THRILLER/SUSPENSE Festival: FROZEN LIES, by Eric Lotter (interview)
New Releases
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5m 18s
When a woman discovers her new boyfriend is hiding a body in the trunk, her road trip spirals into a nightmare of buried secrets, survival instincts, and a past frozen in lies. Based on a true story.
CAST LIST
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morris
Daisy: Hannah Ehman
Patrick: Geoff Mays
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Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
Frozen Lies is a psychological thriller about Daisy Flynn, a young woman on a road trip with her boyfriend, until she discovers a body hidden in his trunk. As the investigation unfolds, she realizes she's the next target of a calculating sociopath. It's a suspenseful story of survival, manipulation, and finding the strength to escape the lies.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Frozen Lies falls primarily under psychological thriller and true-crime suspense. It has the grounded intensity of a crime drama, the claustrophobic tension of a thriller, and the unsettling atmosphere of horror. Because it's based on real events, it also carries a true-crime edge, giving it both emotional authenticity and chilling realism.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Frozen Lies should be made into a movie because it takes the intimacy of a true-crime case and transforms it into a cinematic, edge-of-your-seat experience. The story delivers both the visceral suspense of a thriller, the cooler in the trunk, the road trip gone wrong, and the emotional pull of survival as Daisy realizes she's trapped with a sociopath. It's a contained, character-driven narrative that can be produced on a modest budget while still delivering high-impact tension. Most importantly, it gives audiences not just a crime story, but a survivor's story, spotlighting resilience, the dangers of manipulation, and the razor-thin line between trust and terror.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
"Chilling Deception"
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Hand's down it is Star Wars IV A New Hope
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
This project took me about 3 months to get it where I could share it with people outside the inner circle.
7. How many stories have you written?
I have 3 completed feature scripts. 3 short scripts and 2 TV pilot scripts.
8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
The true story aspect of this screenplay comes from a 2002 double homicide case in Anne Arbor Michigan. I was a witness. I testified that the forum post (Featured in the final draft of the script) could only have been posted by the defednant.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
The biggest obstcale was getting the nerve to get started. The villian's true-life counter part was evil. I did not want to glorify the crimes. I Whne I came up with the composite surviovor in Daisy, I felt I could tell her story. It made the ick of the first half of the script eiasier to write.
The next obstacle was deciding on the structure of the story. I landed on a non-linear format with flashbacks that would drive the story. The villian is arrested in the first scene, so this was never meant to be a story about catching a killer. Daisy's story was about how she could survive one.
The podcast elements in the final draft became a challenge as I needed to make sure I was giving her her voice in truth in a cinematic way, but also keep it familiar in today's podcast/true-crime framing.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I like collecting Star Wars Helmets. I think I have spent the kid's college tuition on them. I have four dogs. Two Frenchie's and two pugs. And Travel, mostly to theme parks.
11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I was drawn to this festival based on its monthly run. Short turnaround so I could use feedback in the next draft. So far, things have worked out. I am able to incorporate notes into the next draft. I like the idea of having a scene worked into a table read. The performances were really good, and I will be sharing that scene far and wide.
I also like all of the winner options. This festival takes choices to the next level. As I write this, I am looking to see what track I am going to take. The trophy is tempting. Networking with other writers is a must!
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