Continuing our deep dive into Scream: The Inside Story, here’s part two of our exclusive conversation with the creators of the much-anticipated documentary: Daniel Farrands (Producer, Director), Thommy Hutson (Producer, Writer), and Lito Velasco (Associate Producer). With the help of our readers and our friend John Valeri, we asked the burning questions fans are dying to know.

The documentary airs on the A&E BIO Channel starting Wednesday, April 6, at 8 P.M. ET / 5 P.M. Pacific, with multiple re-airings throughout the month.

6. What will we see differently in this documentary that we haven’t seen before?  What will Scream: The Inside Story offer that other retrospectives of the film/franchise have not? 

Dan:  For the die-hard Scream fans, you’ll probably hear some of the same stories that have been covered before, but you will also hear from people who haven’t been featured in previous documentaries and you’ll hear some interesting casting stories (other famous actors who were up for some of the key roles) and we go much more in-depth into the behind-the-scenes conflicts (such as the Santa Rosa High School controversy) that have only been superficially covered in other shows. 

Lito:  Well, new interviews, to be sure!  I think Scream fans will appreciate the fact that we tried to tell the story of some of the struggles that occurred behind-the-scenes before, during, and after the shooting of the film.  And I think fans will really feel that this documentary comes from a place of great admiration and respect: it was written by an incredibly talented writer who is a diehard fan of this series, Thommy Hutson, it was produced by a Ghostface/Scream aficionado in me, and it was directed by a talented guy who lives and breathes horror films, Dan Farrands.  I think all of that really shows when you watch the film.

And I know one more thing this documentary has that’s different…an incredible score composed by one of the hardest-working film score composers in this town: Sean Schafer Hennessy.  He created music that is absolutely wonderful, evocative, and effective, and I think fans are going to be thrilled by what they hear from him.

7. Who was the hardest person to get and have sign on to participate in this documentary?

Dan: Me!  Actually, after Elm Street I really thought it was the end of the road (no pun intended) of my horror documentary career.  But when BIO asked us to do this, it seemed like a no-brainer.  It was tough because we were all still fighting the exhaustion of having survived the experience of Elm Street, and suddenly we were starting again.  That said, we were all happy to be on board and we’ve really put together an amazing team who are all totally game to do the job right.  There is no sloppy editing, camera work or management.  We’re all just in it to tell the best and most complete story possible.

At the end of the day, we would have loved to get everyone in our “hot seat” but schedules sometimes just don’t align as much as you try.  It was difficult scheduling Neve Campbell as she has been living overseas.  Thankfully, due to the tenacity of my producing partner, it all worked out.  She was incredibly gracious to do the interview and I think fans will really enjoy hearing her memories of filming Scream.  It was also fantastic to get Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy and Rose McGowan, all of whom came in with some great behind-the-scenes stories that I think fans will really love. 

Thommy:  Having been to this rodeo before, it is never “easy” to get anyone, especially on a film of this magnitude and with the talent involved.  Everybody has gone on to do so many great things, which means they are incredibly busy.  In the end, we were so incredibly blessed to get the people we did.  For those we didn’t get a chance to interview, it was simply a matter of time and never disinterest from anybody.  The support we’ve seen from everyone (both interviewed and not) has been tremendous.

Lito: Any time you’re doing a project that explores a film created by such well-known and successful talents, it’s usually tough to lock down schedules for those people.  For example, in the case of Wes Craven and Neve Campbell, it was the challenge of finding a time to get them into the studio as they worked to finish the new chapter in the series.  And in the case of those who were unable to participate, it wasn’t really a case of them saying “no” as much as it was a case of them not being able to find the time, locations not matching up, etc.  It’s always a juggling act trying to “pencil in” any of the talent, but we managed to do a good job of representing the film with the majority of the “main players”.

8. What do you forsee in the future as far as horror films for fans and new audience members with the revamp of this series in conjunction with this documentary? 

Dan:  Like all genres, horror movies – particularly slasher films – come in cycles.  I think Wes and Kevin Williamson always have their finger on the pulse of what is cool and contemporary, so I have no doubt Scream 4 will attend to that next wave and cleverly wink at the audience as only they can do.  And it’s really gratifying that we were able to go back to the beginning and kind of wink right back at them with this show.

Thommy: That’s a tough question; Scream reinvented horror 15 years ago and there’s no reason the same can’t happen again.  Things have changed in the genre so much over the years, it will be exciting to see how Scream 4 reflects those changes, keeps audiences on their toes and, of course, makes them laugh and scream.  It will also be interesting to see what genre films do after Scream 4, considering how the original film prompted so many imitations.  I have a feeling horror might follow the Scream lead once again.

Lito: I think Scream 4 will absolutely draw in new audience members and create new fans.  The casting of the film alone assures this: mixing young talent with the veterans of the series will draw in a more youthful audience.  And with the advent of those viewers, hopefully lifelong horror fans will be created or inspired.  Our documentary doesn’t really talk a whole lot about Scream 4, but because the timing of our release coincides with the advertising for the new film, I’m hoping it will inspire those who don’t know what the series is about to say, “I should find out how this whole thing started”.  Hopefully the new film will get people interested in the beginning of this whole phenomenon.  And really, when it comes to sequels and remakes, that’s the best thing you can hope for: that new audience members will be inspired by the current film to go back and discover “how it all began”.

9. Can you give an example of something surprising that you learned about the film during production of the documentary? 

Thommy:  There was so much, but one of the things I liked best was hearing who was up for what role, who almost got cast (but didn’t) and finally seeing and hearing first hand why the cast was what it was.  Looking back, it seems so clear, but what I had to adjust to was that, back in 1996, this was not the incredibly successful film as we know it; it was simply the new Wes Craven movie.  But, when you listen to the cast and crew, those who ultimately ended up being part of it seemed to have an inkling of how special the project was. 

Lito:  During script development, Thommy and I spent hours combing through every single piece of material we could find that talked about or dealt with the creation, filming, release of, and reaction to Scream.  We really did our homework, so we thought there wasn’t really a lot we didn’t already know: like I said, we’re diehard fans of the series and film.  Then we filmed interviews and discovered…there’s a LOT we didn’t know: great stories about the casting of the film, some of the behind-the-scenes struggles and drama, etc.  I’m not going to get specific, so people will just have to tune in to BIO at 5pm PST/8pm EST on Wednesday, April 6^th to find out.  How’s that for a plug?!

10. What logistical challenges did interviewing the film’s cast and crew pose?  Who can fans expect to see—and are there any conspicuous absences in the line-up? 

Lito:  There are tough days on a shoot like this but there are also so many fantastic days.  It was a thrill to be able to visit and film at Coquette Studio headquarters.  On the other hand, it was a logistical nightmare filming Bob Weinstein’s interview at a “working”, “live” hotel in Beverly Hills on a Saturday.  Ever try keeping dozens of hotel employees from performing their regular duties because of the “audio disruption”?  But, look at what I just wrote: “filming Bob Weinstein’s interview at a…hotel in Beverly Hills”.  HOW on Earth can I really complain about my “plight”?  Bottom line: I’m involved in a tribute to and look at a legendary horror film.  So how much can I really complain about the bad days?

As far as who we have in the show, fans will be surprised to see who turns up.  For a sneak peek, check out our Facebook page and see a sample of who survived Ghostface’s cut.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Stay tuned for the final part of this insightful interview, where we reveal even more behind-the-scenes tidbits and announce the winners of our contest. Missed Part I? Catch up here.