How Indie Body Horror Comedy 'Booger' Director, Editor & Lead Meld Minds

Celebrating Halloween, this special episode dives into the indie horror-comedy Booger, an unconventional story that combines grief, body horror, and dark humor. Director Mary Dauterman, editor Kyle Moriarty, and lead actor Grace Glowicki share the creative and logistical challenges they faced bringing this unique film to life. From crafting a cat-human transformation story inspired by loss to the collaborative spirit on set, they reveal how to keep indie film projects grounded in vision, even on a tight budget.

Mary Dauterman is a director and writer making her feature debut with Booger, a horror-comedy that blends humor and body horror to explore themes of grief. With a background in illustration and advertising, Mary brings a unique visual style to her work, making her voice distinct in the indie film scene.

Kyle Moriarty is an editor known for his collaborative approach to indie projects, often working closely with directors to capture unique tones and pacing. His work on Booger helped shape the film’s unsettling, humorous edge, bringing out the full impact of its horror-comedy fusion.

Grace Glowicki is an actor and filmmaker acclaimed for her physical, transformative performances. In Booger, she brings the role to life through meticulous body language, channeling both horror and humor in the character’s journey of transformation.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Mary Dauterman, Kyle Moriarty, and Grace Glowicki to discuss:

• The inspiration behind Booger, blending dark themes with horror and humor
• How the 2020 lockdown shaped the film’s themes of grief and loneliness
• Mary Dauterman’s transition from shorts to her debut feature film and what that entailed
• The creative approach to body horror, from prosthetics to unique camera techniques
• How editor Kyle Moriarty’s previous collaboration with Mary Dauterman influenced the edit’s tone and pacing
• Grace Glowicki’s physical preparation for the role, embodying the character’s transformation
• Managing DIY effects on a low budget

Memorable Quotes:

• “Writing it during lockdown and writing it being like super isolated, these themes of grief and loneliness started creeping in.” (04:18)
• “I decided to storyboard the entire film all the way through, which was crazy, but I'm really glad I did it because I think I could pay attention to certain things like: how does the film feel visually?” (12:12)
• “Our specialty lenses were called a lens baby, which is kind of like a lens with an accordion and you can push it all around and the focus falls and it looks really unsettling.” (14:06)
• “The biggest challenge was we were shooting like July into August and turns out prosthetics melt.” (24:48)
• “It's a little bit like the more seriously we take her cat behavior and transformation and just all that grossness… the funnier it is.” (30:52)
• “I was getting these poster designs that I was like, what? No. I'm going to do this myself. So I went a little nuts.” (46:20)

Resources:

Booger on IMDb

Follow Mary Dauterman on Instagram

Mary Dauterman on IMDb

Mary Dauterman’s website

Kyle Moriarty on IMDb

Kyle Moriarty’s website

Grace Glowicki on IMDb

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