Killer Shorts is honored to bring you this interview with one of our esteemed contest judges Chelsea Lupkin. Chelsea is a filmmaker and Senior Programmer for Short of the Week. She is a self-proclaimed horror fan and the resident Scream Queen on the Short of the Week team. We are so excited to have Chelsea as a judge for another season, as she has quite a bit of experience with horror shorts in her own right. Her horror short credits include Huluween’s FLAGGED, and LUCY’S TALE, a short film that has been viewed over 5 million times on ALTER.

As a fellow filmmaker of horror shorts, Chelsea is an invaluable judge as she can relate to the process of getting your work discovered. She believes screenwriting competitions can be extremely helpful but stresses not to be discouraged if it doesn’t work out, as there are always other avenues to explore. We hope this interview encourages you to submit a horror short script to the Killer Shorts Contest as your script might be read by Chelsea if it makes the Top 10.

Conversations With Chelsea

Where are you from and where do you currently reside? Do your surroundings have an influence on your writing? 

I live in New York City, but I grew up in Bucks County Pennsylvania, where most of my writing is influenced by. Between local urban legends, ghost stories, and the occasional UFO sighting, my imagination had plenty of nightmare fuel. 

What was it about Killer Shorts that stood out to you and made you agree to judge?

As a Sr. Programmer at Short of the Week, it should come as no surprise that I love short films. I’m definitely the resident scream Queen on the team and whenever a horror film comes through, I jump on the chance to screen it. When Killer Shorts approached me about judging scripts, I saw it as another opportunity to champion exciting filmmakers. Killer Shorts is special in that it’s giving screenwriters an opportunity to showcase their work, highlight incredible new projects, and help the industry discover new voices in the horror community. 

What stood out to you about the scripts you read last season?

The breadth of writing styles, concepts, and craft stood out to me. There were some scripts that were fun and campy, while others hardly had any gore, but hit you in the feels and left a lasting impression. It’s exciting to see just how versatile the genre can be. 

Would you recommend submitting to Killer Shorts for horror writers looking to be discovered?

Absolutely. I was incredibly honored to judge alongside such talented filmmakers and writers, both established and on the rise. I’m a big fan of these folks and I think each judge represents a different taste that lends itself to the scope horror has to offer.  

What do you find is beneficial about the horror genre to launching a screenwriting career?

Horror has historically been at the forefront of cinematic innovation, not to mention it has the best fans – the enthusiasm is unparalleled. There’s really no better motivation than that. And because of the nature of the genre, there’s also an incredible amount of room to break boundaries with real-world commentary in a supernatural storyverse. Some of my favorite horror movies touch on sensitive subject matters in bold and challenging ways.

What advice would you give upcoming writers who might be submitting to contests for the first time?

Don’t get discouraged! You won’t get into every competition, simply, because of the nature of the beast. I would say to keep trying: The more you write, the better you will become. The more you challenge yourself against others, the higher you’ll rise. 

What would you tell a finalist who might be wondering what to do with their horror short script now?

Submitting to screenplay competitions is a wonderful outlet to get your work seen by filmmakers, producers, and industry members. But there are plenty of other avenues worth exploring. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your favorite directors, actors, or friends if you think they can help you get your work made! Never wait for an opportunity – go find one. 

How did you become the senior programmer and editorial writer for Short of the Week? Can you explain what Short of the Week is and how you choose the short films you spotlight?

Short of the Week is a premiere online platform that showcases the best short films on the internet! It’s also an incredible jumping-off point for filmmakers looking to launch their careers. Our team prides itself on our curation and we’re very proud of our alums! I joined the team back in 2015 and became a Sr. Programmer a few years later. It’s been a journey! 

Check out Short of the Week here.

Where do you find the shorts you feature and how can a horror short stand out enough to be picked? 

A film can become a Short of the Week selection through our submission process on the site or through discovery from film festivals. Our curation puts a particular emphasis on story. So for a horror film to stand out enough to get picked, it can’t solely rely on jump scares and a wicked monster. We want to be taken on a real journey and feel for the characters in the short, especially if the unthinkable is about to happen to them! 

Does being a programmer, and seeing all the films out there, have an influence on what you decide to write and direct yourself? 

Short answer: yes. I watch a lot of films and the biggest influence that has had on me is learning what works and what doesn’t in a story. Frankly, I never wanted to be a writer, but I became one when I began to understand what makes a strong story through the process of curation and writing about films. I don’t think any classroom could top what these years as a programmer have taught me. 

When I come up with a concept, I use the tools I’ve learned at Short of the Week to decide if it’s worth exploring and how to make it work within a screenplay. 

What advice do you have for rising filmmakers in utilizing short films as a way of launching their career?

My advice: The more films you make, the better you’ll become. Short filmmaking is a wonderful way to stretch your legs in directing, find out your taste in genre, and prove to yourself what you are capable of. All it takes is one person to believe in you, and usually, that’s yourself. Others will follow, including industry, when you’re ready to take the next step in your career. 

What advice might you give for the best steps on getting a produced short film discovered?

Be everywhere all at once! Short of the Week has a handy guide on how to launch your short film online. The takeaway is that you have to put yourself out there and that it depends on what you want out of your short film. Is it a fan base? Money? Distribution? There’s no wrong answer and many ways to launch your film online. But in a saturated online community, understanding your goals is what can make or break your strategy.

Your short film Lucy’s Tale has been viewed over 5 million times on ALTER. How does it feel to have that kind of response to your film?

Absolutely insane. I don’t think anyone could have predicted the way that film blew up or the resulting fan base it grew. It feels great to know that there are people out there that like what I like. It’s surreal and wonderfully welcoming. 

Can you give a brief synopsis of the film?

Lucy’s Tale is about a teenage girl who simultaneously comes into her womanhood and villain-hood. If you loved movies like Carrie and don’t shy away from body horror, give this one a watch! 

What inspired you to find the horror in the female experience of this very relatable coming-of-age story?

I legit laughed out loud when I read this question. Hitting puberty as a female is scary enough, why not make a horror movie about it? 

You were also the director of Lucy’s Tale. Do you find the process of directing a film makes you look at your script through a different lens?

To be honest, I never thought about it like that. I suppose there are two perspectives at play: One is knowing your characters inside and out in that you wrote them and, two, is translating that to the screen by working with a team of people. 

While writing can be a solo affair, it’s very important to get the right team to work on your projects because everyone has to be on the same page and it’s your job to get them there. It’s certainly easier working with original material you wrote. 

You were invited to make Flagged, a horror short for Hulu’s Huluween film festival. How were you approached for that? What did this process look like?

I got an email invitation to pitch and a few days to come up with an idea. It was green-lit pretty quickly and then myself and my creative producer/partner Sarah Kalagvano (who also produced Lucy’s Tale) worked for three weeks in pre-production to get ready for a one-day shoot in LA with an independent production company. We had another two weeks to work on post-production. It was a whirlwind! 

The terrors of social media is something we all have experienced. How did you come up with the idea for Flagged?

The idea came at a time when content flaggers were in the spotlight. It’s horrible to imagine that someone’s job can be watching horrific content all day long. The mental health ramifications are mind-boggling and I wanted to tell that story with a horror movie spin. 

What does your dream project look like?

Any story I’m excited to tell is a dream project! I think if you’re passionate about something, you should try to get it made.

What’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects you can talk about? 

While I’m in the pre-production phase of making my first feature film, I have a new short film called Scooter that’s making its rounds on the film festival circuit. It’s a feminist horror film that premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July and it’s had a pretty positive response so far! 

Final Thoughts

With her personal experience as a filmmaker of horror shorts, and beyond, she understands firsthand the process of going from script to screen and making her work discoverable. Short of the Week is an excellent resource to get your short film featured. We hope this interview with Chelsea Lupkin has inspired you to submit a horror short script to the Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition. By submitting to the contest, your script could be read by Chelsea.

Submissions to Season 4 of the Killer Shorts Contest are now live. Make sure to submit by the extended deadline on December 16th for only $40. Submit here.

Chelsea’s website.

Chelsea Lupkin on Instagram.

Chelsea Lupkin on Twitter.

Chelsea Lupkin IMDb.

Chelsea Lupkin on YouTube.

LUCY’S TALE on YouTube.

FLAGGED on YouTube.

Short of the Week here.