Making of Beasts

Benh Zeitlin said he went down to the very fringes of the south to discover, and eventually recreate, the environment that would become the Bathtub. I thought it was interesting and ingenious to live among the dwellers of the swamp to get the closest, most organic vibe from the community. He and his crew became part of the community they were going to portray. I think that is the only way to make sure that one's film accurately depicts the tensions and temperament of the area. The film has a documentary feel because of its organic and home-grown feel. I puts the viewers right smack dab in the middle of the south, just as the crew was. Living modestly, even working out of an abandoned gas station, was Zeitlin's way of paying homage to the Bathtubbian mentality. "This immersive, grass-roots approach to filmmaking blurred the lines between Mr. Zeitlin’s invented world and the place that inspired it", said Rachel Arons. I completely agree with this assessment, and applaud his unstilted and casual way of going about film. It shows a true dedication to his source material and his work's objective.