Damien Leone wrote the script for ‘Terrifier 2’ as he delivered flowers.
Damien Leone wrote Terrifier 2 as he delivered flowers
The 41-year-old filmmaker has recalled how he crafted the script for the second movie in his ultraviolent slasher franchise whilst working in his previous job.
Damien told the ‘Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum’ podcast: “I literally wrote the entire movie of ‘Terrifier 2’ when I was delivering flowers. Almost all the ideas came to me as I was driving that van.”
The filmmaker explained that he never wanted to lock himself out of the movie industry before he went on to find success with the ‘Terrifier’ franchise.
Leone said: “I didn’t want to dive into a career that would keep me away from filmmaking. I needed a 9 to 5 job that I could break away from any time I would get a freelance gig doing makeup effects on a movie or if I was gonna make my own movie.”
The ‘Terrifier’ franchise features the iconic antagonist Art the Clown and Damien revealed that the murderous character was conceived when he was making his first short film.
He said: “I wish it was a cooler story. It was when I was gonna make my first short film, I said, ‘Why is anybody going to watch this?’
“I’m a makeup effects artist, so I’m gonna try and pack this thing out in 10 minutes with creatures and some makeup effects gags and sort of generic characters that I enjoy and creep me out.
“Clowns always creep me out. I didn’t have a particular fascination with killer clowns, they didn’t scare me.
“I knew I could put a spin on the clown and make a cool version of one at least and then it comes down to the process of creating it.
“It was very quick (to create). I sketched him. That’s why his name is Art. I kept referring to him as that. There was never a second name. Things like that just click, you feel like they happen for a reason.”
Art the Clown is portrayed by David Howard Thornton in the film series and Leone knew immediately that the star was right for the role because he had the perfect physicality.
The filmmaker said: “He was the sixth person to audition. I knew instantly.
“There’s a good chance I would’ve cast him just on his physicality alone when he walked in the room. As soon as I saw him I said, ‘He’s just gonna look great.’ I was looking for a tall, skinny person with a big smile.”
The director explained that the actor behind the antagonist couldn’t be any more different from the role he plays.
The ‘Frankenstein vs. The Mummy’ helmer said: “He’s a walking cartoon character, he couldn’t be any more different to Art the Clown, it’s incredible.”
Damien also revealed that he had to curb the enthusiasm of star Lauren LaVera – who plays the role of Sienna Shaw – when it came to doing stunts for the flick.
He recalled: “She was so psyched about it and she read the script. She’s a stunt performer, so she couldn’t wait to get in and do all the physical stuff. She wanted to do stunts that I wouldn’t even let her do.”