Steven Sheil on 21 years of Mayhem Film Festival and Movies That Changed Your Life: Theatre Of Blood, Deep Red, Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker and film festival director Steven Sheil, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Theatre Of Blood impact, Deep Red analysis, and Texas Chain Saw Massacre influence on his personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Steven Sheil also discusses the origins and evolution of 21 years of Mayhem Film Festival and highlights three films to look forward to in 2025’s edition: 1) GAME directed by John Minton, 2) BULK directed by Ben Wheatley and 3) REDUX REDUX directed by Kevin & Matthew McManus Mayhem Film Festival runs 16-19 October 2025 at the Broadway Cinema. For tickets and more details about https://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com/ Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about 21 years of MAYHEM FILM FESTIVAL with filmmaker and co-founder Steven Sheil and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [0:30] The origins and evolution of Mayhem Film Festival and horror cinema over the last 21 years.  [11:43] Three films to look forward to in 2025’s Mayhem Film Festival: 1) GAME directed by John Minton, 2) BULK directed by Ben Wheatley and 3) REDUX REDUX directed by Kevin & Matthew McManus [14:18] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Theatre Of Blood impact  [15:13] Steven Sheil watched a lot of horror as a kid and Theatre Of Blood was one of the inappropriate films he saw back then that stuck with him. In particular the open scene where Michael Horden is stabbed to death by a bunch of homeless people.  Deep Red analysis [20:20] Steven Sheil shares how he’d moved to Nottingham in the early 1990s, had fallen in with a local group of burgeoning filmmakers where he met Chris Cooke - co-founder of Mayhem Film Festiva. Chris lent Steven a DVD of Deep Red and that became his gateway to Dario Argento’s films. His favourite Argento is INFERNO, the sequel to SUSPIRIA.  Texas Chain Saw Massacre Influence   [25:40] Steven Sheil talks about how Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the greatest horror film ever made. It was a huge influence on his debut feature, MUM & DAD. He even pitched that film as the Heathrow Airport Chain Saw Massacre showing how much it’s in the DNA of the film.  Key Take Aways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how Mayhem Film Festival grew from an evening of short films to a four day event - Understand how horror has evolved over the first quarter of the 21st century - Three films to look forward to in 2025’s edition: 1) GAME directed by John Minton, 2) BULK directed by Ben Wheatley and 3) REDUX REDUX directed by Kevin & Matthew McManus - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Theatre Of Blood (1973), Deep Red (1975), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Steven Sheil is a screenwriter and director. His first feature film, the microbudget Mum & Dad (2008) was described by Total Film as 'one of the defining British horrors of its generation'. His second feature, the Indonesia-set action-horror Dead Mine (2012) was HBO Asia's first home-grown production. Mayhem Film Festival runs 16-19 October 2025 at the Broadway Cinema. For tickets and more details about https://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com/ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker Nicola Pittam, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring impact, Avatar analysis, and The Memento influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Sebastian Toursel also discusses Dead Duck Film Club and the inaugural Dead Duck Cult Film Festival, a day of the New French extreme cinema: Titane, High Life, Revenge & Martyrs Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how and why screenwriter Sebastian Toursel turns her screenplays into novels and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [1:30] Why Dead Duck film club? [6:10] The ups and downs of showing people films. [9:50] Why a festival about the New French Extreme horror cinema movement? [16:40] What is the New French Extreme panel about? Who is on it? [22:30] The vendors at the Dead Duck Cult Film Festival. [25:20] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring impact  [26:00] Sebastian Toursel says as a nineties kid, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the film where the world just opened up for him. He’s watched it every year since he was eight. Avatar analysis [32:20] Sebastian Toursel shares how Avatar was the most mindblowing experience of his life. He went to see it in cinemas six times. Each time with different people, but same cinema.  Rec Influence   [37:40] Sebastian Toursel talks about how Rec is the film where horror became his thing. It is intense and amazing. There’s a fantastic scene around a group of people have a conversation on the ground floor and a jump scare where for the very first time he almost peed himself.  Key Take Aways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how Dead Duck Film Club grew into Dead Duck Cult Film Festival. - What is the New French Extreme horror cinema movement  - Understand cinema’s transformative power through The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Avatar (2009), Rec (2007)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Sebastien Toursel is the founder of the Dead Duck Film Club, Nottingham’s home for cult cinema. He screens the weird, the rare, and the unforgettable. His events celebrate global cult films, from Korean thrillers to French horror, all presented with a DIY spirit and a love for the offbeat. He collaborates with local cinemas like The Savoy to bring these unique films to the big screen. Each screening is accompanied by fan-made posters and a community eager to discuss and appreciate the art of cult cinema. https://deadduckfilm.com    Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker Matt Harvey, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Mad Max: Fury Road impact, A Clockwork Orange analysis, and The Memento influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Matt Harvey also discusses the creation of the powerful artwork and making of the album A SINGLE FLOWER Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how and why screenwriter Matt Harvey turns her screenplays into novels and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [1:45] Why should you be thinking about turning your screenplays into novels. [6:50] The music is abstract and cinematic [8:30] How do you know a song is done? [14:30] The artwork joins the narrative of music together. [16:00] Contribution of Godspeed You Black Emperor!’s Sophie Trudeau [18:00] Pulling the artwork together – influences and inspirations [16:30] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Mad Max: Fury Road impact  [17:15] Matt Harvey says Mad Max: Fury Road is the film he judges all other films against. How it encapsulates everything about why you want go to movies. A Clockwork Orange analysis [35:30] Matt Harvey shares how A Clockwork Orange was an important film for him as a young film lover in high school, university era, pretending to be a film buff but still has at least 1000 other films before he could claim to be that. Parasite Influence   [27:43] Matt Harvey talks about how Parasite is a film that stayed in his mind for a long, long time after he left the theatre. Everything is so well crafted. The storytelling is amazing. It gets under your skin. An instant masterpiece. Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how WE LOST THE SEA create their instrumental post-rock music - Learn about Matt Harvey’s influences and inspirations, and the process for coming up with the artwork for the album. - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Parasite (2019)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Matt Harvey is a graphic designer and guitarist in the instrumental post-rock band WE LOST THE SEA. We Lost The Sea’s website https://www.welostthesea.com Matt Harvey’s website http://www.graphicatharsis.com/about-me Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker Nicola Pittam, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Dangerous Liaisons impact, Once Were Warriors analysis, and The Memento influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Nicola Pittam also discusses why you should be turning your unsold screenplays into novels and the benefits of protecting and exploiting your own intellectual property (IP) Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how and why screenwriter Nicola Pittam turns her screenplays into novels and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [1:45] Why should you be thinking about turning your screenplays into novels. [3:40] The process for turning your screenplay into a novel. [14:40] Onemoorer classes on turning your screenplay into a novel and other support services on offer to writers. [16:30] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Dangerous Liaisons impact  [17:15] Nicola Pittam says Dangerous Liaisons is one of her favourite films ever and cannot believe none of the actors won an Oscar. And how the script is one of the cleverest and how it’s one of those scripts she wishes she had written it. After watching it several times she began to see how nuanced Michelle Pfieffer’s character of Madame de Tourvel really is.  Once Were Warriors analysis [22:28] Nicola Pittam shares how Once Were Warriors is a film that stuck with her for weeks after watching it. How she would sit and think about it, talk about it with friends. It was one of the first films she hunted out the novel to get to know the film even more.  Point Break Influence   [27:43] Nicola Pittam talks about how Point Break’s director Kathryn Bigelow became a huge influence on her as a result of this film and how it is the perfect action movie.  Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how and why you should think about turning your unsold screenplays into a novel. - Writer services and special events/webinars available from onemoorer.com  - Dark Anthem Press open for submissions from 21st September 2025. They are looking for full manuscripts of dark gothic, fantasy, horror, sci-fi and thrillers novels.  - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Once Were Warriors (1994), Point Break (1991)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Nicola Pittam, Director of Author Services at One Moorer and the Chief Operating Officer/Acquisitions Agent of both Dark Anthem Press and One Anthem Press, is an award winning author and screenwriter who recently converted her The Rebel Pianist of Majdanek script into a bestselling novel, which was sold to Mardle Books UK. Writer services https://writerservices.onemoorer.com Dark Anthem Press writer submissions -https://darkanthempress.com Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker Jonathan Sequeira, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Robocop impact, Crocodile Dundee analysis, and The Memento influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Jonathan Sequeira also discusses making of the Hard-Ons documentary THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER! Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how award winning filmmaker Jonathan Sequeira made the documentary THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER! and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [1:30] The making of the Hard-Ons documentary THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER!  [13:15] What were the storytelling challenges from balancing the narrative arc of three band members? [17:40] What was a significant discovery that you couldn’t have perceived before making the documentary. [22:20] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Robocop impact  [22:45] Jonathan Sequeira remembers the adverts in the newspapers and thinking Robocop looked like a dumb movie, but after watching it one night after work he fell in love with a B grade film that despite the limited budgets, is actually a smart and intelligent movie. Crocodile Dundee analysis [28:00] Jonathan Sequeira shares memories of how the Australian indie Crocodile Dundee took the world by storm and introduced millions of people to working class Australian culture. How this film was made without any help or support from the Australian arts bodies. How it was about bringing the ordinary Australian to Australia and the world. It’s a brilliant film. It’s hilarious and is still hilarious.  Purab Aur Pachhim Influence   [33:25] Jonathan Sequeira talks about how Purab Aur Pachhim represents a golden age for Indian cinema. It’s hard to pick one, but this one is amazing film because the direction is brilliant. The directors just went for it. It proved you could do anything with a film as long as you stay true to the characters.  Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how to make a feature length documentary - Learn how the Hard-Ons documentary THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER! Was made - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Robocop (1987), Crocodile Dundee (1986), Purab Aur Pachhim (1971)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Jonathan Sequeira is an award winning documentary producer and director. He is known for Descent Into the Maelstrom (2017), Waiting - The Van Duren Story (2018) and The Most Australian Band Ever! (2024). Screening update 25/09/2025 - https://www.livingeyes.co/post/extra-screenings-worldwide-festivals-the-sequel-announced THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER! international release is scheduled for early 2026.  A blu-ray and box set is planned for Australia late 2025.HARDER AND HARDER (the sequel to THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER!) is in Australian cinemas from November 2025. Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with screenwriter Isabel Dréan, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore All About Eve impact, The Godfather 2 analysis, and The Memento influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Isabel Dréan also discusses querying and mentoring, how most writers approach querying the wrong way and why mentorship has made her a better writer. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about why screenwriter Isabel Dréan most writers approach querying the wrong way and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [1:01] Querying and mentoring, how most screenwriters approach querying the wrong way and why mentorship has made her a better writer [1:09] What are screenwriters getting so wrong with their query emails? [5:00] How do you couch I can help you versus here’s a logline, read my script. [6:50] What is your email subject line saying to get people to open it in the first place? [14:28] Summary of how get more success from query emails [19:26] How can mentoring help you become a better writer [23:44] What mentoring services does Isabel offer? [26:20] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life All About Eve impact  [27:02] Isabel Dréan shares how when she first watched All About Eve it was dubbed into French. How, in all her childhood she has never been more enthralled by a movie. At 12 years it made her want to be an actor like Bette Davis.  The Godfather 2 analysis [32:19] Isabel Dréan shares how The Godfather 2 is a film she watched very young. How she was obsessed with the actor and proponent of ‘method acting’ Lee Strasberg and how that became her dream to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute – which she did in 1993 – stepping into the footsteps of her heroes from The Godfather Part 2.  Memento Influence   [38:25] Isabel Dréan talks about how Memento is a perfect movie made with very little resources. Not having big stars – at the time - made it feel more real; more raw. She envies the creative relationship Christopher Nolan has with his brother which makes them challenge each other and continues to make them better filmmakers as a result.  Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how screenwriters can write query emails that get responses - Learn how mentoring can make you a better screenwriter - Understand cinema’s transformative power through All About Eve (1950), The Godfather 2 (1977), Memento (2000)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Isabel Dréan is a screenwriter, director, and producer based in Los Angeles. She started her career in horror and psychological thrillers before pivoting to Christmas movies. The shift to writing holiday movies changed everything, leading to five of her scripts being produced over an 18-month period.  For more information see https://isabeldrean.com and https://21dayscreenplay.com Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with filmmaker Joanne Mitchell, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Wizard Of Oz impact, The Exorcist analysis, and The Babadook influence on her personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Joanne Mitchell also discusses the making of her feature length directorial debut Broken Bird and remembers the world premiere at Frightfest 2024 Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how filmmaker Joanne Mitchell made her feature length directorial debut Broken Bird and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   [0:42] The making of Joanne’s feature length directorial debut Broken Bird [1:51] Remembering the world premiere at Frightfest 2024 [4:29] What were the storytelling challenges of developing the short film CYBIL into the feature film Broken Bird [10:45] What were the challenges of shooting in Serbia and showing it as the North Of England? [13:10] Rebecca Calder in the lead role – a change from the short [18:10] The look and feel of the film – Cinematography [20:49] Creating fantastical moments in camera [24:15] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Wizard Of Oz impact  [24:50] Joanne Mitchell shares how Wizard Of Oz crosses all the genres and is one of her first movie watching memories. How the themes are timeless and the cartoon characters of the scarecrow, tin man and lion had such a magical and profound impact on her. For a child and an adult, it’s stunning. The Exorcist analysis [30:45] Joanne Mitchell shares how The Exorcist is storytelling and filmmaking at its best. She saw this for the first time aged just 13 with friends, during the day and with curtains still open. Given she was so close in age to Regan, she could relate to the lead character and her relationship with her mother.  The Babadook Influence   [37:58] Joanne Mitchell talks about how The Babadook really landed with her. It touched her on so many levels at the time because she was a new mum with a baby who wouldn’t sleep. In particular, the isolation of one’s self when it appears everyone else around you is coping so well. Joanne also offers her own theory on who the ‘Babadook’ is – real or metaphor? Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how Joanne Mitchell made her feature length directorial debut Broken Bird - Developing a feature film from a short film - Memories of a world premiere at Frightfest 2024 - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Wizard Of Oz (1939), The Exorcist (1973), The Babadook (2014)  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Joanne Mitchell is is an English film, stage and TV actress and also Director and Producer. In 2011 she co-founded Mitchell Brunt Films with husband and Emmerdale colleague Dominic Brunt and has worked as producer/writer and Director on several of the company's films. Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review to tell us which 3 films that impacted your life. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into horror movies that changed your life with filmmaker Matt Harlock, in this engaging episode of 3 [horror] Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Videodrome’s analysis, Being John Malkovich influence, and Raw / Mandy impact on his personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Scott also discusses the making of his second feature film BLOCKHEAD, a dark, mind-bending thriller that will enjoy its world premiere at Frightfest 2025.   Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about Matt Harlock’s world premiere of BLOCKHEAD at Frightfest 2025, a little about how he made the movie  and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   BLOCKHEAD – Making of and world premiere at Frightfest [1:18] What was the kernel of the idea that led to film people are going to see at Frightfest?  [4:37] How cathartic was it to make a film about creative blocks? [6:40] What were the storytelling challenges for Matt writing, shooting and editing Blockhead? [9:41] What were your conversation like with cinematographer Stuart White about to get the look and feel you wanted for Blockhead? [12:09] Something from the shoot you were dreading that went well [16:07] Casting Blockhead [18:20] About Frightfest and the world premiere [18:57] What are most excited about for the Frightfest audience to see in Blockhead? [20:33] 3 [horror] Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Videodrome Analysis  [20:57] Matt Harlock shares how Videodrome was one of them films he was quite scared of before he saw because of the lurid cover art and how the open ended, emotional descent of James Woods was not like anything he had seen in films before then. Being John Malkovich impact  [29:39] Matt Harlock shares why he believes Being John Malkovich is a horror movie and the thing that most blew him away, was the idea is such a strange one but makes so much sense because of the authenticity they applied in the making of it. Raw / Mandy double bill Influence   [38:04] Dive into Raw, Mandy’s influence on Matt Harlock, reflecting on how London Film Festival 2016 felt like such a watershed year for 21st century horror movies and independent genre more widely. How both films gave him a sense of how far you could go if you set up the world right. You are not cheating. You are willing the audience to go all the way with you. Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn about how Matt Harlock wrote, shot and edited Blockhead - Understand cinema’s transformative power through Videodrome (1983), Being John Malkovich (1999), Raw (2016), Mandy (2019)  - Full show notes and transcript:  Frightfest For tickets and details about the World Premiere at Frightfest About the Guest:   Matt Harlock feature film Blockhead (2025) is a dark psychological thriller about creative obsession, and stars Danny Horn, Joe Sims & Richard Glover.  Matt’s previous project Deep Clean (2019) a sci-fi comedy horror starring Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones, Dennis Pennis) amassed 1.3M views online, won awards at numerous festivals (Frightfest, Aesthetica, Screamfest LA & London Short Film Festival) and was featured on the Britflicks Podcast   Matt's first feature film American The Bill Hicks Story was the 2nd most successful documentary released in UK cinemas in 2010 For more see https://www.halflifefilms.com/about Resources: Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review to tell us which 3 films that impacted your life. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives deep into horror screenwriting with Neal Marshall Stevens, author of A Sense of Dread: Getting Under the Skin of Horror Screenwriting. Discover how to craft spine-chilling horror screenplays by tapping into the essence of “A Sense of Dread.” Neal shares expert insights on using biological, psychological, and cultural fears, plus his “Toolbox of Dread” to elevate your scripts. Perfect for aspiring screenwriters, horror filmmakers, and fans of suspenseful storytelling looking to master the craft. Episode Highlights: [2:50] - Why write a book about horror screenwriting? [4:45} - What were the elements of horror screenwriting you were keen to explore? And what was difficult to convey? [7:30] - What was the first horror film that scared you?And what was the last film to scare you? [11:00] - What is the scariest example from your own screenplays? 5 Questions about A SENSE OF DREAD: GETTING UNDER THE SKIN OF HORROR [13:42] - What is the sense of dread and how does it apply to the writing of horror movies? Scary versus sense of dread? [21:08] - Our first fears are rooted in biology. What are biological-based fears? What do you understand them to be? [28:48] - What are psychological fears? Instinctive fears? How to utilise those fears. [36:44] - What are fears based in culture? Deep cultural concern. Paranoid fears and how they change over time because they are connected to the power structures of the time. [42:45] - Toolbox dread. How do I create scary moments on the page? How do I build to a scare? Key Takeaways:   Learn about how to use biological, psychological, and cultural fears to help you write better horror screenplays Understand how to create scary moments on the page Discover what a sense of dread is and how his “Toolbox of Dread” will elevate your scripts Rate, Review, Subscribe: Help us grow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform. Hosted, written, and produced by Stuart Wright for Britflicks Intro/Outro: “Rocking The Stew” by Tokyo Dragons Instagram About Neal Marshall Stevens: Neal Marshall Stevens, an NYU Film School graduate, boasts over 30 years in horror and genre filmmaking. He’s written for Monsters, Stephen King’s The Stand, and five Puppetmasterfilms for Full Moon Entertainment. Neal also wrote and directed Stitches, penned Hellraiser: Deader for Dimension Pictures, and scripted Dark Castle’s Thirteen Ghosts remake. He currently teaches at Screenwriters University and the David Lynch MFA Program in Screenwriting at Maharishi International University. Get the Book: This book is essential reading for anyone that wants to write horror.  A Sense of Dread: Getting Under the Skin of Horror Screenwriting by Neal Marshall Stevens is available online or at your favourite bookstore. Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more about how to write a screenplay Share your favourite horror movies that have a sense of dread for you on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review to tell us which horror films scared you. Please note this podcast episode was originally published 22/08/2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into horror movies that changed your life with horror filmmakers Toby Poser and John Adams, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore with Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans’ / The Bad news bears’ analysis, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’s / Phantasm’s  influence, and The Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’s / Wizard of Oz’s impact on their personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. Toby Poser and John Adams also discuss how surviving cancer is at the core of the idea for their latest film Mother Of Flies and their UK Premiere at Frightfest 2025   Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out how horror filmmakers Toby Poser and John Adams created the horror movie Mother Of Flies, how much they’re looking for coming back to Frightfest and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright’s movie podcast.   Mother Of Flies [2:00] How family discussions about surviving cancer and a proclivity to cancer shaped the story of Mother Of Flies and how it is a film about life and death. 3 [Horror] Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans’ / The Bad News Bears’ Analysis  [07:50 ] Toby Poser shares how Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) is a lyrical fairy tale and great example of German expressionism. That she watches it every year to remind herself what a masterpiece it is. [13:03 ] John Adams shares how The Bad News Bears (1976) is a horror movie because it cinematically brings to life the horror of being raised in the 1970s. Drink driving, bullying, sexual innuendo, slapping kids in the face and no seat belts, no nothing. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / Phantasm impact  [18:36] Toby Poser shares how A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) is a film she thinks about all the time. It’s creepy. It’s funny. It’s romantic. It looks like a comic book.  [23:52] John Adams shares how Phantasm (1979) as a kid it scared the hell out of him. It wasn’t the steel balls that scared him though, it was the other dimension that was a slither away.  The Portrait Of A Lady On Fire / Wizard of Oz Influence   [29:25] Dive into The Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’s (2019) influence on Toby Poser, reflecting on how some scenes are so raw and honest. How the film asks the question if art the only true lover that never leaves.  [37:10] Dive into Wizard of Oz’s influence on John Adams, reflecting on how it could be the best horror movie ever made because it was made for children and how like Phantasm, Dorothy doesn’t know what reality is. And that’s terrifying. Key Takeaways:   - Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. - Learn how talking about surviving cancer can lead to an idea for a genre movie. - Understand cinema’s transformative power through A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’s and Phantasm  - Full show notes and transcript:  About the Guest:   Toby Poser, John Adams, and their daughters Lulu and Zelda Adams epitomize the true spirit of a can-do attitude toward independent film making. They are their films’ cast and crew, they write, act, and shoot; they produce, direct, edit and score. MOTHER OF FLIES UK PREMIERE at FRIGHTFEST 2025 https://frightfest.co.uk/2025London/MOTHER-OF-FLIES.html Resources: Get Involved:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review to tell us which 3 films that impacted your life.   Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (⁠https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/⁠)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](⁠https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/⁠)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices