How We Filmed Our Horror Movie The Threshing on an Active Farm - MovieMaker Magazine

      Sean Mannion is a writer and director from Boulder, Colorado, whose films have been showcased at festivals like SXSW Sydney, Fic Autor, and Dublin Underground. He has collaborated with commercial clients such as Nike, Bitsbox, and Oskar Blues. In the following piece, he shares his experience filming The Threshing, which tells the story of a young couple who delve into regenerative farming and uncover disturbing secrets, at a genuine regenerative farm in Colorado.—M.M.

      In early 2020, my wife began working at a regenerative farm situated at the base of the Rockies. For those unfamiliar, a regenerative farm emphasizes harmony with nature to enhance soil health.

      I accompanied her—not as part of the farm team, but as a writer and filmmaker navigating a script that I had been finding difficult to complete. The experience transformed my perspectives on food, land, labor, and belief, ultimately inspiring The Threshing, a psychological horror film set on a farm similar to the one where the idea originated.

      (L-R) The Threshing key grip Alex Burdick, director Sean Mannion, and 1st AD Nik Velimirovic. Photo by Hilla Eden, courtesy of The Threshing.

      Three years later, we returned to another functioning farm, Esoterra Culinary Garden, to film the project. From the outset, we were committed to authenticity. Our intention was to integrate the production into a working ecosystem, adapting to its natural rhythms instead of forcing our own.

      Mark DeRespinis, the farm's owner, was exceptionally generous. He not only allowed us to use the land but also assisted us in aligning our shooting schedule with the farm’s operational patterns. Wednesdays and Thursdays were peak harvest days, so we kept our presence minimal during those times. Fridays were designated for deliveries to restaurants, allowing us to maximize our productivity while the crew was away from the fields.

      To avoid disrupting the farm crew's workflow, we borrowed shade tents from a nearby brewery and established our production base and craft services under a line of trees, staying out of the way. Mark also provided extra vegetables for our team, helping us extend our food budget and fostering a deeper connection to the filming location.

      Actor Jared Kemp in The Threshing. Courtesy of The Threshing.

      In a pivotal scene, the lead character learns to trellis peas with the farm staff around her. The person teaching her in that moment was the actual farmer who trained our actor in real life.

      Throughout the filming, the staff at Esoterra collaborated with our cast, helping them speak confidently about vegetables and carry out subtle physical actions—such as harvesting greens or tying off rows—that can’t be convincingly mimicked. This collaboration resulted in a level of realism that audiences may not consciously notice, but will certainly sense.

      We filmed during Colorado's rainiest June on record, which meant we faced storms almost daily. While there were no unexpected frosts, the rain fell predictably each afternoon, creating mud, causing scheduling challenges, and—truth be told—adding some stunning visuals on camera.

      Since the farm was active during the day, we arranged many of our shoots for late afternoons and overnight, which lent the film’s night scenes an authentic stillness and eerie quality that would have been difficult to replicate on a soundstage.

      The Threshing: Small Support, Big Impact

      The Threshing actors Jared Kemp and Simone Grossman with cinematographer Jonah Koplin. Photo by Hilla Eden, courtesy of The Threshing.

      We were fortunate to receive support from Boulder County’s Agricultural Land Lease Program, facilitating our access to the location. Additionally, we partnered with Longmont Public Media, whose equipment lending program supplied essential tools for our production.

      Through the MovieMaker Production Services program, we gained valuable insights and infrastructure that allowed us to remain flexible while working with a limited budget.

      The Threshing is a horror film, but its horror arises from familiar soil. It explores how systems—ecological, ideological, and communal—can appear nurturing until they cross into control. That concept originated on a farm and needed to be filmed on one.

      My advice for anyone contemplating a location-based film like this? Embrace the place—allow it to influence the movie. Honor the natural rhythms. Enjoy the vegetables. Avoid scheduling major scenes on harvest days.

      And don’t be surprised if your lead actor turns out to be the best radish picker on set.

      The Threshing premiered in October at SXSW Sydney, and we are very proud to support the film through MovieMaker Production Services.

      Main image: Esoterra Culinary owner Mark DeRespinis, with The Threshing director Sean Mannion and gaffer Corey Millikin. Photo by Hilla Eden, courtesy of The Threshing.