Script : Human Game 3 : The Revelation
Writer : Nathan Waire aka Nathan Zen Sapien
Nathan Waire aka Nathan Zen Sapien is a filmmaker and screenwriter who uses Bipoc cast and crew for his film projects. He has worked with children and animals in my projects and plan on doing so again in the future.
1.First of all, can you tell us something about the title? When the word game is associated with the word human do you believe it adds to the futility of mortals, the triviality of existence?
Personally, I believe that our existence is immortal due to our soul’s/spirit’s connection to The Eternal Life Source being one with the Universe. So our finite mortal forms and all their limits should be explored in the arts which I do through writing. Human Game is more of a reference to this futility and lack of this mortal form. Just like the hunter has his/her game to hunt so initially the prey was humanity despite our eternal spiritual connection and the “seemingly existential” lack of perception and vision in this Earthly world.
2. It would be great if you could recommend movies and tell us who your favorite filmmakers are?
The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyssey from Stanley Kubrick first come to mind as favorites. Then you have to look at Akira Kurosawa’s work as a whole to really get a feeling of what I like. Also, not to exclude living filmmakers, like Spielberg with the exception of only a few of his pieces do I find the majority of his work enticing.
3. The setting of the movie (moonlit night, Victorian house) suggests a gothic backdrop found in the stories of Anne Radcliffe and Horace Walpole. Can you tell us something about the setting and how it plays an active role in the narrative?
You always want to keep a suspense-type story dark to pull in the viewer. So they don’t have a clear idea of what is happening until you expose the reveal. In HG3, I wanted the audience to have a sense of foreboding because the images that were being revealed were so disturbing in nature.
4. The eerie atmosphere and the sequence of events resemble a structure frequently located in the tales of David Lynch. Have movies like Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire inspired you while writing the script?
Writing the script was interesting because everyday I would write only a few pages and then rest. David Lynch is phenomenal!!! From his tv series Twin Peaks to his self-proclaimed failure Dune, I find great inspiration from these series yet never thought of them while writing. Generally, I let “the muse” talk and inspire me to write in my own direction/feeling.
5. Tell us how you devised the action sequences, specifically the one between Clifton, Virgil and Tyler. How do you see the scene happening on the screen?
Lots of cuts always!!! LOL!! If I film it myself this is the only answer to save on costs.
6. What would be the genre of the film? Action/Drama, Thriller, Horror?
As there are common elements present in the script. My writing style never really sticks to one genre, in fact, in the HB Gibson Podcast there was a brief moment when HB Gibson and I argued over what my writing style was. He came to the conclusion that I am a suspense writer. I can’t really argue with him over that.
7. According to you, who is Morgan? How would you describe her in a sentence or two?
The Morgan character initially didn’t exist in the Human Game series but I met a talented actress by the name of Morgan Hope and was impressed by the work that we had done in a previous film so I created a character for her with the same name. Rare for a director/writer to do such a thing for an unknown but despite the endless complexities and possibilities of a psychic I think the character turned out well
8. There are a couple of scenes where the fourth wall has been broken. What was the motif behind inserting a voyeuristic gaze through the perspective of the audience?
Ferris Bueller!!! In the original Human Game and its sequel, Clifton Gerrard’s character talks to the audience to explain why he was doing such devious things. He was an antihero who carried the story while staying on the good side of the viewer. The show was actually created before the tv series Dexter (which has a serial killer working on the side of the law) and broke away from the stereotypes of all African-Americans being thugs or gangbangers. He was a methodical killer with a pension for doing good.
9. The ending suggests a tone of satisfaction as Tyler is seen paying for his sins, creating a cathartic moment automatically. How would you describe the development of the arc of your narrative?
Well, I knew there had to be a deeper, more sinister character in order to justify the erroneous behavior of the two male protagonists and when a professional bodybuilder agreed to play a character in my script I took a chance and instead of merely having him in one scene why not write him into the story. I knew that I was going to write in another “villain” later in the script but when the actor is 6 ‘5 “ and 350 plus lbs the character’s abilities have to change with what is being offered.
10. In the script multiple events have been simultaneously described. Was there a specific intention behind this?
Once again to keep the reader’s and the viewing audience’s attention. Too often situations are thrown out just as filler but that can be annoying to someone who has seen it all before so I wanted to create situations that would show the intricacies of the mind and how thoughts and actions can occur at the same time on different levels of awareness.
