Interview with Screenwriter Dexter Williams

This is an interview that has been long overdue. For the past several months, I’ve chatted intermittently with Dexter Williams about his award-winning screenplays, but because of schedule conflicts, wasn’t able to work out a time to interview him on the podcast. Thankfully, Dexter was able to answer my questions by email. Dexter is an American screenwriter who has written twelve feature film screenplays and twelve short screenplays, virtually all of which being a personal reflection of his interest in the paranormal and metaphysical. He has written scripts in the genres of: comedy, drama, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and thriller.

MHL: How did you become interested in screenwriting?

DW: Well before I was interested in horror, there was this idea for a teen romantic comedy I was very passionate about. It was about a high school student who is asked to hypnotize the captain of the basketball team into being her best friend’s date for an upcoming dance. I thought that would make a great date movie. I started buying books on the art of screenwriting, and from there I wrote my very first feature film script “Under Your Spell”. And that was the beginning of my interest in writing for the screen.

MHL: What inspires you? Who or what is your muse?

DW: The better question is “what inspires me”? The motion picture industry, and movies in general. When I was growing up in Michigan, I really wasn’t into movies. The idea of sitting in a darkened theatre wasn’t that appealing to me. One film changed all that: “Altered States”, released in 1980 (on Christmas Day — of all days). When I saw the TV spot for the film, that was the first time I actually wanted to go see a movie. I have had a love affair with movies ever since. I really don’t have a regular muse as far as my scripts go, but Italian actress Monica Bellucci was my muse for one of my horror scripts “Mistresses of Sleep”. After seeing her in “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Brothers Grimm”, I wanted to create a feature film project for her playing a hypnotist. I could find the right story for the project, so I focused on other scripts. I came back to it a couple of years later, and it turned out a whole lot different (and better) than I would have ever imagined. I would be so honored to have Monica be in the film if “Mistresses of Sleep” ever gets made.

MHL: It seems that most of what you write falls within the horror genre. What draws you to horror?

DW: I absolutely love the level of intensity when it comes to horror. The idea of having the living daylights scared out of me is a genuine rush to me, and I enjoy writing horror scripts that prey on fears of the unknown. Supernatural horror is my favorite genre because it explores things that are beyond explanation and beyond the boundaries of reality.

MHL: Your screenplays recently have achieved recognition and awards at various film festivals. Tell us more about this.

DW: I have been quite fortunate to have some of my scripts get recognition at various film festivals. In fact, I have gotten more recognition for my horror scripts than any other genre. “Demon Crystal” and “Mistresses of Sleep” were Official Selections in the Fright Night Film Fest and the Sacramento International Film Festival, and “Mistresses of Sleep” was not only an Official Selection in the Oaxaca FilmFest in Mexico, it was even nominated for three awards: Best Horror, Best Original Concept, and the big one…Best Overall Script!

MHL: On a more personal note, you’ve discussed the role of hypnosis in your creative process. How has hypnotherapy helped you as a writer?

DW: After I have written my first two scripts, I suffered from Writer’s Block. One day I met a lady who was telling someone’s fortune. I talked to her and I was surprised when she give me her business card which said she’s also a hypnotist. I told her about my writer’s block, and she agreed to help me with that (at no charge). Her name is Monica Geers-Dahl (she’s a hypnotherapist from Florida), and she is awesome! Thanks to the sessions I had with her, I haven’t had writer’s block since.

MHL:What projects are you currently working on?

DW: I’m working on my first collaboration. It’s outside of the horror genre, and it’s a fantasy-drama called “Words of the Ethereal”. It is based on an original story by my collaborator, an amazing writer/poet from the state of Washington named RaVen Marie. It is quite a challenge writing a script based on someone else’s story, but it’s a challenge I gladly welcome.

MHL: Now for questions we ask all of our interviewees: Do you have any questions you hate being asked?

DW: Thankfully, I have not had any embarrassing questions in all the interviews I have done.

MHL: What questions are never asked that you wish would be asked?

DW: One question that comes to mind is: if I could have any actress play a hypnotist in a horror film, who would it be and why? I would have to say Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad”. She would make a fabulous evil hypnotist!

MHL: You are on a desert island with only two hours of battery life left on your iPad. What is the last movie you will watch?

DW: Probably “American Beauty”, the 1999 Best Picture Oscar Winner. It is my all-time favorite film (not horror, by the way).

MHL: The world is about to end in nuclear war. What will be the last album you will listen to?

DW: “Hounds of Love” by English recording artist Kate Bush. She is a phenomenal talent and one of my all-time favorites in music.

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Dexter is represented by Mystical Sounds Productions, a management/production company based in Montreal, Canada.

FEATURE SCREENPLAYS:

DEMON CRYSTAL (Horror) OFFICIAL SELECTION/SEMIFINALIST – Southeastern International Film Festival

DESTINATION YESTERDAY (Thriller) GRAND JURY AWARD – L.A. Neo Noir, Novel, Film, & Script Festival

ENCHANTRESS (Fantasy)

ENSLAVEMENT (Horror) (OPTIONED)

ENSLAVEMENT II (Horror) (OPTIONED)

ENSLAVEMENT III (Horror) (OPTIONED)

FLOATING TO PARADISE (Drama)

HELL FOR HIRE (Dark Comedy)

MISTRESSES OF SLEEP (Horror)

SECOND DANCE (Fantasy)

UNDER YOUR SPELL (Teen Comedy)

WISH UPON A HOLLYWOOD STAR (Comedy)

SHORT SCREENPLAYS:

BALD GIRLS CAN HYPNOTIZE (Comedy)

DRAGON OF DESTINY (Fantasy)

FEAR THE CLOWNS (Horror)

THE GLAMOROUS SPELL (Comedy)

THE HYPNOTIC TRAP (Horror)

MEDUSA MELROSE: DRAG QUEEN HYPNOTIST (Comedy)

MESMERINA (Comedy)

THE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD DAY (Sci-Fi)

SLAVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT (Horror)

THE SLEEP STONE (Fantasy)

SWIM INTO THE UNCONSCIOUS (Drama)

A TOUCH OF SUNSHINE MAGIC (Comedy)

SCREENWRITING AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

DEMON CRYSTAL (Horror):

Southeastern International Film Festival – Semifinalist

Fright Night Film Fest – Official Selection