![\"Aaron](\"http:\/\/monsterpictures.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Aaron-Sterns-author-shot2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h1>\nToe curler: An interview with Wolf Creek 2 writer, Aaron Sterns<\/h1>\n
by Marcey Papandrea, July 2 2014<\/p>\n
Aaron Sterns is an interesting guy. He co-wrote Wolf Creek 2<\/em> with director Greg McLean and was responsible for the very first Wolf Creek<\/em> prequel novel, Origin: Wolf Creek, Book 1<\/em>. Both projects take a hard look at Wolf Creek<\/em>\u2018s deranged hero, bushman Mick Taylor, and create a causal link between a young jackaroo and the killer he became. In the novel, Sterns builds a figure defined by early-life trauma; in the Wolf Creek 2<\/em>, Sterns reveals just how that trauma continues to impact Taylor, letting us know that resolution of our hero\u2019s demons is unlikely.<\/p>\nSterns is a good fit for building on the Taylor legend. He is the author of several award-winning short horror stories, and the upcoming werewolf novel, Blood<\/em>. He spent time as a lecturer in Gothic and Subversive Fiction, edited the Journal of Australian Horror Writers<\/em>, and is a PhD student in postmodern horror. The most fun a writer can have, Sterns says, is in creating the backstory for frightening figures like Taylor, and the author was in his element during the writing of the Wolf Creek<\/em> novel. The new film, in turn, allowed Sterns to enter into far murkier territory, upping the ante in Taylor-derived devastation. Sterns\u2019 scenes, at times, were of the sort even he was surprised to see onscreen.<\/p>\nSterns is currently working on another novel, a number of screenplays, and a film version of Blood<\/em>. Monster<\/strong> caught up with the Sterns to discuss the novel, available now through Penguin Books, and the sequel, which is on DVD and BluRay through Roadshow.<\/p>\nMONSTER<\/strong>: How did you get involved with co-writing Wolf Creek 2<\/em>?<\/p>\nSTERNS<\/strong>: Greg and I shared an office in Fitzroy (Melbourne) in our early days. We\u2019d trade scripts back and forth for comment, including his script that became Wolf Creek<\/em>. I even had a cameo in that film. We bandied around sequel ideas after its filming, until hitting upon something we thought was innovative and \u2018big\u2019 enough to warrant the sequel. Given my interest and experience in the horror field, even then, Greg said: Great, go off and write it. We\u2019ve been developing the script since, until Greg had the opportunity to return to Mick\u2019s world and we secured the funding to finally shoot it.<\/p>\nMONSTER<\/strong>: From script to screen, how different if at all, did the film turn out? Was everything in the script in the film?<\/p>\nSTERNS<\/strong>: Well, as with any script there\u2019s an incredible amount of changes along the way. Amazingly the structure of the film \u2014 and its central idea \u2014 is still the same as it is in my initial treatment and first draft. We set the film up as being about a backpacking couple, only for this to be playing with audience expectations, and for it to really be about an encroaching character. I was channeling Psycho<\/em> in this. A lot of cosmetic stuff has changed along the way \u2014 dialogue, particular scenes and how they play out, and the opening and ending went through endless variations. And, of course, there were dialogue changes in rehearsal. Even on set with John adlibbing and playing around with lines. But it\u2019s quite faithful to the shooting script. And I\u2019m actually surprised some of the more extreme moments (that were excised from the Australian theatrical release, but can be seen in all their glory on the Blu-Ray version) were ever filmed.<\/p>\nMONSTER<\/strong>: Was it frustrating to know the film was cut for theatrical release?<\/p>\nSTERNS<\/strong>: I\u2019d been telling everyone all along how there were scenes in this film that\u2019d make your toes curl. That\u2019s why they brought a horror writer in, after all! Then a month or so before release, it became evident the film would be getting an MA release. I was assured at the time the DVD would be uncut, so at least I could fall back on that. However, it has to be said that making the film a little more palatable also opened it out to a much wider audience. Roadshow backed it in a big way, even putting up billboards and buying TV spots. How many Australian horror films get that? And the film justified it with its box office, becoming the number one film in the country its first week, which is almost unheard of for local horror.<\/p>\nMONSTER<\/strong>: Do you see this success helping increase awareness in the horror genre here?<\/p>\nSTERNS<\/strong>: I think the entire Australian industry\u2019s in trouble. The Babadook<\/em>, which is by all accounts a wonderful film, hasn\u2019t performed well. The Rover<\/em> \u2014 not a horror film, but another lauded locally-shot flick, actually shooting alongside us in Hawker last year \u2014 has also failed to attract numbers. There was an article in the papers recently claiming that Wolf Creek 2<\/em> had been illegally downloaded two million times already. There are arguments back and forth about piracy, in some quarters that it encourages a culture in which film and television is central, and that it complements legal, profitable avenues that still return income; in other quarters that it\u2019s destroying the low-budget and mid-tier films. I waver between the two.<\/p>\nIt took us years to get Wolf Creek 2<\/em> financed, despite its pedigree. I know that trying to get original genre works, or indeed any Australian-made films, is even harder now, if not impossible. If people realised how difficult it is to get a film financed, let alone dreaming up the idea, writing the script, getting the right actors, finding an enthusiastic director, securing sales, then maybe they might value others\u2019 work a little more.<\/p>\n
Sterns is a good fit for building on the Taylor legend. He is the author of several award-winning short horror stories, and the upcoming werewolf novel, Blood<\/em>. He spent time as a lecturer in Gothic and Subversive Fiction, edited the Journal of Australian Horror Writers<\/em>, and is a PhD student in postmodern horror. The most fun a writer can have, Sterns says, is in creating the backstory for frightening figures like Taylor, and the author was in his element during the writing of the Wolf Creek<\/em> novel. The new film, in turn, allowed Sterns to enter into far murkier territory, upping the ante in Taylor-derived devastation. Sterns\u2019 scenes, at times, were of the sort even he was surprised to see onscreen.<\/p>\n Sterns is currently working on another novel, a number of screenplays, and a film version of Blood<\/em>. Monster<\/strong> caught up with the Sterns to discuss the novel, available now through Penguin Books, and the sequel, which is on DVD and BluRay through Roadshow.<\/p>\n MONSTER<\/strong>: How did you get involved with co-writing Wolf Creek 2<\/em>?<\/p>\n STERNS<\/strong>: Greg and I shared an office in Fitzroy (Melbourne) in our early days. We\u2019d trade scripts back and forth for comment, including his script that became Wolf Creek<\/em>. I even had a cameo in that film. We bandied around sequel ideas after its filming, until hitting upon something we thought was innovative and \u2018big\u2019 enough to warrant the sequel. Given my interest and experience in the horror field, even then, Greg said: Great, go off and write it. We\u2019ve been developing the script since, until Greg had the opportunity to return to Mick\u2019s world and we secured the funding to finally shoot it.<\/p>\n MONSTER<\/strong>: From script to screen, how different if at all, did the film turn out? Was everything in the script in the film?<\/p>\n STERNS<\/strong>: Well, as with any script there\u2019s an incredible amount of changes along the way. Amazingly the structure of the film \u2014 and its central idea \u2014 is still the same as it is in my initial treatment and first draft. We set the film up as being about a backpacking couple, only for this to be playing with audience expectations, and for it to really be about an encroaching character. I was channeling Psycho<\/em> in this. A lot of cosmetic stuff has changed along the way \u2014 dialogue, particular scenes and how they play out, and the opening and ending went through endless variations. And, of course, there were dialogue changes in rehearsal. Even on set with John adlibbing and playing around with lines. But it\u2019s quite faithful to the shooting script. And I\u2019m actually surprised some of the more extreme moments (that were excised from the Australian theatrical release, but can be seen in all their glory on the Blu-Ray version) were ever filmed.<\/p>\n MONSTER<\/strong>: Was it frustrating to know the film was cut for theatrical release?<\/p>\n STERNS<\/strong>: I\u2019d been telling everyone all along how there were scenes in this film that\u2019d make your toes curl. That\u2019s why they brought a horror writer in, after all! Then a month or so before release, it became evident the film would be getting an MA release. I was assured at the time the DVD would be uncut, so at least I could fall back on that. However, it has to be said that making the film a little more palatable also opened it out to a much wider audience. Roadshow backed it in a big way, even putting up billboards and buying TV spots. How many Australian horror films get that? And the film justified it with its box office, becoming the number one film in the country its first week, which is almost unheard of for local horror.<\/p>\n MONSTER<\/strong>: Do you see this success helping increase awareness in the horror genre here?<\/p>\n STERNS<\/strong>: I think the entire Australian industry\u2019s in trouble. The Babadook<\/em>, which is by all accounts a wonderful film, hasn\u2019t performed well. The Rover<\/em> \u2014 not a horror film, but another lauded locally-shot flick, actually shooting alongside us in Hawker last year \u2014 has also failed to attract numbers. There was an article in the papers recently claiming that Wolf Creek 2<\/em> had been illegally downloaded two million times already. There are arguments back and forth about piracy, in some quarters that it encourages a culture in which film and television is central, and that it complements legal, profitable avenues that still return income; in other quarters that it\u2019s destroying the low-budget and mid-tier films. I waver between the two.<\/p>\n It took us years to get Wolf Creek 2<\/em> financed, despite its pedigree. I know that trying to get original genre works, or indeed any Australian-made films, is even harder now, if not impossible. If people realised how difficult it is to get a film financed, let alone dreaming up the idea, writing the script, getting the right actors, finding an enthusiastic director, securing sales, then maybe they might value others\u2019 work a little more.<\/p>\n
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