Watch the Screenplay Reading:
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Depraved is a slasher that takes place at a college campus. A serial killer stalks the campus mutilating their victims while two detectives work tirelessly to try and identify the culprit. More and more bodies mount up until we end with a shocking twist that no one will see coming.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
The screenplay is a horror falling under the slasher category.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Depraved should be produced because it is different to other slasher movies out there. The film moves away from the stereotypical ‘serial killer identity’ and takes us in a new direction that is rarely seen in the horror genre. It explores themes that while present in the real world are rarely shown on screen. It also breaks a number of the trends and clichés seen in most slashers. Depraved is a fresh new take on the genre and will appeal to lovers of horrors as well as being more inclusive of groups who seldom have pivotal roles within the slasher genre. The script has already garnered interest within the industry with people reaching out to me about it.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Slasher revitalized.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Probably the first Scream movie. I’m a huge fan of the Scream franchise but the first one is definitely my comfort film.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I’ve been working on it for around six months and so far it has already gained a lot of positive feedback and results from putting out into the industry.
7. How many stories have you written?
I’ve been writing all my life in various forms, I have ideas for sequels to Depraved and have written some other screenplays including, comedy, horror-comedy, hard hitting drama and dramady.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
That’s a hard question, I have a very broad taste in music with my top two artists being Taylor Swift and Eminem, If I had to choose I would say my favourite song would have to be ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ by Taylor Swift. It has a personal translation for me so it’s kind of become my power song when I need a boost.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
With this script in particular as it has a mystery of who the killer is I had to almost write it backwards. I needed to know the story inside out and know which scenes would have a call back later in the script before I could sit down and write it so I ended up writing the end sequence first. It was also challenging as I was living in an unsafe home at the time of writing it which presented a number of obstacles to working.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Being a good mother to my son and showing him that dreams can be achieved if you work at them is definitely a big passion of mine. I’m also passionate about raising awareness of issues that are still very taboo in today’s world. I’ve lived through domestic abuse and I’d love to one day be in the position to do something that would help people who have suffered from this particular issue as there just isn’t enough help and support out there for people.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I use FilmFreeway for most of my submissions, I find it to be very user friendly, the platform is quick to update you on any changes to your submissions and it’s accessible to the masses as there’s no fees outside of the competition entry fees. FilmFreeway is usually my first port of call when looking for competitions or festivals to submit my work to. I feel that if the competition is hosted on a reputable platform like FilmFreeway it gives you more confidence that your work and your entry are going to a legitimate competition or festival.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
Depraved has been gaining traction since I started putting it out there, I’ve had people from the industry reach out to me and the script got me a job writing on another film however I can’t talk about that as I’ve signed an NDA. Given the successes the script has been having I decided to enter and see how it was received. The feedback I received was very encouraging and I was pleased that the readers picked up on the subtle elements within the script as well as the occasional nod to existing horror films.
