Exclusive: Chris von Hoffmann Discusses the Inspiration for Devil’s Workshop and its Stellar Cast

Aspiring actor Clayton (Timothy Granaderos) is desperate for a role as a demonologist. He received a callback after his first audition but needs to find a competitive edge to beat out Donald (Emile Hirsch), a more established actor who is also auditioning for the part. In an effort to stand out, Clayton seeks the help of Eliza (Radha Mitchell), an expert in devil lore. Together, they dive into the world of demonology, starting with the basics before moving to darker rituals, eventually progressing further and further until Clayton is forced to face demons from his past and present.

Also in the cast in Devil’s Workshop are Sarah Coffey, Brooke Ramirez, and Chris von Hoffmann, who also served as writer and director.

“I hope they feel a sense of discomfort,” commented Hoffmann and what he wants viewers to take away from watching. “Something is put under a magnifying glass that, you know, you’re not alone. Hopefully, it’s a love letter to creatives.”

Inspiration for Devil’s Workshop

Hoffmann has accumulated several credits as a writer and director, as well as various other roles in film, though he noted that Devil’s Workshop was a way for him to return to his roots.

“I have a theater background, and now most of my friends are actors. I studied acting in New York for a little while and also in high school. So I always kind of had a lot of respect for the world of actors and how kind of fascinating and also kind of ridiculous it can be, with the jealousy of it all,” said Hoffmann, referring to the dynamics between competing actors in the film. “I went back to my roots and wrote something very simple. I made a couple of features before this that I’m certainly proud of, but they weren’t coming from a personal place, necessarily. They were coming from more of my love of slasher movies and genre films. I wanted to make something that wasn’t really driven by violence or gore.”

Part of what drives Devil’s Workshop is its ability to be self-referential and deliver humor in addition to its horror, the commentary being made, and its explosive ending. That addition of humor is especially present when Hirsch is on screen.

Related: Exclusive: Timothy Granaderos and Radha Mitchell on Devil’s Workshop

“The character Emile Hirsch plays, it kind of resembles that person that we kind of all know. They’re so good at promoting on social media, and then being a political campaign worker on Twitter, just know how to work the room. But when you actually read their script or watch their work, it’s mediocre. It just goes to show talent is, unfortunately, just a very small percentage of what makes people successful… People can get satirical elements from it for sure because it’s not a violent movie.”

That isn’t to say, however, that the humor in Devil’s Workshop takes away from the seriousness of the film. There are dynamics of mothers and sons present in the film and gore in the right places. The humorous elements, more so, allow for some satirical moments to pop.

The Cast of Devil’s Workshop

The cast of Devil’s Workshop have certainly done notable projects in the past, with Hirsch being widely known for Into the Wild, Granaderos for 13 Reasons Why, and Mitchell for Man on Fire, among much more films they’ve each starred in.

“Tim was attached to it for a while, so he really had a lot of time to prep. Emile was attached kind of softly for a few months, but we didn’t really properly talk about the character until a week before shooting… and Radha came on less than a month before,” said Hoffmann, then noting how professional they all were to be able to perform as well as they do in the film. “They’re all professionals. I think they all really were down to just get weird. I think they all understood and had really smart ideas, which is always exciting when actors have ideas that they bring to the table. And they really just cared about it… it was a quick shoot, and they understood the circumstances and everybody that was involved in this movie was in it for the right reasons.”

Hoffmann also played a small role in the film as Clayton’s agent who calls him over the phone to tell him about his callback, another way in which Devil’s Workshop allowed him to return to his roots, having previously studied acting and briefly stepping back into it.

Devil’s Workshop comes to us from Lionsgate and is set to release in select theaters, on demand, and digital on September 30, 2022, before its later release on Blu-ray and DVD on November 8.