Select Page

Bite Size Halloween Mini Interview: Aislinn Clarke On “Eye Exam”

Thursday, October 8, 2020 | Exclusive

All this month, 20th Digital Studio is premiering a wild selection of genre-bending short films for Halloween 2020. Ranging from horror comedy to psychological thrillers and everything in between, these films were created by a diverse group of 30 exciting new filmmakers from different countries, identities, and backgrounds. 20th Digital Studio’s continuing mission is to guide and finance the growth of these artists’ careers beyond this program, and in this weekly series, we’ll get to know the artists behind these scaretacular shorts. First up is Aislinn Clarke, whose film EYE EXAM is now screening across digital and broadcast platforms, via Freeform, FX, and Hulu’s Huluween platform hub and YouTube channel.

What draws you to the horror genre?

I’ve been a big fan of horror my whole life, having been raised by a horror-loving dad. I saw A Nightmare on Elm Street when I was 7 and I guess I’ve been hooked ever since.

Who or what are your biggest influences as a filmmaker?

I greatly admire Marianne Maddelena (producer of Scream, The People Under the Stairs, etc). Marianne is a brilliant producer and an all-round great person who I’ve been lucky to get to know in real life. I really admire her approach to work and life in general. She’s a fantastic person who has made some fantastic films too.

What do you hope viewers take away from your film?

I made this piece to be a cozy, fun, little horror. A throwback to the Rod Serling Twilight Zone era and I hope that’s what the audience takes from it.

Stay tuned for more mini interviews with Bite Size Halloween filmmakers every week this month!

Rocco T. Thompson
Rocco is a Rondo-nominated film journalist and avid devotee of all things weird and outrageous. He penned the cover story for Rue Morgue's landmark July/Aug 2019 "Queer Fear" Special Issue, and is an associate producer on In Search of Darkness: Part III, the latest installment in CreatorVC's popular 1980s horror documentary series.