Name a Horror character you relate to on a spiritual/personal level?

Stripe from the first Gremlins movie. My inner beast is definitely an evil little creature with a mohawk.

You’ve gotta go through some bad ideas to get to the good ones. Tell us one of your bad ideas. How do you get past the bad ones to find your spark?

I actually don’t believe in bad ideas, just bad execution. I find my spark by figuring out the best way to approach whatever I’ve written on a page.

Do you consider yourself part of a horror community?

I do. I’ve been writing horror films since I was 14 and naturally found a community through that medium. I attended every horror film festival, researched the minds behind the scariest haunted houses in the country, and set up camp in the horror aisle in Blockbuster (R.I.P). As an adult, this community only grew in directing. Suddenly, I was creating with like-minded people and this made the genre all the more exciting to me.

When you’re building the world of your film, where do you look for inspiration?

I can find inspiration anywhere, but I specifically look for inspiration in music and society. Asking for a Friend was inspired by Sofie Tucker’s song “Best Friend.” I thought it would be interesting to explore the bonds of friendship in a twisted and experimental way while also playing with the juxtaposition between horror, comedy, and dance music. The film evolved even more into the gruesome thing it is today through pulling from memes online and a sprinkle of “what if” conversations in the kitchen with my creative producer, Tienlyn Jacobson.

What would you do if you woke up inside of your film?

Well first off...I did. Fun Fact: I play the dead body in Asking for a Friend . However, if waking up in the reality of the film, I would buckle my seatbelt and enjoy the bloody ride. It wouldn’t be so bad waking up inside a world full of a non-stop party atmosphere and friends that would literally kill for you....plus nachos.

Who would be on your ultimate horror villain squad?

Jeepers Creepers, Pennywise the Clown, Carrie, Jennifer from Jennifer’s Body, Annie Wikes, and Ghostface.

Lightning round: Freddy or Jason? Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft? Practical or CGI? Post Apocalypse or Pre Apocalypse?

Freddy, hello. Am I the only one who has a crush on this character? Stephen King forever. I grew up going to the Stanley Hotel and even brought all my friends to ghost hunt there for my 14th Birthday party. Practical always, so much more fun getting messy in real life. Pre Apocalypse...during these times, it’s the only way to stay sane.

How do you go about creating the props and sets for your film? How do you create objects that are relatable but unfamiliar?

Hamer FX created the main prop in Asking for a Friend , the body (which was molded after my likeness). They did an absolutely INCREDIBLE job elevating our film to the next level with extremely gruesome practical effects.

What scares you, and does it inspire your storytelling?

The dark side of society scares me to death. What’s inspiring to me about my fears is the opportunity to conquer them. Each script I write is a way for me to work through my own inner demons and provide commentary on the world around me...with a smattering of humor and a dash of absurdity.

And finally, Ghostface would like to know ‘What’s your favorite scary movie?’

Julia Ducournau’s RAW. I love horror films that weren’t actually written and created to be scary...but end up being the thing of nightmares.