Horror Fest Scene: THE NEW HIRE, by Matthew Summersgill, Mark Palgy (interview)
1ST SCENE SCREENPLAY READINGS
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4m 57s
Mike's beloved "Office Family" dynamic is ominously disrupted by a strange new hire who threatens to upend everything Mike has built.
https://www.instagram.com/de4thrace/
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Mike: Steve Rizzo
Carol: Hannah Ehman
Dale: Geoff Mays
1. What is your screenplay about?
The tenuous and precarious social links we have in our places of work. How our self-worth and self-perception in our work lives is warped and unreliable. And how we resist change.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Psychosupernatural horror.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think it's an interesting peek into the inner life of a normal guy who's just trying to live his life.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Work/life balance. =)
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I want to say something cool like Jeanne Dielman or 8 ½ but it's probably Innerspace because it played on HBO 5 times a day in the late 80's.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
We wrote it in a couple of months. Once we have a cool idea we like to get down to it...
7. How many stories have you written?
Millions....in my head.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Impossible to answer. But I can tell you that Operator by Jim Croce is as close to a perfect song as it gets.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Self-loathing and procrastination.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Black Sabbath, the late 70's/early 80's, geography, and the Oxford comma.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
Film Freeway is the only platform I've ever used, so I can't compare it to how people did it before. I love the ease of use, but the rejection can be really tough. I'll be skimming my phone laughing at memes one minute and the next minute I'm seeing I've been rejected from Telluride. The joy of getting accepted is worth it all, though.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I love getting feedback, even if it's tough. Sending it to people who read lots of screenplays is a good way to get strangers to comment as opposed to friends who might not want to hurt your feelings. Our initial feelings about your feedback was reassuring, and made us more confident going into the actual production of the film!
- Matthew & Mark
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