DIRK WOICIECH =[ STORY/SCREENPLAY >
Dirk Woiciech developed
and wrote the screenplay for 'Evil Knights'.
Dirk Woiciech: "The producer Ingo
Trendelbernd wanted to produce a feature-length horror
film and was still looking for the right idea. Gerd
Richter provided an exposé for a story titled 'Deadly
Forrest' - a backwood slasher in the style of 80s horror
movies such as 'Friday 13th', 'Sleepaway Camp' or 'The Burning'.
Ingo Trendelbernd asked for one condition to be met - the
movie should include knights."
After a few meetings Dirk Woiciech wrote a first version
of the screenplay based on the 1 ½ pages exposé by Gerd
Richter. The first version with the title 'Deadly Forrest
Screamin`' then turned into 'Evil Knights'.
Dirk Woiciech: The producer wanted a dashing title reminiscent
of role models like 'Evil Dead' and 'Demon Knight'."
Dirk Woiciech wrote the story about the demonic knights
with a lot of love for the genre and many homages and insider
gags that are a bow to the milestones of the genre. Now
the story wasn't meant to merely copy, but to contain new,
'fresh' elements.
Dirk Woiciech: "On a Rome journey I visited the treasure
vault of the Vatican. A lot of treasures and relics of the
church were stored there. Innumerous bone fragments of saints
and other well-known personalities were exhibited.
I asked myself whether the Vatican was really exhibiting
everything. 'What if Jesus had not ascended to heaven and
the Vatican was hiding his remains???' - that was the pivotal
question that inspired the motif of the knights in 'Evil
Knights'."
Dirk Woiciech wanted to become a director since age seven.
Ever since he had seen the Jack Arnold series that was on
German TV channel WDR in 1983 his choice of profession was
clear.
After movies like 'Tarantula' and 'It Came from Outer Space'
had aired, director Arnold came on the screen, talking about
the shoot. "That's what I want to do, too", little Dirk
said to himself and stuck to his plan ever since.
Throughout the years he acquired a tremendous knowledge
about film and television. The biggest influences on this
journey likely were, besides the Arnold films, John Carpenter's
'The Fog', Miller's 'Mad Max' and Hawk's production of 'The
Thing'.
Today, Dario Argento is Dirk's acknowledged role model and
his favorite movie 'Suspiria'.
In 1995 he resumed studies at the Media College in 'audiovisual
media' and graduated with a diploma in 2000. During this
time the short films 'Mission Omega' and 'Evil Love' came
into existence and were released on the DVD compilation
Torsil
Ultra - The Attack of the One Foot Killersocks.
Dirk Woiciech: "Since my graduation I tried to get my foot
in the door in the industry which wasn't that easy. Often
enough I had to listen to claims that student films would
not qualify as reference projects. Even though these movies
were written, set in scene and produced by myself, my 'experience'
in filmmaking was being disputed. Other students who had
won 'awards' found it easier to make their way."
During the last years screenplays were written, concepts
and ideas developed with which Dirk Woiciech traveled throughout
Germany.
Dirk Woiciech: "Rejection and closed doors were the order
of the day - you weren't taken seriously by the 'professionals'.
That's why I also accepted internships in professional productions
(e.g. 'Family Circles' by Teamworkx), just to figure out:
the 'professionals' are only human after all.
These productions are produced and set in scene exactly
like student films. Only difference: more money."
At the end of 2002 the turnaround came. Dirk Woiciech, together
with Sven Schaller, shot the documentary 'Querkopf - Ein
Ausweg mit Zukunft' ('Awkward Customer - A Way Out With
Future'), about a Cologne newspaper for homeless people,
which was his second documentary work next to 'Scato - Nachrichten
aus dem Mittelalter' ('Scato - News from the Middle Ages'),
a short film about 'live role players'.
In 2003 Dirk Woiciech managed to find a production company
for the children's adventure movie 'Die Teufelsklippen'
('The Devil's Cliffs'). The Dortmund film company is currently
working on the financing for this feature film project.
With 'Ein Hase in der Metro' ('A Bunny In the Metro') Dirk
Woiciech also developed the concept for a TV children's
series on behalf of a Cologne production company.
In summer 2003 the first feature film screenplay of Dirk
Woiciech was adapted for the screen: 'Evil Knights'. The
author also supported the project with his experience, his
training and assisted the director and the production.
Dirk Woiciech: "The three weeks of shooting were exhausting
- but makeable. In 20 shooting days a feature film was shot,
that doesn't need to fear the competition of other independent
and also comparable TV productions.
During the shoot for 'Evil Knights' the producer Ingo Trendelbernd
developed an idea for a 'no budget' project loosely based
on the rape & revenge thriller 'Blood Angel'. Dirk Woiciech
wrote, under a pseudonym, in two weeks, the screenplay to
'Blood Angel 2' which was shot in Fall 2003 in nine days
of shooting.
In 2004 two movies based on screenplays by Dirk Woiciech
will be released. The next one is already being worked on:
'Dirty War' (WT) is meant to shoot in 2005 and is an action
thriller in the style of the Italian cop movies of the 70s
and 80s.
In 2005, Dirk directed part of Lee/Leroc's horror/comedy
feature 'The Unbelievable Terror'.
At the moment Dirk is also working on the execution of his
dream project, which he would also like to direct - a horror
film, of course.
About the book for 'Evil Knights', the author said the following:
"I didn't want the characters to be interchangeable and
merely serving as canon fodder. The characters in 'Evil
Knights' all have their individual features and characteristics.
When some of the characters 'kick the bucket' it will hurt
also the audience that has become accustomed to the characters
and feels for them.
I think, we didn't re-invent the genre with this film, but
we provide thrilling entertainment for all horror fans and
those who want to become such.
All involved in this project - cast and crew - have demonstrated
what is possible with little money and a lot of enthusiasm.
With this project up and comers were found of whom the 'established'
ones should be afraid."
One can get in touch with Dirk Woiciech via his Homepage
www.woiciech.de.
