Pages

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Women in Horror Month #17: Vanessa Ionta Wright, Writer and Executive Producer of "Rainy Season"

The Women in Horror Month interview series is winding to a close.  That means that some of my scheduling concerns and quirks are going to start coming out.

You may remember waaaaay back on February 9, I featured Samantha Kolesnik, the producer of the short film "Rainy Season" (based on the short story by Stephen King.)  Well, now I can finally reveal that Samantha did not come on the blog alone.  She also brought someone with her.  Someone...dark.  And twisted.  And...

But perhaps I've already said too much!!!


About Vanessa Ionta Wright:




You can follow Vanessa on her YouTube channel.  You can also see what she's working on and some teaser trailers for her projects at her website.

Interview:


SK: What are your horror bona fides? Who have you scared?

VIW:  My scripts have done well in festivals, being a finalist 2 years in a row at Shriekfest Horror Film Festival in Los Angeles, 2014 & 2015, and official selection at The 2015 Indie Horror Fest in Chicago and the 2015 Northeast Horror Fest.
    
Who have I scared fictitiously or in reality?  I am an unpublished writer and this is my first film, however I think I've caused the hair to stand on several necks.  I have written several short thrillers that are a part of an anthology called "The Time Changer".  I am also developing a series for the small screen called "Phobic".  I am also developing a suspense/thriller feature called "Captain Midnight".  In reality I have scared just about everyone in my life, I enjoy hiding and jumping out at people when they least expect it...my poor children.

SK:  Who or what terrifies you?

VIW:  You might expect me to say clowns or the boogeyman, but the thing that scares me the most is time.  It tortures me!  There is no stopping it and there is no end.  It is out of our control and it steals from us.  And the crazy thing is that time is nothing more than a perception created by us to keep some sort of measure.  That sounds insane.  I am also afraid of spiders.

SK:  Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

VIW:  I think there are some challenges, it is a heavily male-dominated genre and industry, but women have made huge strides and have proven time and time again that we are more than capable of creating amazing works of cinema.  I look at being in the minority or the underdog as a good thing.  I think the work means more when you have something to prove.  Does that sound right?  I guess what I mean, is that I like a challenge and I like changing others opinions...I like making waves and getting people talking.  If I can scare them along the way, all the better.

SK:  Who are your favorite female horror icons?

VIW:  Several...one that I just learned about, actually, a pioneer filmmaker, Ida Lupino who directed "The Hitch-Hiker" in 1953.  A total ground breaker in many ways.  Jennifer Kent writer/director of "The Babadook," I thought this was a great film, beautifully scary.  She is an amazing storyteller.  There were no cheap thrills, she created a chilling, and isolated landscape...and my god the colors!  beautiful film.  Also, Mary Lambert, director of "Pet Semetary," she did a great job bringing King's work alive on screen.  As far as performances...Jamie Lee Curtis kills it in "Halloween," loved Shelley Duvall in "The Shining," Glenn Close scared the crap out of me in "Fatal Attraction," and Kathy Bates in "Misery"...I could actually make a pretty long list here, but I'll stop.  next question.

SK:  What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?


VIW:  I am currently working on an adaptation of "Rainy Season" based on the short story by Stephen King.  I am the writer/executive producer of the film.  It is a terrifying tale of sacrifice and I have had a great time adapting it for the screen.  I have assembled an amazing cast and crew consisting of director Grant McGowen, cinematographer Mark Simon, producers Stephanie Wyatt & Samantha Kolesnik and actors Tyner Rushing, Brian Ashton Smith, Amber Germain & Alpha Trivette.  We will be filming in Senoia, GA at the very location where they shot the film "Lawless" starring Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, and Shia LaBeouf.  This film is not able to be distributed per Stephen King's contract, but it is eligible for festival use.  We want to utilize this platform to showcase our abilities and talents as filmmakers and performers.  We can't do it alone which is why we are trying to get publicity and support. 

About "Rainy Season:"



when it rains...they pour

We have been trying to blow up the internet with this! A quick background on this film. I secured the non-exclusive rights to Stephen King's "Rainy Season" through his dollar babies program. We have 1 year to adapt the the story and shoot the film. I wrote the script this fall and we are set to shoot this Spring once we raise our $30k budget. I have also been posting a micro-short daily called "Fun With King" to drive traffic, and just to entertain. those can be seen on my YouTube channel.

Indiegogo
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

No comments:

Post a Comment