E61 • Prioritizing Audience Experience, Enjoying the Process • MERCEDES BRYCE MORGAN, dir. of ‘Bone Lake’ now In Theaters from Bleecker Street, following Fantastic Fest

Mercedes Bryce Morgan unpacks the whirlwind making of Bone Lake , an 18-day Atlanta shoot that battled storms, injuries, and lost gear before completing its night-boat climax on a Los Angeles soundstage. After a Fantastic Fest premiere and Deadline-breaking international sales, the erotic survival thriller heads to U.S. theaters with buzzy audience reactions and a proudly “fun, commercial, popcorn” spirit. Mercedes traces her path from mini DV Star Wars shorts and USC to festival features, describing her taste as a mix of Oldboy’s devastation and Amélie’s heart. Other past influences include Barbarians , Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , The House of Yes , Funny Games , and The One I Love . Her TIFF-premiering Fixation (2022) sparked her love for erotic thrillers. On craft, she argues the best twists are guessable seconds before they land, and test screenings help her fine-tune which parts of the mystery viewers might sense without solving it too soon. Her advice to young filmmakers: embrace constraints as boot camp, stick with collaborators who love the work, design for the audience experience, and make sure you enjoy the day-to-day… because the process is the life. What Movies Are You Watching? Listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more, as well as at www.pastpresentfeature.com. Like, subscribe, and follow us on our socials @pastpresentfeature The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 20-22, 2026 in Hollywood, CA - Submit at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeature