EXCLUSIVE: Justin Wayne Talks SLAYBOR DAY Indiegogo Film Campaign

We all love a great 80s-inspired slasher, amirite? Enter Slaybor Day, a forthcoming horror-comedy film from filmmaker Justin Wayne, which has nearly reached the halfway point in funding the project on Indiegogo. Crowdfunding has never been so terrifying!

The film will be based on the award-winning short mocumentary, Slaybor Day 7, which centers on famed serial killer, Maddox Mason, ‘the man in the red mask’, who kills anyone wearing white after Labor Day. The short is just shy of 12 minutes and riddled with pure awesomeness! Check it out below.

We decided now was the time to catch up with Wayne before he becomes too famous for us. We gathered a bit of the inside scoop and he dished on some of the groundwork in place to bring this film to life. If funded, the film would mark the full feature debut for the filmmaker, having previously helmed the Slaybor Day 7 and Creative Custody short films. The latter of which, follows a woman on trial for murdering the main character in her book series.

GXP: What were some of the challenges in making Slaybor Day 7, considering you were working with a budget of about $600?

JW: “Honestly, of all the short films I’ve worked on over the years, the Slaybor Day 7 shoot went the smoothest. That’s not to say some things didn’t go wrong. We did get kicked off the steps of the first church we tried to shoot the wedding scene at, but for the most part, everything went according to plan. I think it helps that I had been working with the majority of the cast and crew for a few years and, as a team, we were really firing on all cylinders the entire weekend we shot the short. We’ve become really adept at producing high-quality content on a low budget, which is why we think we can make an incredible feature film for around $10,000.”

GXP: You have been actively hitting the festival circuit with Slaybor Day 7, what have been some of the highlights?

JW: “Premiering the film at Horror Hound Weekend was definitely a memorable way to kick off the festival run, but every festival we’ve screened at has been special. I love talking with and meeting fellow filmmakers and horror fans so it’s always a good time. That said, winning Best Horror Comedy Short at the Nevermore Film Festival was quite an honor as well.”

GXP: On your Indiegogo campaign page, you credit Wes Craven and films like, Scream and Terrifier, but what are some of your other sources that you draw inspiration from in writing and directing?

JW: “When writing the screenplay for Slaybor Day, I set out to pay homage to my favorite horror films. I would say Scream has the biggest influence on the feature script since Slaybor Day will be a modern day meta horror-comedy. However, there are scenes and stories heavily-influenced by classic films such as, Halloween, Friday the 13th and Silence of the Lambs as well. Just like the short film, the Slaybor Day feature is a true celebration of the horror genre!”

GXP: Those are some of our favorite genre flicks! So, other than those gems, what are some of your favorite films?

JW: “Scream. The entire franchise is my favorite. Followed closely by the John Carpenter Halloween films, though I am also a huge fan of H20 as well. Evil Dead 2, Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead … Really, any movie that ends with the word ‘dead’.”

GXP: What went into the though process in creating the character of Maddox Mason and how did you set out to make him differnt from other slasher villains?

JW: “We pulled inspiration from his specific code of only killing those who wear white after Labor Day. We figured since he is essentially a bloody form of the fashion police he should be well-dressed and his weapon of choice would be large fabric shears. Scissors are definitely an underused weapon in horror. We want to change that.”

GXP: How did you land on casting Derek K. Moore as the murderous masked killer?

JW: “We were making a horror-comedy and Derek has a terrific comedic background, so that’s why we brought him on board. What I didn’t know, is that he is also a gifted physical comedian, which translated well to his portrayal of the menacing side of Mason. Let me be the first to throw out the David Howard Thornton comparisons, because once our feature is released, I could see people talking about Derek’s performance in the same vein.”

GXP: That is certainly high praise, considering that Thornton has rendered us terrified of clowns now. Since he came up, we imagine this film will have plenty of blood and guts as well?

JW: “I don’t want to give away too much in my answer, but I will say that not every character in Slaybor Day will finish the movie in one piece. I can also say that the climax of the film, in particular, features a ton of blood and gore. My goal is to make the audience absolutely disgusted, while they’re (also) laughing their asses off.”

GXP: There are a ton of horror film crowdfunding campaigns going right now, so now is your chance to tell the people why they should back Slaybor Day. The floor is yours.

JW: “Unlike other horror movie campaigns, we have demonstrated that we can make a high-quality, entertaining product on a very low budget. Slaybor Day is a completely original idea with a lot of talent in front of- and behind the camera. If we reach our goal of $8,000, we promise that we’ll make a horror film like you’ve never seen before! Plus, you’ll earn unique rewards in the process: a novel, video game, action figures, Slaybor Day cereal, etc. There’s not another campaign on the internet that can say all this. Again, we’re trying to demonstrate to potential backers that we are a project worth donating to. We have unique ideas for the film and, as proof, we came up with unique ideas for the Indiegogo rewards. We are a creative bunch and we just need a small budget to make a spectacular film.”

GXP: Well said. We’re excited, for sure. Last question and, you knew it was coming. For those aspiring filmmakers out there, what advice would you give them?  

JW: “I think Joe Bob Briggs said it best, ‘Stop being an aspiring writer/director. Just go out there and write your script/make your movie.’ So, there is always a way to get it done, if you have the persistence.”

With less than 30 days till the campaign ends, now is your chance to back a next-level horror franchise! Pledge your donations now, HERE, for some awesome exclusives, including t-shirts, custom cereal, a video game, action figures and even naming rights to the town featured in the film!