He performed the Screwdriver Zombie in George A. Romero’s Daybreak of the Lifeless, composed the marvelous music for Creepshow and Day of the Lifeless, directed Tales from the Darkside: The Film in addition to eight episodes of the TV sequence (together with an episode written by Stephen King), helmed 2009’s Guide of Blood movie primarily based on Clive Barker’s brief tales, and directed the 2000 Dune miniseries earlier than occurring to govt produce the newest two movies primarily based on Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi ebook sequence. Suffice it to say that John Harrison has had a formidable and eclectic profession within the realms of movie and tv, collaborating with legendary creators whereas including his personal distinctive imaginative and prescient to horror and sci-fi initiatives which have thrilled, chilled, and impressed viewers for many years.
Harrison’s prolific artistic spark is as lively as ever within the 2020s. Along with staying busy behind the digital camera as a director on exhibits comparable to Creepshow, Harrison can be conjuring new cinematic tales on the keyboard as an creator. His newest novel, Residue: Paramentals Rising, takes readers again into the world of his 2015 Netflix miniseries Residue, this time following twenty-three-year-old Miki Preston as she searches for her lacking sister within the lethal Quarantine Zone of a devastated metropolis.
With Residue: Paramentals Rising now accessible as a hardcover, paperback, and eBook from WordFire Press, Day by day Lifeless had the nice pleasure of catching up with John Harrison in a brand new Q&A function to debate persevering with the story of Residue in his new ebook (which he had begun earlier than engaged on the miniseries), creating an intriguing solid of characters from all walks of life for readers to comply with, and diving into the inside worlds of his characters by exploring parts of psychological horror in addition to the outside threats that they face. Harrison additionally mirrored on his unbelievable profession, together with fond recollections of working with George A. Romero, collaborating with Clive Barker, and persevering with to assist usher new variations of Frank Herbert’s books to the display screen!
You’ll be able to learn our full Q&A with John Harrison beneath, and to be taught extra about Residue: Paramentals Rising and different initiatives that Harrison is engaged on, make sure to go to:
Thanks for taking the time to reply questions for us, John, and congratulations in your new novel, Residue: Paramentals Rising, which follows the occasions of your 2015 Netflix miniseries Residue. When did you initially resolve to proceed the story of Residue with a ebook, and did you already know the place the story was heading out of your time engaged on the miniseries?
John Harrison: In actual fact, the saga of Residue started with the novel. I had written a great portion of it once I pitched the idea to the producers at Matador Footage in London for whom I’d written and directed an adaptation of Clive Barker’s Books of Blood. They requested me if I may develop an “origin” or “backstory” for the narrative of my novel, which we may presumably adapt as a web-series. After numerous incarnations, we settled on the three-episode miniseries that ended up on Netflix and which additionally had a short theatrical run as a full-length film within the UK. It’s the story of Miki Preston’s sister, Jennifer, who goes lacking after pursuing the conspiracy that will (or could not) have led to the Paramental plague haunting town. My novel continues the story of Miki arriving within the metropolis to seek for Jennifer, and the risks she faces all through.
Following twenty-three-year-old Miki Preston on a quest to seek out her lacking sister in a ravaged place referred to as the Quarantine Zone, Residue: Paramentals Rising brings collectively an eclectic set of characters on Miki’s lethal journey. How necessary was it so that you can create relatable and fascinating characters from all walks of life for readers to comply with on this story?
John Harrison: I wanted a broad solid of characters to be able to construct out the world of Residue in all its complexity, and discover the complete horror of what had occurred to town. There’s the thriller that Miki is pursuing about her sister, however there may be additionally the Paramental plague and what prompted it. There’s additionally the thriller of who prompted the catastrophic explosion that resulted within the Quarantine. And there may be the conspiracy of secret/rogue authorities companies which are masking up forgotten psychological experiments that will have been accountable. And eventually, there may be the Quarantine Zone itself and the risks lurking there. Every of those “worlds” wanted characters who may make the story actual. That meant individuals from “all walks of life,” every together with his or her personal anxieties, fears, and motivations. It was nice enjoyable inventing them, after which attempting to ascertain how they might finally intersect.
What was it like so that you can revisit the world of Residue years after bringing it to life on display screen? Did you discover it creatively releasing to additional flesh out this world on the web page?
John Harrison: As I discussed earlier than, the novel is just not a lot revisiting the world of Residue as persevering with the work I had already began earlier than I took a detour into creating the Netflix miniseries. Nevertheless, it was actually useful to totally flesh out the backstory of Jennifer Preston’s disappearance, in order that once I went again to hold on with the novel, I now had a whole narrative of what had led as much as every part I used to be creating within the novel. And, sure, it was releasing to delve deeper into the inside worlds of those characters, which is one thing one can do extra of in a novel.
Roughly how lengthy did it take you to put in writing Residue: Paramentals Rising, and do you have got a writing routine in your day-to-day schedule?
John Harrison: It took me the higher a part of a yr to complete Paramentals Rising as soon as I returned to it. I had a number of different initiatives that needed to be juggled on the identical time, together with my novel, Passing By way of Veils, for which I already had a dedication from WordFire Press and needed to end.
As to my writing habits, I’m normally at my desk within the morning quickly after I stand up, which is early. Some like to put in writing within the quiet and desolation of late night time, however I discover mornings are the perfect time for me creatively. Since I’m on the East Coast of the US, the “enterprise” of the day, principally from LA, doesn’t get began till later due to the time change. So I’ve some quiet time earlier than the shit hits the fan. Additionally, no matter has been percolating within the evenings and once I’m sleeping appears to have extra readability early. I spend a lot of the morning, three to 4 hours, working away, after which I cease. Within the afternoons I’ll come again to it and do some modifying, revising, or simply depart it alone till the following day.
Do you have got any favourite books, brief tales, or movies that influenced or impressed you whereas writing Residue: Paramentals Rising?
John Harrison: I learn a terrific deal, so I’m undecided I can level to any specific books that immediately impressed Residue. My tastes are fairly eclectic, and I by no means hunt down authors or tales that could be much like no matter I’m engaged on. Nevertheless, I did re-read Steve King’s The Shining and his Mr. Mercedes trilogy whereas I used to be engaged on Residue. Imagine it or not, a number of the most influential books on me whereas I used to be writing it had been ones seemingly unrelated to its style or type. John Le Carré involves thoughts. (If you happen to learn Residue, you’ll see the affect.) I additionally re-read a splendidly advanced and violent novel by Trevanian known as Shibumi. One in all my all-time favs. Issues seep into one’s creativeness from all instructions.
If given the chance, would you prefer to make a miniseries or film primarily based on Residue: Paramentals Rising?
John Harrison: Are you kidding me? Inform me when and the place I can get began.
What has it been prefer to work with the crew at WordFire Press to assist carry Residue: Paramentals Rising to life?
John Harrison: I can’t say sufficient about Kevin Anderson and his crew at WordFire. Extremely supportive and really sensible. I’ve recognized Kevin since I wrote and directed the Dune miniseries some years in the past. He’s a gifted author, after all, so our conversations, and his modifying, are all the time productive. And the eye his crew, particularly Marie Whittaker, extends to authors makes the entire publishing expertise actually nice.
Finally, what do you hope readers take away from Residue: Paramentals Rising?
John Harrison: I’m a fan of psychological horror. So I wished the world of Residue to discover each the person and the collective expertise of the upheaval that happens throughout that story. I believe the character of Ominosity places it finest in her weblog: “There are monsters amongst us. There have all the time been monsters amongst us. However essentially the most harmful monster of all often is the one inside us.”
Do you have got any plans to put in writing a sequel to Residue: Paramentals Rising?
John Harrison: Sure, I’ve all the time envisioned the Residue world as a trilogy. Keep tuned.
You’ve written many screenplays and teleplays all through your profession, together with episodes of Tales from the Darkside, Tales from the Crypt, and Creepshow, in addition to being a co-writer on certainly one of my favourite animated movies, Dinosaur. How does writing for the display screen examine to writing a novel, and do you have got a private favourite type of storytelling?
John Harrison: Writing for the display screen is a completely completely different course of, after all. Merely put, one has to put in writing visually and palpably for the display screen, whereas in a novel or brief story one is free to discover the inside worlds of characters extra deeply. In writing for the display screen, I’ve to suppose extra imagermatically than narratively. Footage should drive the story. In a novel, I can discover the thoughts extra dramatically.
However I’m a storyteller, so I’m completely satisfied to work in no matter medium permits me to finest discover the actual narrative I’m growing. I’m simply fortunate I’ve been in a position to make movies, write novels and brief tales, and compose music. They’re all storytelling alternatives to me.
Along with directing eight episodes of Tales from the Darkside (together with “Sorry, Proper Quantity,” written by Stephen King), you additionally directed Tales from the Darkside: The Film, certainly one of my favourite anthology movies. Wanting again, what do you keep in mind essentially the most fondly about directing that movie?
John Harrison: Tales from The Darkside was my first feature-length movie, and I beloved each minute of the expertise. I labored with George Romero on Creepshow and written and directed a number of episodes of the Darkside TV sequence earlier than we did the Paramount movie, so I used to be accustomed to, and actually loved, the anthology format. It gave me freedom to discover completely different types in a single movie. And since I had nice help from my producer, Richard Rubinstein, and an unbelievable crew, notably my cinematographer, Rob Draper, and my editor, Harry Miller, (each longtime collaborators on so a lot of my initiatives), that film turned out nice. And it’s nonetheless standard some 35 years later. Yikes! Oh, and did I point out the unbelievable solid we assembled? A dream come true.
It lately would have been the birthday of the late, nice George A. Romero, whom you labored with many occasions all through your profession, together with showing in Daybreak of the Lifeless and Knightriders and composing the fantastic music for Day of the Lifeless and the primary Creepshow Do you have got any favourite recollections from working with George?
John Harrison: In addition to being an expensive buddy till he died, George was my artistic mentor. It’s arduous to delineate all of the methods by which he influenced me. However I can say the alternatives he gave me to be by his aspect day by day whereas making Creepshow and Day of the Lifeless, or whereas composing the music for these movies, for all of the hours we spent growing new concepts or simply sitting round bullshitting about motion pictures whereas ending bottles of Scotch and laughing our asses off, have left indelible marks on my artistic soul.
You directed and co-wrote Guide of Blood, primarily based on Clive Barker’s influential Books of Blood brief tales. What was it prefer to adapt the written works from one of the imaginative and boldly artistic masters of horror?
John Harrison: I had labored with Clive as soon as earlier than once I tailored the primary two of his Abarat novels for Disney. Sadly we may by no means get these off the bottom, however the collaborative expertise was terrific. He had truly informed the story first by way of his work, that are extraordinary. I had these to information me. So I used to be flattered and honored that he allowed me to adapt the “framing” tales of his BoB sequence for my movie. Like every adaptation, sure changes must be made, however once more, it was a terrific collaboration, and since his writing is so visceral, it was a pleasure for me to seek out methods to translate it into movie. We had an exquisite manufacturing within the UK. I simply want our timing had been higher with the discharge. It didn’t get the publicity it deserved.
From directing and writing the 2000 Dune miniseries and writing the 2003 Youngsters of Dune miniseries to govt producing the 2 current Dune motion pictures and co-executive producing the Dune: Prophecy TV sequence, you’ve performed a significant function in adapting Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novels over time. What do you’re keen on essentially the most about adapting Herbert’s books for the display screen, and why do you suppose his tales have resonated with generations of readers and viewers?
John Harrison: The genius of Herbert’s books, in addition to the plain world-building which is completely distinctive, is the way in which he comprehends human nature. I believe that’s its timeless high quality which, like all nice tales, resonates with persevering with generations. And although the world of Dune is roughly ten thousand years in our future, it resembles at the moment. After I pitched my model to the producers, I didn’t name it science fiction. To me, it was Shakespearean in construction and common in its themes. It was not about {hardware}, or house opera, it was concerning the human situation, and a galaxy of competing ethnicities, religions, enterprise rivalries, and political ideologies. Sound acquainted? I’m glad the worldwide success of our miniseries allowed of us twenty-some years later to imagine Herbert’s epic could possibly be tailored efficiently for the massive display screen. Fortunately, it landed within the lap of Denis Villeneuve.
What recommendation would you give to writers who’re simply getting began?
John Harrison: Learn! As Steve King says, “you possibly can’t be a great author until you’re a great reader.” Moreover, learn every part. Don’t stick to at least one style or type. You don’t must know or keep in mind the weather that may affect you afterward. Simply soak them up like a sponge and marvel at what they do to you later.
With Residue: Paramentals Rising now accessible from WordFire Press, do you have got another initiatives developing that you would be able to tease?
John Harrison: I’ve completed a brand new novel, one other suspense/horror thriller, which my agent is at present out with. And I’ve simply completed a TV pilot for producer Dean Devlin and his Electrical Leisure. Type of a high-tech thriller sequence primarily based on a film I wrote and directed for him just a few years in the past. And I’ve a brand new podcast I’m growing, John Harrison’s Sinister Tales, an anthology of creepy brief tales, informed by way of first-person narration, with music and sound results. Hopefully accessible later this yr. Very enthusiastic about this one.
Extra on all these to come back.
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Residue: Paramentals Rising: “Out there on 2/11 from Wordfire Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others
https://wordfirepress.com/merchandise/residue-paramentals-rising
A darkish psychic stain left on a devastated metropolis.
A darkish stain on the souls of the survivors.
A darkish stain that may solely be glad by violence and blood.
RESIDUE
A disgruntled bus driver turns his automobile right into a weapon of mass homicide within the crowded rush hour streets.
An impatient buyer turns a comfort retailer right into a massacre.
RESIDUE
Within the aftermath of a catastrophic New Yr’s Eve explosion within the coronary heart of town, Miki Preston embarks upon a treacherous odyssey into the devastated space referred to as the Quarantine Zone seeking her well-known photojournalist sister, Jennifer, who has mysteriously disappeared.
With solely the assistance of a disgraced former murder detective, a cagey teenage avenue dodger, and a set of provocative pictures her sister left behind, Miki will come head to head with the manifestations of malevolent psychic power known as Paramentals—and the sinister conspiracy that created them.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR JOHN HARRISON’S RESIDUE: PARAMENTALS RISING
“Harrison’s fiction lingers lengthy after you flip the ultimate web page. He is a born storyteller.” – CLIVE BARKER, New York Instances Finest Promoting Writer
“RESIDUE is an eerie supernatural suspense story with actual psychological terror. Razor-sharp writing crammed with particulars that may stick with you lengthy after you end studying.” – KEVIN J. ANDERSON, New York Instances bestselling creator of the Dan Shamble, Sisterhood, The Dune Prophecy
“John Harrison’s RESIDUE leaves an indelible mark on the thoughts of the reader. Darkish, disturbing and compelling. Extremely beneficial, however not for the faint of coronary heart.” – JONATHAN MABERRY, NY Instances bestselling creator of V-WARS and GLIMPSE
John Harrison Bio
Author, director, composer, John Harrison, started his profession collaborating with famed horror director, George Romero. He has since written and directed a number of TV episodes for a wide range of networks in addition to world premiere TV motion pictures and miniseries, together with the 2 Emmy-winning miniseries variations of Frank Herbert’s Dune and Youngsters of Dune, which he wrote, directed and co-produced. He’s an Government Producer of the present large display screen adaptation of Dune for Legendary Footage. His first function size movie, Tales From The Darkside: The Film for Paramount Footage gained Harrison the Grand Prix du Pageant at Avoriaz, France. He co-wrote the Disney animated function, Dinosaur, and wrote and directed the theatrical adaptation of Clive Barker’s Guide of Blood. He’s at present growing the TV sequence, Clean Slate for producer Dean Devlin and Electrical Leisure. His psychological thriller, Passing By way of Veils, was revealed by WordFire Press, August 2023. His newest novel, Residue: Paramentals Rising, will likely be revealed by WordFire Press, February 2025.”
