ACTION Festival Best Scene: THE SHADOW KILLER, by Thad Alexander (interview)
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In the heart of Bangkok, Detective Aran Chen, a defiant inspector haunted by his past, pursues the elusive "Shadow Killer," a ruthless serial murderer. Armed with his sharp instincts and lethal martial arts skills, Aran battles through the city's underworld, uncovering a chilling link between the killer's motives and his own scars. As the lines between justice and revenge blur, Aran faces a deadly confrontation that will test his resolve and redefine his destiny.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Captain Boon-Nam: Shawn Devlin
Aran Chen: Steve Rizzo
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
Shadow Killer is a grounded crime thriller set in Bangkok, following a police investigator haunted by his past as he hunts down a mysterious serial killer. As the body count rises, he relentlessly pursues the murderer, relying on sharp detective work and his martial arts skills. His past looms over him, threatening to cloud his judgment, but he pushes forward, determined to stop the killer. The chase builds to a brutal final confrontation, where his skills and resilience are put to the ultimate test.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Shadow Killer is a bold, high-impact reinvention of the action genre, fusing a gripping crime investigation with bone-crunching martial arts combat. In a world where thrillers often fall into predictable formulas, this film keeps audiences on edge with relentless action, shocking twists, and a hero who fights both a deadly killer and his own past.
With one or two game-changing twists leading to a high-stakes, brutal finale, Shadow Killer delivers exactly what modern audiences crave—an electrifying, no-nonsense action experience that's as smart as it is thrilling. It's a ride that never lets up, never holds back, and most importantly, never forgets to entertain.
This isn't just another action movie, it's the one that will leave audiences breathless.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
Relentless and thrilling
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Probably the Princess Bride, it's a classic but it's a good classic and one that never gets old.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I formulated the idea about 3 or 4 years ago but finally put it into words this last year so all in all it's been about 4 years in the making.
6. How many stories have you written?
I have always loved storytelling but never really got into it until recently. That being said I have written multiple scripts and have a few already on the backburner that I'm still working on.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I love martial arts movies, I used to watch Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris as a kid then as I got older I branched off into different actors like Tony Jaa and Scott Adkins. All this to say I love the genre and I wanted a fresh take with a blend of the gritty martial arts action and an interesting story.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Formatting was the biggest obstacle I faced, I hadn't really ever formatted a proper screenplay before so that took time and effort trying to learn all I needed to learn about that. Besides that, this story and screenplay actually came together pretty smoothly for me without many obstacles.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
give me anything in the entertainment industry and I'm fascinated by it, whether it's directing, acting, behind the scenes work etc. It all fascinates me. Apart from the film industry I am passionate about fitness and health and take that area of my life very seriously.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I was looking for a way to get my writing seen which seems to be increasingly difficult.
11. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Action, crime thriller, and mystery
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