Home > Horror News > Interviews > John D. Robinson Writer of Devour


Rated: 5.00/5 | Votes: 4 | Views: 260 |Submitted: 01/06/08

Currently in production is the movie Devour, which is “Set against the background of an ordinary high school, "Devour" is the story of the three most popular kids in high school who just so happen to be cannibals. Sexy, intelligent and extremely charismatic, they lure classmates to dinner only to discover that they are the main course. But their next meal might make them sing for their supper as they target the school rebel and she's not being put on the menu without a fight.”

If that description doesn’t woo you into thinking this is going to be a fun ride of a film( I know you‘re shaking your head and saying: Yes it did! You had me at the word sexy!), then I present to you an interview with the man behind the story. Yes, screenwriter John D. Robinson was cool enough to take the time to speak with me about Devour and his future in the horror genre. Be sure to check out Devour's IMDB page where you can keep track of developments chock full of the errors IMDB is known for, as well as post some comments about random things such as how you are looking forward to a lot of nudity in the film.

TERRORTUBE: You use the website Zoetrope, where I found you, what is your opinion about that site and would you recommend it to aspiring screenwriters?

“Definitely. For the novice or just the hobbyist, it’s a great place to learn the ropes. There are a lot of great writers at the site and many are willing to lend a helping hand. Of course there are also some negative people there. But that’s the nature of aspiring whatever’s in any field.

It’s a great site. It’s really been invaluable to my growth as a writer.”

TERROR: So what is Devour REALLY about?

“It’s as simple as the logline, really. The three most popular kids in school are cannibals and are quite literally eating the competition.

I wrote it to shock people. To get attention. People, producers, writers, they all seemed intrigued by the notion. The execution was pretty good, too. I’d been writing comedy at that point, or trying to write comedy is a better way to put it. So writing horror was new to me. I didn’t want to follow a straight line with it. I wanted to give it an edge most horror didn’t have. All the main characters, except for one, are females. I didn’t have the typical stereotypes in there. You know, the virgin, the slut, the nerd etcetera. There are recognizable characters there but I didn’t rely on the standards for horror movies.

The script is also highly sexual, so much so that it’s over the top, and along with that I created three-dimensional characters. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but fans of the genre will not be disappointed”

TERROR: So at what stage is this project currently in and any crew/cast news or would you like to make up some rumors?

“It’s in that dreaded “pre-production” phase that a lot of movies languish in for a while. But things are picking up. Regarding casting, a lot of the actors I considered right for the parts are now too old. That’s the problem with teen stars, their limited shelf life in terms of the teen genre. I’m sure there are plenty of hot stars that would be suited to this project. Unfortunately, I don’t really know who they are.

Personally, I’d love unknowns to be cast so the audience wouldn’t really have any baggage or existing relationships with the actors. Of course, this is the writer you’re speaking to, naturally I’d want the story to be the star.

Director? Man, I don’t really have an opinion on that. I’d love to see an established genre person direct it. Plus I’d also love to see a first timer come out and hit one out of the park. It’s not really up to me, though.”

TERROR: I read that it is a planned trilogy, are you writing 2 more?

“I’ll be writing the stories for 2 and 3. As of right now, I probably won’t be writing the scripts. I’ve gotten a little burned out on the characters and stories. When you tie so much emotion into one particular universe, it gets old. I’ve got other scripts to write. Other stories to tell. But in saying that, I’ve been working on the rewrite of Devour recently and I’ve fallen back in love with the original story and rediscovered why I wanted to write it in the first place.”

TERROR: How did you manage to get Devour optioned?

“I queried a bunch of producers. Cold and requested. I got rejections by the dozens but I persisted. Several producers loved it but felt it unmakable due to the content of the script. Fair enough. I just needed someone who was bold enough to take a chance on an unknown commodity (me) with a non-commercial, potentially highly controversial script.

I think the material scared a lot of people. The audaciousness of it and the lack of restraint I showed in regards to violence and sex was a little off putting to most people. A production company based in Boston that have it now embraced the subject matter. It’s been a long road to get this project off the ground but I am very excited about what lays ahead.”

TERROR: You’ve stated a picture of your wife inspired the story for Devour, care to explain that a bit more and feel free to elaborate with spousal praise.

“Yes. That’s a funny story. Devour was merely an idea that I wrote one day at work about a year previous. Popular kids are cannibals. Ha, ha. It simply sat on the shelf because I didn’t have anything else. It was just an idea among the myriad of ideas I had. Then I met my future wife (another great story). Elizabeth is an American. I’m an Australian. We were pen pals and she was brave enough to come and meet me. We got married three months later. Five years later, we’re going better than ever. Back to Devour...

It was a week out from our wedding and we were in our bedroom going through some old photos of hers. I was curious. Seeing someone’s past makes you appreciate them a little bit more. You get to know how they became the wonderful them that they are. She showed me this black and white photo of herself as a teenager that was taken before school one morning. It wasn’t anything special, really. A basic photo. But there was something on her face. A pissed off glare that really caught my eye. That look of, “I don’t want to be here” mixed with “Why are you taking my fucking picture?” mixed with raw sex appeal just exploded in my brain. I can’t really describe it. A light bulb? A flash of lightening? Suddenly, Devour was written entirely in my head.

Ten days later I had a kick ass horror script and a beautiful new wife. I was churning out ten pages a day, bringing them home from work for Elizabeth to read. Getting her notes and using her as the template for the lead non-cannibal character of Erin I wrote and wrote. I was thinking two scenes ahead. Dialogue, good, funny, witty, snappy, dialogue was coming out. It was like nothing I’d experienced before. It flowed. It came out raw and unpolished but it was there. Thanks 100% to that photo. Without that photo, without my Elizabeth, Devour wouldn’t be anything. I’d still be a wanna-be screenwriting fool.

I am quite possibly the least religious or spiritual guy in any given room but it was one of those moments of divine inspiration that comes along once in a lifetime, if ever.

In many ways, Devour was written to honor my wife. It’s deviated somewhat from that original vision and Erin has evolved into a character unto herself but her basis is Elizabeth. Her soul and her heart are Elizabeth’s. Her strength is Elizabeth’s.

I’m not saying all this just to kiss up to my wife but she gave me a part of herself, unwittingly of course and it has turned into this great adventure. I hope I’ve done her justice. I hope she can see herself in Erin. The greatest tribute I can give her is having a character based on her exist forever on film.”

TERROR: Did you watch that 2005 horror movie Devour, about...um…I don’t remember what it was about, it must have sucked…let’s change the question: seen any good movies lately?

“I did see the 2005 Devour. It wasn't that great. I was pretty pissed that they came out with a movie with exactly the same title as mine but hey, the flick didn't turn out that great for them, maybe we'll turn this Devour into the good Devour. It was about a possessed video game, by the way. Something about releasing Satan or some demon through this game.

I haven't seen too many movies recently. I've been really busy, so, it's kind of hard to find the energy to get up and go to the movies. But I do catch up with stuff on cable and DVD. I really loved Clerks II. I'm a big Kevin Smith fan so it was pretty much a no brainer for me to love that. Hell, even Jersey Girl is good in my opinion. Brick and The Lookout are quickly climbing the charts on my favorites list, also. Both great in their own rights with two great performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The Descent is probably my favorite recent horror flick. I'm big on a lot of different genres, as well. Too many to list. I'm somewhat or a connoisseur of all level's of film. From the megabucks blockbuster to the direct to cable low-to-no budget schlock to classy, high brow flicks. I am not very discerning when it comes to cinema.

I kind of prefer checking stuff out on cable and DVD. My wife and I are homebodies and, you know, watching a movie on our TV laying around in our PJ's is pretty fun.”

TERROR: Can you tell us a bit about your screenplay School of the Dead and who optioned it?

"School of the Dead is a zombie script set in high school. Basically, I needed to top Devour. My next script, after Devour, had to be bigger and bolder. What better way than the zombie genre? I’m big on Romero and his Dead series really inspired School of the Dead. It was optioned by NiteLite Entertainment with John Harwood planning to direct it. He had just finished The Passing and wanted to make a zombie film. He liked School of the Dead. He optioned it.

I quickly discovered that his vision and my vision didn’t quite match up. The option lapsed, that disappointed me but it was also a good thing. I really didn’t want School of the Dead to come out before Devour. It shows a natural progression for me as a writer. I want to build a body of work and, sequentially, it comes after Devour.”

TERROR: Out of all of your screenplays currently finished, which is your personal favorite and why?

“I’ve been reading School of the Dead recently. I gave it a rest for a bit because I really like it but I was concerned that it wasn’t as good as I thought. But, simply as a piece of fiction, it’s good stuff. As a fan of the genre, I really think it’s a just a good read. It’s fun and it stays true to the genre.

That being said, I’m not strictly a horror guy. I’ve written several screenplays that are deeply personal and one that’s extremely autobiographical. So much so that it makes me uncomfortable because I am essentially exposing  my emotions. My heart and soul. And that’s pretty scary.

I also love crime fiction, both in print and on film. I’ve written a couple scripts that I really love in that genre. It’s really hard to pick a solitary favorite. School of the Dead is something I’m really proud of, though.”

TERROR: You’re from Australia, but now live in the USA, are you a full on Stars and Stripes kind of guy or do you miss Australia?

“I love America but I am a very proud Australian. I do miss Australia but feel at home here in the States. I first came here, everything was so new and scary but my wife and I travelled across the country with her job so that helped. It made me adapt to new things and new places. I miss my family back in Australia, of course. I miss the culture there, too. The laid back people. I’m sure I will go back there very soon.

America is the land of convenience. From 300 channels worth of cable to free refills on soda. I like that. That was something new to me but you quickly become used to have four cups of diet soda with your dinner.”

TERROR: What kind of student were you? Ever eat anyone?

“I wasn’t the best student. I never, ever, ever studied. Ever. I managed to be a straight C student but I can’t help but think sometimes if I would’ve studied or taken school seriously what career path I’d be on. My preoccupations in high school were basketball and rugby. A lot of my classes would overlook the basketball courts and rugby field and I’d be caught gazing out at them a lot. I never really had my head where it should’ve been. I had a lot of great friends back then, too. We had a lot of good times that helped shape me and also provide inspiration in my writing to this day.

The only subject that I really got into was drama. We got to create and act and explore. My high point was as a senior when I directed a play. I interpreted the material, a simple story about a man and his friend, into an overly dramatic (melodramatic) piece filled with passion and rage. I had the man throw over chairs, tear his shirt off and cry when he was simply talking about his job. I got a poor grade but I stuck to my guns and defended the direction I took the material. I told the teacher that what I presented was my interpretation of the script. She commended my stance but still gave me a C minus. Oh well.

I love my high school days. I really do. I look back with nothing but fond memories.

And no. I never ate anyone.”

TERROR: Any words of wisdom or advice for fellow writers and or aspiring filmmakers?

“If you have the passion for writing, for directing for anything really, don't give up. Don't allow yourself to be swayed by the negativity. People will try to tell you it's too hard and that it is impossible, but if you believe in your self, you cannot give up. This is a business of walls. You have continually find a way through them, around them, over them...any way you can just to make it to that next wall. Don't give up. It's the only way you'll succeed.”

TERROR: Where would you like your future in the movie biz to take you?

“To be successful, that's probably want I want the most.

I’d love Devour to come out and be a huge hit, obviously but I'd also like to be able to produce my own work. I’ve got some pretty interesting stories to tell and I think some people will find them entertaining. Producing other people's scripts is something I'd like to do as well. Being in that position to make someone else's dream come true. That's one of the BIG dreams.

I’ve often thought of directing. I’d love to get my feet wet in a low, low budget horror movie. You know, couple locations. Bloody, violent. I’d love to do that. But that notion comes and goes. I really love writing. That’s where my head is at right now.

What I’d probably most love to achieve in the biz is to actually inspire someone. The way watching Clerks for the first time inspired me. The way Fight Club made me want to tell important stories that entertain.

Inspiring someone else to be creative or to pursue a dream, that's what success would be for me.”

- Wes Laurie

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