Imagine giant, weird-looking monsters – straight out of a child’s sketchbook – climbing landmarks and smashing signs. Well, something like that is the wild premise of the upcoming family horror movie, Sketch, starring Tony Hale (Veep, Arrested Development) and directed by Seth Worley!
In Sketch, a young girl who is grieving the death of her mother accidentally unleashes real-life versions of her drawings after they’re dropped in the Tennessee River. Now, she and her brother must track down these fantastical creatures to save the town, all while their father races to find them and reunite his grieving family.
“We always pitched the movie as ‘Inside Out’ meets ‘Jurassic Park,’” Worley explained to Knox News. “It’s funny, we’re talking so much about these deep, heavy emotional things… but the movie is so light and funny and (it’s) an adventure movie.”
Worley and Hale recently hosted a private screening of the comedy-fantasy film at Regal Riviera in downtown Knoxville. There, they shared insights into their nearly decade-long journey to bring Sketch to the screen and what they hope audiences of all ages will take away from it.
Nearly A Decade in the Making
Making Sketch took about eight years, a far cry from typical film production schedules. “No! I hope not,” Worley and Hale exclaimed almost simultaneously. “Terrible business! We gotta get out of it, if that’s the case,” Worley added with a chuckle.
Hale and Worley worked tirelessly on the project, revising the script, seeking financing, and finding producers. At one point, it was even planned as a TV show. Despite moments where they wanted to give up, the story held them captive. “But it just kept following us because it was a story we couldn’t let go of, and we felt so compelled to make. If something is really good, it follows you and it chases you,” Worley explained.
Production Wraps
When production finally wrapped, the excitement was palpable. Hale ran over and picked up the director, calling it one of the most exhilarating moments of his Emmy-winning career.
“This was just on another level. I mean this was eight years of just trying to get this made and pushing this boulder up the hill, and that day was pretty awesome,” Hale said.
From Darker Tones to Heartfelt Comedy
Sketch marks Worley’s full-length directorial debut and is an extended version of his proof-of-concept short film, “Darker Colors,” which had a darker tone. He realized the final version needed more balance, leading him to lean into the comedy-driven script.
Bring Your Doodles to Life!
In a fun tie-in, the studio behind Sketch has launched an app that allows kids—and adults—to bring their hand-drawn sketches and doodles to life in animated 3D. Search for the app “SKETCH August 6th” through the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Sketch, which has a perfect 100% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, opens in theaters on August 6th.
