Screenwriting: Two Short Films.

Alongside my work in prose, I am also an avid screenwriter. Having gained an undergraduate degree in film studies and a master’s degree in screenwriting, this is one of my biggest passions and something that I take a great amount of joy in pursuing. Whilst I have penned many short films, features, sketches and skits over the years, the two that I am going to showcase here are by far and above the ones I am most proud of. Working alongside my good friend and colleague, the director Alexander Vanegas, these shorts are a glimpse into the work we have done and continue to do together. From horror hosts to Alpine festivals, these two slices of cinema are a horrific treat to behold, no matter if your taste lies within horror, drama or comedy.

A Whole Host

Watch at - https://vimeo.com/822469580

IMDB - https://tinyurl.com/4am5pbmf

Inspired by the greats of the horror host world, this short features the unlucky presenter Dashiell Dellamorte, a man forced to watch, and rewatch, the worst horror films ever made, again and again, for as long as his unnatural life may persist. What he doesn’t know, however, is that the films themselves have had enough of his snark and are determined to take out their revenge on the man who has been humiliating them.

A mixture of horror and comedy, this is one of the most fun projects that I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. Coming up with the idea of Dashiell was my chance to write a love letter to the hosts of my childhood – Elvira, Joe Bob, Svengoolie, Vampira, The Cryptkeeper and the hosts of horror comics such as Vampirella and Uncle Creepy. In doing so, this film really feels like a projection from my mind to the screen. Featuring some fantastic acting from Kent Goldfinch as the aforementioned Dashiell, he really brings my character to life and makes me want to write more scripts for the character in the future.

Nominated for several awards from online horror festivals, this was the first short I wrote that truly began to carve a name for myself as a screenwriter and author of the horrific, and for that, I can never thank it (and everyone involved!) enough.

Maschere Di Legno (Wooden Masks)

Watch At - https://vimeo.com/822463233

IMDB - https://tinyurl.com/e787482u

This one felt special; very special. Set during the awe-inspiring carnival in Schignano, northern Italy, we travelled to the beautiful mountains above Lake Como to film this, in what is still one of the best experiences of my life. Focusing on the character of Nina, who returns home to Schignano to attend the carnival, we follow her as she comes to terms with her identity through the magic of the festival and the strange, beautiful masks that the townspeople hide themselves behind during the celebrations. An event that truly needs to be experienced in person, I cannot say enough about the hospitality we received whilst there, by both the officials and townsfolk, and especially Luca, the mask maker, who plays himself and welcomed us into his home.

Filmed in Italian, this short won the award for best film at the Cortintelvi film festival in Italy, in what is still one of my proudest professional achievements. The film features beautiful cinematography, incredible footage of the carnival, and jaw-dropping shots of the beautiful Italian countryside, the Alps and the town itself. Alongside some incredible acting from Francesca Iemma and Luca Galli, who brought my characters to life in such incredible ways I never thought possible, this is a film that I am proud to hail as a showpiece of what I am capable of as a writer, and a finished product that will forever surpass what I could have ever imagined.

These two films, whilst not my only screenwriting credits, just about finish off this mini-series of promotional posts. An overview of my work so far, if you may, to clear the way before I start posting new works here on the site.

Keep an eye open over the next few weeks as I begin to upload more pieces written specifically for the site, such as articles, reviews, retrospectives, short stories and more.

I hope you are as excited to read them as I am to write them!

Here’s to horror!

-       R.A. Daunton