Director Vaughn Stein knew he wanted to be a filmmaker while taking a class called “From Hitchcock to Spielberg.” After working on films like ‘World War Z’ and ’Sherlock Holmes,’ Stein was soon writing a screenplay of stylized characters for Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg and Mike Myers.
’Terminal’ follows two assassins with a sinister mission, a fatally ill teacher, an enigmatic janitor and a waitress with a double life. Murderous consequences unravel as their lives meet at the hands of a criminal mastermind wanting revenge.
The writer-director said he wanted to explore his “unhealthy obsession” with sci-fi noir, dystopian cinema, and world-class literature. This means using the setting as an additional character, similar to films like ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Seven,’ or ‘Brazil.’
In this interview, Stein also describes his fascination with ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and the darkness of fairy tales, how to define characters through voice, the importance of discipline as a writer, and his best advice for first-time directors on set.
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