IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit 'The Housemaid' Director Paul Feig
Jan 26, 2026
Paul Feig, filmmaker known for comedy and genre films, discusses directing The Housemaid and his Hitchcockian tone. He talks about seeding clues for repeat viewings and shaping shocks at the midpoint. Hear about rigorous test screenings, finding locations that rewrite the script, balancing thrills with release, and scoring choices including a Taylor Swift finale cue.
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Design Movies For Repeat Viewings
- Paul Feig deliberately seeds misleading cues so a second viewing completely recontextualizes the first half.
- He treats cinematic manipulation as the core tool: directing attention shapes emotional investment.
Use Test Screenings To Calibrate Tone
- Run early recruited test screenings and record audience audio and night-vision to judge engagement.
- Iterate in the edit room, fixing weak beats until the majority reaction matches your intention.
Slow Information Builds Suspense
- Slow revelation and gradual information doling creates sustained suspense and audience investment.
- Rushing to show the outcome can rob viewers of the discovery that makes the second act powerful.
