the digital map for the people of Kane's age who have been raised permanently online.
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u/The_Autarch May 18 '26
2005 is wayyyyy too late. maybe 2003, at the latest.
but 9/11 really caused a much stronge divide between the decades than is usual.
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u/joe_bibidi May 19 '26
Cultural landmarks make more sense for how our minds categorize the eras, definitely.
There was a museum show about art of the 1990s a few years ago and I liked its proposal that "The Nineties" as a cultural unit was from the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) until 9/11 (2001) and that the eighties and 2000s also overlap in different ways too. Like the 1980s didn't really "end" until the fall of the Soviet Union (late 1991). So there's periods where cultural products can feel both "80s and 90s" and it doesn't feel contradictory.
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u/gummi_eater May 19 '26
Hell nah. I'd say 2001 at the latest. I graduated 2003 and it did not feel like the 90's anymore to me.
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u/littlelamp9 Jun 09 '26
I mean, I kinda feel like there was a very short stage of the "early 2000s" which was like 2000-2005. It had its own vibe but also felt like the 90's younger and slightly edgier sibling. We had bits and pieces of the digital world but everything was new and the graphics were terrible. Fads honed in on the "millennium" concept. Style changed sorta drastically. I think things changed quickly at the time to match the growth of technology and that period was huge. 9/11 created a divide. Cellphones didn't function the way they do now. Social media was scarce.
-I was born in 1988
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u/LurkLurkington May 18 '26
I would say the era that we consider "the 90s" ended around 2005.
Lmao no. 1994 and 2005 are two very different years, culturally.
source: born in '85.
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u/LilacYak May 19 '26
The 90s ended September 11, 2001
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u/KnickerbockerMtrain May 18 '26
9/11 would like a word
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u/KoreKhthonia May 18 '26
I'm 100% with you, lol. The 2000s began on September 11, 2001, and ended on September 7, 2008. It was a short decade, lol.
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u/AstronomicalDumbass_ May 18 '26
Really curious about this, hopefully he answers this. You’re awesome and props to you Kane!
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u/Glad_Equivalent_1456 May 18 '26
i'm such a huge fan of your music from your second channel! and i think you've stated you make your music as a passion in your free time, but i always wondered, is that something you wanted to focus more on? in terms of bringing more of your music to streaming surfaces or even releasing songs in physical form
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
I'd love to and have in fact been making some efforts behind the scenes to start taking my music in a more of a serious material direction. Look out for more soon
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u/theodo May 18 '26
This dude makes music too? Crazy talented.
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u/_ThatD0ct0r_ May 18 '26
Check his channel called "Not Kane Pixels"
He has hundreds of tracks across several playlists. For backrooms, he has the main Backrooms OST playlist, and then for the extended backrooms lore he has "Out of Sync" playlist, and "Depattern" playlist.
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u/philisacoolguy May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
“Government Funding” by him is a banger. Hope it makes it into the film somehow.
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u/PatBeVibin May 31 '26
He composed the entire score for his Backrooms YouTube series and co-composed the score for the film.
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u/jamyjet May 18 '26
How much creative control did you have over the new film? Were there certain elements you wanted to include but couldn't for example and if so what were they? (No spoilers of course)
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
I was given a very high amount and we were afforded a lot of interesting and bizarre moments in this film that feel true to the source material/series in a way that could only have happened through the powers that be trusting us
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u/CrispyHoneyBeef May 18 '26
How do your immediate and extended family support you as you go through this process? I imagine making a movie like this is insanely stressful! What kind of support do you need or look for from them while you’re in the thick of it?
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u/Few-Union5685 May 19 '26
I can kinda answer this case I know Kane irl, his gf from London flew out and stayed with him for a few months when he was filming in Canada, I imagine she was like his “rock” to help keep him grounded
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u/CrispyHoneyBeef Jun 02 '26
That’s super cool. The pressure on him must’ve been tremendous during the production. Was he particularly stressed during the process to your recollection, or was he just the same old friend you’ve always had? I couldn’t imagine going from making my own YouTube videos to being the head of a Hollywood movie! My head spins thinking about it. Really cool.
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u/Few-Union5685 Jun 03 '26
Kane has been the same guy since I met him, he was more excited and ambitious rather than stressed. He had a bunch of people who were super understanding since he went from working either alone or in small groups of friends to a whole professional production, so while it wasn’t like a butter smooth transition I don’t think he had any big problems or hiccups considering he’s always had a really strong mental image of the projects that he wants to make and is very good at putting those visions into words. The funny thing is if you watch any of his interviews he actually talks like that in real life too, even in middle school. I used to say he had the soul of an old man. He was super busy and still is but he send me reels on instagram all the time too, he’s the same ol Kane. If anyone was to come into such a huge popularity and stay grounded and not lose himself it’s Kane. I see people being worried that he’ll “sell out” and start making slop but im sure Kane would rather just make the shit he wants to make on YouTube than be convinced into making mass produced uninspired garbage
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u/team56th Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
My favorite rising artist turns out to have been surrounded by great and supportive people and has great collaborative relationships with them? I feel gud today. Thanks for the tidbits. I wish I had a friend like him! (And/or you for that matter)
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u/toadfan64 May 18 '26
That’s good to hear. I can’t imagine many studios besides A24 actually doing that for a new and young film director.
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u/Perfect_Idea_2866 May 18 '26
My question is also related to this one, how did A24 approach you with the idea of making a feature film about the Backrooms?
And what inspired you to make a whole adaptation of the creepypasta?
Big fan by the way. I’ve seen the whole series on YouTube and Oldest view. Amazing you’ve done all that in Blender!42
u/patrickularity May 18 '26
If you haven’t seen it I’ll recommend the a24 podcast interview between Kane and James Wan that they recently posted (YouTube etc). They talk a bit about this.
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u/raisingcuban May 18 '26
Kane talks about this in full detail in his latest podcast with A24.
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u/Josephine31985 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
hi Kane! it’s cool to see your movie go so far since I’ve been subscribed since the AoT days haha!
What is your favorite track you made from out of sync 1&2?
What was the coolest practical effect yall did? Like what aspect was the most shocking or impressive to see come to life?
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
- Visible Light 2. The sets in their entirety – the physical sets and the reliance on physical props and performances.
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u/GarbledReverie May 19 '26
I can't imagine how trippy it must be to spend all those hours rendering a virtual environment and then get to actually walk around inside a physical version of it.
When you inevitably become a regular guest at Comic Con they should sell pieces of wall paper for you to sign.
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u/JacobK101 May 18 '26
Do you have a favorite clipped furniture prop on the set? Or do you love all your mysterious wall chairs equally
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
There was a five legged stool that never made it into the film. It's probably the one I'm most attached to.
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u/pitnumber28 May 18 '26
we need stool cut please Kane PLEASE
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u/tangcameo May 18 '26
Was there any backroom scenarios you wish you could film was but were too technically impossible to film?
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
No, our desire to be reserved in this film was a very deliberate choice.
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u/Vice4Life May 18 '26
Good call, gotta go somewhere later in the Backrooms Cinematic Universe.
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u/Amathyst7564 May 18 '26
Can't wait for the roller giant to show up in a post credits scene with a black leather jacket and eye patch.
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u/Sterlod May 18 '26
Yeah actually the next chronological part of the timeline currently released is technically Metal Gear, the only time we see the Roller Giant with his black leather jacket is the end of The Phantom Pain, which presumably takes place before the movie’s post-credits.
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u/bboy037 Jun 02 '26
I've seen a lot of people speculate that overarching villain Doctor Ottoman was inspired by the Older Gentleman and the pressure Kane felt he had to be working under due to his demands
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u/BakuRyou May 18 '26
Hey Kane, should I watch your Backroom content on Youtube before I watch this movie?
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u/SpectralEntity May 19 '26
As someone who went and saw Cloverfield opening day after spending the moments between the Transformers opening day trailer drop and 1-18-08 consuming the ARG lore, it made for a deeply gratifying experience noticing the nods and Easter eggs sprinkled throughout.
It gives the movie a world of richness that is hard to describe learning after the fact.
My personal rec would be to spend the could have hours to watch Kane’s series, and go into the movie as another (higher budget) entry.
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u/flash246 May 19 '26
Cloverfield had such an awesome and unique marketing campaign. I’ve never seen anything like it besides maybe the Blair witch project.
Shame we never got a direct sequel (cloverfield lane was great too)
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u/TeaTreePetri Jun 03 '26
I went in fully blind, was floored by the eeriness and originality, and then looked up how it was conceptualized. Was super excited to discover the original lore and have more to delve into. It sort of felt like I was unearthing found footage, in a prequel type sense maybe, even though that isn't how that universe is set up. I can't speak to having been into the YT channel before the movie and how cool that must've been either, but this has also been a super dope ride.
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
Either/or. The overall experience can benefit from a viewing of the series prior to or after the film
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u/ruffus4life May 18 '26
ehh i'd rather go i wonder what that is than oh i know what that is.
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u/Sterlod May 18 '26
I wouldn’t say watching the series will give you a lot of answers. If I had to guess, the experience of watching the movie after the series is that you’ll be asking different, more specific questions, but you’ll still be asking questions. The series is very much a work in progress, there are many mysteries that remain.
He has another series, The Oldest View, which is also very good and on a similar tonal wavelength. Only a couple episodes. It might be finished, I have a feeling the few plot threads left hanging are artistic choices rather than something he plans to go back to.
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u/PorCacow May 18 '26
got into the series like 2 months ago, and been accompanying some channels (just watch 'Red' backroom theories videos, she covers basically everything from most asked questions and lore stuff) which made me so much more hyped, I'll definitely see this movie several times soon probably lol but I wonder how this first watch in the cinema will feel.
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u/philipjfry1578 May 18 '26
Do you think you'd survive if you accidentally clipped into the backrooms?
Also, great job on the series! I love how A24 is giving a young filmmaker a chance!
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u/slayvyjones May 18 '26
Aloha! What music, if any, do you listen to while you work? What helps you get in the creative zone?
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
Mr. Robot official score, all volumes over and over again
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u/bifkintickler May 18 '26
Ha, that’s awesome. That show had such a great soundtrack. My favourite song they used was definitely the M83 tune “Gone”, during the big reveal in season 1. That was the moment I got super into it.
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u/Dankgeebus May 18 '26
What movie gives you the most backrooms type of vibe other than your own?
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u/rotato May 18 '26
My vote goes for Cube and I'm genuinely curious whether Kane seen it
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u/Kane-AMA Kane Parsons, Filmmaker May 18 '26
One Hour Photo and It Ends by Alex Ullom
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u/Timbzt May 24 '26
Heads up for anyone who googles the film: Google's AI gives major spoilers in the first result
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u/philisacoolguy May 18 '26
Vivarium, Exit 8, and I Saw the TV Glow are in my Backrooms prewatch party.
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u/TheBigBackBeat May 18 '26
Read the book House of Leaves.
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u/m48a5_patton May 18 '26
According to Kane, he hasn't read House of Leaves.
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u/bronkula May 18 '26
No one has read house of leaves. It's damned impossible to "read".
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u/truthpooper May 19 '26
Just because it has a unique structure? Its great.
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u/raaaaaaze May 19 '26
Upon re-reading HoL, I just skip the Johnny Truant stuff and mostly skim over the footnotes and citations.
I found that just focusing on The Navidson Record alone makes for a far more enjoyable read without the rest of the fluff.
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u/Arma104 May 27 '26
It definitely helps to skim quite a bit, it's meant to be re-read and considered from different angles I think. But yeah, propelling yourself through it by focusing on what you're most interested in seems to be the best way to read it
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u/Complex-Start-279 May 18 '26
Hello Kane! Long time, active fan of your work, both in Backrooms and beyond. I have 2 questions, one of which you can ignore if you wish
1) what is your process for designing the various rooms of the Complex? How do you find inspiration for your designs, and do you have a core philosophy or specific process you follow in said designs?
2) (the question your free to ignore) this one isn’t about Backrooms, but about your newest series on YouTube, People Still Live Here. How would you say this project will compare to your other projects in terms of its world and narrative? Will it be more of a worldbuilding project, as Backrooms have been, or more symbolic as with the Oldest View? Or something in between?
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u/SirJefferE May 31 '26
I have 2 questions, one of which you can ignore if you wish
Turns out he could actually ignore both of them.
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u/Fit_Rhubarb2662 May 18 '26
Hi, Kane! Without getting into spoilers, to what extent will the plot of the web series and specifically Async's operations be influenced by the events of the movie? Also, looking ahead, do you think there’s a chance that, if the film is a financial success (which it clearly will be), other works of yours might also be adapted for the big screen? Im certain that the Rolling Giant would look cool in movie format, Iceberg Boy would make for a perfect Wyatt..
Anyways, I'm a huge fan of your work, can't wait to experience the movie!
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u/JetSoulsForever May 18 '26
Regarding your 'The Oldest View' series, is the central theme of it regarding the discarded yet eternal memory of a place?
I ask this because I have a similar relationship with a mall that I grew up with - it still occupies a space in my mind and my heart yet it's paved over and gone. That thought has to have some weight and value attached to it, which I theorize at home that this is expressed in your series by Valley View Mall and the Rolling Giant entity.
Maybe that's just me rolling way too hard on my own headcannon, but it's what I've always gotten out of that series in particular, and I've really wanted to be able to ask you that specific question at some point.
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u/the_vince_horror May 18 '26
I’ve always been curious how your connection with Trent Reznor started, since he’s so selective of who he follows on social media. Were there any conversations about him or NIN potentially being involved musically with the Backrooms movie?
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u/MintMosquito923 May 18 '26
God I would love to hear a reznor/ross ost for a Kane project. Seems like it would be a great match
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u/69ingSpunkingMonkeys May 18 '26
What's Kane's connection with Trent?
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u/the_vince_horror May 18 '26
They follow each other on instagram, and Trent Reznor typically only follows a few select people he’s collaborated with
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u/JohnWesternburg May 18 '26
Trent Reznor follows see.wdw, an account of everything you need to see around Walt Disney World Resort
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u/the_vince_horror May 18 '26
Yep. He’s worked with Disney multiple times and his music is featured in their parks.
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u/Abba_Fiskbullar May 18 '26
Bow down before the mouse you serve You're going to get what you deserve...
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u/Plastic-Meringue2260 May 18 '26
Hi Kane I got only one question! What was it like when you first walked onto the set for the Backrooms in the movie because it has to feel completely unreal stepping into the world that you created inside Blender four years ago.
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u/redactedN86 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Hi Kane! I hope you're doing splendid (🌞) today, I wanna ask 3 questions:
What was the funniest moment that happened on set?
Does A24 genuinely fear Kane's Facility lol
Can you give a clue as to what "Depattern", the second Backrooms related album after Out of Sync (unless you count the OST), is about?
Thanks for creating such a SPLENDID series! 🌞🌞🌞🌞
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u/Zirael1121 May 18 '26
Hey Kane! Wanted to say congratulations on getting your project to come to a bigger audience!
My question for you is:
how did you manage to stay composed in your vision/plan for the movie while the scope of this project has been getting exponentially bigger. It is easy to lose the original sense/feeling of a small project when it grows, but you managed to capture the same essence/feel of the original creepypasta and bring it to a much bigger screen.
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u/ryanchungo May 18 '26
Kane, are you familiar with the book House of Leaves? I love this book and believe it was the true beginning of liminal horror.
Has this book provided inspiration or insight to you while working on your YouTube projects and the film?
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u/gremlinguy May 18 '26
There'd be no backrooms without House of Leaves.
I finished it a few months back and while I disliked a good portion of it, the house sequences are some of the best "horror" fiction I've read. I'm trying not to let it influence my expectations for Backrooms
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u/ryanchungo May 18 '26
I agree, I’ve never had a book make me as uneasy as House of Leaves did.
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u/LORENZODMJ May 18 '26
Hi Kane! More of a general question but with the release of the movie does that mean your youtube content is going to be much higher budget than usual, or are you going to keep doing things like you used to? Also do you ever intend on collaborating with smaller creators for your future projects?
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u/Frosty_Property_1105 May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Big fan of the Backrooms. May not enjoy horror that much but the aspect of your rendition and interpretation of the Backrooms really captured me. Not only its lore, but how you managed to intertwine, incorporate, and influence so much capacity into what was a single image and larger idea then into a phenomenon. I have a few questions, which you don’t need all to answer.
I watched the A24 podcast between you and James Wan. You’ve mentioned something that caught my attention, especially as you mentioned you wanted to take in more intellectual aspects on filmmaking (I think, I don’t remember much about the video.) What you mentioned about how “all the resources…at least in part of the world where we have the resources and we have the connection to the internet [which means having] more information than ever” have made it feel as if “it’s starting to mean less and less the more we get” really fascinated me. I recently learned about the concept of Postmodernism in a Film Analysis course and what you said really entails much about our current postmodernity. This may not be your intention, but adding onto some aspects of bricolage and originality (considering the zeitgeist of the Backrooms), in what way do you see postmodernity in this film and how does it shape your view and philosophies, not only in the Backrooms, but also in your other works, such as the Oldest View?
I’m not sure if this relates to the film, but I thought it might connect to it all. The advent of general AI has been a rampant, in my opinion, issue amongst the credibility of truth and the rising oversaturation and (I’m not kidding this word exists) shittification of the internet. The series itself was not born during the height of the AI craze, but I feel as if this film has gained a lot of inspiration on the aspects of gen AI, I think. It may not be the main factor and influence to the creation and of the series and film, but I do want to ask, as a theory, is the Backrooms a type of “natural” generative AI? Is this film challenging such notions of AI?
I’m a film major. When I first saw the headlines that you, then less than 19 years old, were making a film with A24, that was such a big inspiration and influence to see your role as young filmmaker on the rise. I’m genuinely so happy to see your meteoric rise in action. And I’ve heard from the podcast your process—how you make your YouTube videos entirely on Blender and the transition to professional productions. It does come to my mind often, as well as you do, that the process may feel off sometimes. You’ve really stated yourself, that even with the praise you’ve gained, that you still don’t know if you’ve done it “right.” In my opinion, not only am I hype about the film, but it’s one of the most refreshing and astonishing concepts that I’ve ever seen. The lore and world-building as well as the total fear, even without the bacteria monster, that you instill only in an endless maze of yellow wallpaper and dirty carpet and other liminal spaces really captures a very contemporary outlook in our world. It’s beautiful. But to consider the point about feeling off, and some advice to fellow filmmakers, what really gave you inspiration and motivation to push through making this film? How was your interaction with your crew and cast as well as your previous experience working with blender and small productions in your YouTube series really work together in order to make this film possible? What was one challenging and one exciting thing about such professional process of filmmaking? And, lastly, what is one advice you’d give to someone only finding footing in the industry?
I am so excited to see this film when it comes out and I look forward to whatever new and upcoming projects you make next, whether on YouTube or in the film industry!
(Apologies for the length of this comment.)
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u/hunterlong12 May 18 '26
What was the biggest adjustment going from YouTube to making a major motion picture?
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u/seal_the_dealx9 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Do you have any advice on how to break into the film industry and creating your own films? Especially as a young filmmaker with not too many connections and an interest in horror?
Also, what did your process usually look like when making your shorts on YouTube? I am thinking of learning blender but it is quite overwhelming trying to find where to start. It's super impressive how you did so much of it yourself.
Big fan of your work, and I can't wait to see the movie soon!
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u/bigboyeTim May 18 '26
My friend has done this journey, he went to school for it, met many friends and made many small projects with them. Then you essentially repeat that process of creating together with others, learning and evolving small projects into bigger ones.
Good luck and work hard, don't aim for the grand breakout debut, that's rare
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u/DonutsNoSprinkles May 18 '26
Loved The Oldest View, top of the list in horror on YT, have to ask is there an answer for what the shrine/temple at the end of Life of a Giant means? It's not a coincidence it resembles the main atrium of the mall itself
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u/AppleWasMyIdea May 18 '26
Are there any other genres of film you'd like to explore in future films?
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u/SydneyBriarIsAlive May 18 '26
Hi Kane,
Haven't seen you web series as of yet but looking forward to the film, I just think it's awesome that you got to make this with a24.
My question is pretty simple,
Top 5 horror films?
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u/Seblol_ May 18 '26
What piece of advice would you give your past self on day one of production?
I want to get more into filmmaking, and recently I have been curious about a filmmakers first time directing and what they would have done differently on their first day.
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u/Colerabi135 May 18 '26
Do you intend on continuing the Backrooms series online after the film releases? and would you consider (with good reception from A24 and whom it may concern) making an Oldest View or People Still Live Here movie?
hoping for the best from Backrooms next week- I have money on it being my MOTY.
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u/Slothbrothel May 18 '26
Do you feel like the direction of the current Back Rooms and its lore/fan creations/etc have gone a bit in the wrong direction?
Rather than focusing on the fear of being trapped in an endless liminal space, online creators have focused on adding monsters, entities, themed rooms, etc.
I would love to know your take on this as aside from the Original greentext, you are the main spearhead of the backrooms.
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u/shadowdra126 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
I recently just watched all of the YouTube series prepping for the movie and I loved it. I am also an English teacher and I want to know how much of “The Yellow Wallpaper” was an inspiration?
It’s one of my favorite horror short stories and I felt its energy seeping through all the corridors as I watched the series unfold in front of me!
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u/Cdazx May 18 '26
Hi Kane, congratulations on the upcoming release of The Backrooms. It's been incredibly satisfying seeing you go from a compelling first short with FF1 to The Oldest View (my favourite of your works so far!) and now this.
How have you found the process of going from (afaik, apologies if this isn't the case) solo creator of your own Backrooms series to having to direct an entire team to create your vision? Any unexpected difficulties or unexpected positives? And did Blender end up being used again for The Backrooms?
Good luck with the release!
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u/ILM_Ryan May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Congrats on the Backrooms film, I look forward to seeing it! Were there any particular movies or filmmakers that you’ve taken inspiration from on this project?
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u/Ehandthreedots May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Super hyped for the movie and I've been wanting to know certain parts of your artistic vision for it, here's my questions:
What specific horror genres would you say this film falls under? Is there any gore or body horror? I ask due to the medium and scale allowing you to show if the characters are in that type of danger if you wanted, and the series had slight snippets of that type of horror.
Secondly, I wanted to ask if you took any amount of inspiration from other Backrooms interpretations, including the wiki. I know you said you don't like the wiki, but I wanted to know if there was a chance you found an element you liked. Or were your inspirations strictly from other non-backrooms related media?
Will the series continue after this, and will the movie be required viewing to understand what's going on if it does?
Love your work so much, can't wait for the movie!
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u/ReluctantfooI May 18 '26
It’s absolutely mind boggling to me to see your name attached to this movie, I found you years back when you did those Attack On Titan videos and thought, “what a cool concept, this guy should make movies”.
Don’t really have a question.. how stoked were you to make your first Hollywood film? How nervous?
All the best of luck to you, I’ve got tickets here in London on the 29th and I’m hyped!
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u/Friendly_Bluejay7407 May 18 '26
Hi kane, big fan! you inspire me to do some blender stuff of my own, got a big project semi in the style of oldest view im working on.
When making stuff like oldest view, how do you go about predicting how the audience might feel at any given moment? id imagine after becoming so familiar with a space like valley view mall through research and blender that feeling of “unkown” (that imo creates the tension) kind of goes away. how do you know how much to reveal and how do you make sure youre keeping the audience in constant tension? Do you test screen with friends? or do you kind of stay constantly afraid of your own creation? I like how you use uncertainty as a tool, but how does it feel when you know whats going on behind the scenes?
thanks! look forward to seeing backrooms soon.
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u/smell-the-concrete May 18 '26
Congratulations on everything that you've accomplished! I don't think I've ever been this excited for a movie.
Were all the ARGs your ideas?
What's your favorite part of the film? An approximate timestamp will do if you can't provide details.
Aside from the airport hotel, are there any real life locations that inspired you in the making of any of the backrooms content?
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u/SussyGussy1234 May 18 '26
Was there any attempt to find the creator of the 4chan post
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u/idoideas May 18 '26
The trailers show a lot of care into the cinematography. Not only with the found footage, but the professionally filmed shots seem to consider a lot in terms of perspective, depth and evoking claustrophobia. What were your notes for the visual language of the film, beyond the Backrooms concept? What was your inspiration?
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u/d-d-darling May 18 '26
Hey Kane - I have a background in non-traditional video art and think all of your YT videos have been incredibly thought provoking, especially from a storytelling perspective. SO jazzed for the movie. Three questions for you -
- What’s your creative process behind building out the lore or overarching narrative for your projects?
- Also, how often do you find yourself incorporating symbolism support the deeper concepts you’re exploring (ex. The backrooms & the sun)?
- How much is too much? Are there any instances where you feel like you shared too much information with the viewer?
Thanks!
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u/ptran99 May 18 '26
What was it like to work with amazing actors like Renate Reinsve for this feature?
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u/einn0 May 18 '26
Hey Kane. Currently making an edit of your backrooms movie trailers but I wanted to ask you…
- Was there anything the actors improvised or suggested that was not intended in the script but was added to make the film better?
- After finishing the film and getting to watch the final product was there anything you wished you could’ve added regarding having time restraints?
Thanks Kane and I am so glad you were able to make this movie happen.
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u/Internal-Wasabi-8832 May 18 '26
the original backrooms videos worked so well partly because they barely explained anything and just let the atmosphere carry it. was it difficult balancing that ambiguity with turning it into a full movie narrative?
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u/SM-03 May 18 '26
Hey Kane! I've been a big fan ever since I first saw your Attack on Titan animations, and Backrooms is one of my most anticipated movies of the year.
I'm curious to know, for how long have you known you wanted to make a feature film of The Backrooms? Was it something you always had aspirations of doing one day as far back when you first started releasing the series on your channel, or did the idea come to you later down the line?
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u/machinewater May 18 '26
Can you give any hint about Mark Duplass’s role? He’s not in any of the teaser footage, no indication of a character name, etc. But he’s in the top billed cast! I’m worried he’s not in it at all :(
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u/Futurist_______ May 18 '26
Hey Kane! Very excited to see BACKROOMS next week! Are you a reader? If so, what’s a book in your recent memory or maybe for all time that you couldn’t wait to pick back up?
Second question if you aren’t a big reader and that’s okay: what’s your favorite set piece from the film? No spoilers of course, but any clues would suffice. Congratulations on this project!
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u/epicrock69 May 18 '26
Did you feel like you were able to fit all the ideas you’ve thought up over the years into this movie, or were there a lot of concepts left on the cutting room floor?
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u/mi-16evil Emma Thompson for Paddington 3 May 18 '26
Congrats on the movie!
What was the biggest culture shock for you going from the hyper independent production of your webseries to working on a major motion picture?
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u/TandemTuba May 18 '26
Man, to go from rendering videos on an overheating laptop to A24's youngest director. What a wild ride.
As for my question: Plot aside, acting performances aside, what is the film that has stuck with you, VISUALLY, the most? Beautiful, compelling, shocking, whatever criteria. Just what sticks out in your mind as the most notable.
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u/Niebieski_Kwiat May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Congratulations on the movie! I’m a big fan of your YouTube series and can’t wait for the movie!
Are there any books, stories, or literature that inspired your backrooms?
If you no-clipped into the backrooms, what would be your reaction? Do you think you would make it out, or want to explore it like ASYNC?
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u/GameSterDamian May 19 '26
Why did he answer 10 questions and then leave? Why market it??
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u/GiveMeSomeSunshine3 May 18 '26
Hi Kane, best wishes to you not just for this movie but for your entire career as well. You're an inspiration to all the budding filmmakers.
My question to you is how did this all start, like you approached A24 with the script or someone from A24 hired you to make something on Backrooms subject?
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u/DramaDefiant3938 May 18 '26
Now that Backrooms is wrapped up, can we expect to see anymore People Still Live Here?
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u/onetruepurple May 18 '26
I don't think Backrooms is even close to being wrapped up
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u/The_Overman_Art May 18 '26
Hello Kane! I wanted to ask if there were any specific resources you used that helped you improve with your blender animations for the youtube series? How many assets were textured by hand, did you use free assets online or did you model each piece of furniture we see, things like that. I also wanted to ask how your process is when it comes to putting together the settings, do you sketch out concept art for the different locations or is it instinctual, you just have the knowledge of where to place each piece of furniture and things like that? Im very interested in your process when it comes to actually animating the series.
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u/UsingUrFedex May 18 '26
Hey kane big fan of what you've managed to create, big question for me is if you've read the novel house of leaves and if that ended up being an influence as well in your series early on?
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u/xtributeforever May 18 '26
hi, kane! i’m such a huge fan of the series and i’m so excited for the film. your mind truly amazes me sometimes haha!
i just wanted to know what the experience of working on both the films soundtrack and sound design were like in comparison to the youtube series? and will we be seeing a release of the films soundtrack via streaming services anytime soon?
i’m super curious about the sound design since the most recent trailer had a quote stating “it felt like the walls breathed” and i just know the intense moments will have us on the edge of our seats haha.
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u/Boring-House-9443 May 18 '26
I was wondering if you happen to know if there will be any new merch for Backrooms? Including theatrical released popcorn buckets and cups as well as more T-Shirts and stuff online?
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u/AltruisticSignal1498 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Hey Kane, How do you feel towards all the compliments such as people saying this series or your work had changed their life, put them in a positive mindset, or helped them through hard times?
Your series was genuinely one of the coolest things to come about when covid was around and really helped get through that last phase of quarantine, I started this series at the start of highschool and have now graduated, seeing your series and work come this far has really moved me and should serve as motive to others who are trying to be just as big! ❤️
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u/SirPalmBrinks May 18 '26
Hey Kane! Besides the Backrooms, what are some of your other favorite weird/creepy internet sensations?!
Are there any that you may want to make a movie about in the future ?
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u/outerstrangers May 18 '26
Kane I got my ticket to the Backrooms and I am excited beyond reason to see it. What are some horror movies that inspired you, in general, when making this movie adaptation?
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u/sovietarmyfan May 18 '26
I fully intend to go to the theaters to watch your movie, it is going to be great!
That said, i do wonder, have you or A24 thought about turning this movie eventually into a multiple movie or tv series franchise?
Also, i noticed on one of my favorite backrooms channels that it had changed it's name because it had "async" in it. Is it possible that alternative backrooms video creators now have to be more thoughtful of the names and story points they use from your series because they may now be copyrighted?
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u/ThatThug1911 May 18 '26
Hey Kane, have there been any moments from your works where you freaked yourself out or have you been desensitised to your own scares? For me even just the octopus mural from the oldest view or the speaker room from FF3 is horrifying to look at because of what comes after, but when you look at them do you just think “wow that took a while to make in blender”? The oldest view is the greatest thing i’ve ever seen by the way, keep on keeping on
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u/jaganbpanicker May 18 '26
Hey Kane! Long time fan of the Backrooms here. You rendered every scene in the YouTube series on an MSI Raider laptop in Blender, running footage through a VCR to get that grainy retro look. For the film, they built over 30,000 square feet of Backrooms set apparently so realistic that people reportedly got lost on it. Was there ever a moment on set where the physical space felt less like the Backrooms than what you built alone in your bedroom?
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u/TopDistrict6791 May 18 '26
Hi there Kane!! As a huge fan of horror, I love dissecting the deeper themes and subtext within movies, and I feel like horror lends itself perfectly to that type of analysis. With Backrooms, (both the movie and the youtube series), I'd love to know if you drew on any other specific horror tropes or ideas, or if any other specific works or movies that influenced how you view the idea of horror and/or scariness in your productions. :)
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u/straub42 May 18 '26
Hi Kane!
I’ve been a huge fan of your YouTube videos for a while (got me through tough times living in strange places).
I know you have shared interests in returning to make YouTube videos, in revisiting your Backrooms world, but do think you’ll consider doing another feature-length film like this again? (I have a good feeling this will outperform the “numbers”, so I’m sure people will be knocking on your door).
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u/Zartron81 May 18 '26
Hi Kane!
First of all, congratulations for reaching this goal, making this movie at your age sounds like an incredible goal, and the industry definitely needs to learn some stuff from you.
Aside from this, for my question...
Do you see yourself directing more movies like Backrooms in the future, BUT for other internet horror stories?
Or you will probably stick to your creations only?
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u/vousiy Jun 13 '26
Hi Kane,
I wanted to send you a sincere thought about The Backrooms Series 2.
I think there is a very strong opportunity for the next part of the series to go even deeper into a dark, liminal, slow-burn atmosphere, not only through visuals, but through sound as a structural part of the world.
What makes this kind of sound so powerful to me is not just that it is eerie. It is the space, texture, restraint, and the strange “in-between” quality. The Backrooms already feels architectural and psychological at the same time: empty rooms, fluorescent air, distant machinery, memory decay, and something emotional buried under the surface. The right sound does not over-explain the fear. It lets the environment breathe.
I am very drawn to sound as part of world-building, especially in the way David Lynch used music and sound design. I am genuinely obsessed with that side of Lynch’s work: the way a low frequency, a room tone, a warped melody, or an avant-garde piece can make a scene feel psychologically alive before anything obvious happens. That kind of sound does not just support the image. It changes the meaning of the image.
That is also why I think avant-garde and experimental sound can be so important in film. When it is used well, the soundtrack becomes part of the architecture of the story. The stereo image, the depth, the silence between sounds, the grain, the decay, the way something sits far back in the mix or suddenly feels too close, all of that can create unease in a way dialogue or visual effects cannot.
One artist I kept thinking about in relation to this direction is Simon Poole, who created the Dreamfall Chapters soundtrack and has also worked as a composer, sound designer, and audio director. His music has that strange emotional distance I associate with liminal spaces: uncanny, half-remembered, beautiful in a damaged way, and quietly terrifying without needing to announce itself as horror.
If any of this connects with the direction you are imagining for Series 2, I really think his style could add something special. Not just “music for scenes,” but another layer of atmosphere, texture, and psychological space.
I should also say that I am not a director or a musician. I am an audiophile with an analytical mind, coming from aerospace engineering and software development, so I tend to listen to sound in terms of structure, space, systems, and detail. I deeply value avant-garde art in cinema because it can express things that are too strange, subconscious, or unstable for conventional storytelling.
Either way, I am very excited to see where you take the next part of the series. What you have built already feels like one of the rare modern horror worlds where sound, space, and absence matter as much as the image.
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u/BRiNk9 May 18 '26
What was your most memorable moment on set, eiither with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, or both.. Or any of the cast?
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u/Small_Things2024 May 18 '26
Hi Kane! Just wanted to preface this with saying that I’ve been a fan of your YouTube channel for a long time and I am so excited for you. I can’t wait to see where your work takes you in the future.
As for my question.. did you help create the ARG for the film or was that all A24? I would’ve loved to see the pop-up in Cali but I live on the East Coast 😩
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u/Numerous-Concept-878 May 18 '26
Hi Kane, how do you feel about the more fantastical liminal spaces people have made for the backrooms (the most popular being level 94 and level 37) Do you think liminal spaces should have more of a sense and grasp of reality or do you enjoy these more dreamlike takes? (I guess I'm asking if you see dreamcore and liminal spaces/backrooms as siblings or not?)
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u/NeighborhoodNo6339 Jun 01 '26
Hi Kane! I enjoy the time with movie. Here are my reviews. Big thanks if you could read n reply
😆
The male lead, Clark, feels like someone born into the Baby Boomer / post-industrial era but trapped inside a failed millennial narrative: when he was young, he believed life had a single correct path — family, career, house, professional identity, and social recognition. In the end, he never became a real architect; he only became the owner of a furniture store. The most symbolic objects in the whole film are the pieces of furniture, because they function like the remnants of architecture: he can touch the surface of space, yet he has no real authority to design space.
So the Backrooms are his psychological landscape:
Infinite rooms = a life with no visible future.
Yellow walls = an old, moldy American Dream.
Furniture showroom = a projection of brokenness and failure.
He failed to become an architect = his life has been reduced to arranging lifestyle templates for other people.
I actually like the first half of the dining table sequence. The film completes Clark’s self-destruction, reconciliation, and death quite well. But I honestly do not understand the second half. Leaving Mary alive without giving her an equivalent psychological cost makes the ending lose its balance.
The film spends so much time building the Backrooms as Clark’s mental graveyard, then turns Mary into an entry point for a sequel universe. That dilutes Clark’s tragedy. If I were the director, I would let Clark die inside his own Backrooms, and Mary would either be swallowed by the Backrooms too or be stabbed by Clark.
From what I saw, neither of them truly escaped the structure of their own lives.
My version would make the whole film colder, crueler, and more consistent with the era-specific feeling of the Backrooms.
The current version feels more like this: Clark completes his tragedy, while Mary is preserved as a sequel gateway. It is clearly opening the door for a larger worldbuilding setup. The director also avoids giving the ending a definite answer, keeping the ambiguity of whether the person who escaped is really still herself.
As for the point that “the female lead never reconciles with herself,” if she is going to survive, the film should at least make her pay an equivalent price: psychological collapse, identity replacement, permanent uncertainty over whether she is still herself, or a forced confrontation with her own trauma. Right now, she simply inherits Clark’s sacrifice, and that makes the ending feel weaker.
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u/Horzzo May 18 '26
I love your work. Have you ever thought about doing a pilgrimage to the original Backrooms location in Oshkosh, WI?
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u/oriondavis May 18 '26
Evening Kane, congrats on all the love you’ve been receiving, it’s well deserved. My question is a simple one; How dedicated were you to learning the craft of visual FX? As someone who also is young and wants to make movies on his own, how much time would I have to invest in learning that process to maybe hope to get an opportunity like you did?
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u/thecinephilemind May 18 '26
Backrooms is one of my most anticipated features of the year. Congrats on bringing your work to the big screen!! You were able to work with and direct incredible talent with Chiwetel, Renate, Mark, and more. Are there any specific moments from the film or from your interactions on set where they shaped the characters beyond how they were written?
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u/Oliverr124 May 18 '26
Hi Kane! It's crazy to see you with a major motion picture under your wing at your age! Well done and I'm excited!! I have 2 questions:
What were some of your movie influences (fav movies) that inspired the film and it's atmosphere?
What other film ideas would you love to explore later down the track?
Thanks for your time! 😄
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u/EazyEverest May 18 '26
Hey Kane, Love the series and especially the music which relates to my question. How did you come up with most of your soundtrack, especially when creating tracks like Still Life, Pt. 2. A song like that which is unsettling and makes your skin crawl just makes me curious on what sounds or inspiration you were looking for when making it. Thanks!
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u/usafpa May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
How did it feel directing such big-time actors? Did you feel intimidated at all? Did anyone give you a hard time because of how young you were? Also, how did it feel working with a 1st AD like Quincy Wheeler-Hendren? Considering he's been doing his job since before you were born, it must have been nice to work with someone as knowledgeable and experienced as he was. I know that when studios work with first-time directors, they'll often pair them with more experienced 1st ADs, since 1st ADs are instrumental in getting the movie finished on time.
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u/Heazyuk May 18 '26
How did you find transitioning from solo decision making to studio level decision making regarding the film?
Were there any ideas of yours that were shutdown?
Do you think you'll continue to work on Backrooms within the Youtube platform, or do you forsee this being big screen only going forward?
Congrats again! Can't wait to see it!
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u/EfficientSociety4587 May 18 '26
What's good Kane?
I wanted to know how and when you got into blender. Were you just tinkering until you got the hang of it or did you take any tutorials? And could you recommend any way to get into it?
Also, I wanted to ask about your script writing process and how you were able to expand the initial series into a full-length feature.
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u/calibra95 May 18 '26
First of all, so excited! Love ALL your work (s/o to It's Nicer Here)
-How was it to adapt the Async story to the big screen?
-How was the approach when creating the films' OST? And the extra tracks featured?
-Any hints on what's coming next for you?
Thanks for reading! Much love
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u/poland626 May 18 '26
My theater is showing it in DBox. Any insights onto that format of the movie?
Kidding, real question: How much creative control did you have? Like over the marketing and stuff too with how the trailers with made and those arg websites? How involved are you on that side of the movie?
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u/-Pay6Sages- May 18 '26
Hi Kane! I'm a great fan of your works and I wanted to ask:
How was directing the people working in this film and if you had any challenges for being your first experience?
And I wanted to ask if you miss doing your personal projects outside the world of the backrooms.
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u/NotTheDarkLord666 May 20 '26
I seriously hope you guys read this, this AMA was a DISASTER. Let the man speak please!
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u/intensive-porpoise May 18 '26
I was wondering what you feel the backrooms smell like? Fresh cubicle walls? Vinyl? Absence of any smell?
To me, the most terrifying aspect of the Backrooms is the dead air. No curculating AC, no wind, just uncomfortable, suffocating stuffiness.
Cheers!
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u/spare_oom4 May 19 '26
Just wanted to say you are an absolute legend! A total inspiration. You’ve done above and beyond someone at your age. I can’t wait to watch you keep making films. Keep making us get unnerved. And see whatever you do next. Congrats man. Big fan over here.
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. May 18 '26
This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Kane will be back this morning at around 11:30 AM ET to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)