Clowns. Scary or what?! If you're unsure best not to check out the premiere of Super Happy Fun Clown at FrightFest today and instead read what drove writer Eric Winkler to write this cool piece.
NYX: Where did the idea for Super Happy Fun Clown come from and how hard was it to expand it from a short to a feature?
EW: Jennifer Seward and I had been good friends for a long time. We’d previously worked together on our feature I Am Lisa, which premiered at FrightFest during COVID. I wrote the short as an experiment to write something without any dialogue…something we could show globally and not have it hindered by any kind of language barrier. Shortly thereafter, I was inspired to expand it into a feature. I knew I wanted to keep the elements of the short (while of course adding dialogue), so it was a little difficult to decide how to expand it to feature length. I finally decided to concentrate on the feeling of not living up to expectations that have been placed on a person by others – which is something I think many people struggle with. Once I coalesced around that idea, it seemed to flow from the short to the feature pretty seamlessly.
NYX: Did you write it with Jennifer Seward in mind?
EW: I absolutely wrote it for Jennifer Seward. Her talents are unique. I admittedly place a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of our lead actors (which heretofore have all been female), and Jennifer attacked it with great courage. I want the audience to question whether they should be rooting for her, and she nailed it with her performance.
NYX: Were you restricted by budget at all?
EW: We were certainly restricted by our budget, not unlike many indie films. That being said, I vehemently refuse to use that as a crutch. Everyone who worked on this movie is extremely talented, passionate, and hard-working. Though it’s difficult to do, and requires a lot of hard work, I feel we made a movie that looks like it cost a lot more to make than it actually did. Our entire movie may have cost the same as other movies’ candy bar craft services budget, but we didn’t sacrifice quality, and we never will.
NYX: Are any of the characters based on people you’ve met?
EW: Yes. My mother’s maiden name is “Marshall,” and she’s the strongest person I’ve ever known. I bestowed her name upon Detective Marshall in our movie, who is tough as nails. As an interesting aside, my third-great-grandfather, Stephen L. Marshall, immigrated to the US from England circa 1855. Also, Matt Leisy, who portrays Detective Barnes, just so happens to be a dual US/UK citizen. Sometimes on set I would have him speak to me in British English.
NYX: How much research did you need to do on serial killers?
EW: I didn’t have to do much research on serial killers – at least not specifically for this movie. I don’t think it’s unusual to have a fascination with them. My degree is in psychology, so I suppose I’ve been studying them my whole life. I’ve probably seen multiple documentaries on all of the most famous ones. I also included a book about serial killer Bob Berdella (local to us here in Kansas City, Missouri) on Jennifer’s vanity desk.
NYX: How hard is it to balance humour and horror?
EW: I don’t find it very difficult. This is probably because with most things I write I’m ultimately trying to amuse myself, and I’m nothing if not silly and macabre. Don’t get me wrong, I want to please the audience as well, so it’s very satisfying to hear their reactions, whether they are laughing or gasping from fright. While I don’t think it’s an absolute necessity for a horror movie to have humorous elements, I think most have room for a laugh here and there. There are many things in Super Happy Fun Clown that crack me up every time I see them.
NYX: Are you a writer who likes to be on set or do you stay away during filming?
EW: I love being on set, and I’m very hands-on. I’m not just the writer, but I’m also the executive and supervising producer. I find the collaboration to be absolutely exhilarating. And quite frankly, I’m usually first in line to put out any fires that may arise. I asked some of our PAs what I seem like on set, and they answered “co-director.” I really have our director, Patrick Rea, to thank for that. He took me under his wing during the making of I Am Lisa, when a lot of directors wouldn’t have. He runs a great set, where we have fun while also getting things done on time. He’s so underrated, but I firmly believe that will change someday.
NYX: Do you find clowns scary?
EW: While I know a lot of people find clowns scary, I personally do not. I’m claustrophobic, so Neil Marshall’s (no relation to me – that I’m aware of) The Descent is the most horrifying movie I’ve ever seen.
NYX: What are your favourite three movies?
EW: That’s always so tough, and as you know, this question comes up within our movie. I think as filmmakers we’re a product of, and take from, so many different movies that we’ve seen throughout the years. Super Happy Fun Clown is most directly influenced by Ti West’s Pearl and Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Starry Eyes. Though it wasn’t a conscious decision at the time, Super Happy Fun Clown has been described as a re-gendered Joker (2019), and I see the comparison. I’m a child of the 80s, so my personal favorite movies are Robocop (1987), Fright Night (1985), and Back to the Future.
NYX: Will you be nervous when the movie has its UK premiere at FrightFest 2025?
EW: I would say I’m more extremely excited, which could be described as a form of nervousness. My father was born and raised in Germany, and I’ve been there multiple times, but I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the UK. My oldest son is 19, took part in the making of Super Happy Fun Clown, and will be accompanying me. We can’t wait!
NYX: So, what are you up to at the moment?
EW: I find great joy in looking to the future. As it says in the end credits of Super Happy Fun Clown, “Jenn-O will return.” Suffice to say I’ve already written the sequel, and I really hope we get to make it. It’s an absolute blast and takes the craziness up a level. I can’t go into too much detail, but I’ve also written a comedy/horror based off of a public domain IP. It’s very much in the vein of movies like Shaun of the Dead and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. We’re raising funds for that one right now and I hope it comes to fruition!
NYX: Eric Winkler, thank you very much.
EW: Thank YOU! We’re so honoured and can’t wait to say “hello” to everyone. Come out and see us!
