HORRORFEST PANEL - From Script to Screams: How to Get Your Horror Feature Made
Saturday, October 18 at 2:20 pm - Theater 2
Every filmmaker dreams of making the leap from shorts to features. But how do you actually pull it off? This panel brings together filmmakers who’ve done it - each one has written, produced, and directed a full-length horror film. They’ll share how they secured funding, overcame production nightmares, and got their work seen by audiences.
If you’ve got a script on your hard drive or a feature in your head, this is where you’ll learn how to take it from idea to finished film.
What You'll Learn:
- The real steps to move from shorts to your first feature
- Funding and budgeting strategies that work for indie horror
- Building the right team of cast and crew
- Navigating production roadblocks (locations, effects, time)
- Getting your feature into festivals and in front of audiences
Get Involved
Have a question about getting a feature made? Submit it ahead of time.
Panelists:
Raven Carter
Roger Conners
Roger Conners
Raven Carter is a Texas-born filmmaker whose debut feature, Noseeums, premiered at London’s FrightFest. Her short films have also screened widely, with Weird People winning Best Editing and Best Cinematography at the Black Women in Film Network Festival. The short film will also premiere later this year on Aspire TV. Her short film White
Raven Carter is a Texas-born filmmaker whose debut feature, Noseeums, premiered at London’s FrightFest. Her short films have also screened widely, with Weird People winning Best Editing and Best Cinematography at the Black Women in Film Network Festival. The short film will also premiere later this year on Aspire TV. Her short film White Washed was selected for more than ten festivals and earned her recognition in MovieMaker Magazine. A Florida State MFA graduate now based in Austin, Raven tells stories that cut to the core of family, race, and womanhood.
Roger Conners
Roger Conners
Roger Conners
Roger Conners, director of MEAT, is a familiar face in the cult-horror scene, often called indie horror’s first “Scream Queer.” He’s appeared in films like Chill: The Killing Games, Mother Krampus 2: Slay Ride, American Poltergeist: The Curse of Lilith Ratchet, and Teacher Shortage. His recent work includes The Long Slow Death of a Thirty
Roger Conners, director of MEAT, is a familiar face in the cult-horror scene, often called indie horror’s first “Scream Queer.” He’s appeared in films like Chill: The Killing Games, Mother Krampus 2: Slay Ride, American Poltergeist: The Curse of Lilith Ratchet, and Teacher Shortage. His recent work includes The Long Slow Death of a Thirty Something, Hollow Lake, What’s Wrong Wendy?, and Chris Stuckman’s upcoming Shelby Oaks. Conners has also stepped behind the camera, directing projects such as Rebirth and the newly completed MEAT
Mars Roberge
Roger Conners
Mars Roberge
Canadian-American filmmaker Mars Roberge has directed five award-winning features, including the Patricia Field documentary The Little House That Could, the punk comedy Scumbag, and the horror anthology Rufus, which stars ex-drug kingpin Freeway Rick Ross in his acting debut alongside music legends like David J, Rah Digga, and Angelo Moor
Canadian-American filmmaker Mars Roberge has directed five award-winning features, including the Patricia Field documentary The Little House That Could, the punk comedy Scumbag, and the horror anthology Rufus, which stars ex-drug kingpin Freeway Rick Ross in his acting debut alongside music legends like David J, Rah Digga, and Angelo Moore. Known for leading the “Hellawood” underground movement and inventing the genre “Rocktopia,” Roberge pushes boundaries with films that defy convention. Beyond filmmaking, he lectures at NYU and We Make Movies Labs, DJs as “Die J! Mars,” and runs World Domination Records with his wife, Debra Haden.
Debra Haden
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Mars Roberge
Debra Haden has been the co-star in filmmaker Mars Roberge’s previous three features (Rufus, Stars, Mister Sister, Scumbag). In 2017, she won Exceptional Emerging Artist at Hollywood Film Festival. She also moonlights as an electronic pop musician called Skunk in the Roses.
When she has free time, she creates animations on YouTube, paints and designs couture clothing with her fashion degree.
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Jeremy Brothers is a writer and director whose debut feature, McCurdy Point, blends his background in comedy with a sharp eye for horror. He has worked as a host for The Moth, taught sketch and improv at several Boston colleges, and served as Artistic Director for Improv Asylum. Jeremy also co-created Vanity Project, an Emmy-nominated com
Jeremy Brothers is a writer and director whose debut feature, McCurdy Point, blends his background in comedy with a sharp eye for horror. He has worked as a host for The Moth, taught sketch and improv at several Boston colleges, and served as Artistic Director for Improv Asylum. Jeremy also co-created Vanity Project, an Emmy-nominated comedy series.
Writer, Producer and Key Cast of MuCurdy Point Ryan Gaul will also be joining the discussion to discuss his role in creating McCurdy Point.
Jake Myers
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Jeremy Brothers & Ryan Gaul
Jake Myers directed the feature film titled Kombucha which has worldwide distribution with Jackrabbit Media. Prior to the feature, he directed the short version of Kombucha! which premiered at Overlook, Chicago International, Atlanta Horror, and Filmquest. You can find his short films on CryptTV, Screambox, AStudioDigital, and The Onion.
Jake Myers directed the feature film titled Kombucha which has worldwide distribution with Jackrabbit Media. Prior to the feature, he directed the short version of Kombucha! which premiered at Overlook, Chicago International, Atlanta Horror, and Filmquest. You can find his short films on CryptTV, Screambox, AStudioDigital, and The Onion. He has also worked as an animator for films like The People's Joker, Dilemma of Desire, and One Golden Summer.