Exclusive Interview: Writer of Studio 666

It's my pleasure.  Thanks for giving us silly writers an opportunity to say hello.

First I would like to talk a little about your film, Studio 666.  Can you clue us in as to what the film is about?

It's about a jealous female vocalist who dabbles in the occult, blows a hole in her face, and then is summoned from beyond the grave to the studio in which her former bandmates are recording an album.  It takes the slasher film cliché of the "angry killing machine" and turns her into an antagonist who doesn’t really have a clue.

Where did the idea for the film come from?

 One of the producers called me and said that they wanted a slasher script.  They wanted it to take place at a recording studio, involve tarot cards and a rock band, and there was to be "sex or blood" every eight pages or so. 

They basically described your typical slasher film.  Well, obviously I wanted to pretend I was too cool to just stop with that, so I decided I wanted the villain to be a person who jumps to conclusions, makes mistakes, and perhaps even becomes filled with regret. It’s like yelling at a friend for taking something of yours and then five minutes later you find the missing item in your front pocket.  I wanted to capture that feeling -- but only with knives and power chords.

Can you tell us a little about the process of writing a film?

 I start by putting together a treatment and a rough outline.  You have to know your characters.  Once I have decided I am ready, I put a tray of cashews and a pitcher of iced tea within reaching distance, turn on my Itunes streaming radio, and then I open up Final Draft and go to town.  I recommend doing whatever works best for you.

I'm sure writers are frequently disappointed with the director's vision of their film.  Have you been pleased so far with directors that you have worked with? 

I think directors get blamed too often.  I can see a producer blaming a director in regard to budgetary concerns, but a screenwriter needs to remember that once you sign that contract or cash that check, it is no longer your script.

My advice is to really learn the language of cinema and make sure you write a clear and concise screenplay.  Corbin used every single inch of my screenplay.  In Studio 666, my only problem is that the film ran a little short, so Corbin shot a music video intro and stuck it at the beginning.  I am still getting used to that, but I understand how it adds to the story. 

Do you find that their choice of actor usually fits the ideas you have while writing? 

It again all comes back to how well you flesh out the characters.  So far I have been pretty pleased with casting.  I still laugh at how over-the-edge Lenny Rose took the character Dr. Meso.  I guess the dialogue I wrote for him really gave him the freedom to cut loose.  It was real fun to watch.

Do you ever have creative input in the making of your films?

I have total creative freedom.  In my write-for-hire experience, I compare it mostly with my experience doing improvisational comedy.  I’m usually given a list of locations, a genre, and occasionally a few required props or circumstances, but the bulk of the scripts come from my head.  The challenge is making sure that your idea fits within their budget.

This is not at all your first film.  You also co-wrote Inbred Redneck Alien Abduction which was released in 2004 and is classified as adventure/comedy/horror/science fiction.  That is a broad range of genres to span. Tell us about that one.

Well, actually it was released just this past February through Sub Rosa.  We marketed this movie as a terrible flick that is so stupid that it will shave IQ points from the brains of all who view it.  Remarkably, even with such a crazy warning, it has still managed to become a runaway success. 

I stepped in to work with a few talented souls who were asked to make a ridiculous ultra-low budgeted comedy. Tons of poop and animal sex jokes. They already had the title and the overall story.  It was my duty to work with the director and flesh out a screenplay -- which often required us scribbling on notebook paper minutes before shooting.

It has become one of Sub Rosa’s fastest selling DVDs of all time, and I would like to send my thanks and condolences to all who have view it.  However, I must admit, I loved working with those guys. 

Another example of your writing is A Gathering from 2002 which you co-wrote as well as assistant directed.  What is that film about?

I think I was 2nd AD for only like three seconds.  I was involved with only a small part of the production.  A Gathering is the product of a bunch of St. Louis filmmakers who all wanted to work with each other.  I stepped in, co-wrote my scene, and passed the torch.  St. Louis has an amazing filmmaking community.    

You definitely cover a number of different themes in your writing.  Where do find you get the most inspiration?

I’m an entertainer at heart.  A storyteller.  Entertaining others and capturing the attention of an audience really gives me a charge.  I’m inspired by my parents, the news, music, my friends, and any woman who decides to wear clothes two sizes too small.  Scratch that.  I like women that breathe.  Live life and your will find your stories.

At what point in your life did you decide that this is what you wanted to do?

I decided I wanted to be a writer in the third grade.  I wrote books and rented them to my classmates for a dime.  When I was eleven, I was introduced to the screenplay format.  My uncle let me borrow a screenplay that a friend of his wrote.  I was hooked by Act 2.  

Do you ever experience writer's block?  If so, how do you overcome it?

Once I begin a screenplay, I seldom encounter writer’s block.  But if I find myself in a snag, I like to step away, drink a ton of ice water, and if I have to, I’ll read what I have written aloud.

Would you ever be interested in writing a novel?

 I certainly would, but I think I would like to wait a few years.  I certainly have material in mind, but I just don’t feel like the time is right.

If you could choose any director to shoot one of your films, who would it be and why? 

Wow, that would be difficult because I love writing all kinds of screenplays.  I’d go with Michael Mann, Sidney Lumet, Sam Mendes, Neil LaBute, Lloyd Kaufman, John Waters, and Terry Gilliam.  I have all kinds of directions in which I’d like to go.

What actors would you like to see in your future films? 

I’d love to see Ed Harris, Debbie Rochon, Emily Haack, William H. Macy, Paul Reubens, Kathleen Turner, Ted Raimi, Stephen Blackehart, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Judy Greer, Bruce Campbell, Martin Short, and many more that I can’t think of.

How did you get involved in writing films?

I have been writing for years.  Professionally, I threw my hat into the ring back in 2003.  I just got on the phone and started making calls.  Since then, as a writer-for-hire, I have written and sold five or six screenplays.

You are no stranger to the other side of the camera.  You acted in Inbred Redneck Alien Abduction as well as in April is My Religion (which you also produced) and Strawberry Spring in 2001.  Do you enjoy acting as much as writing?

  Writing is my first love.  I don’t consider myself an actor.  I do it whenever it is needed.  I’m a team player.

Who do you feel has had the most influence on your work?

One of my best friends, Brian Yawberry, has greatly influenced me.  We’ve known each other since we were six and we are dead honest with each other -- or I hope we are.  When I have failed with Brian, it is usually time for me to wake up and get my crap together.  He’s a terrific writer.

Are there any future projects that you have in the works and would like to share with us?

I have just written an exciting fantasy/horror script for Ted Chalmers and TC Entertainment.  I cannot say what the project is about -- I’m sworn to secrecy.  All I can say is that I am really happy with what I have written and I am confident that it will be an amazing movie.  This could do some wonderful things for me. 

Are you a reader of MoviesOnline/Horror-movies.ca?

I’ve been checking out Movies Online.  I dig how the main page is crammed with information.  I’ll have to check out horror-movies.ca more now too.  Both are great resources.

Okay, now if you found yourself facing the end of civilization at the hands of aliens, what are three things you would like to have with you and who would you want by your side?

 An escape pod, a spacesuit, and a lifetime supply of oxygen.  My companion would be a clone of Yvonne Craig covered in green make-up.

Thank you again,Mr. Hackbarth. As Billy Crystal says in Throw Momma From the Train,  "A writer writes.  Always." I wish you continued success and inspiration.

Thanks, and to quote Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride: "You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles."