How 'The Plague' Perfected the Horror of Growing Up

Host GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker Charlie Polinger to unpack the making of his debut feature, The Plague. Polinger discusses his transition from theater to film, the personal childhood memories that shaped the story, and how embracing chaos—rather than controlling it—became central to his directing process. From casting an electrifying ensemble of young actors to shaping dread through sound design and editing, the conversation explores how specificity, vulnerability, and trust can turn a coming-of-age story into psychological horror.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest discuss…

• Transitioning from theater directing to feature filmmaking

• Drawing from childhood memory to create visceral, psychological horror

• Why a boys’ water polo camp became the perfect contained setting

• Casting and directing a large ensemble of young actors

• Letting location do the storytelling heavy lifting

• Embracing chaos on set instead of fighting it

• Building anxiety through sound design and post-production rhythm

• Hands-on collaboration in the edit and score development

• Advice for emerging filmmakers on making work consistently

Memorable Quotes:

• “I just wanted to create a really kind of visceral, subjective, psychological experience of being a 12-year-old boy.”

• “There’s strategy built into the cruelty and the violence and getting away with it—and that felt really ripe cinematically.

• “The space is sort of like a character in this film.”

• “The more I put out into the world, the more that the world gave back.”

Guest:

• Charlie Polinger

Resources:

• The Plague EP by Lexi Tannenholtz on Cannes first-timers: A First-Timer’s Guide to the Cannes Film Festival

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