Deathwoods Interview: Scott Conner on His 80s Slasher

When we think of old-school slasher flicks, a few things come to mind — but teenagers being stalked by a silent killer in a creepy mask is pretty much the standard formula. It’s tried, it’s tested, it works. What makes a slasher film memorable, though? Well, that comes down to gnarly kills and, of course, a memorable killer with a kickass mask.

Deathwoodslooks to deliver on both fronts, based on the teaser above, but we had questions. So, to get some more details, we sat down and had a chat with writer/director Scott Conner!

iHorror:Alright, Scott. Tell us a little about your upcoming film,Deathwoods.

Scott Conner:Mainly, it’s a throwback to the ’80s slashers that I grew up watching. I wanted to make something comparable, but still make it its own thing. I decided to come up with a story and took the time to think of what I wanted to do to make it unique, but still feel like the movies of old.

It seems like that comes through, at least, from the teaser I saw. How did this project happen?

After taking the time to write the script, and then going through and editing it, next was looking for crew members who had experience, and we put together a really good crew and made everything happen.

I saw that you have Felissa Rose in the film? How did she come on board?

I met her years before shooting it, and I actually talked to her about the role. I thought she would be perfect for it. It’s a totally different role than anything she’s done, so you get to see a different side of her in the movie. She’s always been really nice, and I thought it would give her a cool opportunity.

Miles Dimitri Baker, who people may know as the guitarist from a little band named Ice Nine Kills, is also in the film?

Yeah, he has a small role in the movie. Being in such a horror-centric band, we thought it would be great to get him in it, and he was willing to do it — so, yeah, he has a very good scene.

That’s awesome. So, tell us a little more about what made you want to make an old-school slasher film. You said you grew up with them, let’s go back to that. How did that love first develop?

Well, my dad took me to the theater to seeThe Texas Chain Saw Massacrewhen I was five. (Laughing.)

Okay… (Laughing.)

Then we went to seeFriday the 13th 3Dwhen I was eight, and watched every one of those in the theater afterward. So, I grew up on those movies. I kind of wanted to do something similar.Friday the 13thwas always my favorite, and was the biggest inspiration for this movie.

Independent filmmaking, man. Tell us a little bit about behind the scenes. What was the process of actually getting your script turned into a movie like?

Behind the scenes? Just getting everybody together and making sure you have a good crew and trusted people that you can just go without having to stop and be able to rely on someone else to do one thing while you work on something else. Casting. Getting people that fit the characters and that you can rely on to be there every day, and be dedicated.

How long did it take you to find all of the right people?

We actually did the first auditions in a week, and our callbacks in a week. So, with a few exceptions, we had everybody cast in a two-week period. We really lucked out on that.

What was the biggest obstacle you ran into?

Getting the right budget.

It always grows, doesn’t it? (Laughing.)

Need more effects? Need a bigger budget. Then if we’re doing that, why not get some actors with names? Budget gets bigger.

Alright, so no spoilers, but what’s essentially going on in this movie?

So, there’s a backstory about the woods that we learn about in the movie, about a family that had lived there — and something bad happened. There are local legends that there’s someone out there killing people. People go missing in these woods. A group of friends decides they’re going to go out there camping one night. They ignore the stories, and when they get out there, shit hits the fan.

As it so often does. (Laughing.) Well, I’m in. I want to see this movie. I’m digging the old-school vibe. What are the release plans?

Well, we have announced that the film has been picked up by Cineverse and will be available on Screambox. We can’t confirm the release date yet, but it’s coming up pretty soon. It will be available to rent and buy on Prime Video as well when it releases.

That’s huge news! Congratulations! Well, Scott, it’s been a pleasure chatting, thanks for your time! We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes out for the upcoming release date ofDeathwoods!