When it comes to horror, it’s surprising just how well it meshes with comedy. Perhaps no one knows that better than Chance Shirley, writer/director on For a Few Zombies More (2015) and Hide and Creep (2004).
What first got you interested in screenwriting?
I went to the inaugural Sidewalk Film Fest twenty years ago. It was the first film fest held in my town (Birmingham, Alabama) and the first fest I ever attended. I saw some fun short films at the fest and immediately wanted to make my own movies (this was before YouTube was around to inspire budding filmmakers). I quickly figured out that the first step in making a film is writing the script.
Do you have an example of a lesson you learned from reading a script (rather than watching the movie made from it)?
I am ashamed to admit that I don’t think I’ve ever read a whole screenplay! Other than for movies that I’ve helped friends shoot.
That said, I’ve read lots of bits and pieces of various screenplays. One scripted scene that stuck with me is the post-overdose hypodermic needle scene from Pulp Fiction (1994) where Travolta has to jam the needle into Uma Thurman’s chest. On the page, Tarantino paints a very clear picture of how the scene would be shot and edited, but he never mentions what the camera should be doing or where the editor should be making cuts. He just writes exciting, descriptive action and (of course) sharp dialogue.
When I write my own scripts, I try to remember that and avoid “we see” and “angle on” and “smash cut to.” Not that there is anything wrong with putting those things in a screenplay. But there are more elegant (and I would argue more effective) ways to walk the reader through the beats of a scene.
What’s the strongest piece of advice you have for aspiring screenwriters?
It’s boring advice, but I recommend people write an outline before they start the actual script. Figure out the beginning, middle, and end of the story you want to tell. Figure out who the characters are. Figure out all the scenes in the movie. If you start writing a screenplay with all that figured out, you’ll have a much easier time of it. And I think your finished first draft will be a lot stronger.
What is your relationship with genre film (love, hate, indifference)? What led to that?
Oh, I love genre film. I’ve been a comic book and sci-fi fan for literally as long as I can remember (which is back to the early 1970s). I think it was seeing Spider-Man on The Electric Company on PBS that got me interested in superheroes. And the Justice League Super Friends cartoons on Saturday mornings. Then reading comic books (that were readily available back then at most grocery stores and convenience stores). Comic books opened the door to sci-fi (Star Trek reruns and then Star Wars in 1977).
My love for horror started with sci-fi/horror (Creature From the Black Lagoon, 1954, Alien, 1979, The Thing, 1982). I didn’t really get totally invested in horror till I started making movies in the early 2000s. The more I learned about gore and makeup effects, the more I got into movies featuring those things. Which are usually horror movies.
What was something that surprised you in the process of writing your own screenplay?
When I wrote my first feature, I was just surprised I actually finished the first draft! Then I had friends who were nice enough to read it and give me notes, and I made revisions. Finally, we took that script and made it into an actual movie that several people actually watched, all of which also surprised me.
What’s your favorite thing about screenwriting that doesn’t apply to other kinds of writing?
I like the inherent leanness of the screenplay form. It’s kind of the opposite of a novel. While you might go on for pages describing a character’s inner thoughts in a novel, a screenplay is only concerned with what can be seen and what can be heard — action and dialog.
What are some of the films and stories that inspired you?
So many! To name a few… all of the things I already mentioned — Star Trek, Star Wars, Black Lagoon, Alien — and especially The Thing. It’s my favorite movie, full of tension and dark humor and amazing, gross special effects. And a great score! I also love Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981), the greatest B-movie ever made, in my opinion.
I think Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009) is the best movie of this century. Beautifully crafted, full of great characters, and thematically inspiring — the movie is literally about the power of cinema.
I don’t read nearly as much as I should, but Vonnegut is my favorite writer. When I was in middle school, Bradbury’s “Martian Chronicles” was a big favorite. I’m also fond of Matheson’s “I Am Legend” and Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”.
If you could adapt any story in any medium into a screenplay, what is your dream project?
I am usually so busy trying to think up my own story ideas that I don’t spend much time considering doing adaptations.
That said, I recently picked up a “Creature Commandos” trade paperback. It’s a collection of comic books from the 1980s about the Creature Commandos, who were basically a werewolf, vampire, and Frankenstein monster who fought Nazis in World War II. That could be the basis for a heck of a movie.
And as a life-long Spidey fan, I wouldn’t mind making a Spider-Man movie.
Where can people find you online and support your work (present or upcoming)?
Info on where you can see my three feature films is available at http://www.crewless.com . And I am @crewless on Twitter.
Also, I run a streaming channel called Mascot TV. We stream old sci-fi, horror, kung fu, and spaghetti western movies. People can watch online or download our Roku and Apple TV apps at http://www.mascottv.net .
