“I did not originally intend to explore women’s issues with ‘The Lake,’ but as I wrote and refined the script, delving into my own fears, I realized that’s what I was doing. I come from a restrained New England family, a world where we don’t talk about the unseemly, the dark corners of life. Instead, we keep quiet and try to maintain a semblance of normalcy. The burden of keeping secrets usually falls to the matriarch of the family and I realized as I worked on ‘The Lake’ that this is because of that maternal instinct to protect our children by sheltering them from harsh truths. But are we really protecting them? Or are we dooming them to a never-ending cycle of repeating the mistakes of earlier generations? The Lake’ uses the deadly extremes of the horror genre to explore the consequences of drowning our secrets.”

“My introduction to ‘The Lake’ came as the result of an overheard mention — Tara was seeking a shooting location, and I mentioned that I might be able to secure one from family. Recognizing that, should we use the location, I would likely be present on set, I offered to provide additional assistance, perhaps securing paperwork and otherwise keeping the process organized. But as we began scouting and planning, Tara and I both realized that we shared much of the same sensibility, and found ourselves throwing ideas back and forth as though we’d worked together for years. We each brought very different experiences to the table, and our outlooks not only meshed, but truly complemented each other; my investment in the both the project itself and in collaborating with Tara quickly grew. When casting needs dictated that Tara herself would step into a major role in front of the camera, she asked if I’d be willing to take the leap and co-direct; I readily accepted. The underlying story is most definitely Tara’s, but my hope is that in combining our skills — along with the phenomenal contributions of an extraordinarily dedicated and talented cast and crew — we have crafted a piece that extends beyond a personal narrative and becomes a more widely accessible (and entertaining) tale.”