'The Whistler' producers want Colombia return after dengue, rain
Dengue fever, rains be damned: Hideout Pictures producers Margaret Miller and Trevor O'Neil say they cannot wait to shoot in Colombia again after filming horror thriller "The Whistler" there—their first overseas location shoot and one they are already eager to repeat. Despite illness and downpours, the Nashville-based team calls the all-Colombian crew among the best they have ever worked with.
Key Takeaways
- Producer Trevor O'Neil recovered from mild dengue fever in 10 days with daily telemedicine check-ins from their first AD's infectious-disease-doctor father.
- Colombian crews built full sets and delivered power to remote Buga locations through heavy rain, work producers said rivaled U.S. standards.
- Miller and O'Neil spent three and a half months in Cali before the six-week shoot, recouping their investment via Colombia's CINA incentive in six to nine months.
- Director Diego Velasco and 64a Films' Diego F. Ramirez co-produced the English-and-Spanish thriller after Velasco spent roughly 14 years developing the project.
Why Do 'The Whistler' Producers Want to Shoot in Colombia Again?
Margaret Miller and Trevor O'Neil of Nashville-based Hideout Pictures describe "The Whistler" as a turning point. It was their very first overseas location shoot, and they have been scouring their slate ever since, looking for the next chance to return.
Miller says the all-Colombian crew was "absolutely, hands down one of" the best teams they have worked with—hardworking, resourceful, and unfazed by adversity. O'Neil was repeatedly stunned watching crews erect complete sets and run power to remote sites even in downpours.
How Did Rains and Dengue Fever Affect the Production?
The shoot was not painless. O'Neil contracted a mild case of dengue fever that kept him at their hotel for several days. Their first assistant director's father happened to be an infectious disease physician, and daily video calls let him monitor the case remotely.
Miller says O'Neil was back on set within 10 days. Rain battered locations throughout the six-week production in Buga, a renowned pilgrimage site near the salsa capital of Cali, but crews treated the conditions as routine—even laughing off comparisons to shoots in the Amazon where gear travels by raft.
What Made the Colombia Shoot Work for 'The Whistler'?
Director Diego Velasco, who spent roughly 14 years bringing the project to screen after "The Zero Hour," partnered with Hideout Pictures and Diego F. Ramirez's 64a Films ("Dog," "Killing Jesus"). Dialogue was mostly in English, with about 20 percent in Spanish.
Miller and O'Neil lived in Cali for three and a half months beforehand, sharpening their Spanish and even salsa-dancing skills before cameras rolled in Buga. O'Neil said he would "put Colombian crews up against American crews any day."
Financially, Colombia's CINA incentive made the bet pay off: Miller says they recouped their investment in six to nine months—turnaround she calls "unheard of" for independent producers. For more production news, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
Where Did Variety Report the Full Story?
The producers' Colombia experience—including dengue fever, rains be damned, and their push to return—is detailed in a new Variety report on global location shoots. Miller and O'Neil's enthusiasm underscores how Colombia's crews and rebate programs are drawing U.S. independents despite real on-the-ground challenges.