BEYOND THE ONIROS FILM AWARDS®
Interview with Dennis Manning, writer of the award winning script ‘The Shaft’
by OFA Team
1. Hi Dennis! Your script ‘The Shaft’ recently won ‘Best LGBTQ Script’ at the Oniros Film Awards. Could you tell us more about this project?
“The Shaft” is a Psychological Thriller/Drama/Suspense. In 1950s America, Bob’s relentless pursuit of success at York Enterprises leads him down a dark path of ambition, betrayal, and murder, unraveling his moral compass and relationships amidst power struggles and emotional conflicts. The lines are blurred when power and position intertwine. The question asked is, “how far will you go to get what you want and when you get it, was the success worth it.” Bob says, “I didn’t come this far just to come this far.” I love that Bob’s mantra of “Big Day! Take Charge!” is re-used by each of the other 4 characters further driving the spiraling tension in “The Shaft.”
2. Tell us a bit about your background. When did you decide you wanted to work in the film industry?
I started as a singer/songwriter (a long time ago) and in 2018 I partnered with Ronnie Larsen for our first musical “Now & Then.” This had a world premiere in Wilton Manors, FL, then went to Chicago, and finally in 2019 the London Off-West End, where it was named the #2 new show in London (just behind “& Juliette” which is currently on Broadway). Ronnie and collaborated on a 2nd musical in April of 2023, “One More Yesterday” and this went on to numerous nominations and awards. In the past 4 years, I took up writing my own stage plays, musicals, and screenplays and have been fortunate to receive accolades for these pieces like “The Shaft”, “More Going Down”, “Undertow” and “Hometown.” “The Shaft” transitioned to a screenplay and I am now working to get a team together to get this to the Big Screen.
3. Where did you get the inspiration from for creating your story?
It started with a song I wrote in 2022 called “No Need To Waltz” about a person seeing her lover in the arms of another through a restaurant window. I picked the song back up in the Fall of 2023 and I just started writing about this theme of deception and betrayal and how far would a person go. Bob, the protagonist is intimately connected to 3 of the 4 characters (Jane, Sue, and Ted). I put this against the backdrop of Big Business 1953 when men ran the office and the story quickly adopted the genre of Film Noir. I was hooked.
Dennis Manning and the official poster of ‘The Shaft’ – www.danforthmusic.org/
4. What did you enjoy the most about writing this script?
The best part was I did not know in the beginning how far Bob would go to get what he wanted and as I wrote the idea of “The shaft” came to life. It reminds me of the “Barber Chair” in “Sweeney Todd” the elevator becomes a main character in the film. I also like that the story starts in Harrisburg, PA, not far from where I grew up. So starting someplace familiar eased me into this thriller.
5. What keeps you inspired to continue writing?
Listening. People everyday speak. I will hear a word, or tone, or phrase and then that gets me thinking. Writers write. So many ideas I may start and then come back to or many times the whole idea will just flood through me and the process of creating something from nothing is the best feeling. My brother says that “people should create and express themselves every day in any way that they can, it is just healthy.” I love that. I worry at times that I may not get inspried or figure out the work to get to complettion, so I keep at it. Is everything great, no? So, I remember that “The Shaft” started and came to life through a song I wrote, through the idea that “I bet there is more to tell.”
6. Do you have a dream project or someone you would like to work with one day?
Dream project. I would love to be in the creative room with Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story and more).
7. What is the message that ‘The Shaft’ conveys?
“The Shaft” follows the theme of ambition and its dark consequences. It explores how unbridled ambition can lead individuals to compromise their morals, manipulate others, and ultimately face the destructive aftermath of their actions.
8. What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?
Getting “The Shaft” connected to a production team; get “Now & Then” to Broadway; Ronnie Larsen and I are opening a new musical in July, “A Shonda, the musical” based on the original script by Wendy Graf. It’s going to a busy summer!
