Bringing A New Meaning To High Stakes Drag: Talking ‘Slay’ With Writer-Director, Jem Garrard

There’s nothing like vampires to make a bad gig worse. Drag Race alums, Trinity the Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Crystal Methyd, and Cara Melle (the latter of whom competed on Drag Race UK) are about to find that out the hard way in Jem Garrard’s new movie, Slay. For more on what to expect (besides glitter and fangs), check out this interview with writer-director, Garrard, below:

Rachel Bellwoar: How big of a fan of vampires are you, and why subject drag queens to them?

Jem Garrard: I’ve loved vampire movies since I was nine years old, shipping Lestat and Louis before I knew what shipping was. Slay was born from my love of all things drag, and my love of horror. I wanted to write a horror comedy with drag queens and queers as the heroes and vampires felt like the perfect villain, they’re the quintessential baddies, thirsting for blood, and it felt like a cheeky nod to the real-world challenges drag culture and the queer community face.

Bellwoar: Every vampire film and TV show has its own rules. What was it like getting to pick and choose which ones to adhere to?

Garrard: Creating our own lore was a lot of fun. I didn’t want a lot of dead bodies on the floor so borrowing the whole ‘vamps turning to dust’ thing from Buffy was a perfect fix. Slay is a love letter to all my favourites – Buffy, From Dusk Till Dawn, Blade, The Lost Boys. I sprinkled vampy pop culture nods throughout the film. Keep an eye out for a wig that pays homage to Gary Oldman’s iconic look in Dracula.

Bellwoar: Had you written the script before casting or did you create the House of Sue Flay with the casts’ drag personas in mind?

Garrard: I wrote the script first, but from the get-go I wanted to create four distinct queens, each with their own Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent they could bring to the House of Sue Flay. I’m a huge fan of drag queens so casting was such a fun process. We considered not just who we loved watching perform but how their unique energies and comedic timings would mesh together on screen.The cast we got were absolutely phenomenal. Their rapport with each other was something you can’t manufacture, it was genuine, and it brought so much life and vibrancy to the set.

Bellwoar: Was it difficult coming up with new drag names for all of the queens?

Garrard: You know, it was more difficult than I thought it would be because every time I came up with a name I loved, it was already taken by a fabulous queen out there in the world! But honestly, what a fun challenge to have, coming up with drag names is a dream job.

Bellwoar: Vampires could’ve been the drag queens’ biggest problem but where they’re performing also poses a potential threat. Why did you decide to have these events go down at The Bold Buck?

Garrard: I set the movie around the mix-up with The Bold Buck instead of The Bold Tuck for a few reasons. It was important for me to shine a light on the real-world animosity drag performers face. When the vampires swoop in, it doesn’t matter who’s who and Mama keeps hammering home this point: the queens, the queers, the locals, everyone’s on the same side when push comes to shove. We live in a world where we’re so quick to draw lines and pick sides, we’re constantly pushed into that polarization, but at the end of the day, we’re all just people trying to survive and thrive. Putting our queens in this setting meant I could show their strength and resilience from the get-got. They feel unsafe from the moment they step into the bar, that awareness is like a superpower for them, Olive notices something is up before anyone else does. This set up also allowed me to write a subplot involving a character who’s been keeping their true self hidden – no spoilers – but it brings a lot of heart to the action and gore.

Bellwoar: Given that the queens are stuck at the bar for most of the films, what was it like figuring out clever ways to stage fight sequences there (and were the neon signs already on-location or did you have to commission them)?

Garrard: I have a real love for one-location movies and bottle episodes of TV shows, writing and directing these stories push me to think outside the box, I love the challenge! I extended the action into spaces like the green room, toilets, kitchen, and basement to serve as visual palette cleansers but a significant portion of the action happens in the main bar. Trevor Calverley, my director of photography, and I constantly explored new ways to maximize the use of space and discover fresh angles. Our art department transformed an old bar into our set and custom created our hero neon signs. We also added numerous other neon elements in the background to enhance the atmosphere. Trevor and I have collaborated on multiple projects, and we share a passion for using vibrant colors in our work. This approach was especially fitting for a movie about the bold and courageous world of drag queens!

Bellwoar: Vampires can sometimes be tied with religious iconography. Did you always want to limit that in this movie?

Garrard: In an earlier version of the script, I included a scene where a church falls victim to a vampire attack, hinting at the idea that the church offers no sanctuary from these creatures. Although that scene was cut from the final script, I couldn’t resist adding a bit of irreverent humor. There’s a moment when Travis [Daniel Janks] brandishes a cross at a vampire, only to find it ineffective, leading Jax [Donia Kash] to sarcastically quip, ‘The church lied? So unlike them.’ The idea was to steer clear of allowing religion to play the hero card and give that power to our queens and queers instead.

Bellwoar: What was it like filming in Cape Town and had you been there before?

Garrard: Filming in Cape Town was an absolute dream. I had the pleasure of spending nearly all of 2019 there while shooting my show Vagrant Queen, and I just fell in love with the place. The crews, the actors, the breathtaking locations – Cape Town is incredible. There’s a wealth of talent there and I can’t wait to get back,

Bellwoar: Tubi hasn’t always been known for its original programming. How did you get involved with them?

Garrard: I got involved with Tubi through their creative exec, Josh Van Houdt. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him multiple times in the past. We collaborated on Vagrant Queen and a horror comedy called Killer High back when he was with SYFY. I love working with Josh, so when he made the move to Tubi and mentioned they were on the lookout for original horrors, I jumped at the chance to pitch Slay. I’m honored that Tubi believed in this project. Their commitment to supporting queer stories and making content accessible to everyone is something I’m really excited about. As a filmmaker, you want your work to reach as many people as possible, so the fact that Tubi offers it for free is awesome.

Bellwoar: At one point zombies come up at the end. Any chance of a sequel?

Garrard: I love that you picked up on that! Yep, introducing zombies at the end was definitely a nod towards a sequel for Slay. I’d love to continue the adventures with our queens battling different baddies in a different setting every time. Hopefully audiences want that too!

Bellwoar: I know I would! Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Jem!

Slay is streaming now on Tubi. You can also check out Vagrant Queen, a SYFY series Garrard created based on the comic book series from Vault Comics, on Tubi.