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| Filmmaker Roger Connors >>> |
Some kids discover cartoons. Others find baseball. But growing up in Westlake, Ohio, filmmaker Roger Connors found something a little … different.
“I discovered horror at a very young age,” he says. “After my mother passed away when I was 18, I was seeking a means to vent those feelings and frustrations. Acting in film, especially within the horror genre, proved extremely cathartic and a great tool to help me get through that experience and deal with the emotions that stemmed from it.”
Once he found some light within those shadows, Connors never left.
From local indie sets to a growing catalog of scream-worthy stories, including his latest horror masterpiece, Meat, he’s turned fears, both personal and universal, into cinematic nightmares ever since.
“I always try to face my own fears, and I often translate that into the scripts and films I work on,” Connors explains. “I often infuse themes of discrimination, homophobia, body dysmorphia, mental illness, and personal demons into my art so they feel more personal and reflect themes that feel relevant to my own life and experiences.”
And while horror may be his haunted home base, don’t box Connors in. He isn’t afraid to wander into other genres and explore how his storytelling fits in.
“I would love to explore other genres and themes,” he says. “I love fantasy, comedy, and science fiction, and I often include elements of each in my horror cinema.”
Never fear. Connors isn’t backing away from bringing the scares.
“It’s hard to avoid creating horror on an independent level because it’s so accessible and has such a devoted fan base,” Connors explains. “That, and I am known as the ‘Scream Queer,’ so I hate to stray too far from what I’m known for.”
From streaming success and festival buzz to a podcast and more, Connors is building a horror universe one scream at a time.
We sat down (via email) with Connors and asked him our 5 horrific questions.
No. 1: What gives you chills? What do you think makes a movie truly scary?
Anything to do with people describing supposedly real-life hauntings, abductions or paranormal experiences can get my eyes to tear up and the hair on my arms to raise. I like my horror grounded in reality, so moments that could really happen or seem somewhat plausible tend to scare me more than anything. A good example of a horror movie that captures that sense of realism so perfectly would be Lake Mongo.
No. 2: Which horror film has scared you the most and why?
As a child, it was the original Night of the Living Dead, and I still find the bleak hopelessness of that film to be horrific and all-consuming, especially as it builds to that terrifying climax.
No. 3: Which filmmakers, writers, or creators inspire your horror work?
I am a diehard George A Romero fan. As an indie-creator, he is the ultimate example of grassroots independent filmmaking hitting the mainstream for all the right reasons. His films were packed with fresh ideas, relevant social commentary, and multi-dimensional characters.
“I always try to face my own fears, and I often translate that into the scripts and films I work on,” Connors explains. “I often infuse themes of discrimination, homophobia, body dysmorphia, mental illness, and personal demons into my art so they feel more personal and reflect themes that feel relevant to my own life and experiences.”
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| A scene from 'Meat' |
And while horror may be his haunted home base, don’t box Connors in. He isn’t afraid to wander into other genres and explore how his storytelling fits in.
“I would love to explore other genres and themes,” he says. “I love fantasy, comedy, and science fiction, and I often include elements of each in my horror cinema.”
Never fear. Connors isn’t backing away from bringing the scares.
“It’s hard to avoid creating horror on an independent level because it’s so accessible and has such a devoted fan base,” Connors explains. “That, and I am known as the ‘Scream Queer,’ so I hate to stray too far from what I’m known for.”
From streaming success and festival buzz to a podcast and more, Connors is building a horror universe one scream at a time.
We sat down (via email) with Connors and asked him our 5 horrific questions.
Meet The Stud
5 horrific questions with Roger Connors
No. 1: What gives you chills? What do you think makes a movie truly scary?
Anything to do with people describing supposedly real-life hauntings, abductions or paranormal experiences can get my eyes to tear up and the hair on my arms to raise. I like my horror grounded in reality, so moments that could really happen or seem somewhat plausible tend to scare me more than anything. A good example of a horror movie that captures that sense of realism so perfectly would be Lake Mongo.
No. 2: Which horror film has scared you the most and why?
As a child, it was the original Night of the Living Dead, and I still find the bleak hopelessness of that film to be horrific and all-consuming, especially as it builds to that terrifying climax.
No. 3: Which filmmakers, writers, or creators inspire your horror work?
I am a diehard George A Romero fan. As an indie-creator, he is the ultimate example of grassroots independent filmmaking hitting the mainstream for all the right reasons. His films were packed with fresh ideas, relevant social commentary, and multi-dimensional characters.
Modern filmmakers whose works I enjoy include Karyn Kasuma, Ti West, Mike Flanagan, and Zach Cregger.
No. 4: Why do you think people love a good scare?
Dating back to the dawn of time, our species has always had a morbid infatuation with death and what comes afterward. Activities like gladiator battles, public executions, throwing individuals into lions’ dens, and other violent displays provided us with a form of entertainment that explored that fascination.
Horror movies are the natural progression of such entertainment. They allow us to delve into our most primal fears without inflicting actual pain, injury, or death on others.
No. 5: If you could turn any non-horror movie or book into a horror story, what would it be — and how would you make it terrifying?
The Wizard of Oz is such an ideal blueprint for creating a truly wild fantasy-horror hybrid. Imagine what you could do with the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys alone!
More mature takes on the source material have been attempted before, but I would go all in with it. That melting sequence would be something straight out of Street Trash!
No. 4: Why do you think people love a good scare?
Dating back to the dawn of time, our species has always had a morbid infatuation with death and what comes afterward. Activities like gladiator battles, public executions, throwing individuals into lions’ dens, and other violent displays provided us with a form of entertainment that explored that fascination.
Horror movies are the natural progression of such entertainment. They allow us to delve into our most primal fears without inflicting actual pain, injury, or death on others.
No. 5: If you could turn any non-horror movie or book into a horror story, what would it be — and how would you make it terrifying?
The Wizard of Oz is such an ideal blueprint for creating a truly wild fantasy-horror hybrid. Imagine what you could do with the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys alone!
More mature takes on the source material have been attempted before, but I would go all in with it. That melting sequence would be something straight out of Street Trash!
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