On the heels of Pride Month, the Killer Shorts Contest would like to highlight our LGBTQIA+ identifying #KillerAlum and the amazing work they have done after placing in the contest. We are immensely proud of them and want to put some focus on what these writers have been working on post Killer Shorts, what inspires them as writers, and a little bit about how identifying as LGBTQIA+ influences their writing. While many names could make it on this list, here are 17 screenwriters to be aware of in 2024.
Killer Shorts wants to increase the number of diverse voices we are reading and keep this list growing. Killer Shorts is very excited to be able to give out a discount code for any LGBTQIA+ writers for Season 6! If you identify as LGBTQIA+, please send us a direct message on our Instagram or X accounts. You will be provided the discount code no questions asked, which you can use to submit to the Killer Shorts Contest on Coverfly.
The writers featured below are emerging talent, and as such, many are seeking representation. Check out their profiles below if you’re interested in connecting.
Kelly Asher
Kelly Asher is a Season 5, 1st place winner, in the 1-page horror short category. Hailing from New York, Kelly has found great success after placing in the Killer Shorts Contest as she is currently developing her winning short DON’T BLINK into a feature. As a Writer’s Guild Initiative Alumna, Kelly’s one-hour pilot ROO is in consideration with a production and management company, and her comedy/drama feature THE FORGET-ME-NAUTS is being read by an Oscar and Bafta winning production company.
Navigating life newly disabled, Kelly looks at the world through a different lens. Inspired by her son and the human psyche, she is “eager to further explore the human connection, raw and uncomfortable, to hilariously awkward universal experiences, and the driving forces behind those actions’.
Kelly is eager to share what comes next for her career as she is writing a feature for A-list talent, and collaborating with award-winning producers on various projects. As she actively works on these exciting projects, Kelly hopes to secure a manager who will push boundaries, encourage her vision, and guide her to reach her full potential as a writer.
Find out more about Kelly at the links below:
Kristen McNaule
Kristen McNaule is a Season 5, Third Place Winner, with her short script NOSEBLEED. Wanting the skull trophy, Kristen manifested her win into existence, leading to a few Killer Shorts judges requesting more of her work.
Kristen is heavily influenced by music having found inspiration with songs like “Add It Up” by The Violent Femmes, or “Want What You Got” by The Beaches. Music has helped reveal opening scenes, characters, and tone to her projects. Kristen also credits sleep deprivation as inspiration for making this happen. One of these projects, she is currently working on, is a comedy pilot script called THE INCREDIBLE L.I.P.S (a.k.a The Incredible League of Incredibly Practical SuperbHeroes) about a group of girls who do an experimental drug trial for birth control and develop superpowers, like superhuman financial literacy, which they use to smash the patriarchy.
Kristen looks forward to her future as she hopes to write and direct her first feature as she’s currently developing a horror comedy about Murder Hornets. One of Kristen’s favourite projects is her script REVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE about a disgraced Vietnam combat medic with PTSD joins forces with a transgender WWII veteran to launch an underground vigilante street clinic to serve New York’s LGBTQ homeless community in the 1960s. It made her think about gender and sexuality constructs in a new way that became a cathartic deep dive into herself.
Find out more about Kristen at the links below:
Azzurra Nox
Azzurra Nox, is a Season 5, Third Place Winner in the Short Story Category, with her story THE UNCONVENTIONAL TEA PARTY. Since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, Azzurra has been busy completing two manuscripts, a thriller TEAR YOU APART and a collection of poetry called PANICO!, written from the point of view of Marie Antoinette during the Reign of Terror. Azzurra hopes to land a literary agent for her books, as well as, a media rights agent or literary manager for her screenplays.
Azzurra also publishes through her own imprint, Twisted Wings Productions. She will be editing a fifth book in the Women in Horror Anthology series with the theme of Gothic literature, titled, INTO THE DREAD UNKNOWN to be released in Spring of 2025. Azzurra is a Bram Stoker (#BramStoker) nominated publisher and Pushcart Prize nominated author.
Heavily inspired by horror films and TV, Azzurra found inspiration for her novella, I WANT CANDY, in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, while her novel GIRL THAT YOU FEAR was inspired by The Exorcist and Jennifer’s Body. It is important to Azzurra to include LGBTQIA+ characters in her work, primarily as the protagonist, but it is important that queer characters aren’t there to simply check a box, they should be varied and complex.
Azzurra is currently working on a novella full of Sapphic vampiric fun!
Find out more about Azzurra at the links below:
Instagram, Coverfly, Website, IMdB, Twitter
Francesca Pazniokas
Francesca Pazniokas is a Season 3, Top 10 Finalist with her script DUMMY!. Francesca typically works as a playwright but has always wanted to write and direct for film, and submitting to the Killer Shorts Contest put her a step closer to that goal. Along with DUMMY!, Francesca submitted a few scripts to the 1-page category, where three of them placed as semi-finalist, with one placing Top 10. With the support of Panavision, PANO, and NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, Francesca was able to shoot DUMMY!. It recently premiered at Fantaspoa. Find the teaser trailer here.
As a disabled artist, Francesca is drawn to writing stories that explore real human experiences through the unreal, through the fantastical, fabulism, and horror. Francesca is glad there are writers who are good at making work about living with disability in a realistic way. The more work about disability and illness, as well as support of disabled writers and audiences, the better. A lot of Francesca’s work focuses on people who feel isolated, who learn the power in embracing the parts of themselves that they fear. Hailing from a conservative area in New Jersey, and not meeting her first publicly ‘out’ queer person until her teens, Francesca understands growing up feeling like you weren’t created for the world you’re stuck in and imagining different ones.
Interested in the creative control of filmmaking, Francesca looks forward to continuing to write and direct her own short films, working up to a feature. She wants to continue creating strange, beautiful, and deeply unsettling things.
Find out more about Francesca at the links below:
Gary Scott Irons
Gary Scott Irons is a Season 5 finalist with the script THE FAIRCHILD EQUATION OF ARTEMIS FROST. He is currently in pre-production on this script and actively looking for funding. In addition, Gary is working on treatments for three horror screenplays and a sci-fi fantasy adventure, which was inspired by his traumatic upbringing in Catholic School.
Gary has a rich resume having won a Golden Beacon Award for best editing for cable television, he has just completed principal photography for a feature-length horror comedy he plans to release just for fun, he wrote and directed stage comedy for a Senior Citizens Acting Troupe, and puppets have been a major part of his narrative journey. He hopes to continue his work by writing multiple short films that get produced, and direct at least one himself. Gary plans to learn and network with others to improve the craft.
Gary is mainly inspired by exploring his almost breathless fear of the brutality of the world. He finds his characters to be augmentations of the parts of him he struggles with. Though Gary never sets out to make a statement, for who he is, it’s impossible not to weave their way through the fabric of his stories. As someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, Gary creates stories and worlds that, ignorantly and indignantly, fail to understand and empathize with his characters.
“I believe that the greatest, most impactful messages are delivered often through subtext and allegory… but I’m also not afraid to have some things “in your face” if the story demands it.”
Find out more about Gary Scott at the links below:
Maryellen Devivo
Maryellen Devivo is a Season 5, 2x Quarterfinalist with her scripts TIP JAR and PINNED. She is also a Season 4 Finalist, with her script ALL THE RAGE. Since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, Maryellen is currently adapting one of her horror comedy screenplays into an animated short, where she has hand painted all the illustrations, that she will be submitting to festivals this year. Additionally, fellow Killer Alum, Jason Rice, gathered a few alums, including Maryellen, to create an anthology feature, about cryptids in Appalachia. They are currently looking for producers for the project.
Feeling the pressure, Maryellen is currently working on features, but she continues to have a soft spot for short stories. Inspired by “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, Maryellen would love to write an episode for an anthology horror TV series or contribute a story to an anthology feature film. Maryellen was truly inspired, to write horror shorts, by the dark comedy anthology INSIDE NO. 9, written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Each episode ranges and allows for the creators to play with character, style, and framing devices. “As someone whose style varies from dark Victorian drama to gory comedy, I appreciate artists with such a range.”
Identifying as bisexual, Maryellen knows if there had been more bi representation in the media, it would have made things easier to understand her sexuality. With a lack of representation, she didn’t really know it was an option. With more queer diversity, it’s important to younger audiences and those who live in less progressive communities, to know they aren’t alone. Maryellen strongly feels representation goes beyond just sexual preferences, with many more aspects of inclusion and diversity. It is important to her to highlight these characters in her work as she is writing a screenplay with a main character who is deaf and a feature she is working on is neurodivergent and asexual.
“Audiences are diverse, and our stories should strive to be as well”
Find out more about Maryellen at the links below:
Jessica McLaughlin
Jessica McLaughlin is a Season 5 Semifinalist with her script PANGS. This script is also a Quarterfinalist in the 2024 ScreenCraft Short Film Screenplay Competition, and was a Second Rounder in the Fall 2023 ScreenCraft Film Fund. A close follower of the Killer Shorts Contest, specifically through Screenwriting Twitter, she planned to submit when she had a script she felt was ready. Writing a Queer-Puberty horror short, PANGS had to be the one she submitted. Jessica will soon be launching a crowdfunding campaign and starting pre-production on this script. She is also shopping around a horror TV project with a producer attached.
Jessica is inspired by a wide array of films and TV shows, particularly the horror and exploitation films of the seventies, as well as, horror musicals. Projects like “Penny Dreadful” (2014-2016) and “May” (2002) hold a special place in her heart for the intricate storytelling and character depth. Jessica’s goal is for people to recognize elements of themselves or the humanity of those different from them within the story, alongside the flashier horror pieces. The horror genre is a never-ending source of inspiration, as film is one of the most influential art forms and has the power to connect with people in a unique and meaningful way.
Identifying as a bisexual/queer woman, Jessica is drawn toward storylines centering women and queerness. With a strong desire for more Queer Horror, Jessica would happily create stories and contribute to this subgenre of horror. Jessica is excited for the realization of the short film she is writing and directing, but has a slate of projects she is excited to tackle. In Jessica’s words, “I have had a lot of things happen in my life that have driven home that the best practice is to remain open to possibilities even if they don’t look like what you were expecting, keep up the passion for your work, and remain resolute in the fact that your work will come to fruition and find the people who need it.”
You can find Jessica on two episodes of the Gimme Three Podcast for their journey into Queer Horror where they talked about several mainstream and underground horror gems; Knife + Heart, Interview With The Vampire, Alucarda, A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, May, and Jennifer’s Body. Link to Episode 1 and Episode 2 here.
In addition to Killer Shorts, several of Jessica’s scripts have excelled in competitions, including a one-hour horror TV pilot, FRUITFUL, which won 2nd Place in the One-Hour TV category at the 2022 Shore Scripts TV Pilot Contest, was in the Top 10 Finalists for the 2022 Stage 32 Search For New Blood Screenwriting Contest, was a Semi-Finalist in the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition, was on the Short List for the 2024 Black List X WIF Episodic Lab, and was a Semi-Finalist in Season 13 of the ATX TV Festival Pitch Competition.
Find out more about Jessica at the links below:
Coverfly, Instagram, X, TikTok, Website
Tony Hipwell
Tony Hipwell is a Season 5 Semifinalist with their script EROSION, and a Season 5 Quarterfinalist, in the 1-page category, with the script THE LURE. Since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, Tony has continued developing EROSION, expanding it into a feature screenplay. They have also turned THE LURE into a short, which can be found this year at festivals like Galway International Arts Festival and the Fantasia Festival. Tony has also just completed an interactive horror short, BODY WORN VIDEO, that they co-wrote and directed, which will premiere at FrightFest.
Tony’s work has screened at Academy Award, Canadian Screen Award, and BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festivals. One of their recent projects, an adaptation of ‘Standing Woman’ by acclaimed author Yasutaka Tsutsui, screened in competition at the Leeds International Film Festival and is available on ALTER.
Tony believes there is something special about the horror community and the experience of making horror. Horror’s ability to say something about the world through metaphor in a variety of tones, rings true for Tony, and remains something they particularly love about creating in this genre. Tony was inspired, as a kid, by films like Jaws and Alien. Trying to figure out how these films were made was fascinating to Tony, and they continue to implement the home made tricks in those films into their own work.
As Tony has come more into their queer identity, it has increasingly driven their storytelling. Just like the world around us, identity can be a fluid thing, so paying attention to that and being as authentic as possible, is of the utmost importance to Tony.
As a writer, Tony hopes the next step in their career is getting their feature screenplay optioned and made!
Find out more about Tony at the links below:
Vimeo, Instagram, X, Coverfly, IMdB
Richard Doyle
Richard Doyle is a Season 5 Semifinalist with his script DO US PART, a zombie-apocalypse love story. This script also won the Night of Horror Film Festival. Additionally, his Australia-set survival horror feature script, THE ACCIDENT AT MILNER’S GORGE, won the Stage 32 Search for New Blood. Finding that horror, among all genres of film, doesn’t often get fair consideration in the average screenwriting contest, contests like Killer Shorts are a great place for writers to find success in the genres they love. Modern horror has incredible stories and characters. Richard currently has a few scripts in the works. He is co-writing a horror feature based on Filipino folklore with a longtime collaborator.
Richard has recently released the first 6 episodes of his mystery-thriller audio drama podcast series called DR. GOODVIBES. Give it a listen here.
Richard is constantly writing and coming up with story ideas. He can’t turn it off, and just might have written 2 more pilots and another feature as this article comes out. Notes are constantly flowing. Looking to the future, Richard just wants to get something made. Open to it all, Richard would even rewrite the 15th draft of the new Robocop re-pre-boot-quel. Ready for anything and excited for whatever comes.
Every character Richard creates is bisexual, until the plot decides otherwise, which to Richard, will never happen. With every horror of the last 50 years featuring cisgendered, straight people, Richard wants to fill stories with as much inclusivity as possible because that’s a reflection of reality, and a way for more interesting, unique stories.
Find out more about Richard at the links below:
Coverfly, Audio Drama Podcast, Instagram, X, IMdB
Jess Bartlett
Jess Bartlett is a Season 5 Semifinalist with her script PEGS and a Season 4 Top 3 winner, in the 1-Page category with her script DUCK DUCK GOOSE. As an award winning writer/ producer from the UK, Jess’ writing credits include Eli Roth’s TV series THE HAUNTED MUSEUM and URBAN LEGEND for HBO MAX and Discovery+. Jess has made great strides in her career as she has been working in shorts since 2018. Her goal is to move into features, and with her horror-focused production company Terror Arcade, she is currently in development on their first feature. The company recently completed their biggest short film, OUTSIDE NOISE, which won production funding from CenterFrame, and are awaiting news on the festival run, hoping to premiere this year. Jess was also selected for the new BFI Shorts2Features scheme and received a Bafta Connect membership, and was a mentor on the 2022 BFI Creative Mentoring scheme.
Jess has cultivated a co-writing partnership with former Killer Alum, Ethan Evans, over the past five years, but they are excited to work on projects independently as well. Jess is eager to explore other genres, but as she completed her first independently written feature script this year, it manifested into a horror. Jess dreams of writing a Monster House live action remake, a female-led Dracula script, and a dark Scooby-Doo series.
Jess is driven to tell stories reflecting the world around us and the diversity of the human experience. She is inspired by stories where a character’s identity isn’t their defining trait, as queer people exist everywhere, Jess is eager to see them in a variety of storylines. Jess is motivated to continue writing multi-faceted female characters, as well as, parts for women past their 30s.
Find out more about Jess at the links below:
Coverfly, Website, Instagram, X, IMdB
Sandra Wade
Sandra Wade is a Season 4 Honorable Mention, in the 1-page category, with her script MRI. Sandra in fact was inspired to write MRI while in an MRI. Sandra has been busy since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, with a social impact short film she wrote and co-produced called MAIL ORDER BRIDE, which is currently making the festival rounds. Sandra has also completed a fantasy horror feature called OUT OF THE BOTTLE about a genie that takes wishes away. She has a few other projects in the works she hopes to shoot soon.
Of course inspired by Blumhouse and A24 films, Sandra’s love of horror goes back to the classic 80s ‘slumber party’ horror films, like, Rosemary’s Baby, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Wait Until Dark. Though these classics stay with her, Sandra’s work is often inspired by “crazy neighbor next door’ stories on the ID Channel.
Hoping the next film Sandra works on is a horror film, she is open to anything that comes her way. In no way waiting for opportunities to be in someone else’s hands but if a producer stumbles upon her scripts and wants to collaborate, she’s open. She’s produced two low-budget short films, one of which was shot for a couple hundred dollars, and placed and won a few festival awards. She is proud of the accomplishments of MAIL ORDER BRIDE, having raised $6k through crowdfunding. Next, she would love to raise enough money to shoot one of her feature scripts.
Sandra’s experiences as an LGBTQ person have profoundly shaped her journey as a writer. Realizing her bisexuality early on, yet not fully embracing it until meeting an openly bisexual woman in college during the late 80s, a time that was less accepting of LGBTQ identities, was pivotal. Being a part of a group that faced discrimination, and becoming an activist, cultivated empathy and deepened her understanding of marginalized groups. This has enriched her ability to craft authentic characters, as evidenced by the positive reception of her script MONOGAMISH, which features a trans character simply living life—supporting friends, navigating relationships, and sharing personal experiences. An artist can play a role in social change. Sandra is interested in contributing to art that tries to shed a light on society’s problems and influencing people to be more tolerant in this world.
Sandra knows writing is what she is meant to do and still has so much to say. Sandra made her first short film at the age of 49, and at 57 currently, she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.
“It’s never too late to start writing scripts and making movies!”
Find out more about Sandra at the links below:
Coverfly, Instagram, X, FilmFreeway, IMdB
Christian Curry Akuna
Christian Curry Akuna is a Season 4 Honorable Mention for her script BOOKWORM, and a Season 3 Top 10 Finalist for her script DISCHARGED, both of which placed in the 1-page category. Christian is currently in production on BOOKWORM, an animated short, in collaboration with veteran Disney animator James Lopez. The film will be featured in a panel discussion at this year’s Phoenix Animation Expo in September.
As a working mom of two, Christian knew she needed manageable challenges to kickstart her creativity, and the 1-page category, of the Killer Short Contest, allowed her to reignite her passion for storytelling and return to projects tucked away. The constraints of the challenge forced Christian to sharpen her skills, be intentional, and fight to preserve her voice within a single page.
Christian is heavily inspired by projects bound together by the spirit of independent filmmaking, from the Blaxploitation genre, Roger Corman films, and the early works of Sam Raimi. An era that produced some of the most unique voices in cinema also left an impact on how Christian expresses herself creatively. These films taught Christian to craft stories with grit, gusto, and ingenuity, remaining true to her vision amidst the complexities of mainstream cinema. Another inspiration, for Christian, is music, as it informs almost everything she writes. Music has a unique ability to help Christian embody the world of her characters in a way that enriches their depth. Her 1-page script DISCHARGED, was heavily influenced by music. Peggy Lee’s ‘It’s a Good Day’ influenced the emotional tone and pacing of the story, adding an eerie tranquility that helped resonate the feeling of terror for the reader.
Along with her films in production, Christian is also the co-owner of the visual effects company, VFX2GO, where her experience as a writer helps filmmakers in navigating post-production challenges during the scripting phase. Whether its creating motion posters or pitch visualizations, Christian strives to empower every writer and filmmaker to realize their vision, and she loves being a part of that process.
“One night, while tucking my 6-year-old into bed, she said, ‘I’m grateful I get to be myself,’ and that really struck a chord with me. Too often, fear of acceptance dictates who we are, but that limits us. As a writer, I believe your work inevitably reveals who you are—whether hidden or intentionally explored on the page. For me, it’s about fearlessly embracing all aspects of myself in hopes that it inspires others to do the same.”
Find out more about Christian at the links below:
Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Website, Coverfly
Michael Clifton
Michael Clifton is a Season 3 Honorable Mention, in the 1-Page Category, with his script GUMMIES. Since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, two of the queer horror scripts Michael wrote for the contest have been produced, GUMMIES directed by Renetta Amador, and BATH BOMB directed by Colin Cooper. Check out the GUMMIES trailer here. Last month Michael entered a shopping agreement on a coming-of-age thriller feature, THE TOY COLLECTOR, co-written with Michael Endara. Additionally, Michael has finished a TV pilot called JEKYLL AND PRYDE, a contemporary queer spin of the classic novella. Awaiting partnering with a manager or agent, Michael hopes to collaborate more with other writers, directors, and producers.
Hailing from West Virginia, in the birthplace of the Mothman legend, Michael has always been influenced by the horror genre. Films like The Omen, The Howling, Misery, Saint Maude, Get Out, and Hereditary continue to inspire Michael’s writing today. More specifically, his own lived experiences find a way into his work, as every story has a baseline of psychological terror, with protagonists that tend to be outsiders within their own unique story worlds.
Michael’s advice to writers reading this, that worked for him– “share reads, give thoughtful notes, go to film festivals, and seek out meaningful collaborations. The weight of contest placements will fade but relationships will keep you going.”
With over 122 accolades on his Coverfly, check out Michael’s many contest placements at the link below:
Instagram, Coverfly, GUMMIES Trailer, Website, IMdB
CC McLoughlin
CC McLoughlin is a Season 4 Semifinalist with their script GOURMANDISE, inspired by their time working in food service jobs. Since placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, CC has written an episode of the audio drama anthology series “Someone Dies in The Elevator”. They’ve even developed content for medical simulations at local universities. CC is also currently developing their first feature-length screenplay, an adaptation of an old Irish folk tale. Also an actor, this New York writer had their first on-screen appearance in HBO’s Succession, Hulu’s Prom Dates, and a few other projects not out yet. CC finds being on set impacts their understanding of production and makes them a better writer.
CC is inspired by Mike Flanagan’s oeuvre, especially Midnight Mass. Romance, humour, thrills— what CC calls not elevated horror, but elegant horror. As a filmmaker, Federico Fellini is CC’s cinematic idol. Fellini’s ability to capture the logic of dreams, and the depth of human emotion, has encouraged CC to represent themselves in their stories. CC is seeking collaboration and representation to make their stories bigger and bolder.
Growing up in a repressive household, CC strives for their stories to inspire a ferocious will to live. Embracing who they are has brought them a sense of freedom and joy and that’s what they want to create in their writing.
“Life is a celebration! Nothing is written in stone, it’s all here for us to do with what we will. Be who you want to be, love what you want to love, create freedom where there is none- these are lessons that make a Queer life so beautiful”
Find out more about CC at the links below:
Adam McDaniel
Adam McDaniel is a Season 2 Honorable Mention for his script IMPROPER DOSAGE. This script was also a finalist in the 13Horror.com Screenplay Competition. Since then, Adam has expanded the story and it has placed in or received honors from about 20 different festivals. Last year, IMPROPER DOSAGE was adapted into an audio drama, and produced as a podcast by The Morbid Forest.
Adam was inspired by horror films with a comic edge, for IMPROPER DOSAGE, particularly An American Werewolf and Shaun of The Dead, inspired by a blend of laughter and a good scare. Adam is a big believer in experiencing life as inspiration for one’s work. The more personal experience you have, the easier it will be to weave that into your writing. Broadening your knowledge will broaden your imagination– get busy living, travel, meet people, make new friends, and explore things beyond your comfort zone.
With a long resume in the industry, Adam has become quite comfortable in his skin and ready to listen and collaborate. Still fighting for long term dreams, Adam is ready to find a mentor to help foster his voice and take his work to the next level, or break into a writers room.
Adam has been busy after placing in the Killer Shorts Contest as he has been working on a documentary about the late illustrator Richard Amsel, who created posters for films like Raiders of The Lost Ark, Flash Gordon, and The Sting. This project has spiraled into a mammoth project, including over 60 interviews filmed around the country. Adam just filmed an interview in downtown Manhattan with Brooke Shields! Additionally, Adam is looking to do an illustrated young adult novel of his multi-award winning script, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THADDEUS THACKERAY, an animated comic adventure set in the 1940s.
Adam finds living openly is a commonplace discussion, which is much different from a time 20-30 years ago when every “gay” film focused on suffering characters. That’s why Adam loved writing IMPROPER DOSAGE, as it is loosely inspired by Adam and his husband and the dynamic between them leading up to their wedding. It’s The Twilight Zone meets two gay characters approaching marriage in middle age. Living openly is a commonplace discussion much different than a time 20-30 years ago when every “gay” film has suffering characters.
Find out more about Adam’s many contest accolades at the links below:
Lee Cotman
Lee Cotman is a Season 5 Top 10 finalist with their script WE DON’T BITE OUR FRIENDS. After placing in the Killer Shorts Contest, Lee plans to write their first feature during a summer writing challenge, a horror-comedy about the working class staff of a prestigious university. Killer Shorts has given them the confidence to branch out from their usual comedy and historical genres, and tackle horror. By season 5 of the contest, Lee had dabbled in the genre enough they felt excited and ready to submit for a second time, as they love that the structure and deadline of a contest can spark their creativity.
Inspired by films like The Princess Bride, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and Labyrinth, and shows like The Twilight Zone, What We Do In The Shadows, and Midnight Mass, Lee leans into the campy, with a little humor and a lot of heart. The stories Lee creates are inspired by worker’s rights and medieval stories about trans people. As they say, “They exist! We’ve been here!”
“All the funniest people I know are trans, and they inspire me. There is something inherently, beautifully absurd about the trans experience, and it’s a goldmine for comedy, as long as we keep punching up.”
As a widely published poet and medievalist, Lee has an Old English translation published in Salena Godden’s poetry collection, Pessimism is for Lightweights. With a rich background, Lee is beginning graduate studies at SUNY Empire State this fall, where they will be creating a research framework for writers of historical fiction, to help tell more nuanced and accurate stories about queer and trans people in the pre-industrial world.
Find out more about Lee at the links below:
Kathryn Webb
Kathryn Webb is a Season 5 Semifinalist with their script ESSEX BIRD, a weird short with a unique perspective that Kathryn would love to secure funding for. They have continued to develop this script into a shooting script, since placing in the contest, and has become an even more focused and unique project. Kathryn also has two stage plays in development and is co-writing a historical, horror feature. Kathryn knew ESSEX BIRD, a coming of age, body horror, psychodrama, would be in safe hands at the Killer Shorts Contest as the judges are horror lovers who would appreciate the weirdness of the genre.
Hailing from the South East of England, Kathryn’s family is English and Irish, which heavily influences their storytelling, through folkloric inspiration to themes of marginalization. Kathryn was inspired to start writing because of “Dr. Who”, and the surprising horror elements in the early seasons. In primary school, along with friends, Kathryn shot their own version of “Dr. Who” with scripts, season, and character arcs. As they have gotten older, Kathryn is also inspired by the storytelling methods of image in animated films like Monster House, Coraline, and The BFG from the 80s. Kathryn always tries to trust their gut and just tell the stories they want to see, weirdo images that would disturb them. Additionally, theater has become an inspiring place for Kathryn in its rebirth or horror storytelling. Kathryn would love the chance to one day write horror for the stage with this renaissance in the UK.
For their career, Kathryn hopes to collaborate with other creators for ESSEX BIRD and future projects. They are also eager to see their full length writing produced. Kathryn is constantly learning about the world, about humanity, and about themselves.
“As someone from the LGBTQIA+ community, I think I’m naturally drawn to stories about misfits, I’m fascinated by the psychology behind concepts like othering and conformity. It’s also important to me that my work is as inclusive as possible because if you don’t write it then you won’t see it. “
Find out more about Kathryn at the links below:
Killer Shorts Website
Killer Shorts on Instagram
Killer Shorts on X
