A Quiet Place is out today in UK cinemas. It is a terrific horror film that makes the most of its set up, and uses sound design in an intriguing manner to terrify audiences.

We spoke to John Krasinski, who wrote, directs and acts in the film, about the thematic elements at play in A Quiet Place, and how he was inspired by films such as Aliens and Jaws. He calls the directing of a horror film as a high-wire act and how it was far more exciting in all aspects including location scouting.

He also talks about the importance of the sound design in the film, and how it felt like a silent film at times. There is also discussion of the design of the creatures, and working with ILM on making them look just right.

A Quiet Place is out in cinemas now. Read our review here.

John Krasinski A Quiet Place Interview

Synopsis

The premise is simple; set in a dystopian future, aliens have taken over the planet and while they seem impossible to defeat, they do have a weakness – they’re blind. This means they only attack when they can hear people, and so we delve into the survival of a particular family, consisting of Lee (John Krasinski), Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and their three children. They can’t make a noise, for if they do, they’ll be killed, which tragically proves to be the case when their youngest child is killed. Heartbroken and empty they have an obligation to each other to stay alive, and stay quiet. But that’s somewhat more challenging than it sounds, particularly when Evelyn becomes pregnant.