1. You found representation through InkTip.com's newsletter for another script. Can you tell us what happened with your projects and how Ken Achity came to be producing Un-Dead?

I originally was signed with AEI for REDLIINE a motorcycle racing/heist film but with the box office failures of Biker Boyz and Torque the project never got any traction. UNDEAD at the time was already optioned to another producer who had attached [a name director]. I was never happy with the direction [he] was taking -- too much comedy in his draft. So I waited for the option to expire and passed UNDEAD on to Mike Kuciak and Ken Atchity (who I met through InkTip). They loved my original draft of the script, which was more horror oriented. Ken and Mike passed UNDEAD on to Jan De Bont with whom they were already producing MEG.

2. How did you cultivate your relationship with Ken and Michael? What is and has been your role in development so far?

[The other director],without even conferring with me, wanted to bring in a name writer to do "his" draft. Jan and I were on the same page from the beginning and worked together with Ken and Mike to produce the final draft of UNDEAD. Unlike working with the original producers it wasn't all about them -- Jan, Ken and Mike were all about what's right for the script. I remember Jan's first words to me, "Don't be afraid of what anyone else has said or done. This is your script. Just do whatever makes THIS SCRIPT great." It was a true honor and pleasure to work with Jan. He's brilliant--and a man with a billion dollars worth of box office under his belt is a great mentor! I learned so much from him -- I can never thank Jan, Ken and Mike enough for the opportunity.

3. Have you had anything else produced?

Yes, through the wonderful and talented Miranda Kwok, a producer that Ken and Mike introduced me to, I had my first script produced at York Entertainment, DR. CHOPPER-- a horror film. It was directed by one of my heroes, Luca Bercovici, the director of GHOULIES! When I first saw GHOULIES as a kid, I LOVED IT! I always dreamed of one day working with Luca. In fact, Luca was going to direct another film and changed to Dr. Chopper after reading my script. Luca and I hit it off right away and plan to work together again with Miranda. We made a great team.

4. Do you have any advice for budding writers?

Yes, stick to your guns! If I had not listened to my gut telling me that the direction the original people behind UNDEAD was taking is wrong for the script, I would ever have sought out new representation at InkTip and never have met Ken, Mike, Jan, Miranda or Luca. I can only repeat the wisdom of Jan de Bont, "Don't be afraid of what anyone else has said or done. This is your script. Just do whatever makes THIS SCRIPT great."