Hi Reader,

I’m back from Europe, feeling refreshed, inspired, and ready to get back to work! And to be honest, the timing is pretty perfect, because my latest project is moving fast.

It’s a supernatural short film called Room 309, based on an award-winning script I first wrote years ago and have since updated.

The story is set in the 1930s and follows a weary traveler who stops for the night at a swanky hotel. But in true genre form, things are not quite what they seem. The hotel has secrets - dark ones - and our hero might not see morning.

The fun part is starting

That’s about as much as I can say for now, other than the pieces are already falling into place - from a real historic hotel to vintage cars, period costumes, set design, props, casting, and the crew that will help bring it all to life.

And because it’s a period piece, every detail matters. The clothes, the cars, the furniture, the lighting... Even the way a room feels.

That’s one of the things I love about genre films. You get to build a world, but you still need that world to feel real.

Travel gave me a creative reset

My recent trip inspired me. Being surrounded by real history gave me fresh ideas for creating fictional history on film.

Walking through old buildings and streets, taking in ancient art and architecture, and feeling it instead of just seeing it has a way of waking up your imagination.

You start thinking: Who stood here before me? What happened in this place? What mysteries are still trapped behind that door?

But it's more than that. Just getting away from the normal day-to-day routine helped too.

Let's face it, writers spend so much time thinking, planning, rewriting, second-guessing, and trying to solve story problems. Sometimes the best thing you can do is get away from all of it for a while.

A real break can force a hard reset.

The more you can step outside your usual world and just be somewhere new, the more your mind starts to rest. And strangely enough, once it rests, it starts finding ideas everywhere - in the sights, the sounds, the people, and especially the history.

The little details you would never notice at home. It's funny how that’s often where the good stuff comes from.

And now… we move fast

Our casting process is underway right now. And believe it or not, we have a filming start date in about a month.

That's a very short window. But it’s what we had to commit to in order to secure some important funding for the project. So things are moving quickly.

There’s a lot to do between now and then, but that’s also part of the excitement. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more of the process as Room 309 comes together - the wins, the problems, the decisions, the last-minute changes... All the strange little things that happen when you take a script and turn it into a finished movie.

So stay tuned! I’m looking forward to bringing you along for the ride and giving you a first-hand look at what it's like to be the writer-director on a genre short film.

And yes, I’m still open for business

Even with the film ramping up, I’m still available for screenplay coverage, feedback, and mentoring.

So if you’ve got a script that needs another set of eyes, a story problem you can’t quite solve, or a project that needs stronger character, dialogue, pacing, or structure, I’d be happy to help.

Sometimes all it takes is the right feedback at the right time to get a project moving again!

👉 My coaching calls - great for brainstorming, outlining, character work, and solving story problems early: Book Your Session today!​

Book Your Coaching Call Here!

👉 My coverage packages - a great next step if you need meaningful developmental feedback before diving back into the draft: Click here!​

Click Here for Coverage!

👉 Rewrite to Greenlight - my ongoing developmental editing program for taking a script from almost there to funding or production-ready: Click here!​

Book a Free Strategy Call Today!

Until next time - keep writing, and stay creative!

Neil

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P.S. Check out my feature film, Spin the Wheel - out now on Tubi!

Click here to watch for FREE: https://tubitv.com/movies/100030151/spin-the-wheel​

And see my latest feature, Contamination, now on Amazon, AppleTV, Fandango, and Hoopla!

Learn more about storytelling, screenwriting, and filmmaking:​ www.neilchasefilm.com.

Looking for in-depth help with your script, story or film? Check out my one-on-one coaching services here.

Check out my Gothic horror-western novel, Iron Dogs, available in eBook, print, and audiobook.

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