That was my first response when film maker Mark List asked if I'd write a short indie film for our Fort Myers Beach Film Festival. A woman aiming at clearing her decks and bringing to light the book she's been working on for years has no business taking on a new project.
Or does she? Mark wanted a short lasting no more than ten minutes. That's barely four pages. How hard can it be?
"Good heavens...noooo..."
And then came the idea...which is generally followed by the knowing that all arguments henceforth will be ignored as hollow and unworthy of attention. The idea rules.
Perhaps you recall the 2002 horror movie, The Ring?
Creepy, eh? Yet, imagine a spoof where this disturbing character is confronted by a beautiful woman believing her fiance's heart now belongs to the other. What if the beautiful woman is oblivious to the other's desperate need of hot soapy water, moisturizer, and a soul?
Because I saw such potential for farce, I immediately began writing. I also began practicing both the walk and crawl you just observed. My husband quickly asked me to cease with such walking and crawling so I must assume I had that down pat.
I always wanted to play a creepy part. Although, I've long imagined this creepy part would be a Victorian ghost story sort of character - all stern and dressed in black while exuding mysterious undercurrents of evil.
Yet ideas that rule also morph. Mark and I decided our creepy character should be less reminiscent of The Ring and more like that of a siren...from Estero Bay.
We had to keep it local!
Out went the perfected Ring walk/crawl and in washed a more fluid sort of move. Fluid and creepy is hard, btw. They don't naturally marry well.
The second major shift occurred once the beautiful woman, Lori Zinkl, entered the picture. Her take on her character and the magnificence with which she can play a b_ _ _ _ suddenly made for less farce and more horror.
So I think we've a short horror flick rimmed with slight, wicked humor. But, as I'm a complete newbie on this front, I won't know for sure until I see the dailies and what Mark plans to do with them.
Yep...dailies. Love learning new words and then tossing them about town.
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