Hey Eric, Thanks for the interview. I am looking forward to all the parts in this one just because of your impressive resume alone. I love the horror genre and The Nightmare on Elm Street series are some of my favorites ( including your remake). I was wondering if the Dionaea House screenplay was available to read or if a production is still possible? Thanks!

Could you please elaborate on this if you get the chance?: "I was also unaware of how many of the decisions get made farther down the road that I probably could have been better at communicating back in the script stage."

[...] • Interview: Eric Heisserer (2012 Black List) – Part 2 [The Black List] [...]

Hey Alan, The screenplay for Dionaea House is still kicking, and there has been renewed interest in getting the thing off the ground again, so for now I'm unable to share it with the world. But I appreciate the request and I'm thrilled you're a fan of the genre.

Sure. To unpack that statement: In my earlier work on studio projects, I wrote in a style I prefer to read -- where no subtext is spelled out for the reader, and where little setups and payoffs are planted with the idea that the reader will notice them and understand the relationship between the two scenes, or moments, or bits of dialogue. I found out the hard way that some people in the process engaged right away with the subtext of scenes, while others completely missed the point. This isn't because they're stupid or illiterate but because they're focused on one piece of the script. Or they have no time to really digest the movie. Or they forget why something was described a certain way, or said with certain words. What I learned on those first studio films is how helpful it is for non-writers to occasionally have in the script lines like, "This is the big turning point for this character. Where she stops running and starts fighting back." That kind of line rankles me in a spec script, but when dealing with a dozen departments and maybe a studio exec or director with ADD, you can end up with a scene shot very differently from the subtext you as the writer wanted to express all because you were too subtle for some people. When on a work-for-hire now, I am much more aware that I am writing for someone else to understand it, and so my first question when working closely with a studio exec, producer, or director is, "What is your favorite script you read in the last X years? And can I see it?" Then I can tell what kind of writing engages them. Do they need someone screaming at them in all caps when something important happens? Do they want tons of white space for a quick read? Do they like a lot of fourth-wall breaking narrative? What do I need to know about their reading habits so I can deliver a script that will express my intention?