Read our exclusive interview with horror screenwriter Tim Tori, who scripted the upcoming After Dark Originals film ‘Prowl.’ The movie is scheduled to open in a limited theatrical release on Friday, January 28, as part of the studio’s annual Horrorfest, more commonly known as its 8 Films to Die For Film Festival. Tori discusses with us, among other things, where he came up with the idea for ‘Prowl’ and what it’s been like working with After Dark.
Shockya (SY): ‘Prowl’ follows the story of main character Amber and her friends as they travel to their new apartment in the big city. They discover the driver they accept a ride from into the city is storing hundreds of cartons of blood in his truck, and takes them to a warehouse where creatures hunt humans. Where did you come up the idea for the movie?
Tim Tori (TT): The initial idea for “Prowl” was simply a reversal of the standard model. I noticed that a lot of horror films portrayed kids from the big city driving out to the middle of nowhere and running into trouble. I decided that it might be interesting to follow the kids who live in the middle of nowhere as they drive out to the big city. As it turns out, they also run into trouble.
SY: ‘Prowl’ is being distributed by After Dark Films, which has also released such movies as ‘An American Haunting’ and ‘Skinwalkers.’ What has your experience been like working with a production company that focuses mainly on horror films?
TT: My experience with After Dark has been incredible. Everyone at that company is committed to creating fantastic films. Working with them is like going to school because they’ve done this so many times. They know what works and what doesn’t, and they care about making their movies different and distinctive. They take their horror seriously, which is what I do. I had a blast working with them on “Prowl,” and we are making more movies together as we speak. In fact, I’d better answer these questions fast and get back to work!
SY: What makes ‘Prowl’ stand out from other horror movies?
TT: I think that the main distinction between “Prowl” and most other horror movies is the characters. Before anything truly terrible happens in “Prowl,” the audience spends time getting to know these people and liking them. Far too many horror movies are overly concerned with “Cool Kills” and not concerned enough with presenting characters worth caring about. I took time developing these characters in the writing process, and then Patrik and the actors did a great job breathing life into them. When someone dies in this movie, it has an impact.
SY: What kind of research did you do while you were writing ‘Prowl?’
TT: Much of “Prowl” was pre-researched because it’s based on friends of mine who lived in a small town like the one in the movie. But I did visit a trucking company, and they let me spend some time in the back of a semi so I could get a sense of how it felt. I also did a lot of online research about blood-feeding creatures beyond the traditional “vampire.” That was how I discovered the “strige” – a mythical nocturnal bird that fed on children. I wondered what would happen if the strige and human bloodlines got mixed, and that’s how I came up with the movie’s creatures – “The Strays.”
SY: What was it like working with director Patrik Syversen, who has previous horror experience, having written and helmed ‘Manhunt?’ Is it easier working with a director who is a screenwriter himself?
TT: It was an absolute joy working with Patrik, and yes, his experience as a writer makes everything stronger. The first time I met Patrik, I came to the meeting with lots of ideas on how I could rewrite the film for a lower budget. But all he wanted to talk about was the characters. That’s my kind of director! He was very respectful of what I wrote, and it was important to him that I was involved when changes had to be made. I hope we get the chance to work together again.
SY: You also have a background in music, as you served as a composer for the TV series short ‘Floored and Lifted.’ When you write movies, do you ever suggest music to the director for certain scenes?
TT: I definitely suggest music to the director for every project I work on. I always listen to music when I write, and sometimes a song is just perfect for the project. And yes, I enjoy composing as well. Recently, I worked as an associate producer on the After Dark / SyFy project “51,” and one of my contributions was musical. There’s an alien character in the film who listens to alien music, and I wondered, “What would a hit song from another solar system sound like?” I composed a couple of strange songs, which are now in the movie.
SY: During your career, you’ve become known for writing horror/thriller movies; besides ‘Prowl,’ you have also written ‘Hysteria’ and ‘Trespassers.’ What attracts you to the horror genre?
TT: I truly believe that a good horror movie is an opportunity to deal with the issue of fear. Most of us don’t have bloodthirsty creatures or serial killers chasing us around in our daily life, but we do have personal problems and tough decisions to make. The situations presented in horror movies – at their best – are metaphorical for our struggles in life. “Rosemary’s Baby” taps into the paranoid fears that a mother-to-be might experience. “The Shining” portrays the disintegration of a family. And “Prowl” reminds us that when you move forward in life, you may have to leave your friends behind. That’s what attracts me to the genre – examining fear and creating a cathartic experience for dealing with that fear.
Written by: Karen Benardello
