Interview with Screenwriter Chima Idigo (MEAT)

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Meat is about obsession and murder. I was real inspired by the murder of Travis Alexander and the movie Bully by Larry Clark. The main character, Rachel, was partially based off of Jodi Arias, Rachel Moyal, who was part of the cast on The Real World: Austin, and another woman, but I don’t want to say who.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Meat is a drama script. The best movies are drama movies. Taxi Driver, Network, Bully, if…., Five Easy Pieces, just to name a few.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It pushes boundaries and it isn’t the typical script. If you feel very uncomfortable reading Meat, then it should be made into a movie. Some of the best movies are movies that took big risks and made viewers feel uncomfortable.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Very intrusive

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Taxi Driver, mainly because it’s my favorite movie. Oh yeah, fuck the Academy for not nominating Martin Scorsese for that movie.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

It only took me three weeks to write Meat. I knew what I wanted to do, so I didn’t have any trouble coming up with scenes.

7. How many stories have you written?

I’ve written six stories and I’ve turned two of them into scripts.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the
most times in your life?)

My favorite song is Still Remains by Stone Temple Pilots. I fucking love that band! Scott Weiland had so much soul, he was an amazing singer and great dancer. It’s crazy cause I didn’t know he died until I randomly typed in his name on the Google search engine and it said he passed away. I found out on Saturday and what’s crazier is that fifteen minutes before I typed in his name, I was imitating his dance moves in my kitchen. R.I.P. Scott Weiland.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

I guess trying to write something as good as my previous stories. The last story I wrote, before Meat, was horrible, so I had to make sure to bring my Korine game.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Doing stunts, which I really miss recording. Before I started writing I was doing stunts like Jackass. I will always be passionate about doing stupid shit.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your
experiences working with the submission platform site?

Real good, I don’t have any complaints.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings
on the initial feedback you received?

I wanted people to see the fucked up shit I write. All I gotta say is that I’m happy I found this festival.

Watch the Screenplay Reading:

Logline: An unstable waitress decides to murder her ex-boyfriend for breaking her heart, so she convinces her new lover, who is unaware of her attentions, to get her a gun.

CAST LIST:

Valerie – 1 – Vanessa Burns
Sandra (20s) – 4 – Sydney Addison-Rudat
Narration – Pip Dwyer
Kris – 12 – Luke Robinson
Ronald (20s) – 4 – Alex Clay

A FilmFreeway preferred festival: