It’s good to see you again! Get to know Troy Gardner, the author of the romantic and unsettling story “The Farmer’s Son” in the episode ENSNARED!
What inspired "The Farmer's Son?"
You know those dirty old jokes about the farmer's daughter? I thought it would be fun to take that general set-up of a traveler getting stuck on a farmhouse and give it a queer twist.
How do you connect with the idea of being ENSNARED?
I grew up in a very small town, and that can feel ensnaring. Not all traps having to be wholly unpleasant. I guess if you're ensnared, that can mean that you simply want to be somewhere else.
Your piece walks the line of the "country horror" trope without resorting to the "redneck hicks" stereotype. How did you develop the themes of subtle religious undertones and a conservative couple in an isolated area without succumbing to the more common tropes?
Thanks. In general, I try not to write stereotypical characters. There's nothing new or interesting if you just have stock characters interacting with each other in expected ways. Not that I'd never tackle horrible religious zealots, but that would need to be the focus of its own story.
You say you worked to avoid stereotypes, and it's notable that the four characters feel richly developed, such that the audience is only getting a snapshot of their lives. How did you conceive of the characters' lives before the story began, and how do you envision them continuing once the curtain drops?
Before the story, the parents are a bit willfully oblivious. They want to keep their son home on the farm. To protect him against the big, bad world. But their son desperately wants to see the world. And the narrator is in this transitory part of life, maybe carefree. One of his friends moved to LA so he's going on a spur of the moment road trip to visit. That's somebody who's not incredibly grounded, which is the opposite state of the farmers. Some shorts are one and done but sometimes I think about sequels. This is one that I would like to revisit. What happens to Charlie and Jonah when they start their new life? Are they really in love after one crazy meeting? Could Jonah be a conduit for more paranormal phenomena? Those are some interesting questions I'd like to answer at some point.
How did you get into horror? What do you enjoy in the genre? What scares you?
I can't remember not being into horror. My older brother showed me Nightmare on Elm Street 4 when I was five. Horror has always been my go to. Maybe it's because there's no limits in horror. You get comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, everything can be in horror whereas other genres tend to be limiting. My imagination scares me. Oh, and existential dread.
What’s your writing process like?
I like to write with the TV on or music playing. Usually if I write in silence, I get too into my head. I like first drafts to flow and then really focus on editing and tweaking later.
How does identity play a role in your writing?
Identity is vital to storytelling. If you don't like the protagonist, do you really care what happens to them? Conversely, there's characters you love to hate or enjoy seeing them get their comeuppance. Personally, if you can identify with the characters, it puts you in their shoes and their story becomes so much more thrilling. Maybe that thing that connects you to a character is sexuality or gender experience or even a hobby/obsession.
It's true that making characters relatable is key to feeling invested in their outcome, and it's a pity that so many stock horror tropes treat trans and same-gender attracted folks as other!
Stock queer villains especially irritate me because it's usually lazy writing. The writer doesn't feel the need to flesh out the baddie, just say they're trans and moves right along in the story.
How did you identify yourself with the characters in Farmer's Son or set yourself apart from them? Are any of the characters most recognizably based on you?
Oh, I relate to Jonah. The story's total wish fulfillment, right? What small town boy doesn't dream of a handsome stranger driving through and taking him away on an adventure in the city? Well, maybe not ALL small town boys, but I sure did.
What role do you think horror plays in the LGBTQ community?
It's so important. There's a reason so many of us consider Halloween our favorite holiday. Everyone's equal in horror. If you have to hide who you are, if you're frightened of the world, horror can be a really healthy catharsis.
What’s next for you, creatively?
For the last year, I've been putting together a no budget, feature length, horror anthology movie. It's a mix of traditional visual storytelling, found footage, and different animation styles. I hope to finish it this summer and then I'm not sure what the release will look like yet. The shorts are a mix of serious and campy and there's some queer representation.
Any great horror recommendations?
I'm so behind in reading, but recent don't miss movies are Daniel Isn't Real, Porno, and After Midnight. They're all really different from each other, but are great examples of what horror should be all about. Being weird, being different, taking risks, celebrating uniqueness, and being creepy AF.
If you’re interested in learning more about Troy, check out his Twitter link up top or his website for more of his projects! We think Slasher Massacre: The Card Game looks like a promising evening of fun!