Video Interview : William Eubank On Pursuing 'The Signal'

– By Beau Behan, Film Critic & Entertainment Reporter

Originally published at 6:03 p.m. June 13, 2014. Edited to move video to top of the page.

• The Signal (2014), PG-13, 95 min, Sci-Fi, Thriller

• Opening Nationwide (USA), June 13, 2014

• Stars : Brenton Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, Beau Knapp, Laurence Fishburne

• Director : William Eubank

• Writers: Carlyle Eubank, William Eubank

Hailed as one of the most prolific young visual filmmakers of our generation, William Eubank has a new science-fiction thriller, The Signal that is truly electrifying!

The film’s premise centers on the consequences of a road trip that reaches a road block plagued by mystery. College sweethearts Nic and Haley, portrayed by Brenton Thwaites and Olivia Cooke, and their friend, Jonah, played by Beau Knapp, take a trip across the country. In the middle of the night, they take a detour to track a computer hacker. What happens next is unexplainable. Nic suddenly finds himself getting awaken to the image of Dr Wallace Damon, portrayed by Academy Award Nominee Laurence Fishburne.

Fans of his 2011 debut feature, Love, will find The Signal a great addition to Eubank’s excellent work portfolio. Both films exhibit that distinct charm found in plausible yet implausible scenarios; that strangeness pining on, “What on earth happened?”

When it comes to Eubank’s early inspirations, his taste is very eclectic:The Twilight Zone;Casablanca; Planes, Trains & Automobiles; spaghetti westerns …”

“I’m a big fan of a lot of different things. That’s why some people think some of my work has this crazy genre bending elements,” comments Eubank. “It’s not that (Laughs). It’s just that I’m a fan— like the audiences of certain films.”

Eubank’s rise to the helm as a director is inspirational. For many filmmakers, film school is usually the most direct-route. In his case, it’s his determination and hard work. Like his movie’s focus, he followed ‘the signal’ of his dreams—including taking some detours along the way.

“I didn’t get to film school so I started working at a camera rental house. That was the beginning for me to figure out the path of becoming a director... so long journey,” remarks Eubank. “I then got into cinematography afterwards.”

As a cinematographer, Eubank has honed his chaps so well. It only begs the question as to how difficult it is for him to divorce himself from making cinematographic decisions when his chief responsibility is directing.

“At the start, you worry about particular lenses,” explains Eubank. “At the end, when you’re shooting and when things are actually happening, you need to execute your story, you need to execute your characters, and that is the most important thing. It’s like what’s more important: to get it or to get it with the right light? “

As for his upcoming projects, he mentions, “I have too many movies in my head and so many characters. I just have to sort and organize them all.”

Sounds like he’s getting it and getting it also with the right light —Eubank’s future is beaming with brightness!

About this column: Beau Behan’s claim to fame is that his last name being the same as that of the Irish novelist, Brendan Behan. He sees himself as a romantic Rudolph Valentino type, but realizes you probably don’t. As a film critic, his work has been featured in NBC Bay Area, NBC News and Boston Globe, and can be seen on the TV show, “Beau’s Flicks & Nix,” on the Comcast Hometown Network. A “Flick” is a movie, and a “Nix” is just an opinion, nothing more. (BeauBehan.com)